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.
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Terming the 5.4 per cent GDP growth in the second quarter as a "temporary phenomena", FICCI President Harsha Vardhan Agarwal on Thursday said the industry body expects India to achieve 6.5-7 per cent economic growth in the current financial year, while projecting a pick up in private investment. In an interview to PTI, Agarwal, who is also the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Emami Ltd, said the RBI needs to manoeuvre a "tight-rope balancing act" between inflation and economic growth, as he opined that the central bank has been doing a prudent job. Notably, the FICCI President shared that he sees "less of a challenge" for India once the Donald Trump-led administration in the US assumes office next month. Trump, during his election campaign, had alleged that India, among all major countries, imposes the highest tariffs on foreign products and he had vowed to introduce a reciprocal tax if elected to power. "Geo-politically now every country is working towards a policy where the primary focus is their interest, their countries' interest which comes first. But yes, going forward we see less of a challenge for India particularly because a lot of the challenges, what Trump is saying regarding the tariffs etc., might be more for countries like Mexico, China etc. "Yes, there might be some cases, some areas here or there, where we might face some issues, but broadly, in fact I feel there might be many areas where opportunities might be thrown up for Indian industries," Agarwal said. According to him, investment in capital expenditure by the private sector in India should pick up going forward, with the level of capacity utilisation reaching almost 75 per cent. "Our assessment is and what we have seen is, around 74-75 per cent (level of capacity utilisation) the private companies, the industry, is very much now comfortable looking at the new investments. So from that perspective we believe private investment should pick up," the FICCI President said. Sharing FICCI's wishlist for the upcoming Budget, Agarwal said the chamber has recommended that the government should increase its capex by 15 per cent next fiscal. Besides, he said, FICCI has also suggested tax reforms including simplification of TDS (tax deducted at source) rate, and a boost in the budgetary allocation towards green energy and circular economy. "Our assessment is and what we have seen is, around 74-75 per cent (level of capacity utilisation) private companies, industry, is very much now comfortable looking at new investments. So from that perspective we believe private investment should pick up," the FICCI President said. He further said "it is a tightrope balancing act which the RBI needs to do and they have been managing it quite well. Inflation has to be controlled because otherwise it has an impact on the consumption... It is a balance that RBI has to do between inflation and (economic) growth. They (RBI) have been very prudent in this regard". Agarwal, however, noted that "from the perspective of growth rate, I think the RBI has brought down the expected growth rate to 6.6 per cent for the current year. Q2 was a temporary phenomena (5.4 per cent GDP)... We don't expect this kind of a growth rate in Q3 and Q4. "We believe that Q3 will be significantly higher than Q2 and even in Q4 and on an average yearly, we still expect somewhere around 6.5 to 7 per cent GDP growth for this fiscal". The Reserve Bank has significantly lowered the growth projection for the current fiscal year to 6.6 per cent from 7.2 per cent earlier and hiked the inflation forecast to 4.8 per cent in view of slowdown in economic activity as well as stubborn food prices. India's GDP growth fell to a 7-quarter low of 5.4 per cent in July-September period of current financial year 2024-25, as against RBI's own projection of 7 per cent.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries ...Read More >
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], December 2 (ANI): Ambuja Cements has taken a step toward achieving its Net Zero goals. The company has partnered with Finland-based technology leader Coolbrook to implement its proprietary RotoDynamic Heater (RDH) technology. According to the exchange filing, this cutting-edge, zero-carbon heating solution, powered by renewable electricity, will drastically reduce the company's dependence on fossil fuels and lower its carbon emissions, aligning with its sustainability vision. Ambuja Cements will significantly reduce its fossil fuel dependence by harnessing renewa ...Read More >
India's manufacturing sector growth fell to a joint 11-month low, restricted by competitive conditions and inflationary pressures India's manufacturing sector growth fell to a joint 11-month low of 56.5 in November, restricted by competitive conditions and inflationary pressures amid a softer increase in factory orders, a monthly survey said on Monday. The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell from 57.5 in October to 56.5 in November, signalling a softer improvement in the health of the sector. However, the pace of growth remained above its long-r ...Read More >
YORK, UK - In a move to strengthen its position in the equine health market, Animalcare Group Plc (AIM: ANCR) has announced the conditional acquisition of Randlab, a prominent Australian equine veterinary business. The deal, valued at A$120 million (approximately £62.2 million), is expected to significantly boost Animalcare's earnings in 2025. The purchase agreement, involving Animalcare's newly formed subsidiary Animalcare Australia Pty Ltd, encompasses Randlab's entire issued share capital, including its New Zealand and Middle Eastern operations. The acquisition is financed through a combin ...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 >
The financial repercussions of Parliament disruptions are considerable, impacting both public resources and the productivity of the nation's legislative process. However, both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have cumulatively functioned for merely 2 hours, with daily disruptions and sloganeering resulting in adjournments. The Rajya Sabha faced disruptions today (December 2) as Vice Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed discontent over sloganeering by Opposition MPs. The protests, which centered around demands for discussions on key issues, forced the Vice Chairman to adjourn the session until 12 ...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 >
India's growth in gross domestic product (GDP) of 5.4% in the three months ended 30 September, or the second quarter of 2024-25, was a shocker. It undershot even the most pessimistic forecasts. It's the lowest level seen since the third quarter of 2022-23 and a sharp drop from 8.1% growth in the same period last year and also from 6.7% in the first quarter of 2024-25. The consensus expectation stood at about 6.5% and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was expecting around 7% growth till its October policy, only to pare it to 6.8%. Growth in gross value added (GVA), which is the preferred measure ...Read More >
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia and Canada on Monday signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that aims to strengthen economic ties between the two G20 members, three years after negotiations began. The agreement will take effect in 2026 and was signed in Jakarta by trade ministers of both countries. Indonesia's trade minister, Budi Santoso, said Indonesia appreciated Canada's support for its plan to prioritise its critical minerals sector, which was vital for its sustainable growth. "Together, we advance sustainable critical mineral management, supporting Indonesia's net ...Read More >
As per Moneycontrol's calculations, a 7 per cent growth in the remaining two quarters will put India's GDP at 6.5 per cent. The Indian economy would find it challenging to achieve over 7 per cent growth for the fourth consecutive year, economists said. They pointed out that the second-quarter (Q2) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data, which was announced on November 29, has made the task even more daunting for the government. "A sharper than expected growth slowdown in Q2 has tilted risks to our outlook of 6.8 per cent for the current fiscal downwards," said DK Joshi, chief economist, Crisil. ...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 >
Infosys has announced an average 85% performance bonus for eligible employees in Q2 FY25, reflecting its strong financial performance. The bonus, paid to mid- and junior-level staff, will be credited with the November salaries, with individual payouts varying based on performance. This follows Infosys' impressive 4.7% rise in Q2 net profit and a revenue increase of 5.1%, leading to an upward revision of its FY25 revenue guidance. The bonus payout surpasses the previous quarter's 80%, with Infosys outpacing rivals like TCS. Employees are also awaiting salary hikes, with revisions expected from ...Read More >
As a part of the new agreement between Mazagon Dock and BEML, Mazagon Docks will make facilities available to BEML's research team in exchange for their technical support to design and manufacture strategic equipment, reported PTI. The government-owned BEML Ltd. (formerly known as Bharat Earth Movers Ltd) announced on Wednesday, November 27, that it has signed an agreement with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to develop technologies for the marine industry, news agency PTI reported. According to the company statement cited by the agency, the company aims to leverage the opportunity to expand its e ...Read More >
Sunmei Hotels Group has announced the launch of Sunmei Group International (SGI) and three new overseas brands—SHANKEE, PENRO, and LANOU—marking its expansion into the UAE market. The company plans to introduce SHANKEE Hotels, a smart economy brand, to cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. SGI focuses on smart marketing, modular renovations, and intelligent operations, leveraging big data and AI to enhance service and guest experiences. Chairman Ma Yingyao aims to open 100 hotels globally within the next decade, doubling revenue and establishing a strong international presence for Chinese ...Read More >
Trump warns BRICS nations against replacing US dollar Dec 2 (Reuters) - A gauge of emerging market stocks rose on Monday, driven by positive manufacturing data from China and expectations of continued policy support from Beijing, while India's rupee hit a record low because of weaker-than-expected economic data. As of 0932 GMT, the MSCI's index for emerging market stocks had risen by 0.7%, on track for its biggest percentage gain in over three weeks. China's blue-chip CSI 300 climbed 0.8%, and the Shanghai Composite index jumped 1.1% after a private survey indicated that Chinese factory act ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) Eicher Motors on Wednesday said Royal Enfield has commenced operations of a new CKD (Completely Knocked-down) assembly facility in Thailand. Royal Enfild is a part of Eicher Motorts. "Our strategic intent is to have an international expansion strategy of investing in markets with huge potential to grow. Thailand assembly plant caters to this vision," Royal Enfield CEO B Govindarajan said in a statement. The new facility is the Royal Enfield's sixth CKD assembly unit globally - after Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Bangladesh and Nepal. "We are confident that this (Thail ...Read More >
The U.S. dollar continued its strong run on Monday, bolstered by soaring Treasury yields and expectations of limited Federal Reserve rate cuts. Meanwhile, the yen steadied ahead of a key speech by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda, where he may hint at a possible rate hike in December, with markets pricing a 55% chance of such a move. Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato's warning on yen intervention caused a temporary pullback, while the dollar index touched a one-year high of 107.07. Analysts forecast further dollar gains as U.S. economic policies and performance outshine global peers. K ...Read More >
Euro zone government bond yields increased slightly as investors await upcoming inflation data that may influence the European Central Bank's policy direction. Concerns over potential tariff hikes from the U.S. could further impact ECB strategies. Germany's bond yields and political tensions in France also add to the economic uncertainties. On Tuesday, euro zone government bond yields saw a minor increase after hitting multi-week lows in the previous session. Investors are keenly awaiting inflation data later this week that could provide insight into the European Central Bank's potential poli ...Read More >
Samsung's facing a lot of crises and the company has unable to chart a clear path forward, particularly in the semiconductor market, where its foundry is lagging behind, its next-gen memory products are struggling to compete against SK Hynix, and legacy products are under pressure from Chinese companies. The company does a significant employee reshuffle across the entire organization every year. The process has started a bit earlier this time around as there's very much a sense of urgency to improve things. The reshuffle has reportedly seen some senior executives being fired as well. Samsung ...Read More >
China and Hong Kong stock markets are experiencing a downturn due to rising concerns over the U.S.-China trade war, particularly regarding proposed tariffs and chip sales restrictions. The CSI300 and Shanghai Composite indexes fell, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index dropped 1.32%. Investors are wary of potential new restrictions on semiconductor and AI chip exports to China, further exacerbating market uncertainty. The automotive sector, led by BYD, also suffered from intense price competition among Chinese carmakers. Investor sentiment remains cautious, reflecting fears of escalating trade te ...Read More >
The Chinese yuan was also facing its own challenges from the growing threat of more U.S. tariffs on China, pushing it down to a 13-month trough. Japan's tech-heavy Nikkei jumped 1.6% as of 0200 GMT, and South Korea's KOSPI advanced 1.7%. Taiwanese shares gained 1.1%. Australia's stocks benchmark rose 0.7% and reached a fresh all-time high. However, Chinese stocks were under pressure, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng edging slightly lower and mainland blue chips falling 0.3%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares added 0.7%. Both S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures were flat after the cash indexes ...Read More >
Still, the ongoing U.N. climate talks have thrown a spotlight on their efforts to tackle global warming. While the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is tasked with agreeing a goal to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars for climate, leaders of the Group of 20 major economies half a world away in Rio are holding the purse strings. G20 countries account for 85% of the world's economy and are the largest contributors to multilateral development banks helping to steer climate finance. "The spotlight is naturally on the G20. They account for 80 percent of global emissions," U.N. Secretary Ge ...Read More >
Beijing: China has expressed its willingness to engage in dialogue with the United States following recent threats by former President Donald Trump to impose new tariffs on Chinese goods. The statement comes amid growing tensions between the two economic giants over trade practices, technology policies, and geopolitical issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said that China was open to "constructive dialogue" with the U.S., emphasizing the importance of cooperation to ensure global economic stability. "China believes that both countries should seek common ground and manag ...Read More >
TOI correspondent from Washington: In a warning shot that echoed across major world capitals and business majors on Tuesday, US President-elect Donald Trump said he will issue executive orders on day one of his presidency imposing new tariffs on all imported goods from China, Mexico and Canada, Washington's three largest trading partners, to stop the "invasion" of illegal migrants and drugs into the United States. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump put the onus of containing illegal border crossings squarely on two immediate neighbors on its southern and northern borders, saying "b ...Read More >
Despite its vast potential, the full capabilities of GST data remain largely unrealised. While aggregate data provides a broad overview of tax performance and health of the Indian economy, disaggregated sector-wise information is crucial for evidence-based policymaking. A closer look at the performance of GST revenue collection raises several questions. First, though the growth of GST revenue collection improved in the last seven years (13 per cent) compared to the pre-GST period 2012-17 (11.8 per cent), there has been hardly an increase in the tax base of GST in the last seven years compared ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) Coworking firm Incuspaze, which provides managed flexible office spaces to corporates, is looking to raise USD 25 million (over ₹210 crore) to expand its business across major cities before planning to launch its Initial Public Offer (IPO). Established in 2016, Incuspaze has a presence in 44 locations across 18 cities with a total portfolio of 40 lakh square feet. "We plan to add another 2 million (20 lakh) square feet in our portfolio by the end of December 2025," Incuspaze founder and CEO Sanjay Choudhary told PTI. In view of the growing demand for flexible workspa ...Read More >
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) shares rose 5% on November 29 a day after shareholders rejected proposal to reappoint Punit Goenka as director. The media firm's shares rose over 5% to Rs 132.69 apiece on November 29. In a regulatory filing by the company on November 28, ZEEL said that the resolution for the reappointment of Goenka was defeated in the annual general meeting (AGM) of the company. Resolution number three in the AGM, which proposed the reappointment of Goenka as director, was supported by only 49.54 per cent of the total number of votes cast while 50.4 per cent voted a ...Read More >
Trump's pressure on countries to remain tied to a US-dollar-based financial system could backfire, with potential increased motivation for BRICS to create alternatives. While the dollar's dominance persists due to existing economic strengths, recent global currency agreements indicate a cautious shift away from reliance on the greenback.Donald Trump's pressure on countries around the world to stay anchored to a US-dollar-based financial system is a tactic that risks backfiring, market watchers say. Dollar dominance looks set to continue for the foreseeable future and emerging nations' idea of ...Read More >
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 2 December 2024 - Long recognised as a land of luxury, Hong Kong has levelled up its luxury hub appeal following the Leaders of Luxury Summit 2024. Organised by Robb Report Hong Kong, the summit brought together luxury industry titans to discuss pivotal topics that "Redefine Luxury Through a Global Lens" at Regent Hong Kong on November 26-28, 2024. According to the latest "2024 Billionaire Census" report from Altrata, the city is currently world's no. 2 with the highest number of billionaires. The city is expected to have 22.4% more ultra-high-net-wor ...Read More >