Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Wednesday, December 4, 2024. This is Nelson John, let's get started.

There’s been a significant selloff by foreign portfolio investors over the past two months. But what drove this selloff? According to fund managers and securities lawyers Ram Sahgal spoke to, it wasn't just due to shaky corporate earnings or rising US bond yields. It was triggered by a new rule that Sebi introduced in August 2023 and tightened by March 2024. The rule mandates detailed ownership disclosures from FPIs with substantial Indian holdings. Rather than comply, many FPIs chose to exit, leading to increased selloffs, especially around the MSCI Emerging Markets Index rebalancing in November. 

IIT campus placements are getting a twist this year! Companies aren't just asking the usual tech questions – they're really shaking things up with some wildcard queries. Imagine being asked to design an airport right in the heart of Bangalore or explain the strategy behind cricket team formations. It's not just about checking if students can code or crunch numbers—it's about seeing how they handle curveballs. Sowmya Ramasubramaniam, Pratishtha Bagai and Devina Sengupta spoke to recruiters who said that these offbeat questions are key to gauging a candidate's creativity and adaptability. This new interview style is aimed at finding candidates who aren't just smart but also quick on their feet and ready to jump into the fray with fresh ideas.

Indian farmers may have a tough rabi season ahead, thanks to China. Dhirendra Kumar writes that China's restrictions on key fertiliser exports to India have reduced the availability of a crucial nutrient for crops. – di-ammonium phosphate, or DAP. Domestic DAP production dropped by 7.3% in April-October, while imports fell by 29.8% over the same period. Dhirendra writes that the government has told farmers there is no shortage of fertilisers, but fertiliser companies say otherwise. 20% of India's DAP needs are imported from China, leading to this problem.

Blackstone used to buy real estate projects and turn them around. That strategy made it the largest owner of office space in India in quick time. After entering India in 2007, inorganic growth was the mantra for the New York-based company, but it’s now moving to greenfield projects, Madhurima Nandy writes. It recently ventured into logistics by building a 52-acre park in Chakan, Maharashtra. Blackstone hopes to capitalise on the growing demand for modern warehouses that is driven by the e-commerce boom. Despite broader economic numbers painting India in a poor light, investors such as Blackstone like India's chances, and are willing to spend like they mean it.

Pat Gelsinger's unexpected departure from Intel just might leave the chip giant scrambling to find solid ground in a market that's evolving rapidly thanks to advances in AI, and competitors such as Nvidia and AMD are already way ahead. Once a global powerhouse, Intel is now fighting to reclaim its past glory. So, why did Gelsinger leave? Leslie D’Monte answers that question in today’s Primer. Initially hailed as Intel's rescuer when he took over in 2021, Gelsinger left after Intel posted a hefty $16.6 billion quarterly loss, the largest in its history, which apparently shook the board's confidence in his leadership. 

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