Krishna Kant &Amp;Amp; Nikunj Ohri

Stories by Krishna Kant &Amp;Amp; Nikunj Ohri

Weight of FMCG cos in Nifty50 lowest in a decade

Weight of FMCG cos in Nifty50 lowest in a decade

Rediff.com   11 Apr 2022

Consumer stocks remain the biggest laggard on the bourses. The Nify50 weighting of FMCG stocks declined to a decade low of 9.9 per cent at the end of March this year, down 150 basis points from 11.4 per cent a year ago. At their peak in March 2013, major FMCG stocks, such as Hindustan Unilever, ITC, and Asian Paints, together accounted for 15 per cent of the Nifty50. But now together with automobile stocks, the consumer goods sector accounts for only 14.7 per cent of the index, down 200 basis points in the past 12 months and 37 per cent from the record high weighting of 23.4 per cent at the end of March 2014.

Ruble becomes best-performing currency in March

Ruble becomes best-performing currency in March

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2022

The ruble has recouped most of its losses and become the top-performing currency globally. It continues to gain and is up 60 per cent against the US dollar from its lows in the first week of March. The ruble appreciated to 83 to the dollar intraday on Tuesday against a record low of 139 on March 7.

IPO: Why govt decides not to lower face value of LIC

IPO: Why govt decides not to lower face value of LIC

Rediff.com   28 Mar 2022

The Centre's decision to not reduce the face value of shares of India's Crown Jewel - Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) - was taken to make shareholders feel they are acquiring something 'precious'. The face value of LIC's shares was retained at Rs 10, quoted in the draft prospectus, as it would also align the insurer's shares with those of its private sector peers. Even as the LIC Act was amended to "consolidate or reduce the nominal or face value of the shares", with the Centre's approval, it was decided to stick to the current face value of shares at Rs 10 without splitting the existing 6.32 billion shares.

Amitabh Bachchan pays Rs 1.09-cr GST post tax notice

Amitabh Bachchan pays Rs 1.09-cr GST post tax notice

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2022

Actor Amitabh Bachchan has paid up GST of Rs 1.09 crore on sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) worth Rs 7.15 crore following a notice by the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI), people aware of the matter said. Though Bachchan has deposited the amount, investigations by tax authorities continue, they said. Bachchan had entered into an agreement with Rhiti Entertainment Pte. Ltd, Singapore, for conversion of his content into NFTs by way of an auction.

TCS' $50-bn goal below its growth standards

TCS' $50-bn goal below its growth standards

Rediff.com   22 Mar 2022

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) - the largest information technology (IT) services provider in India and the second-largest globally - recently set an ambitious goal of $50 billion in revenue by 2030. The growth required to reach this goal, however, is lower than the company's own standards. In the past decade, TCS revenues, or net sales in US dollar terms, have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5 per cent, from $10.2 in 2011-12, to an expected $25.3 billion during 2021-22 (FY22), based on its revenue trend in the first nine months of FY22.

Govt may have to seek fresh approval for LIC IPO

Govt may have to seek fresh approval for LIC IPO

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2022

The government may have to rework the valuation of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for its initial public offering (IPO) if the listing is pushed beyond May, an official said. The current embedded value of LIC, pegged at Rs 5.4 trillion as of September 30 and for the six-month period ended September, will have to be re-evaluated if the issue is pushed beyond May 12, as approved by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). This would impact the market value of LIC, that is currently being internally estimated at 3-4 times of the embedded value.

BSNL, MTNL asset sale norms may be relaxed

BSNL, MTNL asset sale norms may be relaxed

Rediff.com   17 Mar 2022

The Centre is considering relaxing some norms that led to the failure in attracting bids for assets of Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) as they look to restart the auction for their non-core assets. The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) had listed six properties of BSNL and MTNL for sale through its new e-bidding portal, developed by state-run MSTC, but the auction failed to garner an adequate interest. DIPAM had asked government-appointed property consultants to identify issues in the bidding criteria for resolution.

How crude oil prices and stock valuations seesaw

How crude oil prices and stock valuations seesaw

Rediff.com   15 Mar 2022

A sharp sell-off in the Indian equities markets after a spike in crude oil prices should not be surprising. Historically there is a negative correlation between stock valuations in India and the price of Brent crude oil, which is the benchmark for the Indian crude oil basket. Between 2011 and 2014, crude oil traded above $100 a barrel for an extended period, the Sensex-trailing price/earnings (P/E) was 18X, on average, during the period, nearly 22 per cent lower than the current index P/E of 23X.

Will govt restart rupee-rouble trade?

Will govt restart rupee-rouble trade?

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2022

The government may soon give the green light to bilateral trade between Russia and India in their national currencies to avoid any trade disruptions, multiple people aware of the matter said. While the Department of Commerce has recommended the proposal, an announcement is likely to be made by the finance ministry after further deliberations between the Department of Economic Affairs and Department of Financial Services. "The finance ministry will take a call on how to peg the two currencies," a senior government official told Business Standard. In the past, the two nations have had rupee-rouble trade, and when such an arrangement is implemented again, it will bypass the sanctions imposed on Russia by the West.

GST fraud probe into BharatPe finds deals with non-existent vendors

GST fraud probe into BharatPe finds deals with non-existent vendors

Rediff.com   6 Mar 2022

An audit conducted by professional services firm Alvarez and Marsal confirms fintech firm's dealings with fake or non-existent vendors.

Listed Cos See Rise In Valuations

Listed Cos See Rise In Valuations

Rediff.com   28 Feb 2022

The biggest jump in earnings and decline in P/E multiples has occurred with top companies in metals and mining, corporate banking, and the oil and gas sectors.

A first in 3 decades, retail inflation in US higher than India for 4 months

A first in 3 decades, retail inflation in US higher than India for 4 months

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2022

Emerging markets such as India have always run higher inflation rates than developed economies such as the US and countries of Western Europe. But for the first time in the past 30 years, the US reported a higher consumer price inflation (CPI) rate than India in five consecutive months. The US reported a CPI rate of 7.5 per cent in January 2022 against 6.01 per cent in India and analysts expect the trend to continue for at least a few months more

FMCG, consumer durables and auto sector may see fall in demand

FMCG, consumer durables and auto sector may see fall in demand

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2022

The biggest headwind to the consumption story in FY23 is a sharp decline in government subsidies on food, fertiliser and fuel, and overall decline in revenue expenditure net of interest payments. This, analysts say, will adversely impact purchasing power of households at the lower end of the income pyramid, translating into lower spending on consumer goods and services.

Can Gautam Adani topple Mukesh Ambani as Asia's richest?

Can Gautam Adani topple Mukesh Ambani as Asia's richest?

Rediff.com   9 Feb 2022

Owing to a big rise in the market capitalisation of group companies such as Adani Green Energy and Adani Transmission, the group promoters, the Gautam Adani family, have closed the wealth gap with Mukesh Ambani, the promoter and owner of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Ambani continues to top India's billionaire league table. The Ambani family's net worth was estimated to be Rs 8.06 trillion (around $108 billion) on Tuesday against the Rs 6.87 trillion (around $92 billion) of the Adani family.

Bidding of BSNL land assets fails to garner interest

Bidding of BSNL land assets fails to garner interest

Rediff.com   7 Feb 2022

The first ever auction of non-core assets through the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management's (DIPAM) asset monetisation portal has failed to garner adequate response for land assets of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) that was expected to garner at least Rs 470 crore. The DIPAM has asked its property consultants to identify issues in the bidding criteria that can be resolved. In November 2021, the DIPAM had listed six properties of BSNL and MTNL for sale through its new e-bidding portal for asset monetisation portal developed by state-run MSTC.

Getting IPO-ready: LIC boosts shareholders' corpus to Rs 6,600 crore

Getting IPO-ready: LIC boosts shareholders' corpus to Rs 6,600 crore

Rediff.com   7 Feb 2022

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has increased the size of its shareholders' fund to Rs 6,600 crore from Rs 100 crore in a bid to accommodate a larger shareholder base ahead of its public listing. The size of the fund has been enhanced by retaining two years' of dividend and issuing fresh capital, said an official. Increasing the size of the shareholders' fund will help boost the number of shares for allotment in the insurer's initial public offering (IPO). The corpus represents the amount of equity in a company that belongs to its shareholders.

Budget targets are achievable: Sitharaman

Budget targets are achievable: Sitharaman

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2022

At the customary post-Budget media interactions, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her topmost bureaucrats touched upon a number of issues. The minister said the government taxing income from digital virtual assets did not give them legitimacy and that issue was being dealt separately in the planned cryptocurrency Bill. She also expressed confidence that the Budget targets were achievable.

Budget could push for private investments in public infrastructure

Budget could push for private investments in public infrastructure

Rediff.com   25 Jan 2022

These could include strengthening the public-private partnership (PPP) dispute resolution mechanism, uniform PPP institutional framework, easier terms for infrastructure companies accessing bond markets, and tax sops, Business Standard has learnt. Investment in infrastructure projects with high multiplier effect has been the Centre's main plank to revive the economy, create employment and boost consumption.

Govt to get moving on IDBI Bank sale after LIC IPO

Govt to get moving on IDBI Bank sale after LIC IPO

Rediff.com   22 Jan 2022

The department of investment and public asset management is racing against time to launch the LIC IPO, which could become the largest-ever listing on the Indian bourses. This would lead to some delay in the strategic divestment of IDBI Bank.

Tata group companies outshine the market under N Chandrasekaran

Tata group companies outshine the market under N Chandrasekaran

Rediff.com   20 Jan 2022

The group began to outperform the broader market only with the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 while earlier it was largely keeping pace with the Sensex. The group's market cap is up 164.4 per cent since the end of March 2020 against a 105 per cent rally in the Sensex.