Top Business & Market Headlines Today — BL Morning Report, Dec 22, 2025

2026 India equity outlook of fund managers: What if ChatGPT, Meta AI, Gemini, DeepSeek and Claude wrote them instead As 2026 outlooks arrive, fund managers once again use familiar language — constructive, selective, disciplined and long term. Five AI models were asked to replicate this exercise, producing views that prioritise reassurance over clear forecasts.The exercise shows a consistent pattern: acknowledge risks, avoid binary calls and return to the same conclusion — stay invested, remain selective and maintain SIP discipline. Read more here Why small-cap funds test investor patience despite SIP discipline Small-cap funds have attracted a surge in retail participation, but they come with deeper drawdowns, longer phases of underperformance and higher volatility than mid- and large-cap funds. While SIPs can soften the impact over time, they do not eliminate extended periods of weak returns, making patience and a long investment horizon essential for investors. Read more here Why women farmers are India’s most underserved borrowers and how loans can change that? Women form a large share of India’s agricultural workforce but remain marginal borrowers because limited land ownership and systemic barriers restrict access to formal credit. New collateral-free and simplified lending models are expanding access, helping women manage farm needs, smooth incomes and build financial resilience when credit is provided responsibly. Read more here Delhi intensifies GRAP-IV crackdown as over 600 non-compliant industries face closure Delhi has intensified GRAP Stage IV enforcement, conducting over 3,000 inspections and initiating closure or sealing action against more than 600 non-compliant industrial units. Alongside this, vehicular checks have surged, with nearly 17,000 vehicles inspected in three days, over 12,000 challans issued and close to 1,500 vehicles impounded as authorities target all major pollution sources. Read more here (Research: Shakthi, VO: Siddharth Mathew Cherian)