The Gym Economics Cult.fit Cannot Escape | Markets Today #256

📌 In this episode of Markets Today, we decode 3 big stories — why foreign banks like Deutsche Bank are selling their India retail banking businesses even as India's wealth grows, India launching its first hydrogen-powered train on July 17 and what it means for Indian Railways' clean energy future, and Cult.fit filing for IPO with revenue doubled to ₹1,721 crore but still losing ₹252 crore — should you invest?

#1 🏦 Why Foreign Banks Are Leaving India Deutsche Bank sells India retail to Kotak. Citi sold to Axis. Standard Chartered sold personal loans to Kotak. Only 755 foreign bank branches in India vs thousands for domestic banks. Retail banking is a scale game — cross-selling across branches wins. Foreign banks lack the network. Their strength lies in corporate, investment banking and cross-border — not retail.

#2 🚂 India's First Hydrogen Train July 17 launch from Jind, Haryana. 10 coaches, 440 kg hydrogen storage, 300 kg consumed per day. Only water vapour as emission. Safety: hydrogen leak detectors, flame detectors, 24x7 monitoring, independent certification. India joins Germany, Japan, China and US in hydrogen rail. A significant clean mobility milestone.

#3 🏋️ Cult.fit IPO — Grow First, Profit Later? ₹950 crore fresh issue. Revenue: ₹927 Cr in FY24 → ₹1,721 Cr in FY26. Net loss: ₹252 crore. 708 fitness centres, 10 lakh members, 77 cities. Lease payments alone consume 9% of expenses. 90%+ revenue from just 4 metro cities. Franchise model and corporate wellness planned. Can India's fitness market justify this bet?