Business

Sanitary napkins drive feminine hygiene growth as rural penetration surges NEW DELHI: Feminine hygiene, largely an urban-led category in India, is finding its next leg of growth in rural markets, where penetration is rising rapidly and bringing more households into the category.Rural penetration for feminine hygiene products surged from 28% (MAT June 2022) to nearly … Read more

Crude, US-Iran talks and key data in focus this week Dalal Street is likely to begin the holiday-shortened week with investors tracking a mix of geopolitical developments, oil prices and global financial conditions. According to analysts, developments in US-Iran diplomacy and movements in crude oil will be among the key factors determining market sentiment.The market … Read more

France’s baguette gets a fuel shock France’s beloved baguette is getting harder to make for bakers. And the problem isn’t finding the right magic to keep its signature crust intact, it starts even before the recipe does!Bakers are facing an unlikely financial and fuel squeeze, having to spend more just to keep their ovens burning … Read more

This allows toll to be charged without vehicles stopping, slowing down or remaining in a designated lane. (Image for representative purpose) A few years ago, India introduced FASTag to make toll collection across its highways and expressways digital and cashless. Now, it is looking to make the process barrier-free or toll plaza free. Imagine zipping … Read more

Why cheaper diesel could come with a gasoline price shock A possible US restriction on diesel exports could have a mixed impact on fuel prices. Diesel prices in the US could fall at first as more fuel stays in the country, but gasoline prices could later rise if refiners are forced to cut production, Goldman … Read more

Made-in-India electronics get PLI boost as firms draw Rs 20,580 crore investment From making more phones at home to sending them overseas, India’s electronics manufacturing push has clocked up a sizeable government payout. Large-scale electronics manufacturing companies have received Rs 19,090.98 crore in incentives up to June this year, the highest among the sectors covered … Read more

NEW DELHI: Managers of great hotels in India now worry about one thing the chefs there don’t have to lose sleep over — visits by anonymous Michelin inspectors to see if a property has earned the stars; if it remains good enough to retain them or move up the ladder from one to two and … Read more

Foreign Secy Vikram Misri meets US Congressional delegation Foreign secretary Vikram Misri on Sunday met a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast, as the two sides discussed the recently enacted Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act (SRIA), strategic ties and energy security.The talks also covered the future course of … Read more

Gold and silver face another volatile week, with US jobs and inflation data, Federal Reserve signals, Middle East tensions and crude prices set to shape bullion sentiment. The holiday-shortened week will put the US non-farm payrolls and unemployment data in focus as markets assess expectations for the Federal Reserve’s October policy decision.Consumer confidence, GDP and … Read more

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand with Jaishankar NEW DELHI: India and Canada are preparing to take their bilateral relationship “to a higher level”, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said after meeting his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.Jaishankar described the discussion as “productive” … Read more

Bank customers planning to visit branches this week may need to reschedule their plans as several bank closures are lined up between September 28 and October 4. Lenders across the country will observe a three-day nationwide strike as well as a major national holiday during the week, potentially disrupting over-the-counter banking services in several states.Bank … Read more

New mobile recharge rules Prepaid mobile users will have more recharge options under a new consumer protection framework notified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), with the changes covering both plan validity and voice-and-SMS-only services.The new rules provide for greater availability of voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs), including plans valid for 30 days … Read more

The report said India is expected to remain one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer durables markets. India’s consumer durables market is expected to grow to Rs 3-3.25 lakh crore by 2030, creating an additional Rs 40,000-50,000 crore opportunity for domestic value addition in materials and component manufacturing, according to a joint report by Boston Consulting … Read more

Mobile retailers warn of higher costs, call October 2 protest (representative image) Mobile phone retailers across India plan to observe October 2 as a “No UPI Day”, protesting the proposed 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on specified UPI merchant transactions above Rs 2,000.The protest has been called by the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA), … Read more

Festive shopping to get costlier The festive cheer may come with a slightly heavier price tag this year.As shopping lists grow ahead of the peak season, air-conditioners, LED TVs, washing machines and other consumer appliances are set for another round of price hikes.Leading manufacturers are raising prices by 5-8% from October 1, citing higher costs … Read more

All public sector banks and regional rural banks will remain operational on Sunday. NEW DELHI: Banks are open and functioning normally across the country on Sunday, September 27, as the government takes steps to ensure “uninterrupted banking services” ahead of the proposed three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to 30.The move comes as the strike … Read more

The latest increase comes ahead of the peak festive shopping period. Consumers could face higher prices for air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators and LED TVs this festive season, with leading appliance and consumer electronics makers planning price hikes of up to 8% from October 1 as rising commodity and freight costs squeeze margins.The latest increase … Read more

MUMBAI: Mehli Mistry, M Pallonji Group director and confidant of the late Ratan Tata, will not seek re-election as Tata Medical Centre Trust (TMCT) trustee when his term expires Sept 30. This will make it his sixth exit from an institution linked to the late industrialist since his death in Oct 2024. Mehli sent an … Read more

New Delhi: Most urban travellers opt for hotels, guesthouses or house rentals for their stay for an overnight domestic trip, while dharamshalas remain the top place of stay for those from rural India.A part of the reason may have to do with the fact that over three-fourths of Indians who travelled in the past year … Read more

NEW DELHI: Tata Motors is absorbing a substantial share of rising input costs as price increases and savings fail to fully offset the pressure, even as it expands its compact sedan offering for family buyers.Commodity inflation over past five-to-six months had created uncertainty over costs and margins, said Shailesh Chandra, managing director, Tata Motors Passenger … Read more

Where is rupee headed in near term? After suffering multiple lows over the year, rupee may now see some stability against the US dollar. The currency is likely to remain in the Rs 94.5-96 per dollar range in the near term, despite sizeable dollar inflows through FCNR deposits and external commercial borrowings (ECBs), according to … Read more

GIFT Nifty breaks the $23 billion mark GIFT Nifty’s expansion since its full-scale launch in July 2023 has taken the international platform to another trading milestone, with turnover, volume and open interest all hitting fresh highs on September 25.The platform’s cumulative turnover reached $3.52 trillion as of September 25, 2026, while more than 76.19 million … Read more

FIIs unlikely to return in large numbers without new growth engines in India: Bernstein Foreign investors may continue to remain cautious on Indian stocks even after the artificial intelligence (AI) trade peaks, brokerage Bernstein said. It said foreign investors are unlikely to return in large numbers unless India is able to build industries and companies … Read more

CHENNAI: Following a two-year decline in volumes, the small car segment is showing signs of revival, helped by GST rate cut on small cars. The lower tax burden has reduced the price barrier for buyers at the bottom end of the market, making entry-level cars more affordable.Overall small car sales fell from 16.4 lakh units … Read more

Forex reserves decline by $15bn MUMBAI: India’s foreign exchange reserves fell by $14.9 billion to $765.9 billion in the week ended Sept 18, according to the RBI’s weekly statistical data. The decline was driven mainly by a fall in foreign currency assets (FCA), the largest component of the reserves. FCA fell by $14.8 billion to … Read more