Nachiket Kelkar

Tata Motors bets on trucks for growth in 2017

India’s largest commercial vehicle maker Tata Motors, which has lost some market share to its rivals in recent times, is lining up a slew of launches and huge investment plans to fill the gaps. For Tata Motors, 2017 began with the launch of Xenon Yodha, a pick-up truck.

FMCG companies race after Patanjali’s herbal products

The battle for shelf space in the FMCG segment is expected to intensify this year as Patanjali’s rivals , led by Hindustan Unilever, are aggressively launching products.

With e-wallets mushrooming, insurance companies move in

A few days ago, mobile wallet company Freecharge launched a wallet protection plan for its users, in tie-up with Reliance General Insurance

Brexit, demonetisation, Trump and Fed: A volatile year for markets

Volatility became the trademark for equities in 2016, with key indices Sensex and Nifty seeing wild swings, and eventually wiping off most of the gains registered during the year.

FMCGs hit by note ban, high input costs

The note ban and rise in price of key inputs like palm oil has been a double whammy for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firms.

Currency ban forces retailers to advance seasonal sales

Retailers have launched sales early to make up for the business lost in November due to demonetisation. Typically, the end-of-season sales start from the first week of January. Reliance Trends, Pantaloons, Jashn, Cottonworld, and Seven East among others have already started their sales.

Note ban fallout: Companies call off IPOs as economy slows

Amid signs of the economy slowing, several firms have called off their initial public offerings (IPOs). The above trend indicates that companies have turned cautious, what with the growth projection down by almost 2 percentage points.

Markets likely to be under pressure after US Fed hikes interest rates

Equity markets are likely to come under pressure on Thursday following the US Federal Reserve’s decision to increase interest rates by 0.25% and signal a faster rate hike going ahead, which could drive more foreign fund outflows.

Now TCS votes out Mistry, but shareholders are not amused

It was a day of known expectations. But the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Tuesday at the YB Chavan auditorium in Mumbai, ironically a favoured venue for serious theatre and sombre political meetings, saw much excitement.

Mumbai rentals rise as builders keep house prices high

While house prices stagnate due to low demand and rising inventories, the average rent in India’s financial capital Mumbai has risen by 26% between 2012 and 15.

Firms unable to sell land amid slowdown, note ban

Glaxo Smithkline has been planning to sell 60 acres in Thane near Mumbai for a while now. Its factory in Thane was shut in 2011. The company came close to selling the land in 2014, but the deal fell through due to legal hurdles.

Stocks tumble as RBI keps repo rate unchanged at 6.25%

The BSE Sensex, which had traded largely in the green since morning, declined 180 points or 0.7% at 26,212.77 and the wider NSE Nifty was down 39 points or 0.5% at 8,104.40 after the RBI monetary policy announcement.

Funds withdraw Rs 39.4 k cr amid US Fed rate hike fears

Most diversified global funds, that put money in various markets in Asia-Pacific, have allocations of about 3% of their total investible funds for India.

Amid slump, Dubai realtors to woo Indian buyers

The Dubai Land Department says Indians are the largest investors in the Emirates property market after the Arabs.

Croma targets Amazon, Flipkart with large stores

Tata-owned consumer durables retail chain Croma is shutting down small stores and focusing on larger ones of over 10,000 square feet so it can sell a wider portfolio of products and offer better after-sales service.

Demonetisation impact: Data shows 20-40% drop in FMCG sales

The government’s move to scrap Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes has had an adverse impact in several fast moving consumer goods categories such as biscuits and salty snacks, where sales have declined by up to 40%, according to data from market research agency Nielsen.

MasterCard eyes carpenters, auto drivers, plumbers in digital push

MasterCard, one of the world’s largest payments networks, is looking at innovative mobile banking payment solutions to cater to auto rickshaw drivers, carpenters, plumbers and more such people working in the informal sector.

Retailers and vendors refuse old notes: Small traders caught in the middle

Sanjay Dev, a supplier of traditional Maharashtrian sweets to retailers in Mumbai and other cities, is facing a double whammy following the government’s decision to ban R500 and R1,000 currency notes. Due to the slowdown in demand and the cash crunch in the market, retailers and distributors are placing fewer orders and some even want him to accept older currency notes. While, he can wait for a few more days, he still has to pay his vendors who supply raw materials. And there’s the catch -- They will not accept the old notes and would not even want to wait for long.

Note ban to be positive for India

Real estate stocks down by 10% to 20%

Shares of leading realty companies like DLF, Unitech, Godrej Properties, Indiabulls Real Estate, Sobha, Oberoi, HDIL and Unitech were down by 10% to 20%

Black money crackdown could hit jewellery sales

Long queues were seen outside jewellery stores on Tuesday night as consumers tried to convert their Rs 500, Rs 1,000 currency notes to gold. However, that trend is expected to die down from Wednesday, with jewellers reluctant to accept the notes now that they have been scrapped by the government.

Tata Vs Cyrus Mistry: All you want to know

The Tata Group surprised everyone when on October 24, the Tata Sons board,ousted Cyrus Mistry as chairman. But removing Mistry from independent companies of the Tata Group will not be easy; he is unlikely to go quietly. Last week, the independent directors of Indian Hotels publicly supported Mistry’s leadership ahead of the company’s board meeting. HT brings you the frequently asked questions as the Tata versus Cyrus Mistry drama unfolds.

Auditors deny Cyrus Mistry’s charge of lapses at Tata Motors

Ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry told the directors of Tata Sons in his email that stringent risk-evaluation processes were not followed by Tata Motors Finance, which led to bad loans of more than ₹4,000 crore. Accounting practices, which offset expenses incurred on account of product development, led to the bad loans, Mistry had said.

Sensex begins Samvat 2073 on weak note, ends below 28K

India’s stock markets began Samvat 2073, the Hindu calendar year, on a tepid note, with both the benchmark BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty declining marginally on Sunday as near-term uncertainties like the outcome of the US Presidential elections and moves by the Federal Reserve weighed.

Gold jewellery sales rise 30% during Dhanteras

After a slow first half, which was hit by over a month-long strike, jewellers are a happy lot this Dhanteras.

Boardroom battle brings brand Tata in focus

The boardroom battle between ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry and interim chairman Ratan Tata could likely dent the Tata brand which has for long displayed attributes including trust and reliability that have seen it retaining the No 1 spot in various brand rankings over the years.

Mahindra reboots two-wheeler business, will revive vintage brands BSA, Jawa

Mahindra & Mahindra will focus on its Mojo sportsbike, and while launch motorcycles under the BSA, Jawa and Peugeot brands in the coming months

Tata Group stocks tumble on sudden Cyrus Mistry exit

Shares across Tata Group companies tumbled on Tuesday morning following the surprise decision of Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata Group, to remove chairman Cyrus Mistry and bring back Ratan Tata as the interim chairman.

Jaguar’s F-Pace SUV marks a shift in strategy: Source more parts from India

The Jaguar F-Pace is an important vehicle in two ways. First, it is Jaguar’s first-ever SUV and its launch in India marks a shift in the company’s plans for the country.

Jewellery industry seeks lower tax under GST

India’s gems and jewellery industry wants the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on finished jewellery to be capped at 1.25%. It also demanded there be no GST on raw, cut and polished diamonds and coloured gem stones since most of these are exported.