Company Overview - The Carlyle Group Inc. will acquire the housing loan unit of Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd, Nido Home Finance Ltd, in a ₹2,100 crore deal [1] - Nido provides home loans to customers across affordable housing and mass-market segments, managing assets worth ₹4,804 crore [7] Deal Structure - Carlyle Asia Partners will acquire a 45% stake in Nido through a secondary purchase and a primary equity capital infusion of ₹1,500 crore [2] - Edelweiss will sell 31.2 million shares for ₹602 crore and issue 25.7 million fresh shares at ₹193 per share to CA Sardo Investments [3] - The share issue price represents a 73% premium over the stock's closing price on the previous trading day [4] Stake Distribution - Upon completion, Carlyle's funds will hold approximately 73% of Nido on a fully diluted basis [3] - CA Sardo and Salisbury will receive fresh warrants priced at ₹193 each [4] Financial Impact - In fiscal 2024-25, Nido contributed 5.5% to Edelweiss's top line, amounting to ₹521 crore, and 14% to the company's net worth [5] Strategic Rationale - The transaction is viewed as a "win-win-win" for all stakeholders, advancing value creation for Edelweiss, reinforcing growth for Nido, and providing Carlyle with entry into India's housing financing sector [6] Market Context - The deal occurs amid a trend where housing finance companies (HFCs) are increasingly relying on non-housing loans to protect margins and growth [9] - Icra Ltd expects healthy growth of 15-17% in HFCs' assets under management during FY26-27 [10] - Housing loans as a share of GDP rose to 11% in FY25 from 8% in FY15, driven by demand-side measures [10]

Earnings To Watch - Bajaj Auto reported a revenue increase of 18.8% at Rs 15,220 crore compared to Rs 12,807 crore YoY, with net profit up 18.7% at Rs 2,503 crore versus Rs 2,109 crore [3] - NTPC's revenue decreased by 1.8% to Rs 40,644 crore from Rs 41,369 crore YoY, while net profit increased by 5.8% to Rs 4,987 crore from Rs 4,711 crore [3] Corporate Developments - Bank of Baroda plans to raise Rs 10,000 crore through long-term bonds [4] - Tata Steel acquired 50.01% of Thriveni Pellets for Rs 635.13 crore [4] - NCC received five orders worth Rs 2,457 crore in January 2025 [4] - NTPC Green commenced operations of 210 MW out of the 1,200 MW Khavda-II solar project, increasing the group's commercial capacity to 8,478.25 MW [4] - Travel Food Services won a contract from Delhi International Airport to operate 33 Food and Beverage outlets for approximately eleven years [4] Financial Performance Highlights - Bank of Baroda's revenue (NII) increased by 0.1% to Rs 11,800 crore, with net profit up 4.5% at Rs 5,055 crore [5] - Meesho's revenue surged by 31.6% to Rs 3,518 crore, but it reported an EBITDA loss of Rs 539 crore [5] - KEC International's revenue rose by 12.2% to Rs 6,001 crore, while net profit decreased by 1.6% to Rs 127 crore [6] - Jindal Steel's revenue increased by 11.5% to Rs 13,027 crore, but net profit fell by 70.3% to Rs 189 crore [6] - DOMS Industries reported a revenue increase of 18.2% at Rs 592 crore, with net profit up 14.1% at Rs 57.9 crore [7] - Aadhar Housing Finance's revenue increased by 19% to Rs 485 crore, with net profit up 17.5% at Rs 281 crore [8] - Chola Finance's revenue rose by 24% to Rs 3,587 crore, with net profit up 18.5% at Rs 1,289 crore [8] - New India Assurance's revenue increased by 8.4% to Rs 9,717 crore, with net profit up 9.5% at Rs 377 crore [9] - Glenmark Pharma's revenue rose by 15.1% to Rs 3,901 crore, with net profit up 15.9% at Rs 403 crore [13]

Group 1 - Dalian is implementing a pilot service for "no accompanying care" in major hospitals to alleviate the burden on patients' families and enhance the medical environment [1] - The city will expand the "no accompanying care" service model to all tertiary public hospitals, optimizing service processes and providing professional care throughout the patient's stay [1] - Starting January 1, 2026, Dalian will increase the maximum housing provident fund loan limits to 600,000 yuan for individuals and 1 million yuan for couples, supporting housing demand and promoting a stable real estate market [1] Group 2 - The housing provident fund policies will be enhanced for specific groups, including an increase of 200,000 yuan for undergraduate graduates and 400,000 yuan for master's graduates, with even higher limits for doctoral graduates and high-level talents [2] - Dalian's Sports Bureau plans to enrich the year-round fitness event system, focusing on major events like the Dalian International Walking Conference and community sports activities to promote fitness and community engagement [2]

Core Viewpoint - The adjustment of the housing provident fund contribution base minimum standards in Baoji City aims to protect the rights of employees, especially low- and middle-income groups, ensuring that the minimum contribution does not fall below the local minimum wage standard [1][2] Group 1: Policy Changes - Baoji City has set the minimum contribution base for the housing provident fund at 2250 yuan/month for Class II districts and 2140 yuan/month for Class III districts [1] - The districts classified as Class II include Weibin District, Jintai District, Chencang District, and Feng County, while Class III includes Fengxiang County, Fufeng County, Meixian County, Qishan County, Taibai County, Linyou County, Qian County, and Long County [1] Group 2: Implementation and Services - To facilitate the adjustment of the contribution base, Baoji City Housing Provident Fund Management Center has opened both online and offline service channels for employers and contributors [2] - Employers can process the adjustment through the online portal if they are registered, or they can visit service halls or 24 extended service points across the city [2]

Core Insights - Freddie Mac's Multifamily division achieved a production volume of $77.6 billion in 2025, marking a 17% increase from 2024, and supported over 577,000 affordable rental units across the U.S. [1][2] Production and Investment - The total production volume included $1.2 billion in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity investments, $1.1 billion in workforce housing preservation loans, and $2.4 billion in forward conversions [2] - Freddie Mac's Long-Term Financing Facilities generated $2 billion in new funding, a 42% increase over 2024, while the Structured Products business closed 10 transactions totaling $2.5 billion [5] Market Focus and Product Enhancements - The company focused on increasing liquidity in the multifamily market to enhance the supply of affordable rental housing, implementing product enhancements and customer-focused process improvements [3] - Freddie Mac expanded its forwards program to include conventional properties and enhanced Lease-Up Loans to reduce costs in multifamily housing development [3] Affordable Housing Goals - In 2025, 66% of the production volume qualified as "mission-driven affordable housing," exceeding the 50% goal, with nearly 70% of goal-eligible units affordable to low-income residents earning less than 80% of area median income (AMI) [7] - A total of 93% of all units financed in 2025 were affordable at or below 120% of AMI [7] Historical Context and Mission - Historically, over 90% of the eligible rental units funded by Freddie Mac are affordable to families with low-to-moderate incomes earning up to 120% of AMI [8] - Freddie Mac's mission is to promote liquidity, stability, and affordability in the housing market, having assisted tens of millions of families since 1970 [9]

Core Insights - Freddie Mac issued $68 billion of multifamily securities in 2025, transferring various risks from U.S. taxpayers to private investors [1][5] - The company achieved record settlements of $32.6 billion in K-Deals® and $28.1 billion in Multi PC® issuances, enhancing liquidity in the multifamily housing market [1][3] - Since the program's inception in 2009, Freddie Mac has settled a total of $805 billion in multifamily securities [2] Market Adaptation - In 2025, Freddie Mac Multifamily focused on flexibility and efficiency to enhance customer experience while ensuring portfolio stability [3][4] - The company introduced record issuances of Multifamily Structured Credit Risk (MSCR) notes and Multifamily Credit Insurance Pool (MCIP) policies [3] Commitment to Affordable Housing - Over 90% of the rental units funded by Freddie Mac are affordable for families earning up to 120% of the area median income [5] - The company has a long-standing mission to promote liquidity, stability, and affordability in the housing market [6]

Core Viewpoint - Michael Burry, a prominent money manager, holds significant positions in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac common stock, believing that a re-listing of these housing-finance giants is imminent [1][2]. Company Insights - Burry has expressed a bullish outlook on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, citing political and regulatory challenges that must be addressed for a public offering to take place [1][4]. - He personally owns substantial amounts of both companies' common stock and is analyzing the political dynamics and potential valuation in a future sale [3]. - Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have seen notable gains, with Fannie Mae rising 3.9% and Freddie Mac climbing 3.1% recently, contributing to over a 15% increase in value this month [3]. Regulatory Considerations - For a public offering to occur, Burry argues that regulators need to relax capital requirements, convert certain preferred shares into common stock, and reduce the government's claim on the companies, as the current claims render common shares "worthless" [4]. - Burry acknowledges that significant challenges remain before an IPO can be realized for both companies [4].

Core Viewpoint - Investor Michael Burry holds significant positions in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, indicating a bullish outlook on their potential re-listing and future performance [1][5]. Group 1: Investment Position - Michael Burry has a sizable stake in both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac common stock, reflecting confidence in their future prospects [5][8]. - The shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have shown volatility, with Fannie Mae rising by 2% and Freddie Mac by 2.4% on December 8, and both have increased approximately 12% since late November [5]. Group 2: IPO Challenges and Projections - Burry outlines several challenges that must be addressed for the IPOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including easing capital requirements, converting preferred shares to common stock, and reducing government claims on the companies [6]. - He anticipates that the IPOs could be priced at 1x to 1.25x times the book value, with potential trading at 1.5x to 2x times the book value within 1-2 years post-listing [6]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Support - Burry notes that without government withdrawal, the common shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are essentially "worthless," highlighting the need for regulatory changes [6]. - There is speculation that Berkshire Hathaway may take a substantial position in the upcoming IPOs, as Warren Buffett's company previously held a stake in Fannie Mae [7].

Core Viewpoint - Carlyle Group Inc. is negotiating to acquire a majority stake in Nido Home Finance Ltd., an Indian home mortgage firm, as part of its strategy to increase investments in the local financial services sector [1][2]. Group 1: Investment Details - Carlyle is targeting an initial investment of $300 million in Nido Home Finance Ltd., which is owned by Edelweiss Financial Services Ltd. [1] - The negotiations are still ongoing, and no deal has been finalized yet [1]. Group 2: Market Context - If the transaction proceeds, Carlyle will join other major players like Blackstone Inc. and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. in investing in India's growing housing finance sector [2]. - Carlyle previously divested its investments in PNB Housing Finance and Yes Bank Ltd. earlier this year [2]. Group 3: Strategic Intent - Carlyle aims to increase its investment size in India, focusing on acquiring majority stakes in companies and consolidating businesses [4]. - The firm has invested approximately $8 billion in India over its 25-year history in the country [4].

Market Overview - India's Q2 GDP growth of 8.2% provided an initial boost to markets, leading the Nifty and BSE Sensex to record highs of 26,325.80 and 86,159 respectively [6] - Selling pressure in pharma and financial stocks caused a decline in indices, despite support from auto and IT sectors [6] Derivatives Insights - Derivatives data indicated noticeable call writing at the 26,250 strike and strong put interest at 26,150, suggesting a tight near-term trading range [6] - A sustained close above 26,300 is deemed essential to reignite bullish momentum in upcoming sessions [6] Company Developments - Bajaj Housing Finance is expected to see a block deal where promoter Bajaj Finance may sell a 2% stake at a floor price of Rs 95 per share, representing a 9% discount to the closing price of Rs 104.59 [6] - Hero MotoCorp reported dispatches of 604,490 units in November 2025, reflecting a 31% year-on-year growth [6] - Ambuja Cement successfully commissioned a 4 Million Ton Per Annum (MTPA) brownfield expansion of its Clinker Unit in Bhatapara, Chhattisgarh [6] - Hindustan Unilever Limited appointed Vandana Suri as Executive Director, Home Care, effective January 1, 2026 [6] - Amber Enterprises announced that its subsidiary IL JIN Electronics acquired an 80% equity stake in Shogini Technoarts Pvt Ltd for approximately Rs 506 crore [6] - IHCL's subsidiary, Roots Corporation Ltd, acquired a 51% stake in Pride Hospitality and ANK Hotels with investments of Rs 81.2 crore and Rs 109.3 crore respectively [6]