<div id="readability-page-1"><div id="blog-content"><p>Asian equities advanced on Friday as cooling US inflation data strengthened expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts and easing tech concerns lifted sentiment on Wall Street.</p><p>Wall Street's major indexes finished higher on Thursday after softer-than-expected US inflation strengthened hopes of upcoming Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, while a strong outlook from chipmaker Micron boosted optimism around AI-driven demand.</p><p>Here's a table showing how US stocks performed on Thursday:</p><table><thead><tr><th>Stock/Index</th><th>LTP</th><th>Change ($)</th><th>Change (%)</th><th>Day High</th><th>Day Low</th><th>52-Week High</th><th>52-Week Low</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Alphabet</td><td>303.75</td><td>5.69</td><td>1.91%</td><td>305.26</td><td>300.63</td><td>328.67</td><td>142.66</td></tr><tr><td>Apple</td><td>272.19</td><td>0.35</td><td>0.13%</td><td>273.63</td><td>266.95</td><td>288.61</td><td>169.21</td></tr><tr><td>Meta</td><td>664.45</td><td>15.04</td><td>2.32%</td><td>670.56</td><td>656.46</td><td>796.25</td><td>479.8</td></tr><tr><td>Tesla</td><td>483.37</td><td>16.11</td><td>3.45%</td><td>490.86</td><td>473.12</td><td>495.24</td><td>214.25</td></tr><tr><td>Netflix</td><td>94</td><td>-0.79</td><td>-0.83%</td><td>95.81</td><td>93.59</td><td>134.12</td><td>82.11</td></tr><tr><td>Amazon</td><td>226.76</td><td>5.49</td><td>2.48%</td><td>229.23</td><td>224.41</td><td>258.6</td><td>161.43</td></tr><tr><td>Microsoft</td><td>483.98</td><td>7.86</td><td>1.65%</td><td>489.6</td><td>477.89</td><td>555.45</td><td>344.79</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>47951.85</td><td>65.88</td><td>0.14%</td><td>48365.93</td><td>47849.48</td><td>48886.86</td><td>36611.78</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq</td><td>25019.37</td><td>371.76</td><td>1.51%</td><td>25164.18</td><td>24921.45</td><td>26182.1</td><td>16542.2</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Source: Equitymaster</p><p>At present, the BSE Sensex is trading 475 points higher, and the NSE Nifty is trading 151 points higher.</p><p>Infosys, Reliance Industries, and Bajaj Finserv are among the top gainers today.</p><p>Bharti Airtel, on the other hand, is among the top losers today.</p><p>The BSE Midcap index is trading 0.3% higher, and the BSE Smallcap index is trading 0.3% higher.</p><p>Sectoral indices are trading positively today, with stocks in the realty and healthcare sectors witnessing buying.</p><p>The rupee is trading at Rs 90.00 against the US dollar.<br/> </p><h3><strong>HCLTech Strengthens Telecom Leadership with Acquisition</strong></h3><p>HCLTech, a global technology company, has signed an agreement to buy HPE's Telco Solutions business. This deal will strengthen HCLTech's position in the telecom sector.</p><p>This follows an earlier deal in 2024, where HCLTech acquired some telecom assets from HPE. With this new acquisition, HCLTech will gain valuable intellectual property, strong product engineering and R&amp;D capabilities, and long-standing relationships with major telecom operators worldwide.</p><p>The Telco Solutions business was early part of HPE's Communications Technology Group. The assets acquired by HCLTech in 2024 from this group have already been integrated successfully and are growing.</p><p>With this expanded portfolio, HCLTech plans to speed up network modernization, offer Network-as-a-Service solutions, and build AI-driven, self-operating telecom networks.</p><p>As part of the deal, around 1,500 telecom and engineering professionals from 39 countries will join HCLTech. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in about six months.<br/> </p><h3><strong>Vodafone Idea Funds Operations Via NCDs</strong></h3><p>Vodafone Idea (Vi) has successfully raised Rs 33 billion (bn) by issuing secured non-convertible debentures (NCDs) through its subsidiary, Vodafone Idea Telecom Infrastructure Limited (VITIL).</p><p>The fundraise received strong interest from well-known investors, including NBFCs, foreign portfolio investors, and alternative investment funds.</p><p>The money raised will be used by VITIL to repay it due to Vodafone Idea. This will help Vi strengthen its capital spending plans and support future business growth.</p><p>Commenting on the development, Vi CEO Abhijit Kishore said the successful fundraise shows investor confidence in the company's long-term strategy. He added that the funds will help Vi expand its network and improve services, and that talks with banks about additional long-term funding are ongoing.<br/> </p><p><img height="342" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.eqimg.com/images/2025/12192025-chart6-equitymaster.gif?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.eqimg.com/images/2025/12192025-chart6-equitymaster.gif"/></p><h3><br/><strong>Reliance Acquires Majority Stake in Udhaiyam</strong></h3><p>Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL), the FMCG arm of Reliance Industries, has acquired a majority stake in Udhaiyams Agro Foods Private Limited.</p><p>Under this joint venture, RCPL will own most of the company, while the existing owners of Udhaiyam will retain a smaller stake. With this deal, Udhaiyam, a well-known nutrition and food brand from Tamil Nadu, becomes part of RCPL's FMCG portfolio, strengthening its presence in branded food staples.</p><p>This acquisition supports RCPL's focus on promoting India's traditional and heritage brands while offering good-quality products at affordable prices to consumers across the country.</p><p>Udhaiyams Agro Foods, known for its flagship brand Udhaiyam, has over 30 years of experience and a strong presence in Tamil Nadu. The brand sells products such as rice, spices, snacks, and idli batter through a wide distribution network.</p><hr/><p><em>More By This Author:</em></p><p>Sensex Today Ends 77 Points Lower; Nifty Below 25,850<br/>Sensex Today Trades Lower; Tata Steel &amp; Sun Pharma Top Losers <br/>Sensex Today Ends 120 Points Lower; Nifty Below 25,850<br/></p></div></div>

INFY

<p>Asian equities rose on Friday due to cooling US inflation data, boosting hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts. Wall Street's major indexes closed higher, driven by optimism in AI demand. BSE Sensex is up 475 points, NSE Nifty up 151 points, with Infosys and Reliance Industries as top gainers. HCLTech acquired HPE's Telco Solutions business, enhancing its telecom sector position. Vodafone Idea raised Rs 33 billion via NCDs for network expansion. Reliance Consumer Products acquired a majority stake in Udhaiyam, strengthening its FMCG portfolio.</p>

Sensex Today Trades Higher; Reliance Industries & Infosys Top Gainers