India's economic engine is revving up, but navigating the global headwinds requires sharp strategy. The rupee's recent volatility against the dollar underscores the complexities facing Indian businesses, impacting everything from import-export trade to domestic inflation. This week alone, we've seen significant shifts in the IT sector, with major players announcing restructuring and a renewed focus on AI-driven solutions. Meanwhile, the burgeoning startup ecosystem continues to attract substantial funding, despite a cautious global investor sentiment. The government's recent policy announcements on infrastructure development and digitalization are poised to further shape the business landscape, creating both opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs and established corporations alike. Understanding these market dynamics is crucial for success in today's rapidly evolving Indian economy. Stay informed with Abtak.com for the latest insights and analysis on key sectors including finance, manufacturing, and technology – empowering your business decisions in a dynamic market. Explore the complete business news section now to stay ahead of the curve.
The Ministry of Finance has abolished the windfall tax on crude oil, aviation turbine fuel (ATF), and exports of diesel and petrol products with immediate effect. The government has also scrapped the Road and Infrastructure Cess (RIC) on petrol and diesel exports. The decision was announced through the notifications numbered 29/2024 and 30/2024 released by the Centre on Monday which were laid in the Parliament as well. This move follows an evaluation by the government with reports suggesting that the tax, originally implemented to enhance revenue during the economic rebound from COVID-19, failed to generate significant income in recent months. Global crude prices are also currently trading between $70 and $75 per barrel. This differs from the high prices that prevailed around the time when the tax was initially introduced. Moreover, reportedly it was observed that the tax did not motivate heightened output in the industry. Since September, taxes on major fuels including petrol and diesel had been reduced to nil because of favourable price levels. In light of this situation, the government thus considered the windfall taxation an unnecessary move for the industry as a whole. The Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) and Additional Excise Duty (AED) were introduced in July 2022 to retrieve excess profits from rising global crude prices from private players including refiners. The windfall tax was applicable on domestic crude oil production and exports of diesel, petrol, and jet fuel, with rates revised fortnightly based on average global oil prices. On September 18, the levy on crude oil was reduced to nil, while duties on fuel exports remained at zero. The decision is expected to benefit major oil producers including Reliance Industries and ONGC as this will improve their refining margins. The abolition of the windfall tax could also have broader economic implications. Airlines may see reduced operational costs, potentially leading to lower airfares, while oil companies might pass on savings by lowering petrol, diesel, and ATF prices, offering relief to consumers amid inflation concerns.
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 (PTI) Ahead of BJD's 28th foundation day on December 26, its chief Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged members to remain dedicated to serving the people of Odisha, while the party announced a mass demonstration in Bhubaneswar on January 6 to highlight the price rise of essential commodities and other issues. Patnaik asked party supporters to "raise voice against the BJP government's 'anti-people' policies" and also highlight the impact of high inflation, which hits the poor and middle class. "The party leaders and workers need to create awareness among people on the state B ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 5 (PTI) The rupee snapped its two-day losing streak and closed 8 paise higher at 85.79 against the US dollar on Thursday, supported by positive domestic equities and a rise in Asian currencies. Forex traders said overnight softening of crude oil prices favoured the rupee. However, a strong US dollar index capped sharp gains. Besides, market participants are now keenly awaiting the outcome of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) monetary policy meeting for further cues, they said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit witnessed a volatile trading session -- it opene ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- India will start counting its vast population in a mammoth exercise starting next year. The first census in 16 years will be conducted digitally and include controversial questions about caste for the first time since independence. The Home Ministry announced plans to conduct a two-stage count ending March 1, 2027, in a statement Wednesday night. India's last official census in 2011 counted 1.21 billion people. The country's population is now estimated to be well over 1.4 billion, making it the world's most populous country, according to the U.N.'s Department of Economic an ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said. The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities. According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locat ...Read More >
Sivasagar, Jun 26 (PTI) Leakage of gas continued for the 15th day from a crude oil well of ONGC in Assam's Sivasagar district although the energy major on Thursday claimed that it is nearing to control the blowout. In its daily bulletin on the blowout, ONGC said it has achieved a key breakthrough in its ongoing operations in close coordination with international well control specialists from CUDD Pressure Control. "The team successfully cleared all remaining rig materials, including staircases, entangled wires and other structural components. "This critical step culminated in the safe remov ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 27 (UNI) The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has successfully capped a high-risk gas well blowout at its RDS 147A site in Sivasagar district, Assam, bringing an end to a 15-day-long emergency operation that triggered mass evacuation and widespread public anxiety. The gas well blowout, which began on June 12, involved an uncontrolled release of natural gas from one of ONGC's drilling sites -- a situation often considered one of the most hazardous in the oil and gas industry due to the risk of explosion and environmental damage. The blowout was finally brought under contr ...Read More >
The best performers of the session on the Moroccan All Shares were Disty Technologies SA (CSE:DYT), which rose 4.94% or 12.00 points to trade at 255.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Ste de Travaux de Realisation d'Ouvrages et de Constuction Industielle SA (CSE:STR) added 4.62% or 2.14 points to end at 48.49 and Jet Contractors (CSE:JET) was up 4.50% or 68.00 points to 1,580.00 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were Disway SA (CSE:DWY), which fell 4.26% or 28.00 points to trade at 630.00 at the close. AFMA SA (CSE:AFM) declined 4.22% or 48.00 points to end at 1,090.00 and Stokvis N ...Read More >
The chip makers around the world felt the relief of a rumor suggesting that the sales curb to China could be less severe than previously expected. But the news didn't necessarily translate in a strong rally. ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) - Europe's biggest chip equipment maker that predicted a 30% fall to its Chinese revenue next year - closed 0.22% lower yesterday, while Tokyo Electron - which was up by more than 6% yesterday - couldn't extend gains at today's session. With US markets paused for the Thanksgiving break, France was at the heart of the attention yesterday. The political drama, there, only ...Read More >
Mumbai, December 4: The domestic benchmark equity indices closed in green on Wednesday as buying was seen in PSU bank and realty sectors. The investors are keenly watching the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting which will announce its decision around the repo rate on Friday. Banking stocks rose amid volatile sessions in the market due to the possibility of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) cut by the central bank. Sensex settled at 80,956.3, higher by 110.58 points, or 0.14 per cent, while the Nifty ended at 24,467.45, up by 10.30 points, or 0.04 per cent. Stock Mark ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 31 (VOICE) The output of India's eight core sector industries rose 4 per cent year-on-year in December, driven by an increase in the production of coal, steel, and electricity during the month, according to government data released on Friday.The eight core industries include coal, natural gas, crude oil, refinery products, fertilisers, cement, steel and electricity which comprise 40.27 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). The growth rate of the core industries, therefore, is an indicator of the overall industrial growth rate. Apa ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, June 3 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's high-profile attendance at a global airlines conference this week underscores how much India is banking on a boom in aviation to support wider development goals, but headwinds to its ambitions are gathering force. Undeterred by the uncertainty gripping the aviation sector globally due to trade tensions and shaky consumer confidence, India's biggest airlines are ploughing ahead with orders for new planes, following record deals two year ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has chosen to frontload its rate cuts, turning to support growth amid benign inflation prospects, according to a Crisil report, which expects one more repo rate cut this fiscal (FY26), and a pause after that. The global ratings agency also expects India's GDP at 6.5 per cent this fiscal, with risks on the downside due to US tariff hikes. Crisol listed some factors which are expected to help domestic growth hold up against global tariff risks. "Positive outlook on rains and crude oil prices and healthy external accounts -- lo ...Read More >
Listening to the sounds of nature such as birdsong reduces stress levels - but the sound of traffic increases them, new research shows. The research lends support for anyone who is a firm believer in the curative powers of a walk in the countryside or through a forest. In a study, 68 volunteers listened to three three-minute soundscapes: a nature soundscape recorded at sunrise in West Sussex, the same soundscape combined with 20 mile per hour road traffic sounds, and the same soundscape with 40 mile per hour traffic sounds. General mood and anxiety were assessed before and after the soundsc ...Read More >
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Import tariffs expected to be implemented by the administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could lower economic growth and inflation in the 20 nations sharing the euro, European Central Bank board member Piero Cipollone said on Tuesday. Most economists agree that the possible tariffs would impact growth, though views diverge on the effect on consumer prices. Some argue the U.S. trade barriers will push up the value of the dollar, making imports of key commodities more expensive, while likely retaliation from Europe will also raise costs. Cipollone, speaking i ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will commence customary pre-Budget consultations with various stakeholders beginning Friday. As part of the process, she will meet eminent economists on December 6 to seek their inputs regarding upcoming Budget amid seven-quarter low GDP print of 5.4 per cent recorded in the second quarter of the current financial year. It will be followed by a meeting with farmer associations and agriculture economists and stakeholders in MSME sector scheduled for December 7, sources said. Union Budget 2025-26 is likely to be tabled in Parliament o ...Read More >
New Delhi: The BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicle ban has been lifted in Delhi after the Air Quality Index (AQI) improved to the moderate category. The Supreme Court allowed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ease restrictions due to the improvement in the national capital's air pollution situation. Delhi had been facing high pollution levels, which led CAQM to enforce Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). The court has now asked the commission to apply GRAP Stage 2. ...Read More >
Mumbai: The RBI is likely to reduce the key interest rate by 25 basis points this week after keeping it on hold for two years, complementing the Union Budget initiatives to push consumption-led demand, though the sliding rupee continues to be a concern. As the retail inflation has remained within the Reserve Bank's comfort zone (less than 6 per cent) for most of the year, the central bank can take rate action to boost growth hit by sluggish consumption, opined experts. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept the repo rate (short-term lending rate) unchanged at 6.5 per cent since February 20 ...Read More >
CHENNAI: Indian equity markets opened on a strong note Friday, buoyed by the Reserve Bank of India's unexpected 50 basis point repo rate cut, which lifted investor sentiment and sparked a broad-based rally from early lows. The BSE Sensex rose 96 points or 0.12% to 81,538, recovering nearly 350 points from the day's intraday low. Similarly, the NSE Nifty50 gained 29 points or 0.12%, trading at 24,780, as markets welcomed the central bank's proactive move to support growth. Market Highlights The RBI cut the repo rate to 5.50%, exceeding market expectations. Governor Sanjay Malhotra noted that ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growth rate for October 2024 registered a modest increase to 3.5 per cent, up from 3.1 per cent in September 2024, according to the Quick Estimates released on December 12. According to the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, sectoral analysis reveals mixed performances. Mining, Manufacturing, and Electricity sectors reported growth rates of 0.9 per cent, 4.1 per cent, and 2.0 per cent, respectively. The manufacturing sector demonstrated resilience, with 18 out of 23 industry groups at the 2-digit N ...Read More >
New Delhi: ONGC's production trend is beginning to turn after eight straight years of fall as a key new field in KG Basin ramps up and the old Mumbai High asset arrests decline. ONGC's crude production rose 3% year-on-year in November to 53,804 tonnes per day (tpd) and the output growth so far in December has accelerated to 4.2% to 54,535 tpd, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The output was marginally higher in three of the first seven months this fiscal year but there is a cle ...Read More >
Mumbai: The rupee declined 14 paise and touched the crucial 86.00-mark (provisional) for the first time against the US dollar Friday as it failed to resist pressure from a stronger American currency and huge outflow of foreign funds. Surging crude oil prices overseas and negative sentiment in domestic equity markets also weighed down the Indian currency, forex traders said. Also, dollar strengthened on increased demand amid the anticipation of restrictive trade measures by the new US administration after Donald Trump takes over as president January 20. At the interbank foreign exchange, the ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 6: RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Friday announced a jumbo 50 basis points cut in the repo rate from 6 per cent to 5.5 per cent to spur growth in the economy, as inflation has come down below the lower RBI band of 4 per cent. The RBI Governor also announced a 100 basis points CRR cut, effective in four equal tranches of 25 basis points starting from September 6, October 4, November 1 and November 29. The step is expected to inject Rs 2.5 lakh crore into the banking system, boosting liquidity and supporting credit flow. A lower policy rate leads to a decline in interest rate on b ...Read More >
New Delhi/Guwahati, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) on Friday successfully capped the blowout in one of its wells in Assam's Sivasagar district, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has announced. Announcing the plugging of the blowout, Puri said in a post on X on Friday, "ONGC has successfully capped the blow out of well RDS#147A at 1115 hours hrs today. This blow out started on 12th June and has been capped successfully within the shortest possible time following all the best practices." He said the Crisis Manag ...Read More >
Dozens of two-wheelers skidded on a Hyderabad road after an oil tanker leaking fuel passed from the area. The incident which occurred on Hyderabad's Kushaiguda-Nagaram road left several bikers injured. In a video, which went viral after the accident, men and women were seen sprawled on the road along with their fallen two-wheelers. While some of them are still on the road, others can be seen attempting to pick up their vehicles. "A road stretch between ECIL & Keesara has turned slick due to a diesel spill. Motorists are urged to drive carefully and consider alternate routes to avoid accident ...Read More >
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rallied for the third straight session on Tuesday (December 3, 2024) amid buying in blue-chip stocks like HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and firm trends in global markets. The BSE benchmark Sensex jumped 597.67 points or 0.74% to settle at 80,845.75. During the day, it surged 701.02 points or 0.87% to 80,949.10. The NSE Nifty went up by 181.10 points or 0.75% to 24,457.15. From the 30-share Sensex pack, Adani Ports surged nearly 6%. NTPC, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, Larsen & Toubro, UltraTech Cement, Tata Motors, HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries were ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: In a major move aimed at reducing pollution and improving urban transport in Hyderabad, the Telangana government has approved the introduction of 65,000 new eco-friendly auto rickshaws within the city limits and the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The decision, driven by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and aligned with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's vision, is expected to contribute to environmental sustainability and employment generation. The state issued GO No. 263 relaxing the long-standing cap on new auto rickshaw permits within Greater Hyderabad. For over two decades, restriction ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 18 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty stayed on the back foot for the third straight session on Wednesday as investors offloaded utility, capital goods and metal stocks amid foreign fund outflows. Besides, investor sentiment remained subdued ahead of the outcome of the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, traders said. The 30-share BSE benchmark tumbled 502.25 points or 0.62 per cent to settle at 80,182.20, taking its downtrend to the third day. During the day, it tanked 634.38 points or 0.78 per cent to 80,050.07. As many as 2,563 stocks de ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Friday ahead of the RBI monetary policy outcome. Moreover, a sluggish trend in global equity markets and fresh foreign fund outflow also drove investors to stay on the sidelines. Also Read | Lucknow Toddler Rape Case: Man Accused of Abduction, Sex Assault of 3-Year-Old Girl Killed in UP During Police Encounter. The 30-share BSE Sensex declined 159.93 points to 81,282.11 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 27.65 points to 24,723.25. From the Sensex firms, Tata Motors, Bajaj Finance, ICICI Ban ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The government announced on Saturday that it would grant permits for 65,000 green autorickshaws to ply within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits. Permission has been granted for operating 20,000 electric autorickshaws, 10,000 fuelled by CNG, 10,000 by LPG and 25,000 retro-fitted electric three-wheelers. No permissions shall be given to petrol or diesel autorickshaws. Earlier, no new autorickshaws were delivered or sold to people unless they submitted a certificate issued by the transport department that they had scrapped their old vehicles. Government's special chief secretary Vikas ...Read More >