India Financial News

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: The TVS Venu Group has been expanding its financial services operations across multiple segments, including insurance and asset management, and their latest plan to acquire a 10% stake in Jana Small Finance Bank (SFB) marks a strategic extension into banking, giving access to the mass affluent and small-business segments.On Monday, the Chennai-based conglomerate said it will acquire a 9.9% stake in the bank through a combination of primary issuance of warrants and a secondary purchase. This includes acquisition of a 5.64% stake by TVS Venu for ₹317 crore and 4.9% by TVS Motor Company for ₹193 crore.Bengaluru-based Jana SFB has over 12 million customers, and advances and deposits of over ₹35,000 crore each as of 31 March 2026.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: India’s automakers have told the government that consumers are unlikely to adopt flex-fuel vehicles unless high-ethanol fuels such as E85 and E100 are priced significantly below petrol, according to two people aware of discussions between the petroleum ministry, oil marketing companies, and auto lobby group Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam).The industry has sought lower retail pricing for high-ethanol fuels along with tax benefits as the government accelerates work on a roadmap for higher ethanol blending amid rising energy security concerns.In Brazil, where most vehicles can run on E85 or E100 fuels, high-ethanol blends are priced lower than the standard E27, according to the country’s national agency of petroleum, natural gas, and biofuels.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.High up in the mountains or deep in the jungles, your smartphone may still stay connected, thanks to direct-to-device (D2D) satellite technology making its way to India. However, the technology has opened up divisions, as telecom operators, satellite service providers and broadband firms spar over customer control, spectrum, and launch timelines.The department of telecommunications (DoT) has proposed a 'wholesale' model for satellite communications like D2D, which is currently under the telecom regulator's consultation process.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.BENGALURU: India’s top engineering and management institutes are no longer content with merely incubating startups. Increasingly, they also want to participate in the upside created by companies emerging from their own ecosystems.Institutions including Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, IIT Madras and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru are setting up venture funds to invest in campus-linked deeptech startups, as rising investor interest in sectors such as semiconductors, defence and spacetech pushes universities to play a larger role in the businesses they help build.But why are they doing this now? How are these funds structured? And what kind of startups are they backing? Mint explains.So far, IIT Bombay and IIT Madras have launched venture funds, while IISc Bengaluru is in the process of setting up one.The funds are being structured through affiliated entities, incubators and alumni-backed networks because IITs and IISc operate as Section 8 entities, or non-profit organisations.IIT Madras, through its research park, has partnered with venture firm Unicorn India Ventures to launch the IITM Unicorn Frontier Fund, a ₹600 crore vehicle with a ₹400 crore green-shoe option.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: As the domino effect of the West Asia war builds inflationary pressures across the economy, Zydus Wellness Ltd sees a larger share of its growth coming from price increases rather than higher sales volumes in the coming quarters. The consumer wellness firm said rising packaging, freight and input costs are beginning to influence pricing decisions, reflecting the broader pressure on consumer-facing businesses.“While growth is driven by volumes, there will also be a value component, as there is some level of inflation,” chief executive officer Tarun Arora told Mint in an interaction on Tuesday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.NEW DELHI: This month, India’s semiconductor push gathered momentum with Tata Electronics’ pact with Dutch major ASML and two new projects, a mini/micro-LED display fabrication unit in Dholera and an OSAT packaging facility in Surat.With nearly a dozen semiconductor initiatives now underway, how close is India to becoming self-reliant in chips?Tata Electronics’ pact with ASML, the world’s leading maker of chip lithography equipment, marks a key step in India’s entry into global semiconductor manufacturing by securing access to critical technology. Alongside the two projects announced in May—a micro-LED display fab in Dholera and an OSAT packaging facility in Surat with a combined investment of ₹3,936 crore—the move broadens India’s semiconductor base.The micro-LED fab positions India in advanced display manufacturing, while the OSAT unit helps plug a packaging gap, reducing dependence on Taiwan and Malaysia.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Electric mobility in India has moved from being an environmental statement to an economic necessity.An expected yet sudden ₹3-per-litre fuel hike, along with government austerity measures such as remote-work mandates to conserve foreign reserves, has intensified the pressure on internal combustion engines. Electric vehicles (EVs) are no longer futuristic alternatives — they are increasingly financial hedges against fuel volatility.But unlocking their full value requires new habits.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Amber Enterprises India Ltd exited FY26 with a healthy 22% year-on-year revenue growth at ₹12,186 crore, driven by its consumer durables and electronics segments.However, management has flagged margin pressure building in its core consumer durables business amid soaring input and labour costs.The consumer durables division — which contributes nearly 72% of total revenue and includes room air-conditioners (RAC) and related products — remains the backbone of the company.Despite Q4 being seasonally strong for AC companies, segment margins dropped to 7.5% in Q4FY26 from 8.4% in Q4FY25.For the full year, margins slid to 7.1% in FY26 from 7.7% last year.Copper-clad laminate and gold prices have risen over 60% in the past year, while minimum wages have increased sharply in key states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.Amber has implemented a cumulative RAC price hike of around 14%. However, in consumer durables, price pass-through typically takes one quarter, while in PCB manufacturing it can take nearly two quarters.As a result, management has guided for a temporary margin decline of 50–100 basis points over the next few quarters.Amber already operates at sub-10% Ebitda margins.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.In prosperity, as in the hour of need, the thoughts of most Indians turn to gold. And with the steady drain on our foreign exchange reserves for over two years now, we have reached a stage as a nation when the question is being asked whether we could utilize the idle gold hoards of the people to see us through the critical years ahead. No less a person than the Prime Minister voiced this feeling at a recent meeting.” These words were written in 1958 by I.G.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: India’s alternative investment fund industry is seeking to widen access to a small but fast-growing pool of wealthy investors, arguing that a cumbersome accreditation system and limited incentives are slowing participation even as the sector scales sharply.The industry has made a representation to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) seeking a simpler accreditation system and stronger regulatory benefits for accredited investors, according to two people aware of the development.“AIFs made a representation to Sebi last month to make the accreditation process more friendly for investors,” one of the people said on condition of anonymity. “Accredited investors also need proper incentives to grow this segment.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.For decades, India’s unorganized sector has remained a mainstay of employment in the economy, even as its share of economic output has declined.Large companies and factories have failed to generate jobs at the pace required to absorb a growing labour force. In that vacuum, the unorganized sector—small shops, workshops, grocery stores, tiny manufacturing units and street vendors—remains the fallback.Yet compiling reliable data on these enterprises has long been a challenge.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.America has reportedly extended the waiver of its sanctions on purchases of Russian crude oil by another 30 days, just days after it expired. This reduces uncertainty over India’s oil imports from Russia, even as New Delhi has made it clear that India’s oil-buying is not affected by third-party impositions.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.In a reminder that the inflation beast is never fully tamed, but can at best be forced to retreat temporarily, wholesale price inflation in India jumped to a 42-month high of 8.3% in April. That’s more than double the previous month’s 3.9% and a far cry from the 0.9% recorded a year ago. The longer global oil supply remains disrupted, the likelier it will go into double digits.And with diesel and petrol filling-station prices hiked only in May (and more hikes likely), it is just a matter of time before retail inflation, already at a 13-month high of 3.5% in April, increases.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) slashed some of their bearish positions in Nifty and Bank Nifty derivatives, while also turning buyers in the cash market, on hopes of a rebound in Indian equities amid elevated oil prices.FPIs were net buyers of shares worth a provisional ₹2,813.69 crore on Monday, according to BSE data, helping the market pivot from deep intraday losses to end in the green.Nifty recovered 333 points from its intraday low of 23,317.10 to close at 23,649.95, up 0.3% from Friday’s close.Alongside FPI inflows, domestic institutional investors bought shares worth ₹2,682.12 crore, as per provisional exchange figures.The rebound was driven not just by institutional cash buying, but also by FPIs squaring off short index call positions and trimming short hedges in Nifty and Bank Nifty futures on Monday.FPIs cut short call positions by a sharp 42,153 contracts, taking cumulative net shorts to 214,366 contracts — implying expectations among some of a bounce on Tuesday, which coincides with weekly Nifty expiry, per NSE data.Additionally, long-term foreign funds reduced their bearish Nifty and Bank Nifty futures positions by 6,641 contracts to a cumulative 209,866 contracts.On balance, traders sold 134 Nifty puts against 100 Nifty calls expiring Tuesday, up from 97 puts sold against 100 calls on Friday.The higher proportion of puts sold relative to calls indicates optimism about a rally of at least 1% from Monday’s close, according to NSE data.Based on NSE options data, Nifty could test 23,800 on Tuesday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Bengaluru: India’s listed office real estate investment trusts (Reits) are building artificial intelligence-resilient, GCC-driven tenant portfolios as they focus on expansion through acquiring premium assets and increasing occupancy in FY27.Reits have emerged from a strong year with good leasing and increased demand from global capability centres (GCCs). The publicly listed office Reits in the country—Embassy Office Parks REIT, Mindspace Business Parks REIT, Brookfield India Real Estate Trust (Biret) and Knowledge Realty Trust (KRT)—have seen their net operating income, occupancy levels and distribution grow in FY26.Bagmane Prime Office REIT was the fifth and latest to list in May.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The Union health ministry has initiated strict precautionary public health measures amid the spreading Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, according to two officials familiar with the matter.The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo virus strain, has rapidly intensified across the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.The move follows the World Health Organization’s declaration of the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.The epidemic, according to the latest WHO situation reports, has already resulted in at least 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province alone. Cross-border transmission has also been confirmed, with imported cases reported in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, signalling a high risk of regional spread due to intense population mobility and trade links.Key components of India’s preparedness strategy include a comprehensive review of standard operating procedures governing passenger screening, surveillance, quarantine measures and clinical case management.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.A nationwide pharmacy strike planned for 20 May has been severely weakened after retailer associations in 12 major states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, withdrew their support. The pullout followed a decision by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), the national drug regulator, to review retail and online pharmacy operations, according to two officials familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity.The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing over 1.2 million retailers, had called for the shutdown to protest the unregulated growth of e-pharmacies.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Beneath the one-time profit hit from the ₹590 crore Chandigarh fraud, IDFC FIRST Bank’s March-quarter (Q4FY26) earnings revealed a deeper concern: deposit growth slowed sharply after the incident dented depositor confidence.The private sector lender’s customer deposits rose just 1% sequentially during Q4 to ₹2.84 trillion, even as Indian banking sector deposits rose 13.5% year-on-year (y-o-y) to ₹262.3 trillion during the per, up from 10.3% growth a year earlier, according to Reserve Bank of India data.“We saw an increase in total deposits by about 16.8% on a YoY basis…The growth was modest at 1% during the quarter…There was also an impact of the one-off fraud incident, which occurred during the quarter,” chief financial officer Sudhanshu Jain had said during the bank’s post-earnings analyst call on 25 April.On 23 February, the lender disclosed a ₹590 crore fraud at its Chandigarh branch, where employees carried out unauthorized transactions in accounts linked to the Haryana government, creating a deposit balance discrepancy. The bank has since paid the state government ₹590 crore, suspended the employees involved and filed police complaints against them.During earnings call, the bank said it had fully expensed the impacted amount in Q4FY26 and was “reasonably certain” no further material financial adjustments would be required beyond those already recognized.While IDFC FIRST Bank was not accused of direct wrongdoing, the incident triggered reputational concerns and weighed on deposit flows during the quarter.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The finance ministry, on Monday, has directed all public sector banks, insurance companies, and financial institutions to implement austerity measures, including switching to electric vehicles (EVs), curtailing foreign travel, and shifting to video conferencing for meetings, as the government moves to reduce expenditure and protect the country's financial system from economic instability due to the West Asia war.“All organisations may aim at replacing the petrol and diesel cars hired by them in their head offices and branch offices with electric cars as far as possible,” according to an official circular of the department of financial services (DFS) reviewed by Mint.Earlier this month Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made seven big appeals, austerity measures so to speak, to cushion India from the economic uncertainties arising from the prolonged West Asia war. These included conserving petrol and diesel by using public transport and metro; avoiding purchasing gold for a year, and restricting foreign travel to conserve forex."It is time for us to use petrol, diesel and gas with great care,” Modi said on Sunday while inaugurating projects in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.As the West Asian crisis broke out late February, Sunil JhunJhunWala, managing director and co-founder of Tiruppur-based Techno Sportswear Pvt. Ltd, an active wear brand, moved fast.The disruption to the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, he rightly surmised, would affect the supply of polyester filament yarn (PFY)–a raw material derived from crude oil—which he imports from China.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.A quiet shift is underway in how India spends, as salaries fail to keep pace with the rising cost of living.An April 2026 white paper titled The New Indian Household Balance Sheet by wealth manager Client Associates found that net financial savings have fallen sharply to about 5.2% of gross domestic product in 2023-24, down from nearly 7.7% in the pre-pandemic years, as rising borrowings eat into household surpluses and household financial liabilities have climbed to 6.2% of GDP, a decade high, driven by rapid growth in home loans, personal credit, and credit card spending.And somewhere in between wanting something and not being able to afford it, a new habit has taken hold: buy now and pay later (BNPL).BNPL is a type of short-term loan that lets you pay for goods or services immediately and pay them back at a later date, usually in instalments or with a single interest-free deferred payment. Unlike conventional loans, it is largely interest-free as long as the customer pays on time.