Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has announced a one-time relaxation for listed companies struggling to meet Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS) norms, citing challenging market conditions driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Sebi’s relief comes following representations from industry bodies highlighting the difficulties in achieving compliance amid volatile markets. The regulator has decided to ease these provisions temporarily.

The relaxation takes effect immediately, with stock exchanges instructed to notify listed entities and make necessary amendments to their rules and regulations to implement the directive.

Under existing rules, companies that fail to comply with MPS requirements face penal actions such as fines, freezing of promoter shareholding and other restrictions as outlined in Sebi’s master circular on listing obligations.

Sebi said that listed entities whose deadlines for meeting MPS norms fall between April 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 will be exempt from penal actions during this period. Stock exchanges and depositories have been directed not to initiate any punitive measures against such companies. Additionally, any penalties already imposed for non-compliance during this window will be withdrawn.

The move comes as heightened uncertainty and subdued investor participation have made it difficult for companies to dilute promoter holdings and raise public shareholding to mandated levels.
Earlier today, Sebi provided relief to companies planning to tap the capital markets by granting a one-time extension for the validity of its observation letters, citing challenging market conditions due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.Under existing norms, companies are required to launch their public issues within 12 to 18 months from the date of receiving SEBI’s observations. However, the regulator noted that issuers are facing difficulties in mobilising funds and accessing capital markets amid subdued investor participation and heightened uncertainty.

Read more: Sebi grants one-time extension for IPO observation validity amid geopolitical volatility

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Goldman Sachs on Tuesday sold over 13.82 lakh equity shares in Cello World Limited via a bulk deal worth Rs 55 crore. The shares were sold at a price of Rs 401 apiece by its affiliate Goldman Sachs Funds.

Goldman Sachs Funds – Goldman Sachs India Equity Portfolio held over 29.51 lakh equity shares in the company, representing a 1.34% stake.

Shares of Cello World Limited remained largely steady on Tuesday even as a bulk deal took place in the counter. The stock ended at Rs 404, up Rs 2.20 or 0.55% from Monday’s closing price.

Goldman Sachs’ stake sale follows significant underperformance by the stock over the past year. Its share price has eroded by 24% in this period, while the Nifty and the BSE Sensex have traded flat.

The stock is currently trading below its 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) of Rs 446 and Rs 551, respectively, according to Trendlyne data.

Cello Plastic Industrial Works commenced offering plastic houseware products under the Cello brand in 1982. The company owns and operates 13 manufacturing facilities across five locations in India.
Cello World’s December quarter delivered a weak set of numbers, posting a consolidated net profit of Rs 64 crore, a 26.3% growth year-on-year. The company had reported a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 86 crore in the year-ago period.The total revenue in the quarter under review stood at Rs 570 crore, flat compared with Rs 569 crore in the corresponding quarter of the last financial year.

Also read: Goldman Sachs picks stakes in Jio Financial, BHEL via block deals. Check sellers

(Disclaimer: The recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

Shares ​of U.S. health insurers climbed on ​Tuesday after the government set Medicare Advantage payment rates ​above expectations, an increase that would result in more than $13 billion in additional payments in 2027. Insurers had lost billions in market value after the Trump administration’s smaller-than-expected January ‌proposal sparked backlash ⁠from ⁠an industry already grappling with significant financial strain.

Shares of UnitedHealth jumped more than 10%, ​CVS Health nearly 7%, while Humana gained 8% and Elevance Health added 3%. The Centers for ​Medicare & Medicaid Services said late on Monday it would raise payments to private insurers offering Medicare Advantage plans to older adults in 2027 by ​2.48% on average, much higher than the smaller-than-expected ⁠0.09% rate ‌increase that was proposed in January.

“This improvement should allow ​the industry ​to expand margins in 2027 when coupled with benefit ⁠cuts,” said Mizuho analyst Ann Hynes.

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Investors had expected ​a rate increase of at least 1%, Wall Street analysts ​had said earlier.

“This elevates the case for some margin growth in 2026 and lessens the growing perception that CMS’ harsh policy stance on the group is worsening,” said Leerink analyst Whit Mayo.
“At minimum, the sector will be perceived to be more investable.”Health insurers had argued ‌the disappointing rates proposed in January did not reflect the reality of rising medical costs, which have been squeezing industry ​margins for ​nearly three years.

“The industry ⁠has continued to face a tough environment, but on the heels of this more favorable release, we might be seeing the tide changing,” Oppenheimer analyst ​Michael Wiederhorn said.

Insurers would also get a 2.5% benefit from a change to risk assessment payments related to health status, for a total increase of about 5%, a Medicare agency official said on Monday in a call with media.

American consumers who are in the market for used cars are facing the highest prices in nearly three years, according to a new report.

Wholesale prices for used vehicles rose to their highest level since the summer of 2023 in March, with the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index rising 6.2% year over year to a reading of 215.3.

Data from Manheim, a Cox Automotive brand and the largest wholesale marketplace in the U.S., found that demand for used vehicles remains strong. Values rose 1.4% in the month of March, which the report noted is well above long-term norms, and are up 2.3% from the start of 2026.

“As soon as this year began, prices at Manheim started moving higher as dealers anticipated strong demand from higher tax refunds to consumers,” said Jeremy Robb, chief economist at Cox Automotive.

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“Sales conversion rates, a clear sign of demand, were higher against 2025 for every week but one in Q1, and vehicle value trends at auction show we are well ahead of last year and where we would normally be during a spring bounce in the wholesale markets,” Robb added. 

“We thought we’d see some impact from the Middle East conflict, and that may still happen. But right now, the data is clear: used-vehicle demand is healthy and inventory levels are relatively tight,” he added.

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The Manheim report found that buyer activity was strengthening and there was increased competition for the available inventory in the wholesale lanes, as the sales conversion rate rose to 68.2% in March. That’s 4.6 percentage points higher than the most recent three-year average for March and is up 5.5 percentage points from the revised-higher February rate of 62.7%.

Used electric vehicles (EVs) also showed strength in the first quarter with firm pricing and activity for the quarter as values rose alongside the seasonal increase. 

It noted that used EVs offer consumers affordability advantages over new EVs, while there’s also an increasing flow of off-lease EVs entering wholesale channels.

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Retail used vehicle sales also showed momentum, with first quarter sales up about 2% compared with the same level a year ago. Inventory also tightened, with the days’ supply metric declining below 40 in March, which was the lowest point this year and down from a year ago.

Cox Automotive’s outlook for 2026 sees used vehicles continuing a stronger-than-expected start to the year, before being offset by a softer second half of 2026 with total used vehicle sales declining 1% year over year.

“As we move towards summer, we expect Manheim values to hold their ground with many more consumers yet to file their tax returns this year,” Robb said.

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“The end of March typically proves to be the ‘peak’ for price action at Manheim. The Middle East conflict could dampen the spirits of the U.S. consumer, but we just haven’t seen it yet – our data is showing resiliency in the economy,” Robb said.

Fresh leaks about Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro models promise significant upgrades for the 2026 lineup, including the company’s first 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, a dramatically smaller Dynamic Island cutout and a striking new deep red color option that could replace the traditional black finish.

The reports, circulating widely in early April 2026, paint the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max as evolutionary yet meaningful steps forward, even as attention shifts toward Apple’s anticipated foldable iPhone launching alongside them in September. Analysts say the combination of advanced chip technology, refined design elements and improved efficiency could help Apple maintain its premium positioning amid intensifying competition from Android flagships.

The most talked-about upgrade centers on the processor. Multiple reliable sources indicate the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature the A20 Pro chip, built on TSMC’s first-generation 2nm process. This marks a major leap from the 3nm architecture used in the current A19 Pro. The shift to 2nm is expected to deliver noticeable gains in both performance and power efficiency, potentially up to 15% faster processing and 30% better energy savings compared with the previous generation.

The new manufacturing process also incorporates Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) packaging, which integrates the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine and RAM more closely on the same wafer. This tighter integration could boost memory bandwidth and enable more flexible configurations for demanding AI tasks. Rumors suggest the Pro models may ship with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in recent generations, further enhancing multitasking and on-device artificial intelligence capabilities.

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Apple’s in-house C2 5G modem is also expected to debut, promising improved connectivity, lower power draw and better performance in challenging signal conditions. Combined with the efficient 2nm chip, these changes could translate into meaningfully longer battery life — a perennial user request.

Leaks point to a Pro Max battery exceeding 5,000 mAh for the first time, possibly reaching 5,100 to 5,200 mAh depending on whether the model includes a physical SIM tray. The standard iPhone 18 Pro could see a more modest but still improved capacity around 4,100 mAh or higher. Faster charging up to 40W wired is another rumored enhancement.

Design-wise, one of the most visible changes involves the Dynamic Island. Recent leaks suggest the pill-shaped cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro could shrink by approximately 35%, giving users more usable screen real estate while retaining the interactive notification and control features introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro. Some reports indicate this reduction may come alongside progress toward under-display Face ID, though full implementation might not arrive until later models. The front camera could shift to the top-left corner in certain configurations, further minimizing the notch area.

The rear camera system is expected to retain the triple 48-megapixel setup — main, ultrawide and telephoto — but with meaningful refinements. A variable aperture on the main Fusion camera would allow users greater control over depth of field and light intake, mimicking professional camera behavior. Other rumored camera tweaks include an 18MP selfie camera with improved Center Stage capabilities.

On the exterior, Apple is reportedly testing a deep red finish as the signature color for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. The bold hue could join more traditional options while notably skipping the black titanium finish that has been a staple in recent Pro models. A “coffee” or bronze-like shade has also been mentioned in some leaks. The overall chassis is expected to maintain the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the current generation, with the familiar camera “plateau” housing the triple-lens array. A slightly thicker and more uniform design has been floated, potentially to accommodate larger batteries and improved thermal management via a stainless steel vapor chamber.

These changes arrive as Apple navigates a transitional period. The standard iPhone 18 models may face a delayed launch until spring 2027, shifting the spotlight entirely to the Pro duo and the new foldable device in the fall 2026 event. That foldable iPhone, expected to measure roughly 5.5 inches when closed and 7.8 inches when open, is also rumored to use the A20 Pro chip, creating a cohesive high-end ecosystem.

Industry watchers say the 2nm process represents a critical milestone for Apple’s silicon ambitions. TSMC’s N2 technology is viewed as one of the most advanced in the semiconductor industry, promising denser transistor packing that benefits everything from gaming performance to machine learning inference. Enhanced Neural Engine capabilities could supercharge Apple Intelligence features, enabling more sophisticated on-device processing with greater privacy and speed.

Battery and thermal improvements are particularly important as devices handle increasingly complex AI workloads. Longer runtime without compromising the slim form factor remains a key selling point for premium smartphones.

The smaller Dynamic Island addresses a common aesthetic complaint while preserving functionality. Early concept renders circulating online show a noticeably sleeker front face, which could make the iPhone 18 Pro feel more modern and immersive for media consumption and productivity.

Color choices have always generated buzz in Apple’s lineup. A deep red option would echo past vibrant finishes like (PRODUCT)RED while offering a fresh, premium look that stands out from the titanium grays and blues of recent years. Dropping black could disappoint some traditionalists but aligns with Apple’s pattern of refreshing its palette periodically.

Pricing is expected to remain in line with current Pro models, starting around $999 for the iPhone 18 Pro and $1,199 for the Pro Max, though storage tiers and regional variations could influence final figures. Storage options may extend to 2TB on higher-end configurations.

Supply chain analysts note that moving to 2nm production involves significant technical and cost challenges. Yields on the new process could initially be lower, but Apple’s close partnership with TSMC typically ensures priority access and rapid improvements.

As excitement builds, some caveats remain. Many details stem from unverified leaks and analyst notes, and Apple has a history of refining or altering plans before launch. Official confirmation won’t arrive until the expected September 2026 keynote.

Still, the early buzz suggests the iPhone 18 Pro could deliver one of the most substantial under-the-hood upgrades in recent cycles. The combination of cutting-edge 2nm silicon, refined display elements and thoughtful design tweaks positions it as a compelling upgrade for users seeking peak performance and longevity.

For consumers holding onto older iPhones, the rumored efficiency gains and battery improvements may provide extra incentive to wait. Photography enthusiasts are particularly intrigued by the variable aperture possibility, which could elevate mobile imaging beyond current capabilities.

Apple continues to face pressure to innovate amid slowing iPhone sales growth in some markets and rising competition from foldable devices offered by Samsung and Chinese manufacturers. The 2026 lineup, including the foldable, represents a pivotal moment as the company balances incremental Pro refinements with bolder form-factor experiments.

Whether the deep red color becomes an instant classic or the smaller Dynamic Island noticeably improves the everyday experience will ultimately be judged by users when the devices ship. For now, the leaks have generated considerable anticipation and discussion across tech communities.

As development continues through the summer, more concrete details are likely to surface. In the meantime, the iPhone 18 Pro appears poised to carry forward Apple’s tradition of blending powerful hardware with elegant design — this time with a bolder color palette and more efficient core technology at its heart.

Wolf Richter is the analyst at, and the publisher of, WOLF STREET, where he discusses business, finance, and money. Core focus: Federal Reserve, credits, equities, residential and commercial real estate, the auto industry, trade, consumers, and energy. He started this operation in 2011. Prior to that, he worked for 20 years in C-level positions, including 10 years in the auto industry. MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.