CATEGORIES

Microfinance firms' shares surge as MFIN defers capping lenders

Shares of microlenders, including CreditAccess Grameen, Spandana Sphoorty and Equitas Small Finance Bank, rallied on Thursday after the Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) decided to defer by three months the implementation of limiting the number of lenders to three per borrower.

Hyundai to Launch Electric Creta With Two Battery Options

HYUNDAI MOTOR INDIA will offer two battery options on the electric version of the Creta, which is set to debut in the upcoming Bharat Mobility Show.

Blinkit tests 10-minute ambulance service

BLINKIT, QUICK COMMERCE arm of Zomato, has ventured into emergency medical services with the launch of a 10-minute ambulance service in Gurugram.

Can't take action unless there is clear proof: Naidu on Adani deal

ANDHRA PRADESH CHIEF minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said that the Solar Energy Corporation of India's (SECI) agreement to purchase power from the Adani Group was an advantage for the state government and any action on bribery charges would be taken only after a thorough examination of the records.

Honasa CBO steps down amid series of exits

ZAIRUS MASTER, CHIEF business officer at Honasa Consumer, has resigned from his post and will step down on February 28, the company said in an exchange filing on Thursday.

Dunzo co-founder Biswas to exit firm

DUNZO CO-FOUNDER AND CEO Kabeer Biswas is set to exit the troubled hyperlocal delivery startup, according to a report in Moneycontrol.

Smartworks takes 480,000 sq ft in Gurugram for ₹94-cr rent per year

CO-WORKING PLAYER SMARTWORKS has leased 480,000 sq ft in a DLF property in Gurgaon at an annual rent of ₹94.68 crore for six years.

DMart Q3 revenue rises 17.5% to ₹15,565 crore

AVENUE SUPERMARTS, OWNER of retail chain DMart, on Thursday reported a 17.5% rise in its standalone revenue at ₹15,565.23 crore in the quarter that ended on December 31. DMart's pricing dominance is currently being challenged by quick commerce firms. Around one-third of the firm's stores are in top cities. Its total number of stores as of December 2024 stood at 387. DMart has started raising discounts on MRP of various products. The firm has also started selling white-label products.

RIL to build AI infra hub in 24 months, says Akash Ambani

RELIANCE INDUSTRIES WILL build AI infrastructure in Jamnagar within a record 24 months, making the city the global leader in this domain, said Akash Ambani, director at RIL, at an event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the company's Jamnagar Refinery.

Indian Airlines Score Low on Punctuality

Flight delays in India rise by 27%, affecting 2.39 mn passengers

2w sales skid 9%, lowest in over a year

DESPATCHES OF MOTORCYCLES and scooters of five of India's top six manufacturers to dealers fell 9% year-on-year during December as destocking efforts and lower retail demand took a toll on despatches.

upGrad bets on 'top-up/tank-up' strategy

EDTECH FIRM UPGRAD will focus more on high margin businesses like upskilling courses rather than formal education formats in order to drive profitability as it prepares for an initial public offering seven to nine quarters down the line, majority shareholder Ronnie Screwvala told FE.

DoT Likely to Shelve BSNL's VRS Proposal Amid Union Protests

AFTER UPROAR FROM the employees' unions, the department of telecommunications (DoT) has likely put the second voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) proposal for BSNL on hold, officials said.

Looking forward with hope to achieve growth at scale: Mahindra CEO

MAHINDRA GROUP is looking forward to the new year with hope and confidence, driven by its aspiration to achieve growth at scale, according to its CEO & managing director Anish Shah.

Employment Up 36% Between FY15, FY24

EMPLOYMENT IN THE country has increased by 36% to 643.3 million in 2023-24 from 471.5 million in 2014-15, \"reflecting an improvement in jobs scenario\" under the NDA regime, labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Thursday, citing official data.

Goyal to meet EV industry representatives

Representatives of electric vehicle manufacturers will meet commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Friday to discuss issues related to the expansion of manufacturing and the adoption and building of support infrastructure, including charging and battery swapping facilities.

Panel to suggest road map for Producer Price Index

To revise WPI base year as well; Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand will lead committee

Budget wish list: Lower tax on FD interest & fund for NBFCs

Ahead of the Budget for 2025-26, representatives of the financial sector and capital markets on Thursday sought a lowering of tax on interest income from fixed deposits to align with capital gains tax on equities, a dedicated refinancing window for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), and incentives for long-term savings.

India to add 30 GW RE capacity in FY25-26

INDIA IS LIKELY to add 30 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy capacity over FY25-26, backed by continued policy support, availability of liquidity and established growth plans of some large corporate players, reduced equipment prices, and waiver of interstate transmission system charges, analysts say.

Dec Manufacturing PMI Slips to 56.4, Weakest in 2024

EXPANSION IN MANUFACTURING activity in the country slowed in December, amid softer demand conditions and price pressures.

Agritech to create 80K jobs in 5 yrs: Teamlease

THE AGRI-TECH SECTOR is expected to create 60,000-80,000 new employment opportunities over the next five years, a senior executive of TeamLease Services said.

Regulation, deals, crypto: Fintech themes for 2025

INDUSTRY INSIDERS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE TIDE WILL TURN

Bhopal gas tragedy: 40 yrs later, toxic waste leaves Union Carbide factory

FORTY YEARS AFTER the Bhopal gas tragedy, the shifting of some 377 tonne of hazardous waste began from the defunct Union Carbide factory on Wednesday night for its disposal, an official said.

Data protection rules get home ministry's nod

The government has approved new data protection rules, which will include specific provisions for minors and exemptions for certain entities.

Dec GST mop-up at ₹1.77 lakh cr

The significant increase in both domestic and export refunds indicates that the overall refund framework is now stable and its implementation on a sound footing.

Boost quality control, fix fair pricing: Shah to NCOL

Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday directed National Cooperative Organic Ltd (NCOL) to strengthen quality control and establish fair pricing for its \"Bharat Organics\" brand as the government seeks to expand organic farming nationwide.

An inspiration for India's Quantum Mission

THE SUCCESS OF Google is a shot in the arm for India's Quantum Computing Mission as this demonstrates the feasibility and great potential of quantum computing and will act a motivation to strengthen the ecosystem. India should speed up

AI, Convergence, and Beyond

Firms poised to scale up AI deployments into full production

Large quantum computers a reality in the near future

With the ability to solve problems in minutes that would take classical computers septillions of years, quantum technology promises breakthroughs in climate modeling, drug discovery, logistics, and AI advancements, potentially reshaping industries.

Virtual companions, real consequences

It is imperative to set up legal frameworks and ethical guidelines that safeguard users, especially those most vulnerable, from unintended consequences of AI