India Financial News

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Indian equities ended the holiday-truncated week only marginally higher, as stalled talks between the US and Iran and president Donald Trump's rejection of Tehran's proposal to remove the blockade of Hormuz pushed crude prices to a three-year high of $126 per barrel.Still, benchmark indices posted their best monthly show in nearly three years in a relief rally, as investors piled into beaten-down stocks after US and Iran announced a ceasefire early in April following more than a month of conflict.Surging crude prices pushed the rupee to a record low of 95.32 against the US dollar, sparking concerns that a fragile West Asia truce could unravel, intensifying inflationary and margin pressures. The weakening currency also accelerated foreign outflows, further dampening market sentiment.The Nifty 50 slipped 0.3% to 23,997.55, while the Sensex fell 0.8% to 76,913.5 on Thursday amid geopolitical concerns.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Blackstone-backed Bagmane Prime Office Reit, which is set to launch its ₹3,405-crore initial public offering (IPO) next week, expects strong leasing momentum led by global capability centres (GCCs) as it looks to acquire assets and grow its portfolio, CEO Richard Hugh Andrew said.The IPO, which opens on 5 May, comprises an issue of fresh shares worth ₹2,390 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) worth up to ₹1,015 crore by a Blackstone affiliate. The proceeds from the new shares will be used to part-fund the acquisitions of Luxor at Bagmane Capital Tech Park, a million sq ft completed asset, and a 93% stake in Bagmane Rio Business Park, a 1.1 million sq. ft leased building.India currently has four listed office Reits—Mindspace Business Parks Reit, Embassy Office Parks Reit, Brookfield India Real Estate Trust (Biret) and Knowledge Realty Trust.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Kongara Ramesh is a man of many obsessions. A self taught homeopath, like scores of practitioners in India, he has treated tens of thousands, free of cost. A school dropout, he is also the creator of a handful of unique varieties of mangoes, India’s most beloved fruit.Ramesh is, what you may call, a seasoned plant breeder.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Indian Bank expects steady balance-sheet growth in fiscal year 2026-27 (FY27) but warned that margins could remain under pressure as deposit costs stay elevated and funding growth lags credit demand.“The cost of deposit is not going down, that is the major concern. Credit growth has been outpacing deposit growth since the last so many quarters, so there, of course, will be some bearing on cost of deposit,” managing director and chief executive officer Binod Kumar said.The bank’s ability to cut deposit rates is constrained by the need to keep deposit mobilization in line with credit growth.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Many Indians rely on recurring payments to manage everything from systematic investment plan (SIP) installments and insurance premiums to credit card bills. However, until recently, there was a major pain point for transactions above ₹15,000 done through cards or UPI: the requirement for a one-time password (OTP).

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Many years ago, in 1971, Peter Kilby wrote that understanding entrepreneurship is like hunting a ‘heffalump,’ a fictional elephant-like creature from Winnie-the-Pooh.Many claim to have captured it, but their descriptions do not match and no two agree on what it looks like. After centuries of research, we are still arguing about what an entrepreneur really is.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.In hotels across India, not much looks different at the first look. The check-ins are the same, the wedding crowds have not gone away and the weekend rush in Goa or Jaipur continues.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.It has been almost two decades since the late Shinzo Abe [former prime minister of Japan] stood in India’s parliament and told the assembled legislators that “it is incumbent upon us two democracies, Japan and India, to carry out the pursuit of freedom and prosperity in the region.” Abe defined their task as protecting freedom of navigation in what he was perhaps the first to call the Indo-Pacific. That task has gotten only more urgent as America withdraws—or, more recently, imposes blockades on crucial straits—and China pushes harder against the first island chain.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The Strait of Hormuz chokehold inflames oil prices and causes jitters in India. In a seeming upturn, the Iranian ambassador to India met journalists on 13 April to say there is continual engagement with the Indian government. He is also reported to have said no Indian ships had been charged for passage through the strait.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Dinshaw’s Dairy Pvt Ltd, founded in 1932, is trying to look and think younger. The 94-year-old Nagpur-based ice cream maker is recasting its identity to appeal to a new generation of consumers, while making investments to expand its footprint beyond Maharashtra into markets across India, Zervin Rana, director at the company, told Mint in an interview.The push comes months after a comprehensive rebranding exercise that refreshed the company’s logo and positioning.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The government is set to roll out the third iteration of the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) in May, strengthening its push for evidence-based planning at the grassroots level, said Sushil Kumar Lohani, additional secretary in the ministry of panchayati raj.PAI, first launched for 2022-23, is a composite index to assess the performance and progress of gram panchayats across India by using socio-economic indicators, identifying development gaps and supporting evidence-based planning. The introduction of PAI 3.0 for 2025-26 is expected to transform rural areas by enhancing service delivery, infrastructure and livelihoods.With about 65% of India’s population living in the rural areas, PAI could significantly improve transparency and accountability, ultimately transforming living standards and accelerating inclusive growth across almost 665,000 villages.The updated index builds on earlier versions that have already been adopted by several states as a core planning tool.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s stock market is back near levels last seen almost two decades ago, with the market cap-to-GDP ratio, or the Buffett Indicator, at 137.70% in 2025—its highest since 146.52% in 2007, according to Mint’s analysis of Bloomberg data.While a high ratio can signal ‘expensive’ valuations in a textbook sense, several market participants say, this time, it may point to a different narrative.Even as India’s market cap-to-GDP ratio hovers near its 2007-08 bull run peak, the backdrop today is markedly different.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.That Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) has a network of 300,000 ‘influencers’ at work for its marketing department, as declared in April by Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez, has quickly become a PowerPoint talisman. In a world where entire industries sometimes change direction through choreography rather than conviction, that’s an evocative figure. Indian marketing has always had a weakness for the large gesture.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Two major films – Salman Khan’s Maatrubhumi and Vijay’s Jana Nayagan have been delayed indefinitely over the past few months as political pressures hold off certification and theatrical showcasing, adding to the inventory of unreleased films in India.The former film, previously titled Battle of Galwan, was to have been released in April, and is fighting a China angle as the government softens its stand towards the neighbouring country. Lead actor-turned-politician Vijay’s film was to have been released in January but has faced intense scrutiny and certification issues ahead of assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.Such delays for films have been seen earlier, adding to costs and expenses, disrupting OTT showcasing, and even having to be majorly re-edited or not released at all.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The Centre plans to mandate that doctors and specialists display their consultation fees in English and regional languages, along with their qualifications and registration numbers, according to two government officials and documents reviewed by Mint.The plan also involves mandating a minimum consultation room size of 70 square feet and requiring clinics to stock emergency drugs, including aspirin, adrenaline injections, isosorbide dinitrate for angina (chest pain), diazepam for anxiety and seizures, dexamethasone for inflammatory conditions and severe allergies, and atropine for slow heart rate, among others, through amendments to the Clinical Establishments Rules.The plan covers a broad range of facilities, outlining minimum standards for consultation clinics, clinics with dispensaries, establishments with diagnostic support services, and those offering observation or short-stay care, as well as collection centres and mortuaries.To be sure, there are approximately 43,486 private healthcare facilities and 1,386,136 doctors in India, according to the National Medical Commission (NMC).Every clinic and polyclinic must display a prominent signboard at its entrance, showing operating hours and a clear list of services offered, according to the draft Clinical Establishments Amendment Rules, 2026, reviewed by Mint.The draft calls for strict spatial requirements to ensure patient safety and comfort. For a standard consultation clinic, the government has proposed a minimum carpet area of 35 square feet for the reception and waiting area.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Shares of state-owned miner Coal India Ltd (CIL) rose around 7%, hitting its 52-week high of ₹491.25 on Thursday, after robust March quarter (Q4FY26) performance.Investor interest also seems to be driven by the recent rise in temperatures. As per the government data, peak power demand rose to 256 GW on 25 April, breaching the previous peak of 250 GW hit on 30 May 2024.Electricity consumption during 1-27 April grew sharply by 9% year-on-year (y-o-y).

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The stock of HFCL has been attracting strong investor interest over the last month.This top optical fibre cable supplier’s shares have surged from ₹70.77 to ₹106, rallying almost 50% in a month. The question now is, will the rally sustain?Let's examine the factors that will determine the stock's direction.HFCL designs, integrates, and delivers end-to-end digital network solutions that enable high-speed, secure voice and data transmission for telcos, defence, and railways.It offers advanced optical fibre solutions, open-source wireless access solutions, multiband 5G radios, and state-of-the-art system integration services.HFCL designs and delivers customised products/solutions for defence services, institutions, and the projects of national security significance.Robust execution of telecom/fibre/defence orders: HFCL gets orders frequently, but investors reward companies that convert orders into revenues on time. Fast project execution, few delays, and smooth delivery build confidence and revenue visibility.Recently, the company’s subsidiary received an order of ₹1,367 crore for optic fibre cables.Margin and profit growth: It isn’t just about revenue increase.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The expiration of electric vehicle (EV) subsidies in four key states, which together fueled over a third of India's EV sales in FY26, is creating a new hurdle for carmakers. These state-level incentives were critical in making EVs price-competitive with traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, according to a review of state policies and an industry executive aware of the matter.Worryingly for EV makers, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have also introduced fresh taxes on EVs in the past month, which experts believe could further dampen sales momentum in these markets.The developments follow a blockbuster year for the industry, with EV sales surging 84% in FY26 to nearly 200,000 units, according to data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA).Some of the country's largest electric car markets, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu, have seen their purchase subsidies for consumers end, which is expected to raise overall cost of such vehicles.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s top companies are estimated to have spent anywhere between ₹69,000 crore and ₹72,000 crore on legal matters in the fiscal year ended March. The spending has risen from ₹60,000 crore in FY25 due to shifting regulations, geopolitical risks and rising compliance demands.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The government’s push for clean mobility, though a climate imperative, is pushing India’s automobile industry through a difficult transition. Going by road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari’s comments this week, the Centre wants faster progress.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.When Yeats wrote his celebrated poem The Second Coming in 1919, the lines “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;/Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world” caught the world’s attention, recovering as it was from the wanton violence of World War I. What inspired the poet is contested, but his words are as relevant today as they were a century ago. The senseless Iran war is taking the core of global certainties apart, with much of the globally accepted compact coming unstuck.