Sustainability Financial News

₹ 2.2 trillion in at least six years. A Mint analysis of 132 companies whose data for 2023-24 was available shows a steady increase in dividend payout ratios over the past six years. During the fiscal year, the payout ratio reached a little over 59%, exceeding the previous five-year average of 54.8%.

Tata Communications on Thursday announced that it had secured its first sustainability-linked loan of $250 million from ANZ, DBS Bank and Export Development Canada. The three lenders are set to jointly finance the five-year loan, with ANZ taking point as the lead sustainability coordinator. «The transaction is the first SLL for Tata Communications under the company’s new SLL framework. Through the framework, a first of its kind in the sector in India, Tata Communications intends to link its funding with key objectives such as carbon emission reduction targets (non-financial covenants) that are core and material for the company’s long-term sustainability performance,» the Indian communications company said in a release. Tata's $250 million loan is linked to its progress on its carbon emission reduction, with the interest rate margin of the loan set to be adjusted based on these targets and the company's performance.

According to a report by the Climate Bonds Initiative, Q1 2024 has been the «most prolific» quarter for sustainable finance volumes, up 15% from the $237.2bn recorded in Q1 2023 and 41% higher than the $193bn of Q4 2023. Green bonds alone contributed $195.9bn, another quarterly record, with lifetime green bond volume crossing the $3trn mark since its market inception in 2006. The quarterly figure marked a 25% increase from Q1 2023 and was 43% higher than the last quarter of 2023. Social bonds followed suit at $42.3bn, while sustainability and sustainability-related bonds added $31.4bn...

residential real estate in India stands out as one of the most resilient and reliable choices for investors. Despite economic fluctuations and market uncertainties, the sector has demonstrated robust performance, offering stable returns and long-term value appreciation.Following a spectacular performance in 2023, the housing market continues to thrive, driven by a shifting consumer preference towards homeownership over rental arrangements.

chemical companies are expected to realign their capital allocation requirements. Large companies in this sector have softened their near-term stance on capex. SRF Ltd has targeted ₹2,000-2,100 crore of capex in FY25 after spending about ₹3,000 crore in FY24.

Alkyl Amines Chemicals Ltd share price gained more than 7% during the intraday trades on Thursday. Alkyl Amines Chemicals share price opened at ₹2025 levels on Thursday on the BSE with gains of around 1% over the previous close.

Also Read: PSU stocks: Valuation premiums likely to sustain, says MOSFL; SBI, GAIL among 5 preferred PSU stock picksICICI Securities’ stock picks in the chemical sector among direct beneficiaries are Navin Fluorine International, Chemplast Sanmar and SRF, and among indirect winners are Archean Chemical Industries and Tatva Chintan Pharma Chem.Here are top chemical stocks to buy:ICICI Securities has increased Navin Fluorine share price target to ₹4,135 from ₹3,960 earlier on slight increase in EPS by 1-4% over FY25-26E. The brokerage firm maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on Navin Fluorine shares and the stock remains its preferred pick in the agrochemicals intermediate segment.Chemplast Sanmar is next in our pecking order, and we have increased our EPS estimates by 2-9% over FY25-26E as we factor in slightly higher spreads for PVC business on rising regulatory aids, ICICI Securities said.

₹1.5 trillion for the past 15 months. However, there are concerns around a sluggish trend in consumption, particularly in the low-income segment, and a slow pick-up in private capex. In our view, these are symptoms of an early-stage expansion cycle, and growth will become broader based as the economic expansion continues.

Top Japanese crypto firms, including major crypto exchanges, say they will keep pushing Tokyo to reform the nation’s strict tax laws.

After four consecutive months of easing core inflation and indications of further downward momentum in prices, members of the Bank of Canada‘s governing council agreed the time had come to cut rates in June, setting a new direction for monetary policy, a summary of their deliberations released Wednesday revealed.

Also read | RBI, Sebi monitoring high volumes in F&O market In the years since the covid-19 pandemic, India’s growth trajectory is seen to be shifting upwards from the 2003-19 average of 7% to the 2021-24 average of 8% or even more, powered by domestic drivers, the article said. “More recent indicators suggest that private consumption is resuming its role as the main driver of demand and is getting broad-based to include rural consumers," it said, adding that the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is gearing up for a strong turnaround on expectations of a pick-up in public welfare spending.

Sorn, the 2-Michelin star restaurant housed in a beautiful 90-year-old building in Bangkok's central Khlong Toei district. The interiors are luxurious, and the seating arrangement is unique. Diners are divided into several dining rooms, some offering great views of the kitchen. Owners Khun Ice and Chef Yod, both from south Thailand, source almost all ingredients from that part of the country. Sustainability is important, so they only purchase produce from their own network of farmers and anglers from 14 southern Thai provinces. The cooking is Thai — refined, elegant and delicious. Clay pot cooking, leaf-steaming and charcoal grilling is the norm. Each meal is elaborate — 14 courses with over 22 dishes.

Gujarat government has decided to recruit 7,500 teachers who have cleared the Teacher Aptitude Test (TAT) to permanent positions across secondary and higher secondary state-run and grant-in-aid schools, following protests by eligible candidates. This decision, announced by government spokesperson and minister Rushikesh Patel on Wednesday, aims to fill vacancies within the next three months. The recruitment drive will target candidates who have cleared the TAT, a prerequisite for teaching positions in secondary and higher secondary schools. The state Cabinet headed by CM Bhupendra Patel also decided that the government will soon conduct the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for primary school teachers.

The NSE Nifty 50 shed 0.18% to 23,516, while the S&P BSE Sensex added 0.05% to 77,337. Both the indexes rose about 0.3% each to hit all-time highs at the open before surrendering gains.

EU’s recently passed regulation, Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will lead to high costs and hurt exports from developing countries, economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said Wednesday. The ESPR mandates that imported products meet stringent sustainability standards, including a Digital Product Passport for traceability. ESPR will cover all products by 2030 but would begin with regulating items such as textiles, furniture, mattresses, tyres, detergents, paints, lubricants, iron and steel from January 2026. “ESPR will lead to high costs of products because of changes needed in production processes. Since most products covered are consumer products, the price rise may lead to inflation in the EU,” GTRI said.

This partnership allows the bank to measure the carbon emissions from each foundED event using Climes' carbon neutral event calculator. Once the emissions are calculated, DBS Bank India will neutralise them by encouraging event attendees to select the carbon avoidance and removal projects they want the bank to support.

GDP ratio is at an all-time high level, valuations are not at an all-time high, Dalal Street’s veteran stock picker Nilesh Shah said at AIF & PMS Conclave 2.0 on Wednesday. “Valuations are not at all-time high. They are still reasonably valued or one can say they are little expensively valued but critics will agree that it is not very expensive and optimists will agree that it is not very cheap. We are in the middle,” Shah said at the virtual conclave.

office furniture must not only be ergonomic, tech-integrated, and personalized but also, and perhaps most crucially, sustainable. From desks to chairs to storage units, every piece of furniture in your office can contribute to a greener workspace if chosen and managed wisely. «As we spend such a significant portion of our lives in office spaces, the importance of integrating sustainability into office design cannot be overstated,» says Sammeer Pakvasa, Managing Director and CEO of Eleganz Interiors. «By choosing sustainable office furniture, we are not only enhancing the health and productivity of employees but also contributing to a healthier planet. This dual benefit is why sustainability in office design has become a critical focus for us,» Pakvasa said. Here are five actionable steps to transform your office furniture into a more eco-friendly environment:

The report underscores a worrisome trend: despite reduced groundwater recharge, Delhi witnessed an increase in extraction, rising from 98.16% in 2022 to 99.13% in 2023. This disparity suggests ongoing challenges in sustaining groundwater levels across the city. In a somewhat positive note, the report identifies an uptick in urban areas classified as 'safe' in terms of groundwater levels. In 2023, 15% of Delhi's assessment units achieved this status, up from 12% in the previous year. However, the area categorized as 'critical' expanded significantly, encompassing 35% of Delhi in 2023 compared to 21% in 2022.

₹1,018 crore in March, while smallcap schemes registered an outflow of ₹94 crore, compared with inflows in January, February, April and May, according to Abhilash Pagaria, head of Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research. But inflows into midcap schemes in May exceeded the level in January, which was previously the highest until then, Pagaria said. “This clearly reflects the underlying confidence among investors and (small and midcap) and flexicap will remain the favourite categories." Also read | A blip, not a trend: Smallcaps remain the flavour despite recent shift The Nifty Smallcap 250 index has surged by 20% so far in 2024, while the Midcap 100 has gained 19%.

rupee stayed on the upward track for the second straight session and appreciated 6 paise to 83.37 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday boosted by sustained inflow of foreign capital and firm equity markets. The local unit, however, faced resistance due to a stronger American currency and higher crude oil prices overseas, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened strong at 83.39 and gained further to 83.34 against the greenback in initial deals. It later traded at 83.37 against the American currency, registering a rise of 6 paise from its previous close.