CATEGORIES

Old unions, new battles

India's labour unions are at a crossroads in the age of IT and gig work. They are adapting to new-age sectors' demands but penetration has been limited, write SHINE JACOB & SHIVA RAJORA

Tribal identity takes poll position

Soren government's nod to form a panel to study plight of tribals of Jharkhand staying in Assam and other states has sparked debates, even as both JMM and BJP claim to protect tribal rights, analyses ADITI PHADNIS

Govt bond yields seen hardening after Das rules out 'risky' rate cut

Government bond yields are expected to rise on Monday as the market sentiment dampened after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das cautioned that an interest rate cut at this stage could be \"very premature\" and \"risky\", citing significant inflation risks.

HDFC eyes lower loan book growth than sector in FY25

Move aimed at bringing down credit deposit ratio to pre-merger levels

Irdai asks insurers to check IT vulnerabilities

Following data leaks from insurance, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) has issued an advisory to all insurance companies asking them to check their Information Technology (IT) systems for vulnerabilities and take steps to protect policyholders' data.

India-Canada diplomatic row unlikely to affect businesses or students much

Last week, the India-Canada relations hit a new low when both the countries expelled six diplomats based on allegations that are difficult to verify at this point of time. The interests of the businesses or our students are, however, unlikely to be affected much.

CNG prices may rise ₹4-6 a kg on input supply cut

The government has reduced the supply of cheaper domestically produced natural gas to city retailers by up to 20 per cent, which may result in a price hike of ₹4-6 per kg for CNG sold to automobiles unless excise duty on the fuel is reduced, sources said.

Govt fast-tracks Arunachal dam project to counter China threat

NHPC says Centre's funding a boost for Siang valley dam; in talks with ministries, state

‘Paused new disbursements through NBFC partnerships’

Tamil Nadu-based Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) is undergoing a strategic makeover by focusing more on the retail, agriculture and MSME segment. Managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) B RAMESH BABU talks to Shine Jacob in Chennai about its portfolio roadmap, expansion plan and second quarter performance. Edited excerpts:

Fresh formal hiring at 4-month low in August

Down 11% to 930,000; proportion of women falls to 27.2%

Global oil volatility, geopolitical tensions drag RIL exports to five-quarter low

The global oil market has been volatile ever since the pandemic, with multiple geopolitical tensions in quick succession and this has dragged RIL's Q2 exports to a new low. Reflective of this, Reliance Industries' (RIL) exports in the latest quarter has hit multi-quarter lows, both in terms of absolute value and as a share in its oil-to-chemicals (O2C) revenue.

D2C brands take fast lane to growth through qcom

The growing trend of rapid deliveries in India is driving direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands to secure funds specifically aimed at expanding their presence and increasing sales through quick-commerce (qcom) platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy Instamart.

Naturals Salon eyes disruption in personal care via refill model

Chinni Krishnan, an agriculturist and pharmacist from Tamil Nadu, sparked the sachet revolution in the Indian personal care segment in the 1970s. In 2024, his son C K Kumaravel is all set to come up with another disruptive model in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) space through Naturals Salon & Spa, the largest salon chain in India.

'We've secured a place at the table for large deals'

LTIMindtree's second-quarter (Q2) results for 2024-25 (FY25) showed broad-based growth across verticals and markets, unlike some of its larger peers. The company also closed a $200 million deal in the manufacturing sector. DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, chief executive officer and managing director, discusses with Shivani Shinde via video call what worked for the company, the benefits of the combined forces of LTI and Mindtree, and how clients are ramping up artificial intelligence (AI) deals. Edited excerpts:

FMCG distributors move CCI over qcom practices

Oppose appointment of platforms as direct distributors

FTA strategy tweaks on cards to maximise gains

Underscoring the need for a \"careful\" assessment of guidelines to negotiate free-trade agreements (FTAs), India is \"taking it slow\" and recalibrating its strategy to ensure it is able to maximise trade and investment gains from such pacts, two people aware of the matter said.

Soft demand weighs on early bird results

7% revenue growth slowest in 5 qtrs; bottom line expands 5%

14% spread on loans prompted RBI action

The four non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), including two microfinance institutions (MFIs), that faced regulatory wrath last week were mainly charging exorbitant rates to micro-loan borrowers from the most vulnerable sections, in order to maintain spreads of 14 per cent, sources familiar with the development said.

Luxe automakers in top gear to woo buyers in upscale lounge ambience

Luxury automakers are turning the car-buying experience more refined.

Disney-Reliance JV to stream live sports only on Hotstar

All live sporting events streamed by the newly merged Disney-Reliance business in India, including Indian Premier League (IPL), will only be available on Disney's Hotstar app, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The wonder that was the Indosphere

The Wonder That Was India would have been the most appropriate name for William Dalrymple's rich and enriching book had it not been the title of A L Basham's classic work. All serious students growing up in the 1960s and 1970s and wanting to learn about ancient India read Basham's book. Dalrymple takes up some of the themes covered by Basham and adds to them greater depth, more themes and new evidence. He complements all this by an analysis of how the cultures of ancient India were transmitted across a wide geographical space that Dalrymple calls the Indosphere. This is a book that should not be missed by anyone interested in the world of ancient Indian cultures.

UP THE MEMORY LANE

With registration of vintage cars formalised and rise of ultra-rich Indians, brace up for a beauty parade

Cost-cutting boosts ZEEL profit by 70%

Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) on Friday reported a net profit of ₹209.4 crore in the second quarter of the financial year (Q2 FY25), rising 70.2 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) after it cut costs.

Tata Consumer Products profit up 8% at ₹364 cr

Starbucks now largest café chain

Limit small and medium Reit exposure at 5% till they develop track record

Propertyshare Two players, and Rudrabhishek Enterprises, have received licences from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to launch small and medium real estate investment trusts (SM Reits). The first SM Reits could debut as early as November.

Vistara in-flight experience will last for 'some time' after merger

Air India has taken the step to reassure Vistara passengers concerned over quality

Axis Bank shares rally over 5% after Q2 results

Brokerages cut earnings estimates, see limited downside in stock

FPI exodus: Financial sector bears the brunt

The first fortnight of the month saw record ₹66,300 crore ($7.9 billion) outflows from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) as the trend sell-India-buy-China gathered pace.

Margin pressure ahead for city gas distribution majors

The city gas distribution (CGD) sector is struggling to cope with a sharp reduction in allocation of administered price mechanism (APM) gas.

Zomato shares drop 5% amid fundraise plans

Shares of food aggregator Zomato fell 5 per cent on the BSE on Friday, a day after the company said it would consider a fundraising plan at its Board meeting next week.