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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.In an effort to make health insurance pricing more transparent and claims processing more predictable, the Centre plans to build a public ‘Health Claims Index’ using data flowing through the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX), according to two officials aware of the development and documents reviewed by Mint.Such an index would help consumers make more informed choices by offering visibility into how insurers handle claims. For insurers, it would create a common data framework to improve underwriting, reduce inefficiencies, and enable more consistent, risk-based pricing.The index will use aggregated data flowing through the NHCX—a digital platform for processing health insurance claims—to publish industry-wide benchmarks on claims processing timelines, approval rates and cost patterns across insurers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s plan to use artificial intelligence to reduce a tide of spam is drawing the ire of the nation’s lenders and digital platforms, who warn the effort risks affecting the digital backbone of the economy. Banks and fintech giants claim the automated system could hinder essential customer alerts, from fraud warnings to one-time passwords (OTPs).The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is seeking to keep a crisis at bay, which saw spam complaints triple to 2.5 million last year from 2021, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha in February by the Department of Telecommunications.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Ace Turtle, the company behind denim brands Lee, Wrangler and G-Star Raw, is stepping away from India’s crowded value denim segment, sharpening its focus on premium brands as it looks to rebuild margins and define a clearer market position.Its chief executive, Nitin Chhabra, told Mint that the shift has meant it now has a tighter strategy centred on fashion, sourcing and distribution.“We are on track to achieve Ebitda positivity in the September quarter. For the full fiscal year, we are targeting a strong growth trajectory, with revenues expected to rise by approximately 25% compared to the previous year,” he said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Companies are resorting to staggered price hikes to combat rising input cost inflation and protect margins. The impact of these increases is likely to reflect in June quarter (Q1FY27) earnings, but further hikes cannot be ruled out—especially if crude oil prices remain elevated.The West Asia war has triggered a spike in crude oil prices and LPG shortages.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: India’s consumer demand is showing clear signs of softening, with inflation pressures amid volatile crude oil prices and a weak monsoon outlook beginning to weigh on spending across categories. While the slowdown is not uniform, the underlying direction is increasingly evident in sentiment and early consumption data from the March quarter (Q4FY26).The weakness is most visible in a widening split across income groups.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.THE IRAN war may end up teaching America many lessons. One that it has learned the hard way is the woeful economics of using traditional weaponry against cheap Iranian drones.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Utilities plan $1.4 trillion in capital expenditures through 2030, a 21% increase, driven by AI’s rising power demands.Global data center electricity demand is projected to double by 2030 to 945 terawatt-hours, with over 800 new centers in development.AI power infrastructure companies like GE Vernova (up 38%) and Vertiv (up 80%) have strong backlogs and high valuations.Tech is leading the market again as the war in Iran recedes and first-quarter earnings come in strong. It’s a great sign for companies supplying the industry’s insatiable thirst for power generation and infrastructure.Utilities plan to spend $1.4 trillion on capital expenditures through 2030, up 21% from estimates last year, according to the nonprofit PowerLines.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Bajaj Consumer Care Ltd made a striking recovery in FY26. Consolidated revenue increased 21% year-on-year to ₹1,165 crore, and Ebitda margin rose 575 basis points (bps) to 19%.Its growth portfolio, comprising products other than its flagship Almond Drops Hair Oil (ADHO), recorded annual sales of ₹225 crore, which the company aims to more than double to ₹500 crore over the next three years.The core Bajaj ADHO brand recorded revenue growth of more than 20% for the full year.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.April presents a familiar, if uncomfortable, market backdrop. Equity indices are swinging sharply, crude oil prices are hovering at $90- $100 a barrel, the rupee is under pressure, and global markets continue to grapple with uncertainty. For many investors, this mix fuels unease, amplified by constant exposure to headlines and real-time market moves.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.HDFC Bank management’s focus has shifted from bringing down the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) to pursuing credit growth opportunities. In its March quarter (Q4FY26) earnings call, the management stated that LDR is not a constraint, citing similar comments from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.All new steel plants opening till the year 2030 may have to mandatorily use 30% domestic coking coal, under a plan to reduce import dependence and boost local coal use. Currently, steel plants use a maximum of 20% domestic coal in their operations.The blending mandate is expected to reduce the cost of importing coking coal by almost 25%, two people aware of the plan said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Indian automakers are beginning to feel the operational strain of the West Asia conflict, with companies flagging supply bottlenecks, longer shipping times and rising costs, even as domestic demand remains resilient.Early signals from industry executives suggest the impact is weighing far more on supply chains than on demand, which has so far held up. The spillover is beginning to feed into production and exports, pushing up costs that companies are gradually passing on to consumers.At the centre of the strain is the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint that has seen vessel movement fall sharply amid repeated disruptions.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Consensus earnings estimates for the fourth quarter of FY26 point to double digit growth, albeit at a lower level than the previous quarter due to the impact of the West Asia war and a high base effect, says Satish Ramanathan, chief investment officer-equity at JM Financial Asset Management Company in an interview. Leading companies may emerge better given superior pricing power.Asked whether it is time for foreign portfolio investors to return to Indian equity markets, Ramanathan reply was: “…we believe Indian equity markets are now reasonable as regards valuations and are poised to benefit from a diversified economy and domestic market.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Economists often talk of ‘inflationary expectations’ and one may be left wondering what these mean. In essence, the argument goes that present inflation is not relevant as this has already been witnessed. What is important is future inflation, which is why expectations of price levels matter.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Among the worst analyses of human nature is the notion that poverty creates criminal behaviour. Yet, this is a popular perception. As a result, every time an agitation of the poor turns violent, the rich think they know what is going on.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Watching TV news or listening to most consumers, you’d think the jump in oil prices since the start of the Iran war will send inflation spiraling skyward.Most economists, meanwhile, expect that the impact of higher energy costs on inflation will be relatively trivial. Some even invoke the infamous T word: “transitory.”The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, even after crude’s 10% selloff on Friday on news that Iran said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Inflation won’t skyrocket, as it did in 2022 to a four-decade peak north of 9%.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.From India falling to the sixth rank in the IMF’s GDP rankings to retail inflation rising at a quicker pace in March amid the West Asia war, the moderation in shareholder payouts by TCS to parent Tata Sons, and commercial banks facing fewer penalties from the RBI, indicating improved compliance, here’s a compilation of this week’s news in numbers.India has slipped to the sixth rank globally in gross domestic product (GDP) rankings for 2025 (FY26) and 2026 (FY27), falling behind the UK after holding the fifth spot for three consecutive years, according to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) latest data.The pullback follows a downward revision in the country’s nominal GDP after the base year was updated from 2011-12 to 2022-23, which corrected previous overestimations, Mint reported. Additionally, a sharp depreciation in the rupee has weakened India’s standing in dollar terms.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.MUMBAI: Cement prices across India have climbed to a one-year high after the West Asia conflict pushed up global energy and freight costs, raising input expenses for manufacturers, with analysts expecting further increases that could bring prices close to four-year peak levels.Cement companies have raised prices by ₹15–20 per 50 kg bag this month, lifting all-India average prices by about 5% in April compared with March, according to a Motilal Oswal report dated 10 April. Manufacturers are facing higher costs for fuel, packaging bags and other inputs, with early signs that the price cycle may extend further.Dealers expect additional hikes in the coming weeks if demand remains steady, according to Motilal Oswal analysts.Data from Crisil Intelligence shows cement prices previously peaked at about ₹305 per 50 kg bag in FY23, driven by a surge in global crude oil prices amid geopolitical tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Mumbai: India’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are set to report a largely steady March quarter, with demand holding up despite a complex operating environment. However, a volatile mix of commodity swings, geopolitical tensions and emerging inflationary pressures is beginning to cloud the outlook, even as companies rely on calibrated pricing and cost controls to protect margins.Large listed players such as Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), ITC Ltd, Nestle India, Dabur, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd and Marico Ltd are expected to reflect these cross-currents in their March quarter earnings, which will kick off later this month.“FMCG companies will be able to maintain a status quo in the domestic market this quarter,” said Ankur Bisen, senior partner and head of retail, consumer products, food and e-commerce sectors at consulting firm The Knowledge Company.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The Trump administration spent months demanding the Federal Reserve cut interest rates. This week, two people with close ties to the White House said waiting to move makes some sense.Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran, speaking at an economic forum in Washington, D.C., said Thursday he is reconsidering his rate cut outlook for the year, trimming his projection from four cuts to potentially three and acknowledging the inflation picture had become more complicated even before war with Iran began.The remarks came just days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also took a slight turn from his earlier stance on monetary policy.Cuts should come eventually, Bessent said at a Washington conference, but waiting for clarity on the Iran situation makes sense.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India is the one of fastest-growing markets in Asia for real-time analytics and artificial intelligence observability platform Clickhouse, according to a top executive at the firm.“On the revenue side, India would be one of the highest in Asia,” co-founder and chief technology officer Alexey Milovidov said in an interview with Mint. “While revenue would be behind the US and Europe, in southeast Asia and the APAC region, India wins just on scale.”The database startup launched in India just eight months ago with a product engineering team and a smaller go-to-market team, and has several large enterprises and new-age tech companies as clients.