Business Standard - December 09, 2024

In this issue

December 09, 2024

Fintechs go retro, offer FDs to boost top line

Fintech companies are tapping into traditional forms of banking products such as fixed deposits (FDs) as they expand their financial services bouquet.

3 mins

End of road likely for sovereign gold bonds

Scheme said to have outlived its purpose of reducing physical gold imports

2 mins

Hotel asset management firms help international brands check in

Indian hotel asset management companies, such as SAMHI Hotels and Juniper Hotels, that have made global brands like Marriott International and Hyatt Hotels popular in the country, are on a growth path.

2 mins

e2W firms charge up service network amid rising plaints

Amid rising consumer complaints about service experiences in the electric two-wheeler (e2W) industry, manufacturers are now focusing on upgrading their service networks to address the growing customer concerns.

2 mins

Tirunelveli harnesses the sun for powering India's tomorrow

Tirunelveli, 620 kilometres (km) from Chennai and 158 km from Thiruvananthapuram, has been a known trading hub since 304-232 BCE.

3 mins

M&A deals rise 13.5% in '24 so far

Deal volume rebounds with 26% increase; bankers expect the momentum to continue in 2025

2 mins

'Will grow Camso brand in other OHT segments'

RPG Group company Ceat has entered into an agreement with Michelin to acquire the Camso brand's off-highway construction equipment bias tyres and tracks business in an all-cash deal valued at $225 million (1,900 crore). In a conversation with Sohini Das, Ceat Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer ARNAB BANERJEE elaborated on the company's expansion plans. Edited excerpts:

2 mins

Petroleum sector tax revenues may plunge in FY25

Collections from windfall tax had cooled even before it was withdrawn on December 2

1 min

India's electronics exports may dominate US trade talks

Electronics exports, led by iPhone shipments, drive trade surplus from FY21 to FY24

2 mins

India plans final refinery expansion as EV era looms

In what may be the last wave of grassroots refinery projects, the crude oil-refining capacity of state-run companies may go up by 500,000-600,000 barrels per day (bpd) in a little more than 10 years, according to industry executives and government officials.

2 mins

NSO to unveil 1st pvt capex survey in March amid investment push

The National Statistics Office (NSO) is set to release the results of the first private sector capital expenditure (capex) survey in March, as the government nudges the private sector to ramp up investments to drive economic growth, said a government official.

1 min

RBI guv meets FM days before term ends

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday evening, a day after the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) and just ahead of his term coming to an end on Tuesday.

1 min

Farmers halt march to Delhi, 6 injured in tear gas shelling

Agitating farmers suspended their foot march to Delhi on Sunday after some of them sustained injuries in teargas shelling by Haryana security personnel who thwarted yet another attempt by the protesters to cross the Punjab-Haryana border.

1 min

Biden should revive WTO dispute settlement mechanism before leaving

The general council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) unanimously agreed on November 29 to reappoint Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the director general for a second four-year term.

2 mins

FDI inflows into India cross $1 trn

MONEY MOVERS

1 min

Rlys to run 13K trains for Maha Kumbh, says Vaishnaw

Rail minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said the Railways would run about 13,000 trains, including 3,000 special ones, for the convenience of devotees during the Maha Kumbh.

1 min

Rlys freight loading growth sees 1.4% uptick in Nov

Freight loading on Indian Railways continued to show sluggish growth in November, with the national transporter handling 130 million tonnes (mt) of goods, marking a 1.36 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.

1 min

India in focus as Lockton aims to double biz outside US in 4 years

Lockton, the largest privately held insurance broker in the world, which recently entered the Indian insurance segment, aims to double the size of its business outside the United States in four years, with focus on India.

1 min

SBI plans to sell over ₹2,732 crore of bad loans

State Bank of India (SBI), India's largest lender, is looking to sell bad loans worth ₹2,732.5 crore related to Odisha-based ARSS Infrastructure Projects Ltd through a Swiss challenge auction and has invited expressions of interest (EoIs) from entities interested in submitting counter bids for the asset on a full cash basis.

1 min

Despite push, insurance cos slow on FDI utilisation

FDI in the sector rose at 7.5% CAGR in past 5 yrs

2 mins

Kerala govt will not disturb Adani Port at Vizhinjam

development centre, and Norwegian company Orkla and Denmark's Oterra have set up manufacturing facilities in the food sector.

3 mins

Humble aloo turns political hot potato

Amid political blame game over Bengal's ban on tuber exports, which led to shortages in Jharkhand and Odisha, Uttar Pradesh farmers are the unlikely winners. RAMANI RANJAN MOHAPATRA & SANJEEB MUKHERJEE analyse

4 mins

Mounting green turbulence in politically tranquil Sikkim

CM Prem Singh Tamang leads a state without Opposition in the Assembly, but faces dual challenges of ecological crises and sustainable development, writes ADITI PHADNIS

4 mins

South Korea prosecutor to probe Prez Yoon

Treason investigation opened into Yoon's role in declaring martial law; ruling party vows 'orderly exit' for President

1 min

REBELS 'FREE' DAMASCUS, ASSAD FLEES

RUSSIA SAYS SYRIAN PRESIDENT HAS LEFT THE COUNTRY, REMAINS SILENT ON FUTURE

3 mins

The tortoise and the hare

How can we create conditions for a next Indian growth episode?

4 mins

Trump 2.0 is not a fluke

What does the second coming of Donald Trump mean for climate-change action?

3 mins

Consumerism and the feedback loop

We have reached peak feedback. The customer is not only always right, but always writing, rating. The bank, the phone company, and the hospital want us to evaluate our experiences with them on a scale of 1 to 10. There are Yelp reviews of Planet Earth.

3 mins

A dangerous failure

Plastic waste urgently needs a global solution

2 mins

Policy balance

Monetary policy support to growth will be limited

2 mins

The Swiss Army knife toolkit for equity funds

THE EDGE THAT STAYS SHARP YEAR AFTER YEAR

2 mins

Building materials hit a wall in Q2, recovery to lay bricks in FY26

Demand and margins set for slow rebuild, helping valuations cement stronger base

2 mins

Indian equity market has more room to correct

It has been a topsy-turvy few months for the Indian equity markets. Singapore-based MANISHI RAYCHAUDHURI, chief executive officer of Emmer Capital Partners, tells Puneet Wadhwa in a conversation that geopolitics will be the most important driver of financial markets in 2025. Edited excerpts:

3 mins

PRIMARY MARKETS UNLEASH THE KRAKEN OF FPI INVESTMENT IN 2024

UNSHACKLING ANIMAL SPIRITS: A record ₹1.1 trillion in foreign flows via IPOs, QIPs, and rights issues

1 min

Claim denied as policy terms not adhered to

Krishna Agrotech obtained a Shipment Comprehensive Risk (SCR) Policy from the Export Council Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) to safeguard against risks associated with short-term credit-based exports.

2 mins

Rebalance away from equities and gold, in favour of debt

Undertaking this annual exercise will restore your portfolio's risk profile to its original level

3 mins

Credit rating agencies turn to AI for help with data

Understanding complex financial numbers to assess the financial health of organizations is not an easy task.

3 mins

Hitachi takes AI solutions from India to the World

Hitachi, the Japanese conglomerate, has a range of businesses in India: From railway systems to energy and IT solutions. The company takes its learning in India to the rest of the world, said BHARAT KAUSHAL, corporate officer of Hitachi Ltd. and managing director (MD) of Hitachi India. Kaushal, in a video interview with Pranjal Sharma, spoke about research, semiconductors and his company's plans. Edited excerpts:

3 mins

Indian fintech puts its money on AI

Companies use technology for purposes as varied as cashier-less payments and credit assessment

3 mins

India's aid gradually shifting beyond Asia

Development cooperation has been a vital component of India's engagement with partner countries. As part of its commitment to the Global South, the government has undertaken several developmental projects.

1 min

Natural farming vs organic

The natural farming mission has the right inputs, but studies raise flags of scalability and viability

4 mins

It's going down to the wire

The match is being played at Arun Jaitley Stadium, but the entire financial world is watching it

5 mins

Pushpa 2 rules BO with record footfall

On way to become India's fastest film to gross ₹1,000 cr

2 mins

Cancer care in India gets AI booster dose

Indian hospitals are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into cancer care, which aids in early detection, diagnosis accuracy, personalized treatments, and patient outcomes, according to experts.

1 min

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