Arup Roychoudhury, TE Narasimhan, Sharath Chowdary &Amp;Amp; Ishita Ayan Dutt

Stories by Arup Roychoudhury, TE Narasimhan, Sharath Chowdary &Amp;Amp; Ishita Ayan Dutt

Indian steel sector flags Chinese imports, wants 'trade distortions' fixed

Indian steel sector flags Chinese imports, wants 'trade distortions' fixed

Rediff.com   29 Aug 2023

Worried by a spike in Chinese imports, the Indian Steel Association (ISA) plans to take up the matter with the government and seek measures to fix "trade distortions". Alok Sahay, secretary general of the group that represents the country's steel producers, said systemic changes were needed. "In order to take any trade measure, it takes a minimum of 15 months' time, due to prevalence of lesser duty rule in India, making India an easy target. "We are going to write to the government on this," he said.

Tata Steel to bid for iron ore mines ahead of expiry of leases in 2030

Tata Steel to bid for iron ore mines ahead of expiry of leases in 2030

Rediff.com   15 Aug 2023

Tata Steel has built an iron ore chest of nearly 600 million tonnes (mt) and will look for more as it prepares for life beyond 2030 when its legacy captive mines come up for auction. The lease for four of its existing iron ore mines -- Joda East, Noamundi, Katamati, and Khondbond -- that feed the domestic operation with low-cost iron ore is going to expire in 2030, following changes in mining regulations. The year will also coincide with Tata Steel's ambitious target of doubling steelmaking capacity in India to 40 mt, increasing the need for iron ore. The company is pushing the pedal to ensure that it has enough resources to meet enhanced needs.

'Pace of engagement with UK has picked up'

'Pace of engagement with UK has picked up'

Rediff.com   4 Aug 2023

'As Tata Steel we will obviously use group-level leverage to make progress where we want.'

'Steel prices have already bottomed out'

'Steel prices have already bottomed out'

Rediff.com   4 Aug 2023

'While lower steel prices may impact a part of the quarter, this will be offset by softer raw material prices.'

Betting on India's growth, top steel firms in midst of big expansion plans

Betting on India's growth, top steel firms in midst of big expansion plans

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2023

On June 30, mining and metals giant Vedanta, announced that it had decided to initiate a strategic review of its steel and steel-making raw material businesses. The review would begin immediately and evaluate a broad range of options, including but not limited to a potential strategic sale of some or all of the steel businesses, the company said in its stock exchange filing. The signs have been there - approaches had been made to steel players over the past year. Last December, Anil Agarwal, chairman Vedanta group, told Business Standard that the steel plant capacity was about 3 million tonnes (mt).

As EVs rise in India, a requiem for Kolkata's electric trams

As EVs rise in India, a requiem for Kolkata's electric trams

Rediff.com   4 Jul 2023

Kolkata trams -- now in their 150th year -- are the last to survive modernity in Indian cities, writes Ishita Ayan Dutt.

Reading the tea leaves: Low production stirs chai industry's teapot

Reading the tea leaves: Low production stirs chai industry's teapot

Rediff.com   13 Jun 2023

The tea industry's cup of woes brimmeth - scanty rainfall and pest attacks have dragged down production in May, prices are lower than last year, and demand from some export markets is muted. Production in North Bengal - comprising the Dooars, Terai, and Darjeeling - is majorly affected; parts of Assam are also hit. Arijit Raha, secretary general, Indian Tea Association (ITA), said that the Tea Board numbers for April show a crop loss of about 9 per cent for North Bengal, compared to last year.

Howrah Bridge Heads For Health Check-up

Howrah Bridge Heads For Health Check-up

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2023

'We need to find out whether any structural element has got fatigue.' 'We want to increase the lifespan of the bridge.'

How Did RBI Give Govt Rs 87,416 Crore?

How Did RBI Give Govt Rs 87,416 Crore?

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2023

The RBI raked in a massive net income gain from foreign exchange currency sales as a buffer for the rupee during tumultuous geopolitical upheavals last year owing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Govt Expects Windfall From RBI

Govt Expects Windfall From RBI

Rediff.com   25 May 2023

While the fiscal year has just begun, any windfall surplus will be welcomed by the government as it bids to meet the fiscal deficit target of 5.9 per cent of GDP, amidst lack of clarity on exactly to what extent will recession in the West impact India's trade and tax collections.

'Will come to decision on UK biz in 12 to 24 months'

'Will come to decision on UK biz in 12 to 24 months'

Rediff.com   16 May 2023

'It's an open secret that the UK business is structurally not in a great place.'

Downside risks weigh on growth forecast: FinMin

Downside risks weigh on growth forecast: FinMin

Rediff.com   26 Apr 2023

India's economy continues to be robust, but downside risks such as rising crude oil prices, adverse weather conditions, and the global banking crisis outweigh the upside potential in gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the current financial year (FY24), the finance ministry said on Tuesday in its Monthly Economic Review for March. "We reiterate that downside risks to our official forecast of 6.5 per cent for real GDP growth in FY24 dominate upside risks," the review said. "Opec's surprise production cut has seen oil prices rise in April, off their lows of low-seventies per barrel in March.

'India can continue to be fastest growing economy this decade'

'India can continue to be fastest growing economy this decade'

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2023

'With a solid investment programme and sustainable development strategy, India can exceed 7 per cent growth per year, or a doubling of high-quality national income within a decade.'

'RBI should pause rate hikes'

'RBI should pause rate hikes'

Rediff.com   27 Mar 2023

'It will send a very strong signal that it is now our time to grow.'

Secret recipe of ITC's mega success

Secret recipe of ITC's mega success

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2023

A hotel in 1975, entry into paperboards in 1979, India's dominant cigarette maker, ITC, read the tea - or tobacco - leaves early, leveraged its enterprise strengths and stepped up the diversification agenda to create multiple drivers of growth. Some failed, some faltered, some were transformational, adding steadily to the top line. Now those efforts are making a difference: margins from non-cigarettes - FMCG, hotels, agri, paperboards, paper and packaging - are expanding and profits are kicking in more significantly than ever before.

Retail inflation may moderate in coming months: FinMin monthly review

Retail inflation may moderate in coming months: FinMin monthly review

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2023

India's headline retail inflation is expected to moderate further in the months to come, as low wholesale inflation will transmit to consumer prices, the Ministry of Finance said in its latest monthly economic review (MER) on Monday. "Inflationary pressures eased in February, with slight moderation in Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation and Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation softening to a 25-month low. "With WPI inflation easing, its transmission to CPI inflation is soon expected," the MER for February said.

Inflation slows down packaged tea consumption growth

Inflation slows down packaged tea consumption growth

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2023

Packaged tea consumption in India has been under pressure due to inflation across the consumption basket coupled with higher tea prices. This is forcing tea drinkers to downtrade, especially in rural areas. Milk prices have also gone up and this has impacted tea consumption along with delayed winters in the north, companies have said. NIQ (formerly known as NielsenIQ) data shows that the packaged tea category grew around 4 per cent in value and volume terms in 2022 compared to 2021.

WB Panchayat Polls: Dry Run For TMC, BJP

WB Panchayat Polls: Dry Run For TMC, BJP

Rediff.com   4 Mar 2023

'For the politics of patronage in West Bengal, it has always been important to have territorial control.'

CEA Nageswaran says urban recovery faster than rural

CEA Nageswaran says urban recovery faster than rural

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2023

Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran on Thursday said describing India's recovery as 'K-shaped' was wrong as both rural and urban economies were recovering, albeit at different paces. Speaking to reporters at the Finance Ministry, Nageswaran said the gross domestic product (GDP) growth print for the recent October-December quarter (Q3FY23) will likely be revised upwards. "The notion of using the letter 'K' to denote urban and rural is somewhat wrong because it is almost as if one is growing and one is contracting. "I would say one segment's slope is more positive, and the other one slope is less positive but it is positive," Nageswaran said.

Why the British operations remain a drag on Tata Steel's performance

Why the British operations remain a drag on Tata Steel's performance

Rediff.com   22 Feb 2023

Tata Steel has a very British problem. The performance of Europe dragged the steel major's October-December (Q3FY23) performance with the UK business accounting for a major part of the operating loss; on the bottom line, the overhang of the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS) showed. And a nearly three-year discussion with the UK government on a support package for a green transition resulted in an offer that fell short of the ask.