Sustainability Financial News

American technology major Oracle Corporation’s decision to part ways with 30,000 employees globally—almost 19% of its total workforce—has sent shockwaves through the organization. It has also deepened concerns about the sustainability of software product companies in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.Employees across sales, human resources, engineering and developer roles faced the axe after receiving an email from the company’s leadership at 6 am (in all time zones) on Wednesday, citing “broader organisational change”.

West Asia war could push inflation higher, keeping prospective homebuyers on the sidelines. Affordability was already under strain after sustained price hikes, driven by rising construction costs even as demand held up.Early signs of a slowdown are emerging.

taxation. A non-resident is taxed only on Indian income.

The government’s ₹20,000 crore credit guarantee support for the microfinance sector, announced on 21 March, comes at a crucial time for smaller non-banking finance company-microfinance institutions (NBFC-MFIs), which are grappling with tight liquidity and risk-averse lenders.In an interview, Sadaf Sayeed, chief executive officer of Muthoot Microfin in New Delhi, told Mint the move could unlock lending, revive financial inclusion and support sectoral growth. Edited excerpts:This is a very welcome step and something the industry has been requesting for a long time.

If FY26 had a defining feature, it was the breadth of the sell-off. Indian equities didn’t just correct, they saw a deep, cross-sector downturn that dragged the market lower even as global peers surged ahead.From defensive sectors like FMCG to rate-sensitive realty and global-facing IT, few corners of the market were spared, underscoring the unusual breadth of the downturn.

Stock market recap: The Indian equity markets witnessed a sharp sell-off on Monday, 30 March 2026, as the West Asia war and surging crude oil prices triggered a widespread risk-off sentiment.Nifty 50 plummeted 2.14% to settle at 22,331.40, while S&P BSE Sensex crashed 1,636 points (2.22%) to end at 71,947.55. The session was marked by deep institutional selling, particularly from FPIs, as Brent crude climbed above $115 per barrel, threatening India's macroeconomic stability.Sectorally, Nifty Realty and PSU Banks bore the brunt of the carnage, with heavyweights like Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank, and SBI leading the losers' list.

Tile maker Kajaria Ceramics hopes to clock 7-8% year-on-year volume growth in the March quarter compared with flattish growth in Q3 as operations normalize. The third quarter was marked by weak demand and the company’s unification process to align sales operations, which led to dealer churn and temporary destocking.

New Delhi: Telecom gear maker Nokia said that supply chain pressures due to the West Asia war, with component shortages such as memory chips, are increasing costs for devices, including wireless access equipment and network infrastructure.“We started seeing the cost creeps happening. As soon as the supply shortage starts, the first thing is the cost changes, and that is what is happening right now,” Vibha Mehra, country manager - designate for India at Nokia, told reporters on Tuesday.Mehra, who will take charge as Nokia’s country manager in India on 1 April, said discussions about the cost increases have also begun with telecom operators.To be sure, memory chip prices had already been increasing before the war, as manufacturing capacity shifted from consumer electronics toward high-margin memory solutions for AI.

Mumbai: India is expected to sustain strong M&A momentum, including cross-border deals, as investors take a long-term view despite macro headwinds, top executives said at the Mint India Investment Summit.“It’s interesting how the last three quarters over 2025 have shown the ability of investors to digest any volatility, price it in if required and proceed with M&As as they see sense in it over a 5–10-year horizon,” Devarajan Nambakam, co-head of India investment banking for Goldman Sachs Group, said at the summit last week.“This is probably going to be tested more this year than last, but the ability of investors to see through these volatilities has been the biggest mindset shift.”With India being a robust growth economy, there is demand for capital to accelerate this pace and for shareholders looking to monetize their stake among others, he added.“From a supply perspective, it’s safe to say that almost no pool of capital is unavailable in India be it strategic capital, private equity, private credit or hybrid capital. Today, the quantum of the capital that is available is higher than we’ve seen.

In global climate politics, clarity is often elusive. Grand declarations outpace delivery and ambition is often divorced from reality. Against this backdrop, India’s newly-approved Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2031–2035 stand out as a picture of coherence.

Why it’s recommended: Strong presence in the US generics market, diversified product portfolio, robust R&D capabilities, improving margins and cost control, growth in the speciality and injectables segment, healthy balance sheet, consistent revenue growth, backward integration benefits, expanding global footprint, and regulatory compliance improvements.Key metrics: P/E: 21.34 | 52-week high: ₹1,330.00 | Volume: ₹245.07 croreTechnical analysis: Cup-base breakoutRisk factors: The USFDA regulatory risks, pricing pressure in generics, high dependence on the US market, currency fluctuation impact, litigation and compliance risks, API business volatility, intense industry competition, delay in product approvals, margin pressure risk, and geopolitical and export risks.Buy: ₹1,300-1,320Target price: ₹1,450 in two to three monthsStop loss: ₹1,240Why it’s recommended: Government-owned status with strong backing, integrated power and mining business, consistent profitability track record, expansion into renewable energy, large capex growth plans, stable cash flows due to utility nature, diversification into EV and storage, improving revenue growth trend, decent margins over cycles, and strategic importance in the energy sector.Key metrics: P/E:13.46 | 52-week high: ₹292.20 | Volume: ₹67.59 croreTechnical analysis: Reclaimed its 21-DMARisk factors: High capex leading to cash flow pressure, dependence on lignite and thermal power, regulatory and environmental risks, long gestation project risks, possibility of increased debt, power tariff regulation risk, execution risk in expansion plans, uncertainty in renewable transition, commodity and fuel price risk, and PSU-related governance constraints.Buy at: ₹268-271Target price: ₹298 in

₹9.15 trillion transmission network investment roadmap spanning 2023 to 2032.Buoyed by this outlay, overall transformer demand is projected to grow at a robust 18-22% CAGR through FY28. This expansion is further supported by India's goal to reach 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by FY30.

West Asia conflict, which is expected to tighten global ammunition supplies and push up defence spending.The company’s defence business has scaled rapidly, with revenue growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 82% between FY21 and FY25, according to an Elara Securities report dated 24 March. Its share of total sales rose from just 5% in FY21 to 18% in FY25.“We see this segment driving the next phase of superior growth,” the report said, citing India’s ₹2.2 trillion defence capex (FY27 BE), rising geopolitical tensions and a global uptick in military spending.

‘Water bankruptcy’ is a term coined to convey a stage after which it is impossible to return to ‘normal’ water levels without major changes. Popularized by a January 2026 United Nations report calling out the reality of an era of “global water bankruptcy,” the term has attracted considerable attention. While globally relevant, the report highlights India as a hotspot for groundwater depletion, given our overdependence on rapidly diminishing aquifers.

India stands at a crossroads as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world, yet it also has among the highest levels of inequality, with little movement seen in recent years. On paper, India’s growth story remains strong even as global conditions are uncertain. According to the latest national accounts with a revised base year of 2022-23, India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.2% in 2023-24 and 7.1% in 2024-25.

Stock market recap: The Indian stock market saw strong buying interest on Tuesday, 24 March, with the benchmarks — Sensex and Nifty 50 — rising about 2% each.BSE barometer Sensex jumped 1,372 points, or 1.89%, to close at 74,068, while the Nifty 50 rose by 440 points, or 1.78%, to settle at 22,912. The BSE 150 Midcap index and the BSE 250 Smallcap index added 2.5% and 2.2%, respectively.Investors earned ₹8 trillion in a single session as the cumulative market capitalization of BSE-listed firms rose to nearly ₹423 trillion from ₹415 trillion in the previous session.Buy: Sai Life Sciences Ltd (current price: ₹1,005)Buy: Tech Mahindra Ltd (current price: ₹1,433)Nifty 50 performance on 24 MarchNifty 50 opened on a positive note at 22,878.45 and maintained strength through the session, reflecting sustained buying interest at lower levels.

The India-European Union free trade agreement (FTA) has reduced tariffs on many agricultural exports, but these alone won’t secure market access unless our exporters meet high EU import standards and sustainable production requirements. The EU, through its Green Deal and subsequent directives such as those on deforestation (EUDR) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (EUCS3D), has implemented stiff regulations covering food safety, soil health and environmental and labour standards, including rules on greenhouse gas emissions and the wages, health, gender balance, age adequacy and work conditions of workers.

The juxtaposition of the Russia-Ukraine war and unfolding US-Israel-Iran war offers a compelling window to the evolving character of contemporary warfare. One is a protracted, grinding contest of endurance; the other, a sharp demonstration of rapid, multi-domain coercion. Yet, taken together, they underline a common truth: technological change has not simplified war, it has made it more complex, more diffuse and less predictable.

crude prices. That is primarily why ONGC shares have not rallied like their global peers since February-end when the ongoing West Asia conflict began.Of course, some don’t expect any new windfall tax. For instance, CLSA has raised ONGC stock’s target price to ₹415 apiece, almost 60% higher than current levels.

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is one of the products facing a global supply crunch today, thanks to the Iran war. The result is more than a cooking gas shortage in India. In order to prioritize the availability of cooking gas for homes, the government reduced supplies to commercial establishments.

Asset allocation is essential because no single asset class consistently outperforms across market cycles. Equities may lead during periods of economic growth, while debt provides stability during downturns, and gold acts as a hedge against inflation and currency risks.