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crude prices translates quickly into higher fuel costs. In the US, for instance, a gallon of regular petrol that averaged $2.94 in February now costs $3.58—a 20% increase—according to AAA Fuel Prices, a retail fuel price tracker from the American Automobile Association.In contrast, petrol in cities like Mumbai has held steady at around ₹103 per litre in recent weeks.At the core of this stability are state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) such as Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum.When international prices surge, these companies often absorb the increase instead of passing it on immediately to consumers.According to Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda, "In the interest of social stability and to shield the common citizen from sudden inflationary shocks, domestic oil marketing companies often maintain steady product prices even as global crude costs climb.

MUMBAI: Sewing machine manufacturer Singer India Ltd. plans to focus on premiumization and diversification into consumer products to garner a greater share in the domestic and industrial markets that are currently flooded by Chinese products.“Today we have been able to completely reposition ourselves as a premium product,” Rakesh Khanna, vice-chairman and managing director of Singer India, told Mint.The company plans to invest over ₹100 crore in the next three years in a new plant to increase production of zig zag sewing machines.

I am planning to undergo LASIK surgery to correct my eyesight. Will my health insurance policy cover this procedure? What are the rules and conditions I should be aware of?- Name withheld on requestLASIK surgery is a popular option to correct vision and reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses.

cost of living, with new data showing more are taking on debt as financial pain bleeds out into broader sections of the economy.It comes as the so-called “K-shape” economy continues to underscore a widening wealth divide between Canada’s highest and lowest income groups, with Equifax reporting debt among Canadians with higher credit scores is rising.“There’s more of a divergence happening and a few of the higher income or low-risk people are kind of switching almost on that ‘K’,” says Rebecca Oakes, vice-president of analytics at Equifax Canada.“Everything that’s happening right now is just going to add pressure to an already difficult situation where we did have diversions in financial health.”Total Canadian consumer debt in the fourth quarter, or final three months of 2025, increased 3.13 per cent from a year earlier to $2.65 trillion, and non-mortgage debt increased by 4.5 per cent.Those with higher credit scores of between 751 and 880 out of the scale to 900 saw their non-mortgage debt rise by 6.1 per cent, while lower credit scores of 320 to 580 remained mostly the same, the report showed.“It doesn’t really matter what your credit score is. What matters is how much income you have relative to your expenses.

after the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February. While several global economies, from the US to China, have already passed on higher costs to consumers, India has kept prices stable. With crude prices surging, oil marketing companies (OMCs) are taking a big hit.

Bengaluru: A sharp rise in crude oil-linked raw material prices is unsettling India’s plastic packaging industry, but a bigger disruption is being caused by companies securing and stockpiling their supplies, tightening availability and pushing up prices.This is directly impacting packaged food and beverage companies that are preparing for peak summer demand. Most plastics are derived from crude oil and natural gas liquids that are refined to make the raw material for plastic.Prices of key inputs such as PET resin (used for plastic bottles) and polyolefins (used for bottle caps, labels and pouches) have surged by 40% to 80% in weeks, driven by the West Asia conflict that started on 28 February and subsequent global crude oil volatility.

The war in West Asia has raised geopolitical vulnerabilities. These are not only affecting countries in the region that are directly or indirectly involved in the war, but also much of the rest of the world. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already led to a spike in energy prices and shortage of petroleum products, including gas.

price hikes better not be delayed beyond April.“Cement spreads, a key leading indicator of industry unitary Ebitda, averaged ₹2,704/tonne in Q4FY26 (forecast), marking a decline of over ₹50/tonne QoQ, as elevated costs pressured margins amid the geopolitical uncertainties,” said a 13 March report by Nomura Research.Given that it takes 60-90 days for costs to flow through to profit and loss statements, thanks to the buffer provided by inventories and transit times, the real pressure may only show up in the coming quarters. Nomura’s channel checks, however, suggest price hikes could resume after March, once the year-end volume push subsides, helping cushion margins.Still, near-term cost pressures are a reality, and will be hard to ignore.

A faraway war may squeeze margins for one of India’s biggest beer makers just as the summer season begins.After two tepid quarters, demand is finally recovering but profitability could be under pressure amid rising input costs due to the ongoing war in West Asia, Vivek Gupta, managing director and chief executive officer of Bengaluru-based United Breweries, which makes Kingfisher and Heineken, said in an exclusive interview.“The growth of the beer category is dependent on not just favourable weather but also on affordability, local policies and raw material supplies,” Gupta told Mint. “Our margins will surely be under pressure as there will be some impact from the war.

India joined several developing countries to advocate for a global framework to lower cross-border remittance costs ahead of the World Trade Organisation's 14th ministerial conference (MC14), marking a focus on development-linked financial issues in trade.The proposal, supported by Morocco, Pakistan and the African Group, addresses remittance fees, which remain above the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals target of under 3% by 2030. On several routes, costs still range between 5% and 6%, significantly reducing the amount that ultimately reaches recipient households.

VinFast and homegrown Ola Electric have offered discounts to wean consumers away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that run on diesel and petrol, with analysts saying the energy crisis could push fence-sitters towards EVs.The crisis has also renewed focus on the Centre’s plans to go beyond the 20% ethanol blending in petrol, with executives indicating that higher blends and flex-fuel vehicles may see faster rollouts as they can cut the country's imports of crude oil.According to analysts at Nomura, crude oil price rise due to the current crisis can make the total cost of ownership equation even more attractive for electric vehicles, which can boost EV sales in the short term.“One beneficiary of higher oil prices could be a quicker shift in consumer sentiment towards EVs. Thus, EV [players] are likely to benefit,” Kapil Singh and Siddhartha Bera of Nomura wrote in a 9 March note.Retail fuel prices have remained steady so far, but risks of an increase persist if the conflict drags on, according to experts.EV sales in the country rose 77% year-on-year in calendar 2025 to nearly 177,000 units, with their share in total sales reaching 4%.

₹33,660-crore Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (Bhavya) kicks off in fiscal year 2027 (FY27), aiming to expand India's manufacturing muscle, while creating large-scale employment.The Union Cabinet also approved a series of projects totalling more than ₹45,000 crore, including Bhavya, which will be executed over five years."The scheme is expected to drive large-scale job creation, generating substantial direct and indirect employment across manufacturing, logistics, and services, while catalyzing significant investments. The scheme aims to generate 15 lakh direct jobs by boosting manufacturing-led growth and enhancing infrastructure with ready-to-use industrial parks," said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union minister for railways, information and broadcasting, and electronics and information technology.The Bhavya scheme will be implemented in partnership with states and private sector players, building on the experience of industrial smart cities developed under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme.

Mint explains.Nvidia launched a new generation of its Vera Rubin chips, and an all-new Nvidia Groq 3 chip—designed after it signed a $20-billion partnership deal with the founder of Google’s custom chip.These focus on power efficiency, thereby significantly reducing the cost of AI. Huang referred to ‘inferencing’ or the cost of running AI, which he said will fall drastically when these new chips hit data centres in three years.The new chips, for the first time, took the spotlight away from building AI and onto running it, suggesting that Nvidia sees AI at a stage of mass adoption.Training AI is becoming templatized, while running AI will bring the bulk of the demand for specialized chips.

The disclosure is significant as the proposed deal is a 100% share swap, meaning Unacademy’s investors may receive upGrad stock instead of immediate liquidity, with the valuation to be made public only at closing.Mint has learnt from people familiar with the matter that the break-fee clause will apply to both sides, though Mint could not independently verify the exact triggers in the term sheet.Mint explains what Screwvala’s public reference means for the proposed upGrad-Unacademy deal.Unacademy, founded in 2015, surged during the covid-19 pandemic to a $3.5 billion valuation in 2021, raising about $880 million from marquee investors to date. But the post-edtech-boom funding slump and Byju’s crisis hit the sector, weakening its position in talks with upGrad, which valued it at $300-400 million.

airlines must also provide monetary compensation when the cancellation is not communicated appropriately well in advance. However, in the case of cancellations caused by a war, airlines are not liable to provide monetary compensation.The exclusion extends beyond just ticket cancellations. Claims for trip interruption, delays, missed connections and even additional accommodation costs may be denied if it is linked to a conflict.Baggage-related claims may also be denied if the delay or loss is directly attributable to airport shutdowns or conflict conditions.

India’s corporate skyline has expanded rapidly over the past three decades. Tech campuses in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, logistics parks along the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor and multiple warehouse clusters on city outskirts reflect a country building the infrastructure of a modern economy. Yet, much of this expansion has been planned around connectivity, labour access and land prices.

LPG) at about 62%. Fertilizer imports account for roughly 30% of consumption.That headline number masks wide variation across nutrients.

retirement strategy. Over the past few years, she has focused on consolidating real estate holdings, increasing liquid investments through mutual funds, and creating multiple income streams, such as rental income, to ensure financial stability and healthcare security in retirement.For Ahmedabad-based Vijay Vora, a chartered accountant, 75, who is currently self-employed as a management adviser and corporate consultant, retirement income comes from a mix of rental income from real estate, interest from fixed deposits, Public Provident Fund (PPF) savings, dividends, and freelancing income.Going ahead, he wants to start systematic withdrawal plans from his mutual funds.

New Delhi: India has joined a group of developing economies in pushing for a global framework to reduce the cost of cross-border remittances, positioning the issue as a key development priority ahead of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization scheduled in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, later this month.The conference will take place during 26-29 March 2026.In a revised draft ministerial declaration circulated on 17 March, India, along with Morocco, Pakistan and the African Group, called for coordinated global action to bring down remittance transaction costs, which remain significantly above the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal target of less than 3% by 2030.India is world’s largest recipient of remittances, with inflows estimated at around $135.4 billion in FY25, according to an India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) report. This marks a steady rise from about $129 billion in 2024 and reflects a strong increase over the past decade.

semiconductor maker also established a global coalition of companies, Nemotron. It includes the likes of Perplexity and Cursor to build large language models (LLMs) that will act as a reference point for enterprises globally.

₹20,020 crore.In fact, Q3FY26 revenue growth was as high as 46%, led by a 54% jump in its mainstay wires and cables business that contributes 88% of the gross segment revenues.Like peers, supply chain uncertainties and demand disruptions following the Middle East conflict are expected to hurt Polycab too. “March so far has been weaker versus initial expectations, thereby impacting Q4 estimates, emanating from uncertainty from the ongoing Middle East conflict, and a high base,” wrote JM Financial Institutional Securities’ analysts after interacting with Polycab’s executives in a report on 15 March.Should the ongoing uncertainty persist, Q4 volumes could remain flat year-on-year, revenue growth relying on input cost appreciation (18-20%), it added.March usually accounts for 45-50% of Polycab’s fourth-quarter revenue, but demand has been slower this time owing to uncertainty around commodity prices and project visibility.