Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Monday, September 23, 2024. My name is Nelson John. Let's get started.

Aswath Damodaran is known as the "dean of valuation". In a free-wheeling conversation with Abhishek Mukherjee, Damodaran talks about how he assesses companies — especially family-run ones, as well as the current dynamics of the Indian stock market, and how to read the corporate life cycle. Retail investors should not miss out on his answers about Zomato's stock price valuation, which is up more than 130 percent year to date.

The Competition Commission of India is nearing the end of its four-year antitrust investigation into Amazon and Flipkart. They've been asked to hand over financials which could determine hefty fines based on global sales if found guilty of anti-competitive practices like favoring certain sellers and pushing aggressive discounts. This move comes as the CCI looks to ensure fair play in India’s rapidly growing digital market. With the law now requiring a thorough hearing before a final decision, all parties involved will get a chance to present their case, making sure the process is transparent and just. Gireesh Chandra Prasad reports on the antitrust body’s push for a level playing field where small businesses can compete fairly against the big e-commerce platforms.

Brands are tweaking their influencer strategies to maximize their marketing spend. The growth in influencer marketing in India is strong, but figuring out the actual return on investment is tricky. Pratishtha Bagai reports on how new-age companies are cutting down on influencer marketing budgets. For instance, beauty brand Plum slashed its influencer budget to half after seeing the real numbers. Similarly, Libas, an ethnic wear brand, is honing in on affiliate links and coupon codes to directly track sales from specific influencers, paying them based on performance. Smaller brands are also eyeing nano influencers—those with fewer than 10,000 followers—since they engage more and cost less, despite not always getting the spotlight from big agencies. Some brands even bypass agencies altogether, managing influencer relations themselves to ensure a better fit and efficiency.

Netflix and other streaming platforms are on edge after a recent controversy over a Netflix series prompted calls for stricter content regulation. Already cautious under the 2021 IT Rules, these platforms are worried that the outcry might lead to tighter controls. A senior streaming executive told Lata Jha that companies are closely monitoring social media reactions to avoid potential legal battles. The fear is that any new regulatory body could slow content approval processes, akin to the current film censorship board, stifling creative expression. This anxiety comes as streaming services see stagnating subscription growth in India, despite a broad viewer base. Controversies not only threaten to derail individual shows but could tarnish the entire industry's image. 

Ever since Covid, an ever-growing number of Indian professionals have moved to Dubai to work. The Gulf city offers a year-long working visa for Indians. Moreover, you can avail of facilities like banking and housing rather seamlessly. The catch? You need to earn a minimum of 3,500 us dollars a month, roughly 3 lakh rupees. You would also need adequate health insurance with coverage in the entirety of UAE. Jash Kriplani brings you the details of such a move, which would still make you liable to pay taxes in India.

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