City Mumbai Financial News

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: The US market regulator’s $18-million settlement of a civil case against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and nephew Sagar Adani has no immediate bearing on a parallel criminal investigation initiated against them by the US Department of Justice (DoJ).The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Adanis acknowledged that the settlement does not grant them immunity from any criminal liability related to the case, they said in their filings with a New York court.“This settles the civil action brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission. It has no implications for the existing criminal charges brought by the DoJ or any other criminal investigation that may be pending,” said Russell A.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: India’s consumer durables makers have begun the current fiscal with cautious optimism, betting on a stronger summer and early demand recovery after a bruising FY26 marked by erratic weather, raw material inflation, supply-chain disruptions and weak operating leverage.“We remain cautiously optimistic about the prospects for FY27,” Nikhil Sohoni, chief financial officer, Blue Star Ltd, said during the company’s Q4 earnings call, while cautioning that rising input costs and volatile exchange rates would make managing margins challenging.Expectations of a stronger summer have lifted sentiment, helped by a weak FY26 base and demand strength in March–May. March was one of Voltas’s highest-ever sales months, while April and May also saw strong dealer-level sales.The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a harsher summer and below-normal monsoon amid emerging El Niño conditions.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai/New Delhi: Air India posted an estimated loss of nearly $3 billion in FY26, as foreign exchange losses, airspace disruptions and elevated fuel costs battered the Tata Group-owned airline during the year.The losses were large enough to significantly erode the dividend income parent Tata Sons earned from its cash cow Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in the previous fiscal year.According to the full-year earnings released by Singapore Airlines (SIA) on Thursday, the carrier’s share of losses from Air India were at Singapore $945.2 million (US$742.4 million) in FY26, reflecting its 25.1% stake in the Tata Group-owned airline.With currency conversions factoring in Thursday's exchange rates, as per this shareholding, Air India Group’s total loss for the year is estimated at S$3.76 billion ($2.97 billion), or roughly ₹28,400 crore, at current exchange rates.To be sure, Tata Sons and employees own 74.9% of Air India, and hence its share of the losses would be about ₹21,270 crore, while the remaining 25.1% is being recognized by SIA.Tata Sons received about ₹28,292 crore in dividend income from TCS in FY26, down 12.1% from ₹32,184 crore in FY25, according to a Mint report published on 12 April.Tata Sons is expected to share its financial performance in July, while privately-held Air India will file its earnings with the ministry of corporate affairs in August.The estimated loss, which includes both full-service carrier Air India and low-cost subsidiary Air India Express, is almost three times the ₹10,859 crore loss reported in FY25, largely due to foreign exchange losses—as aircraft leases, fuel and maintenance expenses are denominated in US dollars—along with the financial impact of the

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Consumer goods makers are raising prices and bracing for weaker demand as commodity inflation spreads across fuel, packaging and food inputs.Large listed fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, including Hindustan Unilever, Britannia Industries, and Dabur India, have started hiking prices across parts of their portfolios and warned in recent earnings calls that inflationary pressures are likely to persist.The conflict in West Asia has pushed up crude-linked input and freight costs while also driving a rise in global edible oil prices, increasing pressure on FMCG companies that rely on imported commodities.The cost pressures are now spreading beyond fuel and packaging into food commodities.On Wednesday, milk cooperative brands, Amul and Mother Dairy, raised milk prices by ₹2 a litre. Smaller regional cooperatives, including Indore-based Sanchi Milk and Kerala-based Milma, have either raised prices or are planning hikes, according to media reports.Industry executives said higher prices of milk, wheat and edible oils are squeezing margins, forcing FMCG companies to pass on costs through price hikes and lower grammage packs, a move that could weigh on demand recovery.India’s wholesale price index rose 8.3% year-on-year in April, driven largely by higher prices of mineral oil, crude, natural gas and metals, according to government data.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: The Indian rupee’s slide to fresh record lows amid the ongoing West Asia war is prompting calls for deeper structural reforms instead of short-term liquidity measures to stabilize the currency, five market participants told Mint.While the US-Iran conflict has intensified pressure on the rupee, experts said the currency’s weakness predates the war and reflects broader concerns over slowing capital inflows at a time when India’s current account deficit is expected to widen.Since the war began on 28 February, the rupee has declined by 4.6%, according to Bloomberg data. After clocking fresh lows for three consecutive trading sessions, the currency hit a fresh record low of 95.96 per US dollar on Thursday, before trimming losses and ended at 95.64 compared with 95.66 on Wednesday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Bengaluru: Realty major DLF Ltd has set a sales target of ₹20,000 crore for FY27, unchanged from last year, as it prioritises margins and cash flows over aggressive pre-sales growth.“We are comfortable in the ₹20,000 crore sales trajectory. If we want, we can do sales of ₹50,000 crore in a year also,” DLF managing director Ashok Tyagi said during an analyst call on Thursday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: ASK Alternates, part of the Blackstone-backed ASK Asset & Wealth Management Group, has launched its second private credit fund with a target corpus of ₹2,500 crore, including a ₹1,500 crore greenshoe option, a top executive at the company said.The new fund will continue ASK’s performing credit strategy, targeting 14-16% gross internal rate of return (IRR) by investing in market-leading businesses backed by reputed Indian promoters, global private equity, and sovereign wealth firms, Shantanu Sahai, head of private credit at ASK Alternates, told Mint.It is expected to invest in 12-15 transactions spread across infrastructure, healthcare, manufacturing, industrials, renewables, specialty chemicals, auto components and financial services – sectors that are considered high priority by the government. “This gives us a favourable policy environment as well as interest from offshore capital pools,” Sahai noted.The company's second fund will follow a similar strategy to the first.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: India’s cement makers are bracing for a prolonged margin squeeze as rising fuel, freight and packaging costs, triggered by the West Asia conflict, test pricing power amid signs of demand softness.Companies are responding with fuel substitution, long-term sourcing contracts and efficiency measures, but analysts say these steps are unlikely to fully offset near-term cost pressures as construction activity slows.A Mint analysis of the top five cement companies shows three reported a year-on-year decline in fourth-quarter profits (Q4FY26) as higher input costs weighed on earnings.At the same time, executives and analysts say the sector’s ability to protect margins will depend on how far price hikes and operational efficiencies can offset structurally higher fuel and logistics costs.India’s largest cement maker, UltraTech Cement, said scale and procurement strategy are helping cushion the impact.“There are several measures…diversifying our sources of procurement, identifying newer opportunities to deal with the situation, and entering into long-term fuel contracts, which are now turning beneficial for us,” chief financial officer Atul Daga said during a post-earnings interaction on 27 April, after the company reported March-quarter earnings that beat expectations on stronger volumes and tighter cost control.The strong performance came despite escalating costs. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) climbed 21% to ₹5,600.3 crore, surpassing analyst estimates of ₹5,277.2 crore.Energy expenses, which account for more than a quarter of total costs for cement makers, have risen as the West Asia conflict pushes up crude oil and related fuel prices.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Air India on Wednesday announced that it would suspend or reduce flights on more than two dozen international routes between June and August, citing airspace restrictions and record-high jet fuel prices. Notably, the government recently increased jet fuel prices for international services while keeping them unchanged for domestic flights. The idea was to keep the bulk of India’s air traffic shielded from the rise in crude oil prices.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: The Indian rupee is sliding from one record low to another, but economists say assigning a precise trajectory to the currency has become increasingly difficult amid the US-Iran war and the resultant crude oil shock.On Wednesday, the Indian currency hit another all-time low of 95.80 per US dollar before closing at 95.66 against its previous close of 95.68, according to data provided by Bloomberg. While the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) intervention trimmed some losses on Tuesday, traders believe the central bank is not intervening as much in the currency market.A Mint poll of 10 banks, brokerages and economists showed the Indian rupee is expected to weaken further through the year, with most forecasts for end-2026 clustering in the 96-98 per dollar range.Amid heightened volatility, only five respondents were willing to offer a near-term forecast, projecting the currency in a broad range of 94.5-96.5 against the US dollar over the next two weeks to one month.Most economists expect the rupee to depreciate 3-4% in the current financial year if crude prices remain elevated.“Currently, it seems that the rupee is trying to head towards 96.5 levels.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: Tata Motors Ltd, India’s largest commercial vehicle maker, expressed caution about the industry’s growth in FY27, saying the true impact of the West Asia war on fuel prices and consumer sentiment is yet to be seen.The Mumbai company said it expects single-digit growth for the industry this fiscal year after retail sales grew 12% in FY26, crossing a million units for the first time as the goods and services tax (GST) cuts in September 2025 boosted consumer sentiment.Management’s comments came after the company reported a 5% dip in consolidated net profit in FY26 to ₹3,030 crore on Wednesday evening. Without a ₹1,428-crore loss on investments due to its equity stake in Tata Capital, which was listed during the fiscal year, the company’s profit grew by 9% to ₹4,458 crore.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI/BENGALURU: Indian jewellery retailers and industry bodies are recalibrating their strategies as gold becomes more expensive following the government’s latest import duty hike. Companies are focusing on gold exchange schemes and lower-karat products to prevent a drop in sales volume.On Tuesday, India raised the effective import tax on gold and silver to 15%, reversing the duty cuts announced two years ago.The move comes as the government attempts to rein in surging precious metal imports and protect India’s foreign exchange reserves amid elevated crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Sugar Cosmetics, once among India’s fastest-growing beauty startups, is seeking a sharply discounted funding round after an aggressive offline expansion and slowing sales growth strained its finances, according to four people familiar with the matter.The Mumbai-based beauty brand has begun a process to raise ₹100-150 crore after grappling with a severe cash crunch over the past six months amid declining revenue, a shrinking offline footprint and rising employee attrition, the people said.The fresh fundraise is likely to happen at a valuation of ₹1,400-1,500 crore, sharply lower from its peak valuation of about ₹3,000 crore in 2022, two of the people said. While typical growth investors are unlikely to invest in the current state, the company will tap family offices and high net-worth individuals (HNIs) alongside some existing investors to facilitate the capital raise even as its revenue declined further to about ₹380 crore in FY26, the person added.The need for fresh capital has intensified as the company struggles to manage working capital and employee payouts.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Bears in gold and silver are in for a rude shock after the government raised import duty on bullion to 15% from 6%, a move expected to send prices on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) soaring by more than 9% and potentially lock contracts at upper circuits.Gold and silver contracts on MCX have a maximum daily price limit of 9% in either direction. If international prices move beyond those levels, the exchange can relax the circuit limits in additional 3% bands.The government on Wednesday raised import duties on gold and silver as part of efforts to curb precious metals imports amid a swelling import bill triggered by the West Asia crisis.The duty hike comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to defer gold purchases for a year to help cushion the economic impact of the West Asia war.India imports about 700 tonnes of gold annually, putting pressure on the current account deficit (CAD) at a time when the conflict has driven crude oil prices up 45% to above $107 a barrel.CAD reflects the gap between the country’s foreign exchange earnings and spending.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Manav Jain can no longer ignore how screens are rewriting his sense of faces. The 25-year-old product manager from Bengaluru recently returned to his hometown, Mumbai, after staying in touch with family through video calls that convinced him he had kept up with what's going on. That illusion shattered the moment he saw his mother in person.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: Beneath the gloom gripping Indian equities, a quiet rally is reshaping parts of the market. Even as foreign investors pull money out, crude prices climb and benchmark indices struggle for direction, a narrow band of companies tied to infrastructure, industrials and commodities is emerging as a standout winner.A Mint analysis of 1,431 BSE-listed stocks with a market capitalization of more than ₹1,000 crore shows that while nearly 47% of companies remain in the red so far in 2026, 64 stocks—or nearly 5% of the universe—have posted outsized gains of more than 50%.Additionally, around 150 stocks gained between 25% and 50%, 245 rose by 10% to 25%, and another 294 recorded modest gains of up to 10%.Notably, one-third of these high-performers are concentrated within the capital goods, industrials, and commodity-linked sectors, prompting a closer look at their drivers.According to Gurmeet Singh Chawla, managing director at Master Portfolio Services, this sharp outperformance in a narrow set of stocks reflects a market that is rewarding earnings clarity over everything else.“Capital goods, industrials, and commodity-linked sectors have been the clearest winners due to the government’s sustained infrastructure push, a revival in private capex, and order inflows that give companies genuine multi-year revenue visibility,” he said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Two of India’s largest tractor makers and at least one motorcycle company expect sales of tractors and entry-level motorcycles to slow this year, signalling imminent stress for the auto industry in the rural areas that may spread to other sectors if the monsoon is poor, company executives and analysts said.Mumbai-based Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd estimates 5% growth in its tractor sales volumes in FY27 compared with a 20% increase to 446,948 units in the previous fiscal year. Faridabad-based Escorts Kubota Ltd expects a 2-3% decline in tractor sales this fiscal after a 30% growth to 114,468 units in FY26.Tractor sales in India grew 19% to 1.05 million in FY26, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada).The commentary from the companies suggests that consumption demand can slow in rural India this year due to the impending impact of a below-average monsoon, which can spread to other sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG).The overall guidance for FY27 is 2-3% up or down, Neeraj Mehra, chief officer of the tractor business division at Escorts Kubota, said on an earnings call on 7 May.“We will see growth this year in this quarter.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Bengaluru and Mumbai: A 37-year-old transfer of shares of Tata Sons from a trust to the late Naval Tata—later inherited by his sons, Tata Trusts chair Noel Tata, the late Ratan Tata and his brother Jimmy Tata—has surfaced as an issue for the philanthropic entities that control the group.On Tuesday, Sunil Tulsiram Patilkhede, through his lawyer, Katyayani Agrawal, sent a legal notice to the six trustees of Sir Ratan Tata Trust, or SRTT, which owns 23.56% of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group.This is the third such legal notice against SRTT in the last month. First, lawyer Agrawal had complained to the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner that three among its six trustees—Noel Tata, Pune philanthropist Jehangir HC Jehnagir, and Jimmy Tata—were permanent trustees.This, she alleged, violated rules that capped the number of lifetime trustees at a fourth of the total number of trustees.Last week, Suresh Patilkhede, a Mumbai resident, had sought an adjournment of a Tata Trust meeting before the Bombay High Court.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.At the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai last year, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the launch of a “next-generation financial market infrastructure,” designed to “tokenize financial assets and settlements.” While it received no more than a passing mention in his speech, the Unified Markets Interface he mentioned appears to be an early signpost of the direction in which the digitization of India’s financial sector is likely to progress. To understand the significance of this announcement, it is important to be clear about what a tokenized asset is and how it works.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Investors are beginning to finance commercial lawsuits in India in exchange for a share of future settlements or court awards, as litigation funding— a niche alternative asset class long established in some global markets—starts to take shape locally.At least three entities, including alternative investment fund (AIF) Five Rivers, New Delhi-based LegalPay, a litigation funder, and Singapore-based ELF Partners, a litigation finance consultancy, are active in the space, marking early institutional entry into what is also known as third-party funding (TPF).Five Rivers, a Mumbai-based AIF, is in talks with investors to close its first fund of $25-50 million,according to Irfan Mughal, the managing director of Five Rivers. It positions itself as the first dedicated fund of its kind in India, offering investors exposure to returns linked to outcomes in commercial disputes.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) tighter gold loan rules are likely to slow growth in one of South Indian Bank’s fastest-growing businesses, with the lender saying the new rules could constrain how much demand it can meet.“The revised RBI guidelines will have a certain amount of impact on how much business we can do,” managing director and chief executive officer P. R.