Economic recovery from the pandemic in the US has helped India achieve the $400-billion mark for exports for the first time in any fiscal year. According to the preliminary data compiled by the Department of Commerce, India exported goods worth $73 billion to the US from April 1 to March 21 - up 47 per cent, compared to last year. The US' share of exports, compared to total exports, stood at 18.2 per cent. The country is also India's largest trading partner and export destination.
They say that a stimulus package may not be necessary because, unlike last year's total lockdown, public transport, including the railways and airlines, is running and the restrictions on movement are localised and, in some cases, are partial rather than total.
The Asian Development Bank on Wednesday revised down India's economic growth forecast for the current fiscal to 10 per cent, from 11 per cent predicted earlier, citing the adverse impact of the second wave of the pandemic. The growth forecast for India in fiscal year 2021 (ending in March 2022) was revised down, as the spike in COVID-19 cases during May dented the recovery, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said in its latest economic outlook. "The outbreak, however, dissipated faster than anticipated, resulting in several states easing lockdown measures and returning to more normal travel patterns.
The IHS Markit India Services Business Activity Index stood at 5.4 in April, an extreme decline from 49.3 in March, and indicative of the most severe contraction in services output since records began in December 2005. As per the IHS Markit India Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a print above 50 means expansion, while a score below that denotes contraction.
Confined to their rooms and small houses, they are reminded of the time when they were subjected to physical and sexual torture.
Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday slashed India's growth forecast for the current financial year to 9.3 per cent saying that the second wave of coronavirus infections hampers economic recovery and increases risk of longer-term scarring. Moody's, which has a 'Baa3' rating on India with a negative outlook, said obstacles to economic growth, high debt and weak financial system contrain sovereign credit profile. The US-based rating agency had in February forecast a 13.7 per cent economic growth for the current fiscal (April 2021-March 2022).
Growth in power demand remains in negative though it is picking up as coronavirus-related restrictions are eased.
New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen will stay on with the team for the full tour of India later this year rather than returning to the country following the T20I series as initially planned.
With inter-state travel still banned due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown, Indian cricketers will have to avail the grounds of their respective home states to indulge in running and focus on their skillwork, said Team India bowling coach Bharath Arun. Confined to their homes since a nationwide lockdown was enforced to contain the health crisis, the Indian cricketers have not been able to indulge in running which is an important part of their fitness regime.
When the war veteran set out to walk 100 laps of his garden in Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire before his 100th birthday, he was aiming to raise a humble 1,000. But his determination to complete the challenge while using a walking frame captured the public's imagination during the pandemic and within days he had raised tens of millions of pounds, with the figure continuing to grow even after he had completed the 100th lap.
Top companies across sectors -- automobile maker Maruti Suzuki, consumer electronics giant Samsung to IT giant Infosys -- have reopened factories and offices as India took its first steps towards resuming economic activity after weeks under a near-total coronavirus lockdown.
'If you take music away from me, there's nothing else I can do.'
During the daily media briefing, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, said that 16 districts in the country, which earlier had cases, have not reported any fresh cases for the last 28 days.
The Wuhan local administration earlier announced that people who are not quarantined and seeking special treatment or stranded in the city can leave in batches.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in its latest monthly oil market report projected the world's third-biggest energy consumer to add 0.39 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil demand in 2022. India's oil demand rose from 4.51 million barrels per day in 2020 to 4.76 million bpd in 2021, recording a 5.61 per cent growth.
'A medal would have been great but I was very proud of myself that I could make it happen. 2018 was the fastest year of my life, I got my best time in 50m freestyle and butterfly. I was pretty fast in the 100m freestyle as well. But not having a medal made me a better and tougher person.'
Jail inmates produced goods generating gross sales worth Rs 223.4 crore in 2020, according to the government's annual Prison Statistics India report. The amount ranks at 496th place if compared with the latest net sales numbers of S&P BSE 500 companies, reports Sachin P Mampatta.
Most of the economic activity in the country had come to a standstill after the government imposed a 21-day nationwide lockdown beginning March 25 to check the spread of coronavirus.
Dr Fauci said that India needs to immediately build makeshift field hospitals like what China did a year ago.
The United States leads the world with more than 1.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Job postings activity in April witnessed 3 per cent decline sequentially as the country is hit with the second wave of the pandemic leading to lockdowns, according to a report. The data indicates that the employment index saw a decline in job posting activity in April compared to March, by 3 per cent, according to the Monster Employment Index. The overall job postings also witnessed a decline of 4 per cent year-on-year as of April 2021, compared to April 2020.
'We celebrated Valentine's Day on this island of love by renewing the vows we took three years ago.'
Shardul Thakur hit a local ground at Boisar in Maharashtra's Palghar district along with some domestic players.
'This concept is basically to make it easier and accessible to the people, especially the younger generation who are worried about hassles of wearing a saree.'
Puri said the government has a moral duty to provide energy at affordable rates to consumers.
Corporate earnings grew in double digits during the April-June 2022 (Q1FY23) quarter but the momentum waned. Overall corporate earnings in the quarter were down sharply from their highs in FY22. The combined net profit of 2,981 listed companies across sectors in the Business Standard sample was up 22.4 per cent YoY to Rs 2.24 trillion in the June quarter, driven by a big jump in the earnings of banks, non-banking lenders, oil & producers, and FMCG companies. Also, earnings in the corresponding quarter a year ago were affected because of the second wave of the Covid pandemic, even though the numbers were a lot better than Q1FY21 when there was a nationwide lockdown.
The India Open badminton tournament, which was scheduled for May 11-16 in New Delhi, has been postponed due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the country's capital, Badminton Association of India (BAI) said on Monday.
While FMCG companies were not barred from carrying out their operations during the 21-day lockdown, since most manufacture staples and essential products, capacity utilisation remained poor, owing to the restricted movement of raw materials, finished goods, and labour.
The study has predicted that confirmed COVID-19 cases reported daily will show a rising graph till the end of June. "A clear downward trend in the confirmed cases is likely to be observed each day from the second week of July," Nandadulal Bairagi, a senior professor of Jadavpur University who was involved in the project told PTI.
The employment that is returning is mostly essential services required by Indian households. Most urban Indian households cannot function without a retinue of maids, cooks, drivers, cleaners, notes Mahesh Vyas.
Maharashtra is the worst affected state with 56,948 cases.
The encouraging news, however, is that India features among the top four countries out of 44 nations that projected a positive hiring trend.
'What's beautiful now about India is that we are discovering so much more about each other, our stories and micro culture.'
Earlier, the government had extended the regular and e-visa of those foreigners who are currently in India and unable to leave the country due to the outbreak of coronavirus, till April 15.
The data gaps are inhibiting sound decisions. We need to know seroprevalence, infection, and vaccination rates. This is required in 200 cities of India, every week, suggests Ajay Shah.
The nationwide lockdown has transformed many otherwise buzzing streets across the country into tranquil expanses. It is on a few of such streets filled with ghastly echoes that the quaint figure of a female police officer goes about her duty with her colleagues, making sure that movement is restricted amongst the people in order to flatten the proverbial curve. Wearing the traditional khaki uniform of the Tamil Nadu Police -- a surgical mask stretched over her face, and a pair of gloves pulled over her hands for protection, India women's team midfielder Indumathi Kathiresan is barely recognisable to those stopped by her for checking on the streets of Anna Nagar, Chennai.
Students who have received admission to foreign universities are struggling with unexpected delays, additional living costs and scarcity of vaccine supplies.
US-India Business Council President Nisha Biswal believes once the economic activity and demand resumes, India could hold the potential for diversification of supply chains and manufacturing.
Rediff Labs has created a chart to analyse the trend of COVID-19 cases across the country since the first case was reported on January 30, 2020.
As its backyard remains embroiled in tension, Gurugram is exercising caution.
