Industrial production (IIP) grew to a three-year high of 6.4 per cent in August, up from 4.1 per cent in July.
In spite of a severe second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, and a widespread disruption in public life therefore, India's fast-moving consumer goods (FMGC) sector seems to have emerged as one of the most resilient segments of the economy. The early numbers and estimates for the April-June quarter indicate a steady recovery in FMCG players' business, which is now set to exceed the pre-pandemic level. Amid nationwide lockdowns because of the first Covid wave, FMCG revenues had been severely affected in mid-2020.
Axis Bank, HCL Technologies, Maruti Suzuki, NBCC and Union Bank are their top five stock picks.
Japan on Friday extended a state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas by about three weeks to June 20 as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of easing less than two months before the Summer Olympics open.
Auto companies are now grappling with a slowdown in sales, triggered by pent up demand due to the COVID-led lockdown easing a bit and supply-side issues for raw material.
The broad direction for the reform process will continue to be positive.
Though the number of Japanese foreign institutional investors in India is still negligible, it's significant that 8 of the 11 registered with Sebi entered in the past year and a half
The government is expected to dole out some populist policies, especially for the rural / farm sector while presenting the interim budget, given that the country is heading towards general elections over the next few months.
Pradip Shah, managing director, IndOcean, feels that although gold has done reasonably well, it doesn't really create too much value in the long run.
Rising prices of food items and industrial goods are likely to push inflation to eight per cent in the next six months, much above the RBI's projection of 5 per cent, global financial services firm Nomura has said.
Wall Street brokerage Goldman Sachs has lowered its estimate for India's economic growth to 11.1 per cent in fiscal year to March 31, 2022, as a number of cities and states announced lockdowns of varying intensities to check spread of coronavirus infections. India is suffering the world's worst outbreak of COVID-19 cases, with deaths crossing 2.22 lakh and new cases above 3.5 lakh daily. This has led to demand for imposition of nationwide strict lockdowns to stem the spread of the virus - a move that the Modi government has so far avoided after the economic devastation last year from a similar strategy.
On the Sensex chart, losses were mainly driven by Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors, Axis Bank, Tata Steel, Maruti and SBI -- falling as much as 6.19 per cent.
Despite the large economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the markets have recovered sharply even though the performance among individual stocks has been quite polarised.
Telecom and petchem businesses will drive growth for RIL.
The markets have been unable to sustain at higher levels as a rise in bond yields globally, especially in the US have dented sentiment. Surging commodity prices, especially crude oil that have now hit $70 a barrel (Brent) coupled with inflation woes and fear of sporadic lockdown across major economic hubs back home as Covid cases rise have chased the bulls away. In the short-term, analysts expect the markets to remain volatile as they react to news flow - both from overseas and developments back home. Investors, they say, need to keep a tab on how the US treasury yields move, which in turn will have a ripple effect on how big money moves across developed (DMs) and emerging markets (EMs), including India.
Analysts attribute the surge to a host of factors, particularly the interest shown by the retail investors in these two market segments.
The report noted that export volumes are likely to remain sluggish.
Investment in market leaders with a safety-first approach could yield reasonable returns across sectors.
They believe that the key reason behind such a high growth rate could be "a steep downward revision" of the year-ago base period.
Markets ended at record highs on Monday on hopes that the new government would unveil reforms in the infrastructure space.
The improving earnings and economic outlook has titled the scales back in favour of Indian equities this year, reports Pavan Burugula.
The overall fiscal and inflationary consequences of the Food Security Bill for the country are "large" and will become clear from the next fiscal year.
While most experts suggest the government loosen its purse strings and not worry about the fiscal deficit in a pandemic impacted year, it will be a tightrope walk for the government to increase spending without going overboard.
'In the real economy, the scars of the pandemic will continue to define 2021.' 'It is still hard to tell the effect on unemployment, migrant workers, poverty, and the informal sector of the lockdown and of the pandemic,' observes Mihir S Sharma.
India can attract significant FDI, says experts.
Tokyo 2020 organisers received the Olympic flame in a scaled-down handover ceremony in the Greek capital on Thursday, amid the coronavirus spread that has cast doubt on the global, multi-billion dollar event. In a brief ceremony closed to spectators in Athens' Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Games in 1896, the torch was received by Tokyo Games representative Naoko Imoto.
Analysts say RBI will cut rates because the liquidity crunch that began this time last year is still hurting the economy and also with an eye on the August industrial production numbers, which showed a contraction by 1.1 per cent -- the steepest in seven long years.
PSU divestment, LIC IPO, fiscal deficit: Budget 2021 marks a clear change in the Modi government's stance from fiscal conservatism to growth orientation.
A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a score below this mark means contraction
China's economy, which suffered 6.8 per cent slump in the first quarter due to the coronavirus pandemic -- the worst in 44 years -- bounced back posting 4.9 per cent growth between July and September buoyed by the government's sweeping efforts to stimulate demand and consumption.
A veteran bullion analyst expects monthly import to average 50 tonnes till December.
According to Japanese financial services major Nomura, despite slowing external demand, the domestic growth cycle is improving.
Craig Chan, executive director and head of forex strategy & fixed income division (Asia-ex Japan), Nomura Singapore, in an interview with Business Standard's Rajesh Bhayani, shares his outlook on the dollar.
The incoming government will have to encourage private investments, bring down cost of capital
The government will announce the FY13 GDP numbers on May 30, where it expects the readings to be around 5.2 per cent.
Industrialists affirm their belief that the adverse effects of demonetisation and the goods and services tax are finally over.
The brokerage said the consolidated fiscal deficit, including that of the Union (3.6 per cent), the states (2.6 per cent) and the off-budget borrowings which are being resorted to increasingly is a worry.
The agency attributed the sharp revision to various high-frequency indicators showing a softness and partly blamed the same to reforms like GST, real estate regulation, and the bankruptcy code which are still a "drag" on the economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only affected outpatient services, but also led to deferment of elective surgeries, and resulted in the loss of medical tourism, all of which would hit the FY21 financials.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances