A recent report reveals the longest shutdown, exceeding 5,000 hours, occurred in India's Manipur due to ethnic clashes. Russia's ban on social media, initiated in 2022 after Putin's Ukraine invasion, led to a £3.1bn economic loss. Globally, government-induced internet shutdowns in 2023 totaled £7.06bn, impacting 25 countries. Top affected nations include Russia (£3.1bn), Ethiopia (£1.5bn), and Iran (£722m). While overall internet costs dropped 67%, duration increased 18%. The study emphasizes the concerning link between government-led internet outages and human rights abuses, highlighting the economic and societal implications of such actions.

Microsoft briefly claimed the title of the world's most valuable company, surpassing Apple, as the latter faced its worst start in years due to demand concerns. Microsoft's market valuation reached $2.888 trillion, driven by an early lead in generative artificial intelligence. Apple's market capitalization fell to $2.887 trillion, the first time since 2021 it dipped below Microsoft's. Apple's stock decline, prompted by iPhone sales worries and Chinese competition, contrasts with Microsoft's rise of 1.8% in January. The competitive landscape and regulatory scrutiny on Apple's services business contribute to its challenges.

BBC Panorama has revealed that fast fashion company Boohoo attached "Made in the UK" labels to potentially thousands of garments that were actually produced in South Asia. Plain t-shirts and hoodies had their original tags removed at Boohoo's flagship Leicester factory before being relabeled, a misrepresentation the company blames on misinterpreting rules. Up to 1 in 250 of Boohoo’s global supply from January to October 2023 could be affected, amounting to hundreds of thousands of wrongly-labeled items. Boohoo claims it was an isolated incident of human error and says steps were taken to prevent recurrence, though the BBC reports the firm is considering closing the site altogether amidst the controversy.

Despite expectations, Elon Musk's Tesla refrains from unveiling investment plans in India at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. Gujarat's Managing Director, Rahul Gupta, asserts the government's readiness to support Tesla but emphasizes investment remains the company's decision. Gujarat maintains its appeal as a top choice for electric vehicle investments. Talks initiated during PM Modi's US visit in June 2023 continue, with Tesla exploring a potential $2 billion investment in an Indian EV factory. However, the company seeks concessions on import duties for initial years. The decision prolongs anticipation for Tesla's entry into the Indian market.

Sony is reportedly set to cancel the $10 billion merger with Zee Entertainment in a disagreement over leadership, as per Bloomberg News. The termination notice is expected before the extended January 20 deadline. Discussions between Sony and Zee continue. The merger, combining Zee and Sony's TV channels, streaming platforms, and film assets, faced delays after India's regulator barred Zee CEO Punit Goenka from directorships in August. While an Indian tribunal lifted the ban in October, Sony has purportedly pushed for N.P. Singh to lead the merged company, challenging Goenka's candidacy. Zee and Sony are yet to comment on the situation.

Thefts of certain Hyundai and Kia models have skyrocketed by 1,000% in the past three years, spurred by social media posts revealing theft techniques. Data from the Highway Loss Data Institute reveals theft insurance claims for these vehicles surged over 1000% from H1 2020 to H1 2023. In the latter period, Hyundai and Kia thefts were over seven times higher than other manufacturers. Older models, especially those made between 2015 to 2019, lacking advanced anti-theft tech, are most vulnerable. A $200 million settlement was reached earlier this year with Hyundai and Kia for vehicle owners, including anti-theft software installation.            

Carrefour, a major supermarket chain spanning France, Spain, Italy, and Belgium, is refusing to sell PepsiCo products, including Pepsi, 7up, Cheetos, and Lay's crisps, in over 9,000 stores. The move is attributed to what Carrefour deems "unacceptable price increases" by PepsiCo. This escalation follows the broader trend of strained relations between European supermarkets and suppliers amid rising costs post-Russia's war with Ukraine. Grocery inflation, particularly pronounced in France, has led to attempts to negotiate with brands. PepsiCo, raising its 2023 profit forecast thrice, pledges ongoing discussions with Carrefour to ensure product availability.

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani is once again Asia's wealthiest person after his net worth rose $7.7 billion in a day to $97.6 billion. This comes on the heels of India's Supreme Court ruling that no further probes are needed into fraud allegations against Adani's conglomerate. Adani reclaimed the top spot from rival Mukesh Ambani, whose net worth stands at $97 billion. Adani saw over $150 billion in market value losses last year due to the fraud claims, but has rebounded thanks to the court verdict which boosted his company's stock prices. The tycoon is diversifying into data centers, AI, urban development and more.

The Indian rupee is expected to gain value against the U.S. dollar over the next 12 months, according to investment bank Goldman Sachs. This is because more foreign money is likely to flow into India. However, the Reserve Bank of India may try to limit the rupee's rise as it targets to keep building up India's foreign currency reserves. Goldman Sachs believes the rupee could reach 81 rupees per dollar within a year. Equity portfolio flows into India will be "robust" as the Federal Reserve starts its interest rate easing cycle in 2024, while debt inflows will be strong following India's inclusion in JPMorgan's global bond indexes, Goldman Sachs added. On Tuesday, the rupee was 83.3 per dollar, after barely losing value last year. 

Adani Group stocks, including Adani Enterprises and Adani Power, soared up to 16% as the Supreme Court supported SEBI's investigation into Hindenburg allegations. The court emphasized SEBI's jurisdiction in the matter and directed completion of the probe within three months. The verdict positively impacted Adani's market cap, crossing Rs 15 lakh crore. Since Hindenburg's report in January 2023, Adani stocks faced fluctuations, but recent developments, including investments by GQG Partners, contributed to the recovery. The court also dismissed calls to revoke SEBI's regulatory amendments, boosting confidence in Adani Group shares.