Here are the top business headlines this morning to get your day started
In the April-November period of FY24, direct tax collections rose 23 percent to Rs 10.6 lakh crore. With this, 56 percent of the budget estimates have been achieved and if this trend continues the final FY24 tally would cross the budget estimates. The estimates had targeted Rs 18.22 lakh crore to be collected in FY24. Reasons given for the rise were better compliance, better profitability of companies and rise in salaried income.
(BusinessLine, Economic Times, Business Standard)
Talks between Sony and Punit Goenka have hit a stalemate as Goenka insists on leading the merged company post merger. The deal was initially premised on the fact that Goenka would lead the merged company but his recent troubles with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) have prompted a rethink. Sony also doesn’t want the merged entity to be run like a larger unit of Zee.
(BusinessLine)
As deal momentum slowly gathers pace, Udaan has raised $340 million in Series E funding. This is the third largest round of funding raised in 2023. PhonePe had raised $850 million and Lenskart raised $500 million in 2023. Udaan’s investment will see fresh equity investments as well as conversion of existing debt into equity.