Corporate India is projected to offer salary increments ranging from 8.6 per cent to 10.2 per cent across various industries in the financial year 2026-27, primarily fuelled by a sustained demand for skilled and execution-focused talent, according to a TeamLease Services report.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly increasing the demand for flexible office spaces in India, as enterprises prioritise agility, speed-to-market, and struggle with forecasting workforce requirements. AI-native startups are a primary driver, while established companies are adopting 'core-plus-flex' strategies to balance stability with adaptability.
'While salary increments are moderating compared to last year, not all functions are moving at the same pace.'
India's balance of payments (BoP) recorded an $8.1 billion deficit in the first quarter of 2026-27 (Q1FY27), a significant increase from a $4.5 billion surplus in the corresponding period of the previous year, primarily driven by a sharp reversal in portfolio flows.
'Banking is the only sector that can see double-digit growth in FY27.'
The Indian stock market's movement this week will be significantly influenced by the outcome of US-Iran talks, global crude oil prices, and the trading activities of foreign institutional investors (FIIs), according to market analysts.
'Decisions on talent and rewards have shifted as employees and companies are operating in a buyer's market across most skill categories.'
Piramal Pharma anticipates a significant turnaround in financial year 2026-27 (FY27), projecting early-to-mid teens revenue expansion and a sharp improvement in profitability, driven by improved business momentum, new product acquisitions, and structural tailwinds.
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.
Hiring demand strongest in ecommerce, tech startups, healthcare, and energy sectors, with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune leading.
A State Bank of India report indicates a sharp increase in precautionary cash holding in India, with the gap between per capita currency in circulation and ATM withdrawals widening significantly, driven by global uncertainties despite record digital payment transactions.
India has emerged as the most impacted market within emerging economies, experiencing $3.7 billion in outflows over the past three weeks, matching the total outflows from the entire emerging market basket, as global equity funds turn negative for the first time since January 2026 due to escalating geopolitical tensions.
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.
Leading jewellery companies, Titan Company and Kalyan Jewellers India, have reported better-than-expected top-line growth in Q4 FY26, driven by robust same-store sales growth, higher average ticket sizes, and an improvement in buyer growth, signalling a strong recovery in demand.
Indian banks are urging the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to reconsider its new $100 million cap on net open foreign-exchange positions, warning that the directive could lead to significant mark-to-market (MTM) losses and force an accelerated unwinding of trades, potentially impacting FY26 earnings.
'In investing, poor sentiment is always a good vintage to build a portfolio.'
The 8th World Air Quality report reveals Pakistan as the most polluted country, with India ranking sixth. The report analyses air quality data from over 9,446 cities across 143 countries, highlighting the severe impact of pollution on global health, especially for children.
There is record underperformance and under-ownership. Some of this is cyclical and will turn on its own. However, we also need to regain our growth credentials. For this, both the government and companies have a role to play, as do investors, points out Akash Prakash.
Country's startups are carving a unique path by prioritising local, application-led innovation over the global pursuit of scale.
The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile sector has created market distortions, excluded innovation-led electric two-wheeler (e2w) makers, and failed to convert cost advantages into export competitiveness, with 77 per cent of export volumes driven by non-PLI models, said a report released by the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP) on Friday.
India's two-wheeler industry is seen growing 6-9% in 2026, though a proposed ABS mandate for sub-125cc models could push up prices and temper volumes.
The Nifty IT index hit a more than nine-month low, trading at its weakest level since April 17, 2025.
Corporate India handed over an average increment of 8 per cent in 2021, and early estimates reveal that average increment for 2022 is expected to increase to 8.6 per cent in line with a healing economy and improving confidence, according to a Deloitte survey. As per the second phase of Deloitte's Workforce and Increment Trends survey 2021, 92 per cent companies gave an increment in 2021 at an average of 8 per cent, compared with only 4.4 per cent in 2020, where just 60 per cent companies had extended a pay hike. For 2022, average increment is expected to increase to 8.6 per cent, at par with the pre-pandemic levels of 2019, the survey said, adding that about 25 per cent companies surveyed have projected a double-digit increment for 2022.
Bank lending to companies is expected to go up in the coming quarters because the difference in interest rates between corporate bonds and bank loans has narrowed. In addition, recent policy reforms by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), including allowing domestic banks to do acquisition financing, are expected to give further support to corporate lending, analysts said.
A record amount of pension money may be finding its way into the stock market, if buying figures in the National Stock Exchange (NSE) data are any indication. Category inflows touched Rs 37,409 crore for the three months ending September 2025, shows an analysis of NSE data.
Average employee salaries in India are set to increase by 9 per cent in 2026, with a renewed focus on short-term incentives and skills-based systems, a report said on Wednesday. According to Mercer's Total Remuneration Survey 2026, organisations in India are shifting toward broader, more holistic value propositions and the top factors influencing salary increases include individual performance, inflation and the organisation's competitiveness in the job market, among others.
'People become guided by emotions, fear of missing out, and greed. They tend to invest in booming sectors that may prove exceptionally expensive.' 'Typically, that represents the peak, and subsequently, they lose substantially.'
'When markets go into a budget with excessive optimism, the risk of disappointment is higher.'
Importers are rushing to hedge their dollar positions amid the sharp depreciation of the rupee against the American currency and expectations of further volatility even as exporters are holding off after suffering mark-to-market (MTM) losses on earlier hedges.
The Indian metal market is a promising sector to invest in as it provides a good balance between the prospects of growth and stability in dynamic economic conditions and a changing geopolitical environment. Metals such as gold, silver, copper, etc, have gained renewed significance in 2025, amidst growing inflation and India's push towards infrastructural growth and green energy initiatives.
The Indian metal market is a promising sector to invest in as it provides a good balance between the prospects of growth and stability in dynamic economic conditions and a changing geopolitical environment. Metals such as gold, silver, copper, etc, have gained renewed significance in 2025, amidst growing inflation and India's push towards infrastructural growth and green energy initiatives.
They are venturing into allied businesses, which range from starting talent management agencies to music labels to tap into every possible monetisable opportunity to appeal to investors.
Indian films are set to cross A$39 million at the Australian box office in 2025, outperforming local cinema and becoming the third-largest after the US and UK.
Public sector banks (PSBs) have seen a sharp drop in household deposits from 70.6 per cent to 63 per cent in contrast with private banks, which witnessed a surge from 27.1 per cent to 34.1 per cent.
Retail inflation slipped to 1.54 per cent in September from 2.07 per cent in the preceding month mainly due to subdued prices of food items, including vegetables and pulses, according to government data released on Monday. The consumer price index (CPI) based inflation was 5.49 per cent in September 2024.
Utilities in the power sector present an interesting investment case at this moment. Most power stocks have lost substantial ground in the past 12 months.
Yes, the entry of private bankers, particularly with global experience will add value to PSBs, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
The net inflow into equity mutual funds surged 24 per cent to Rs 23,587 crore in June, reversing the declining trend of the last five months, driven by strong equity market performance across segments, data released by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) showed on Wednesday. Also, the latest fund infusion by investors marks the 52nd consecutive month of net inflows into the segment.
Last fortnight, State Bank of India Chairman C S Setty lifted the veil on a subject long spoken of in corporate corridors: Why can't our banks finance mergers and acquisitions (M&As)? Change is in the air: Indian Banks' Association (of which Setty is the chairman) is to "make a formal request" to Mint Road to make way for it. Thus far the exclusive turf of foreign banks even though its funding remains offshore - as in, it's not on these entities rupee-book (and a few select shadow banks) - a most lucrative segment in the investment banking suite, M&As, will be homeward-bound.
The information technology (IT) services industry may be headed for another year of sluggish growth. Based on the results of the top five IT services companies for the first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26), analysts say the possibility of hitting high single-digit revenue growth in FY26 looks unlikely.
