In this week’s wrapup, we look at how the gaming industry might have to adapt in response to the ban on real money games, the reality of district cooling systems, SEBI’s proposed changes to India’s block deal framework, the US Fed’s quiet shift in managing inflation and Papa John’s plan to re-enter India after eight years.

And in this week’s Markets edition, we dive into why edible oil maker, CIAN Agro’s stock is skyrocketing. Click here to read the full story.

With that out of the way, let’s recap what we wrote this week.

Can India build its own GTA6?

India’s $4 billion gaming market just hit pause.

Nearly 85% of it came from real-money games (RMGs) like Dream11 and PokerBaazi, until the government banned them by making the Online Gaming Bill an Act.

That’s billions in revenues and taxes gone in a flash.

But here’s the twist. Globally, gaming’s biggest money isn’t in RMGs at all. It’s in massive AAA titles like GTA6, expected to rake in more than two years of India’s entire box office in a single year! And guess what? Indian developers are already part of this global action.

So why aren’t we building our own GTA yet?

We answered that in Monday’s newsletter here.

Are district cooling dreams as cool as they sound?

Every summer, India’s power grid hits breaking point as ACs blast away to beat the heat. And by 2030, cooling alone could gulp down nearly half of the country’s peak electricity demand.

So, what’s the fix?

Enter District Cooling Systems (DCS) — giant central chillers that can cool entire neighbourhoods far more efficiently than millions of standalone ACs.

On paper, they promise lower emissions and fewer blackouts. But are they really a silver bullet to India’s heat and emission problems? Find out in our Tuesday’s newsletter.

Block deals explained through a $300 million mistake

Last week, a trading slip-up sent the stock of Clean Science & Technology tumbling.

Spark Avendus accidentally dumped more than half the company’s shares into the open market — far more than they meant to sell. Traders panicked, prices crashed and Avendus had to scramble to fix the mess.

But this wasn’t just a trading error. It exposed cracks in India’s block deal framework, which is partly why SEBI rushed in with a quick rule change. But what on earth are block deals, and why did the market regulator act in such a hurry?

We broke it down in Wednesday’s Finshots Daily.

Mr. Powell says the good times are coming!

2%.

Looks tiny, right? But this single number has dictated trillions of dollars in global money flows for decades. It’s the US Fed’s holy grail inflation target. And it’s shaped everything from interest rates to whether foreign investors pump money into India or pull it out.

The problem?

The Fed hasn’t hit it consistently in years. So last week, it quietly tweaked its playbook. But why does that matter so much and what could it mean for markets like India?

Check out our Thursday newsletter to find out.

Why Papa John's wants another slice of India

Domino’s has been the undisputed king of India’s pizza market for nearly three decades. It cracked the code early with pocket-friendly menus and desi flavours, while challengers like Pizza Hut and La Pinoz have scrambled to keep up.

But now, Papa John’s, the world’s third-largest pizza chain, wants back in after crashing out of India in 2017.

The twist? This time it’s armed with a new partner and a bold plan to open 650 outlets. But why return to a market where it once failed so badly?

We broke it down in Friday’s newsletter here.

Finshots Weekly Quiz 🧠

Here’s your chance to win some exclusive Finshots merch. All you have to do is click on 👉🏽this link, answer all the questions correctly by 12 noon on September 5th (Friday) and tune in to our Sunday newsletter aka Sunny Side Up next week to check if you got lucky.

That’s it from us this week. Have a great weekend!

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