Quarterly earnings from corporates, global trends, and trading activity of foreign investors will guide market sentiment this week, analysts said, adding that benchmark indices may face volatile trends. "The upcoming release of Q2 results will be closely watched, providing insights into corporate performance. "Meanwhile, the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran introduce a significant geopolitical risk, potentially leading to increased oil prices and market volatility.
Manwani said HUL was using technology across the value chain from manufacturing to distribution, marketing and advertising in its endeavour to be future-ready.
Sales during the quarter under review stood at Rs 9,357 crore, up 12.42 per cent, as against Rs 8,323 crore in the corresponding period of the last fiscal
Days before Diwali, the monthly economic review by the finance ministry has highlighted moderation in urban demand, softening consumer sentiments and limited footfall as areas that need to be watched. In its review, released on Monday, the ministry also noted the early signs of artificial intelligence displacing workers, as described in anecdotal reports. The commentary from several large consumer goods companies, including Nestl India, Hindustan Unilever, and ITC, in their recent quarterly earnings, has been around a sluggish urban demand. Rural consumption, however, has mostly seen a revival, the companies pointed out.
The outcome of the Union Budget, quarterly earnings from corporates and global trends are the major factors to drive stock market sentiments this week, analysts said. Besides, the trading activity of foreign investors, the rupee-dollar trend and the movement of global oil benchmark Brent crude are also crucial aspects to watch out for.
The Budget proposals are expected to boost the fortunes of consumer goods and fast-moving consumer goods companies, which have been struggling with poor consumer demand for more than a year. The Budget announcements, such as the increase in standard deduction by Rs 25,000 for income-tax payers and slab revisions, will put more money in their hands, boosting consumer demand. Private consumption is also likely to benefit from a new scheme to offer internships to 10 million youths in the country's top 500 companies.
An interview with HUL's managing director and CEO Sanjiv Mehta.
The size of the organised baby diaper market in India is Rs 5214 crore, with the year-on-year rate of growth pegged at 14%
Investors' wealth plummeted by Rs 5.49 lakh crore on Friday as markets faced a massive correction tracking a weak trend in global peers and fresh foreign fund outflows. Falling for the third day running, the 30-share BSE Sensex tumbled 1,017.23 points or 1.24 per cent to settle at 81,183.93. During the day, it plunged 1,219.23 points or 1.48 per cent to 80,981.93.
There will be more incentive for the parent company to share technology with the Indian unit.
From the Sensex pack, Tata Motors, NTPC, Bajaj Finserv, Power Grid Corp, Titan, Asian Paints, IndusInd Bank, Maruti Suzuki India and Tata Steel were among the biggest gainers. Sun Pharmaceuticals, ITC, Hindustan Unilever, Bharti Airtel, UltraTech Cement and Reliance Industries were among the laggards.
Leading FMCG firm HUL on Thursday said it has switched to green fuel alternatives such as biomass and biodiesel and has eliminated the usage of coal across its operations. The company has collaborated with biomass suppliers and local farmers to ensure sustainable supply of green fuel and has made the necessary changes for the renewable transition in its coal-fired boilers, said an HUL statement. Besides, the shift from coal to renewable energy sources has also resulted in savings for the company, it added.
The deposit has been made on account of the rate reductions approved by the GST Council in its November. The rate was reduced on items including shampoo, detergents, chocolates, beauty products, sanitary ware, leather clothing, cookers, stoves, after-shave, deodorant, detergent and washing power. Companies found it difficult to pass on the benefits to consumers immediately at the time of GST rate reduction owing to logistical issues.
To tackle the resultant inflation, the Indira Gandhi government had imposed price controls on manufactured products, including soaps and vanaspati, in 1973.
Among Sensex shares, Hindustan Unilever, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI Bank, ITC and Asian Paints were the biggest winners. On the other hand, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Reliance Industries, NTPC, UltraTech Cement and Power Grid were among the laggards.
Private equity player Everstone Capital has sold Modern Foods, which it had taken over in early 2016 from Hindustan Unilever, to Mexican baking major Grupo Bimbo for an undisclosed sum.
Personal care products, the firm's most profitable segment, has been losing market share consistently over the past several quarters. The first quarter of this financial year hasn't been too exciting either. Domestic sales grew by 12.8 per cent, with underlying volume growth of about 2 per cent.
Companies manufacturing fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) continue to see rural stress sustain and it continues to trail urban demand. At the Confederation of Indian Industry's FMCG summit, managements of various companies pointed out urban demand continued to grow while rural demand remained under pressure because incomes were under stress in rural areas. "Due to rural stress, volumes continue to remain an issue for the industry and we are yet to see any revival in demand," Sudhir Sitapati, managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) at Godrej Consumer Products
Benchmark Sensex rose by 443 points to close at a new record high while Nifty settled above the 24,100 mark on Monday on buying in banking and IT shares in line with gains in Asian and European markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex settled higher by 443.46 points or 0.56 per cent at an all-time high of 79,476.19.
Hindustan Unilever Ltd, the Indian unit of Anglo-Dutch consumer group Unilever Plc, reported an 18 per cent rise in quarterly profit, beating estimates, helped by a revival in consumer spending.
Amit A Shah holds a stake in 180 listed entities, according to data disclosed in his election affidavit.
Leading FMCG companies reported a decline in margins in the September quarter on account of higher input costs and food inflation, which ultimately slowed down the pace of urban consumption. Rising prices of commodity inputs such as palm oil, coffee and cocoa were also accentuated and some FMCG firms have hinted at a price hike. HUL, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), Marico, ITC, and Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) have expressed concerns over squeezing urban consumption, which according to industry experts forms 65-68 per cent of FMCG total sales.
Investors' wealth eroded by Rs 9.51 lakh crore on Monday morning, following a crash in equity markets where the benchmark Sensex tanked over 2,400 points, mirroring a sharp plunge in global peers. The 30-share BSE benchmark tanked 2,401.49 points to 78,580.46 in early trade. Following the sharp decline in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms dropped by Rs 9,51,771.37 crore to Rs 4,47,65,174.76 crore ($5.35 trillion) during the morning trade.
Quick service restaurant Pizza Hut on Wednesday said it has partnered with Hindustan Unilever to add the FMCG firm's Kwality Wall's ice cream and desserts to its dine-in as well as the delivery and takeaway menu. With this partnership, Pizza Hut expects to increase its average order value by 10 per cent for orders that have Kwality Wall's ice cream and desserts, a joint statement said.
Hindustan Unilever on Tuesday reported 15.59 per cent jump in net profit at Rs 871.36 crore (Rs 8.71 billion) for the third quarter ended December 31, 2012, on account of robust sales across various business verticals.
Regional and local fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands are gaining momentum at the cost of national brands for the second quarter in a row. Consumer brands are now losing out on share, especially at the mass end of the market. Local brands have been able to capture market share as prices of raw materials are lower.
Seven of the 10 most valued domestic companies together added Rs 1,31,173.41 crore in market valuation last week, with HUL and TCS emerging as the biggest gainers. Reliance Industries, Infosys, HDFC, Bajaj Finance and Wipro also saw a rise in their market valuations, while HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI suffered losses. The market capitalisation (m-cap) of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) zoomed Rs 50,234.21 crore to Rs 6,15,016.63 crore.
The market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies hit a record high of Rs 429.32 lakh crore on Wednesday as the BSE benchmark Sensex ended higher amid a largely positive trend in global equities. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 149.98 points or 0.20 per cent to settle at 76,606.57. During the day, it jumped 593.94 points or 0.77 per cent to 77,050.53.
Hindustan Unilever, the FMCG major, has posted disappointing numbers for the December quarter on weak consumer sentiment, specially in discretionary categories.
Nirma's tryst with the pharmaceutical space started in 2006 when it acquired the ailing Core Healthcare in a deal reported to be worth Rs 300 crore. The Ahmedabad-based manufacturer of intravenous fluids was subsequently renamed Nirlife. Pharma industry insiders say Nirma, which broke open the detergent market in the 1990s with low prices and massive advertising, tried an encore of the low-price strategy in pharma, but with mixed results.
Price cuts post the November GST rate rationalisation helped improve volume growth for HUL, what pegged back sales for ITC is adverse social media rumours against Aashirvaad atta, its single-largest FMCG brand.
Manish Tiwary plans to take up a new role at another firm.
Unilever, which derives 52-53 per cent of its $70-billion revenues from emerging markets, said it expected economic pressures to continue in 2013.
Hindustan Unilever reported good numbers for the fourth quarter and for 2011-12, despite commodity inflation and currency fluctuations.
HUL has achieved few milestones in the fiscal gone by and hence is performing good on revenues front.
From the Sensex basket, Infosys, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finserv, Wipro, HCL Technologies, Bajaj Finance, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, and Larsen & Toubro were the major laggards. Titan Company, Hindustan Unilever, HDFC Bank, Maruti, ITC, Power Grid and Reliance Industries were the gainers.
Among the Sensex firms, Power Grid, IndusInd Bank, Maruti, Wipro, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Asian Paints, Mahindra & Mahindra, Reliance Industries and UltraTech Cement were the biggest laggards. Hindustan Unilever, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services and Bharti Airtel were the gainers.
Four of the 10 most valued domestic firms together added a whopping Rs 231,320.37 crore in market valuation last week, with market heavyweight Reliance Industries contributing the most to the overall gains. Last week, the Sensex jumped 884.57 points or 1.61 per cent. While TCS, Infosys and ICICI Bank were the other gainers from the top-10 pack, HDFC Bank, HUL, LIC, SBI, HDFC and Bharti Airtel faced erosion from their market valuation.
A day after facing massive erosion from their wealth, equity investors became richer by Rs 13.22 lakh crore on Wednesday with markets making a strong comeback. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 2,303.19 points, or 3.20 per cent, to settle at 74,382.24. During the day, it rallied 2,455.77 points, or 3.40 per cent, to 74,534.82.
Movement in the equity market this week will largely be dictated by quarterly earnings of blue-chip firms HDFC Bank and Hindustan Unilever, along with the announcement of WPI inflation data and global trends, analysts said. Trading activity of foreign investors, global oil benchmark Brent crude and rupee-dollar trend would also guide the movement.