The increase in expansion-related funding remains at odds with India Inc.’s broader hesitation towards major capacity additions. This also comes at a time when senior government functionaries have repeatedly urged the private sector to step up capital expenditure. In recent years, investors have increasingly gravitated towards companies which prioritize capex visibility, balance-sheet strength and operational…
A new wave of urban-focused consumer technology and lifestyle brands is pivoting toward smaller Indian towns, following the path of established auto and consumer goods giants, as rising incomes and digital adoption fuel a new phase of growth outside major metros. Executives and independent experts say the shift is driven by accelerating consumption power and…
AI tools now enable clients to develop content, and they are outsourcing less and less work to advertising agencies. The industry is in turmoil, forcing two of the Big 5 advertising holding companies–Omnicom and Interpublic Group–to merge globally. That has triggered a wave of job cuts, and local agencies are also bracing for a shakeup….
NEW DELHI: During Russian president Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to India, the two countries agreed to deepen civil nuclear cooperation. Russia has already helped India build the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant and has now committed to supporting the plant’s fuel cycle and long-term life-cycle requirements in Tamil Nadu. Both sides also agreed to resume discussions…
Barc has ordered a forensic audit. But this isn’t the first time such a scandal has hit the industry body responsible for measuring the viewership and reach of traditional TV. In 2020, then chief executive officer (CEO) Partho Dasgupta was arrested after allegations that Barc had manipulated ratings to favour the Republic network of news…
When Parvaiz tried to impress Emraan Hashmi with an off-key version of ‘Kaho na kaho’ in The Ba***ds of Bollywood, the homage to Bollywood’s ‘serial kisser’ went viral. But the runaway success of this moment from the Netflix original prompted Hashmi and Raghav Juyal, who played Parvaiz, to recreate its exact opposite in a recent…
Several dubbed south Indian films have struck a popular chord with Hindi-speaking audiences and found box-office success in the past. Yet, makers of recent mid-budget Tamil, Telugu, or Malayalam movies such as The Girlfriend and Kaantha have refrained from aggressive distribution and marketing push in north India. Even with stars Hindi audiences recognise, such as…
Bank holidays next week, 8 December to 14 December: There are as many as four bank holidays next week, according to the RBI bank holiday calendar. However, the four bank holidays are only applicable to certain parts of India, because they are decided by the Reserve Bank of India on basis of regional holidays. Bank…
Several agricultural inputs and packaging materials, for instance, are getting cheaper, while other commodities such as sugar, coffee, and fishmeal are becoming more expensive, potentially producing an uneven impact on FMCG companies’ profit margins. Commodity whiplash Industry analysts say that the coming quarters may bring margin relief in some pockets for large food, beverage and…
Zappfresh, an online meat delivery platform, says demand for boneless meat has risen 10-15% annually for a decade. Licious claims boneless now accounts for almost 30% of its portfolio – it didn’t provide a comparative figure. “It comes down to willingness to pay. People who are happy to pay a premium choose boneless because the…