Gaurav Bansal

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Ongoing uncertainty surrounding US trade policy—especially the recent tariff moves by the Trump administration—is expected to undermine business confidence and consumer sentiment across Asia, including India, and could significantly dampen regional growth, Moody’s Ratings said on Sunday.While President Donald Trump has announced a three-month delay in implementing reciprocal tariffs on most countries, China remains the exception, with a steep 125 per cent tariff already imposed. An additional 10 per cent duty on exports to the US will also continue, maintaining pressure on global trade dynamics.Nicky Dang, Senior Vice President at Moody’s Ratings, told PTI that "an escalation of US-Sino tensions and the spill-over effects from a slowdown in China pose significant downside risks to the region’s growth prospects."India may offer some resilience, but risks remainEconomies with large domestic markets, such as India, may benefit from companies looking […]

[ad_1] The combined market valuation of five of the top 10 most valued Indian companies rose by Rs 84,559.01 crore during a holiday-shortened trading week, with Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) emerging as the biggest gainer. This rise came even as the broader market posted a slight decline, with the BSE Sensex slipping by 207.43 points or 0.27 per cent, and the NSE Nifty falling 75.9 points or 0.33 per cent. The stock markets remained closed on Thursday on account of Shri Mahavir Jayanti, as per PTI report. Hindustan Unilever led the gains with its market capitalisation jumping by Rs 28,700.26 crore to reach Rs 5,56,054.27 crore. Reliance Industries followed closely, adding Rs 19,757.27 crore, pushing its valuation to Rs 16,50,002.23 crore. ITC also recorded a significant increase of Rs 15,329.79 crore, taking its market cap to Rs 5,27,845.57 crore. Bajaj […]

[ad_1] India's largest carrier IndiGo is confident that the global events triggered by tariff hikes will not impact its long-term plans. The large domestic market, which includes a big untapped segment, will help airlines, the company's Chief Executive Pieter Elbers told PTI in an interaction. "Some of the more recent dynamics and the global scale are not changing any of our capacity (expansion) plans for next year," he said. He, however, said a major economy like India cannot be insulated from a major world event like the tariff wars. Elbers said the company is desirous of doubling its size by the end of the decade and the same will not be impacted. The long-term trajectory for the business is one of growth, and the company will not be affected if there is a quarter of a blip or higher achievement […]

[ad_1] The UK pledged £20 billion ($26 billion) on Sunday to help exporters including those affected by US tariffs, as President Donald Trump's sweeping stop-start import taxes roil global markets.Britain's finance ministry said the move would expand the UK's export finance package by £20 billion to a total of £80 billion, with "thousands of UK businesses affected by tariffs set to benefit."Up to £10 billion of that support will be used specifically for firms "impacted in the short term by the current situation," it said.Finance minister Rachel Reeves said the move would help companies weather difficulties ahead."The world is changing, which is why it is more important than ever to back our world-leading businesses and support them to navigate the challenges ahead," she said.The finance ministry said small businesses will also be able to access loans of up to £2 […]

[ad_1] With egg prices hitting record highs just ahead of Easter, some families — and even a few bunnies — may be looking for more affordable alternatives to keep the holiday tradition alive. One sweet solution? Marshmallows.Priced around $2 a bag, marshmallows are emerging as a cost-friendly, dyeable substitute for eggs this season. Capitalizing on the trend, Kraft Heinz-owned Jet-Puffed has launched its first-ever “Dip and Decorate Dozen” kit — a pastel-themed marshmallow decorating set designed to bring Easter fun without the egg-spense, as reported CNN. In a press release, Jet-Puffed described the kit as a “festive, mess-free twist on egg decorating.” Priced at just $1.99, it includes six vibrant color packs, mini tongs for dipping, decorating pens, and a 24-ounce bag of extra-large marshmallows — roughly the same size as jumbo eggs. The kits are available exclusively on Walmart’s […]

[ad_1] PM Narendra Modi and Donald Trump (File photo-ANI) The proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement is unlikely to include a 'zero-for-zero' tariff strategy, as the two nations are at different stages of economic development, official sources said. The idea, though floated by trade experts to counter reciprocal tariff hikes by the US, does not align with how trade deals are typically negotiated, officials noted.A senior official explained that such a strategy — where both sides eliminate tariffs on similar products — is feasible between advanced economies like the US and the European Union, but not between countries with differing economic structures like India and the US, as reported by PTI. “Trade agreements do not happen like this — if they go zero on electronics, we will too. That is a wrong notion,” the official remarked. Instead, India and the US […]

[ad_1] Equity markets are expected to remain volatile in the upcoming holiday-shortened week, with investors closely watching developments on the US-China tariff war front, along with key quarterly earnings from major Indian companies including Wipro and Infosys, according to analysts.Trading activity will be impacted by market closures on Monday for Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Jayanti and on Friday due to Good Friday. Amid this limited window, market sentiment is likely to be dictated by global cues, foreign investor activity, inflation data, and macroeconomic numbers from major economies.“The upcoming week is set to be volatile for global and Indian markets, as the trade war between China and the US intensified with both countries imposing tariffs on each other, causing turmoil in the markets,” said Puneet Singhania, Director at Master Trust Group. He also noted that domestic investors will keep a close […]

[ad_1] Indian exports of smartphones, laptops and other electronics to the US are expected to become 20% cheaper as compared to those from China, after the Trump administration removed tariffs on a range of consumer electronics, industry body ICEA said on SundayThe move, announced over the weekend, is seen as a major boost for India’s rapidly growing electronics manufacturing sector. The US decided to exempt smartphones, tablets, laptops, flat-panel monitors and certain semiconductor components from the reciprocal tariffs imposed earlier on countries like China, India, and Vietnam.The exemption implies that India and Vietnam now enjoy a major tariff advantage over China in exporting these products to the US. “China still has 20 per cent of iPhones, laptops, tablets, and watches. Only reciprocal tariff has been removed for China. India has zero tariff on iPhones and all smartphones, laptops and tablets […]

[ad_1] Greenfield corridor (File photo) The Bihar government is gearing up to establish special industrial zones across the state, riding high on the success of the Bihar Business Connect 2024 summit, where investment proposals worth Rs 1.81 lakh crore were received. According to Industries Secretary Bandana Preyashi, these zones will be strategically developed under the state’s upcoming industrial policy, which is currently in its final stages of preparation.Speaking to PTI, Preyashi said the new industrial zones will be tailored to suit the strengths and resources of each district. “The government, under the state's new industrial policy, will set up special industrial zones, keeping the potential of an area in mind, in almost all districts of the state,” she said. These zones will focus on the specific agricultural produce of the region, existing handicraft industries, and the availability of labour.Highlighting the […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have pulled out Rs 31,575 crore from Indian equity markets so far in April, spooked by mounting global uncertainty stemming from sweeping tariffs imposed by the United States on several countries, including India.This sharp outflow follows a net investment of Rs 30,927 crore in just six trading sessions between March 21 and March 28, which had briefly lifted sentiment and reduced March’s total net outflow to Rs 3,973 crore, according to data from the depositories.By comparison, FPI outflows were steeper in the earlier months—Rs 34,574 crore in February and a massive Rs 78,027 crore in January. While April’s numbers reflect continued volatility, the pace of selling has moderated somewhat, indicating an evolving sentiment among global investors.PTI noted that between April 1 and April 11 alone, FPIs withdrew Rs 31,575 crore from equities, taking […]