Shareholder payouts by India Inc, including dividends and buybacks, increased by 2.2 per cent year-on-year in FY26 to $5.06 trillion, but this growth lagged the 18.8 per cent rise in reported net profit for the third consecutive year, leading to the lowest dividend payout ratio in 12 years.
Eighteen of India's 28 states exceeded the fiscal deficit ceiling of 3 per cent of GSDP in FY25, a deterioration comparable to the Covid year of 2020-21, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The report also noted a decline in states reporting a revenue surplus, with Bihar, Mizoram, and Telangana moving into deficit.
Accenture's revised annual revenue growth forecast and weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter guidance have sent shockwaves through the Indian IT sector, causing major IT stocks and the Nifty IT index to tumble significantly.
Trent reported a 20 per cent revenue rebound in Q4FY26, driven by a recovery in like-for-like growth and significant store additions. The company's board has approved raising up to 2,500 crore in equity to fund investments in store network upgrades, new brands, supply chain automation, and Star Bazaar expansion, alongside a 1:2 bonus issue and a 6 dividend.
India's foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows are projected to surpass $90 billion in 2025-26 (FY26), driven by robust policy reforms, free trade agreements, and strong economic growth, according to DPIIT Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia.
Torrent Pharma has emerged as a top sectoral pick for brokerages, driven by healthy growth in India revenues and improved gross margins, leading to a 44 per cent stock return over the past year.
Direct plans of mutual fund schemes added nearly 21 million individual investor folios in FY26 (as of February), surpassing regular plans' 15 million net additions, marking only the second time direct plans have outpaced regular plans in annual folio growth, despite turbulent equity markets.
India's remittance inflows have remained robust despite the West Asia conflict, driven by precautionary transfers and diversification of remittance sources, with bankers expecting continued stability for the year.
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani announced a capital expenditure programme of over 2 trillion for Adani Power, aiming for 45 gigawatts (Gw) capacity in five years, including a significant entry into nuclear power with a target of 10 Gw by 2035 through Adani Atomic Energy.
Companies are investing heavily in complex injectables, respiratory therapies and biosimilars to improve margins and diversify portfolios.
HDFC Bank, India's largest private-sector lender, has revised its FY27 growth trajectory, stepping back from earlier guidance to align with a more measured 12 per cent year-on-year expansion, citing geopolitical uncertainties.
India's state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) are projected to incur under-recoveries of approximately Rs 80,000 crore on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sales in FY27 if current loss levels persist, according to rating agency Icra.
CRISIL Ratings predicts that the share of bank loans in NBFCs' overall borrowings will increase to 44-45 per cent by FY27, driven by elevated bond yields and softening bank lending rates.
Reliance Industries' digital arm, Jio Platforms, may see its initial public offering (IPO) delayed to the second half of fiscal 2027, according to CreditSights. The delay is primarily attributed to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which could impact market conditions and investor sentiment.
India's net direct tax collections increased by 5.12 per cent to over Rs 23.40 lakh crore in the 2025-26 fiscal year, but this figure still fell short of the revised budget target of Rs 24.21 lakh crore, primarily due to income tax cuts implemented earlier in the year.
The remarkable rise of smallcaps reflects the emergence of a broad set of specialised businesses operating in industries where the sectoral tailwinds remain considerably stronger than macroeconomic headwinds, points out Debashis Basu.
The Nifty 50 firms' contribution to the overall earnings of India Inc has steadily declined, reaching its lowest share in at least 21 quarters at 47.1 per cent in Q4FY26, down from 51.8 per cent a year earlier.
SBI General Insurance aims to achieve a 10 per cent market share among private and standalone health insurers within approximately five years, up from its current 7.17 per cent, said Naveen Chandra Jha, managing director and chief executive officer, SBI General Insurance.
India's passenger vehicle (PV) industry is projected to experience moderated growth in FY27, following a strong rebound in H2FY26, primarily due to the high base effect, absorbed pent-up demand, and the lingering impact of geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches in India rose 25.4 per cent year-on-year to 4,37,312 units in April, continuing the strong demand momentum from the previous fiscal year, according to SIAM.
India's electric passenger vehicle market saw an 87.4 per cent year-on-year increase in FY26, reaching 233,246 units, primarily driven by the mid-size SUV segment (20-30 lakh price bracket), while the entry-level segment (sub-10 lakh) experienced a decline.
Hyderabad-based SETL, a precision engineering company, has acquired a 51% majority stake in GScale Energy Private Limited, an AI Datacenter Engineering infrastructure specialist. This strategic move involves an initial investment of Rs 190 crore, with a total commitment of Rs 500 crore, marking SETL's expansion into the rapidly growing AI Datacenter sector and leveraging its expertise from pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
HCL Technologies remains under pressure after missing Q4 expectations and issuing cautious FY27 guidance. Analysts highlight weak margins, soft demand, and muted growth outlook.
The demerger of Vedanta's four new entities - Vedanta Aluminium Metal, Vedanta Oil & Gas, Vedanta Power, and Vedanta Iron & Steel - has led to a 16% appreciation in aggregated market capitalisation, with Vedanta Aluminium Metal identified as a likely near-term top performer due to its scale, low production costs, and favourable commodities cycle.
'We may be able to wind back some of the schedule reductions we'd taken in recent months.'
Fixed deposits from nationalised banks delivered higher returns than equities, outperforming both inflation and stock market benchmarks.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is expanding its farm equipment strategy beyond tractors to include a wider range of mechanisation solutions like harvesters, balers, seed drills, and telematics-enabled services, aiming to capitalise on the growing demand for rental services by rural entrepreneurs and address low mechanisation levels in Indian agriculture.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected that crude oil prices will average USD 85 per barrel and the rupee will weaken to 94 against the dollar by FY27, according to its bi-annual Monetary Policy report.
Indian insurance companies are bracing for reduced profitability in Q4FY26, primarily due to the rationalisation of GST on retail life and health policies, leading to a loss of input tax credit, coupled with volatility in equity markets impacting investment income.
A significant structural shift is underway in India's gold market, with investment purchases projected to account for 35-40 per cent of total consumption by FY27, driven by geopolitical uncertainty, price momentum, and portfolio diversification.
As India marks a decade of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the focus is shifting towards enhancing efficiency through artificial intelligence, data sharing, and process simplification. The reform, which unified India's indirect tax system, has significantly broadened the tax base and boosted revenues, with future plans including a streamlined two-tier rate structure and continued technological integration to reduce compliance costs and combat evasion.
The highest number of frauds was reported under the card, Internet, and digital payments categories in FY24 and FY25. 'Advances' accounted for the largest share (85.5 per cent) in FY26.
Titan Company's ambitious roadmap to achieve a 20 per cent revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by financial year 2030 (FY30) has garnered a positive outlook from analysts, who highlight the company's strong brand, sourcing capabilities, and diversified portfolio as key strengths.
India's fertiliser subsidy bill for the current financial year (FY27) is projected to increase by approximately 20% due to surging global prices, primarily driven by the West Asia crisis, a senior official confirmed. Despite this, retail prices for urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) will remain unchanged, ensuring adequate supply for the kharif season.
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is preparing for its next phase of growth by establishing advanced manufacturing and export platforms to strengthen its consumer products ecosystem and expand its global footprint, Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani announced.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has significantly reduced the number of draft offer documents returned or rejected, dropping from 17 in FY25 to just two in FY26, thanks to a more facilitative and engagement-first regulatory approach.
India's annual defence production has reached an all-time high of Rs 1.78 lakh crore in FY 2025-26, marking a significant 15.6 per cent growth over the previous fiscal year. This achievement reflects a 110 per cent increase since 2020-21 and highlights the country's expanding defence industrial base, driven by policy support and increased private sector participation.
Hiring demand strongest in ecommerce, tech startups, healthcare, and energy sectors, with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune leading.
Private hospitals accounted for 30.8 per cent of current health expenditure in FY23, while pharmaceuticals and medical goods contributed more than 21 per cent, underlining continued dependence on private healthcare and medicine spending.
Net inflows into equity mutual fund schemes moderated in FY26, falling by 27 per cent to about 3 trillion till February, as choppy markets and global uncertainties prompted investors to shift towards safer options like hybrid funds and gold ETFs.
