Business
Regulatory Norms Under Review To Ease Compliance
NEW DELHI: The finance ministry is assessing all financial regulators in the country and their respective regulatory frameworks to evaluate whether over-regulation is stifling economic activity. According to official sources, the ministry is preparing a draft paper, which will highlight the regulatory provisions that should be relaxed in order...
WPI Inflation Rises To 2.37% In December On Higher Food Prices
NEW DELHI: India’s wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation went up to 2.37 per cent in December from 1.89 per cent in November 2024, primarily due to increase in prices of food articles, manufacture of food products, other manufacturing, manufacture of textiles and non-food articles, etc, data released by the...
Larger Credit Cover For MSMEs Likely Under New Scheme
NEW DELHI: The credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs, announced in July, will take form in the upcoming Budget, with a focus on facilitating capital investments by the manufacturing sector units. The scheme will be largely modelled on the successful Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for small businesses that...
India To Top G20 With 7.3% Insurance Premium Growth Over 2025-29: Report
NEW DELHI: India’s insurance market is projected to be the G20’s fastest-growing economy over the next five years, with total premium volumes — life and non-life — up 7.3 per cent in real terms on average each year aided by macroeconomic stability and the conducive regulatory environment, a report...
PMO Tells DoT To Double Down On Mobile Fraud
KOLKATA: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to strictly enforce mandatory biometric Aadhaar verification before sale of mobile connections across India as part of the government’s efforts to combat cybercrime and digital fraud, and rein in abuse of national telecom resources. As per...
India’s Retail Inflation Eases To 4-Month Low Of 5.2% In December
NEW DELHI: Retail inflation, based on the consumer price index (CPI), fell slightly to a four-month low of 5.22 per cent in December from 5.48 per cent in November, driven by easing food inflation. However, experts say with the sharp depreciation of rupee and retail inflation remaining above 5...
India Inc’s Leverage To Improve In FY26-27 Despite High Capex: Fitch
MUMBAI: Benefitting from improving earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda), Indian-rated corporates are likely to see their net leverage ratio decline to 2.7x in the next financial year 2025-26 (FY26) from 3.1x in the year ending March 2025 (FY25). The net leverage may fall further below 2.5x...
Sale Of IDBI Bank May Carry Over To FY26
NEW DELHI: The financial bids for the strategic sale of IDBI Bank will likely be received by March but the conclusion of the transaction may extend to the next financial year, sources said. In December, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the ‘fit and proper’ certificate to the...
Food Inflation Declines To 8.34 Per Cent In December
NEW DELHI: Retail food inflation eased for the second consecutive month at 8.34% in December compared to 10.87% in October as prices of vegetables declined over the last few weeks with winter harvest arriving in the market. The consumer food price index (CFPI) declined by 1.47% in December compared...
Government Set To Build Steps To Help Economy Climb
NEW DELHI: The budget is likely to unveil several measures to support demand and prop up growth, recognising that the slowing economy needs help. The measures being considered include tax relief for the middle class, tariff measures to shield the industry from the adverse external environment, and initiatives to...
India Ranks Third Globally In Fintech Funding Despite 33 Per Cent Lower Infusion In 2024
NEW DELHI: India ranked third globally in terms of funding received in the fintech segment despite a decline of 33 per cent on a year-over-year basis to USD 1.9 billion in 2024, market intelligence firm Tracxn said in a report on Monday. The sector witnessed a decline in funding,...
Infra Development Imperative To Achieve Viksit Bahrat Goal: Gadkari
SONAMARG: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said infrastructure development is imperative to achieve the goal of Viksit Bahrat, as the economy depends on good transport and communication facilities. “The Prime Minister has given us a mission of developed and prosperous India. If we have to achieve a Viksit...
Growing Complexity Widening Cyber Inequity: World Economic Forum Report
NEW DELHI: Growing complexity in the cyber landscape is further exacerbating cyber inequity, deepening the divide between developed and emerging economies, and widening the gap between large and small organisations, the World Economic Forum said on Monday. In its Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025, the WEF said nearly 54 per...
Rupee Sinks To Record Low, Settles 58 Paise Down At 86.62 Against US Dollar
MUMBAI: The rupee logged its steepest single-day fall in nearly two years and ended the session 58 paise down at its historic low of 86.62 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday, weighed down by a stronger American currency and surging crude oil prices. At the interbank foreign exchange,...
Mutual Funds Collect Rs 1.18 Lakh Crore Via NFO In 2024; Thematic Funds Dominates Space
NEW DELHI: Asset management companies launched 239 new fund offerings (NFOs) mobilising Rs 1.18 lakh crore in 2024, with sectoral or thematic equity funds emerging as the top choice of investors, according to a report by Germinate Investor Services Research. This was higher than 212 NFOs collecting Rs 63,854...
Insurance Reforms To See 100 Per Cent FDI Ceiling, Composite Licence
NEW DELHI: The much-awaited Insurance (Amendment) Bill to allow 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector may see the light of the day in the Budget session of Parliament. The proposed major amendment follows the tweaking of the Insurance Act in 2021, when the FDI limit was raised...
India’s Inflation Likely To Stabilise Around 4.3-4.7 Per Cent In FY26: Report
NEW DELHI: The central government has given the RBI the target to maintain inflation between 2 to 6 per cent band. It is called the tolerance band, while the median target is 4 per cent. Inflation in the country is likely to stabilize at an average of 4.3-4.7 per...
Robust Rural Growth To Continue For FMCG Firms In Q3
MUMBAI: With the high inflation still straining urban wallets, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies see faster sales volume growth continuing in the rural areas versus the urban regions in the December quarter. Q3FY25 will be the fourth straight quarter of rural volume growth outpacing urban volume growth, NielsenIQ data...
