Search Site

Trends banner

Aldar nets $953m in sales at Fahid

Aldar said 42 percent of the buyers are under the age of 45.

Qualcomm to Alphawave for $2.4 bn

The deal makes Alphawave the latest tech company to depart London.

Equinor signs $27 bn gas deal

The 10-year contract was signed with Centrica.

ADNOC Drilling secures $1.15bn contract

The contract for two jack-up rigs begins in the second quarter.

Etihad Q1 profit $187 million

This is a 30% YoY increase over Q1 2025.

Zee’s shares fall after merger fails

The failed Sony deal reignited worries over Zee's ability to thrive in an increasingly competitive entertainment market. (AFP)
  • The initial 30 percent plunge saw Zee lose as much as 55 billion rupees ($661 million) in market value.
  • "Considering that Zee still has six billion rupees cash on books... we see no bankruptcy risks," an expert said.

New Delhi, India – Shares of India’s Zee Entertainment nosedived Tuesday after a proposed $10 billion merger with the local unit of Japanese giant Sony was called off.

The initial 30 percent plunge saw Zee lose as much as 55 billion rupees ($661 million) in market value. At least five brokerage firms, including Hong Kong’s CLSA, have slapped a “sell” rating on the stock.

The merger’s failure, reportedly because of disagreements over who would lead the new entity, has also reignited worries over Zee’s ability to thrive in an increasingly competitive entertainment market.

The collapsed deal leaves both Sony and Zee more vulnerable at a time when billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL) is negotiating a merger with Disney’s India unit, Bloomberg News reported.

India’s entertainment market, worth tens of billions of dollars, is already one of the world’s biggest, while smartphone adoption is forecast to expand further in the coming years.

“Considering that Zee still has six billion rupees cash on books… we see no bankruptcy risks,” Ambit Capital research analyst Vivekanand Subbaraman wrote in a note.

“However, investors will find it very difficult to ascertain the fair value of Zee given uncertainties on the operator,” Subbaraman added, pointing to issues including the debate on whether CEO Punit Goenka will remain at the helm.