News for 'Materials and Energy'

Real estate sector bats for green spaces

Real estate sector bats for green spaces

Rediff.com27 Nov 2023

Bengaluru recorded the highest green building stock at 140 million square feet, followed by Delhi-National Capital Region at 74 msf, and Hyderabad at 72 msf for Grade A office buildings as of September 2023.

6 Must-Visit Shiva Temples

6 Must-Visit Shiva Temples

Rediff.com9 Mar 2024

Explore some of the majestic temples dedicated to Lord Shiva across the country.

Heat Wave: States Brace For Impact

Heat Wave: States Brace For Impact

Rediff.com2 May 2023

While some states have kicked in their heat action plans, experts feel this is not enough to tackle the current extreme weather.

Windfall tax on crude cut; levy on diesel, ATF exports hiked

Windfall tax on crude cut; levy on diesel, ATF exports hiked

Rediff.com2 Sep 2023

The government has cut the windfall profit tax on crude oil produced in the country while the levy on exports of diesel and ATF has been hiked, an official notification said. The tax, levied in the form of special additional excise duty or SAED, on domestically produced crude oil was reduced to Rs 6,700 per tonne from Rs 7,100 a tonne. SAED on the export of diesel was increased to Rs 6 per litre from Rs 5.50 a litre and on jet fuel or ATF to Rs 4 per litre from Rs 2, the notification said.

Why India shouldn't rely heavily on nuke energy

Why India shouldn't rely heavily on nuke energy

Rediff.com6 Apr 2011

To avoid the kind of nuclear disaster that has happened in Japan, Professor Dirk Matten of the Schulich School of Business, York University, suggests that India should rely more on coal-fired energy generating plants and energy efficiency, instead of going for nuclear reactors in a big way.

Higher oil prices threaten India Inc's profit margins

Higher oil prices threaten India Inc's profit margins

Rediff.com4 Oct 2023

The recent surge in crude oil prices could shave off the gains made by India Inc in profit margins in the past few quarters. Worse, it comes at a time when consumer demand in the country is slipping and major global economies are witnessing a slowdown. A back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that the margin expansion accounted for three-fourths of the rise in the listed firms' operating profit between the April-June quarter (Q1) of FY23 and Q1FY24, and only a quarter of profits gains came from revenue growth.

Why India's oil cos are losing close to Rs 3 per litre

Why India's oil cos are losing close to Rs 3 per litre

Rediff.com7 Feb 2024

State-owned fuel retailers are losing close to Rs 3 per litre on selling diesel while the profit on petrol has trimmed due to recent firming up in international oil prices, industry officials said detailing reasons for continuing to hold retail prices. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), who control roughly 90 per cent of India's fuel market, 'voluntarily' have not changed petrol, diesel and cooking gas (LPG) prices for almost two years now, resulting in losses when input cost was higher and profits when raw material prices were lower.

Margin gains propel India Inc's Q3 profit

Margin gains propel India Inc's Q3 profit

Rediff.com24 Feb 2024

Corporate India reported high double-digit growth in net profit for the fourth consecutive quarter in October-December 2023 (Q3FY24), driven by margin gains from lower prices of raw material and energy.

How Private Should Be A CEO's Life Be?

How Private Should Be A CEO's Life Be?

Rediff.com5 Dec 2023

Health issues, divorce, court battles, moral turpitude, and more can all distract the CEO and impinge on a company's performance. So, how much of their private life should a company disclose? asks Amit Tandon.

Tailwind ahead for consumer durables sector during festival season

Tailwind ahead for consumer durables sector during festival season

Rediff.com16 Oct 2023

It's all eyes on the consumer durables sector during the festival season after a weak Q1FY24 and Q2FY24 was impacted by an erratic monsoon. Traditionally, this period sees the highest number of purchases. Dealers and manufacturers are complaining about low business-to-consumer (B2C) off-take during the first half.

60% of top 500 stocks achieved their 12-month price target set by analysts

60% of top 500 stocks achieved their 12-month price target set by analysts

Rediff.com17 Oct 2023

As many as 267 of 453 companies from the BSE500 index are trading above their consensus price targets, according to the data compiled by Bloomberg. Not all companies in the BSE500 index are tracked by analysts.

7 Underrated Films Of 2023

7 Underrated Films Of 2023

Rediff.com20 Dec 2023

With so many releases in 2023, not all got their due. Subhash K Jha picks his underrated films of the year.

'In an election year, markets flourish'

'In an election year, markets flourish'

Rediff.com23 Feb 2024

'Historically, the markets tend to perform well during election years as governments aim to increase spending and call attention to growth.'

The IIT Students Who Built An Award-Winning House

The IIT Students Who Built An Award-Winning House

Rediff.com26 May 2023

Project Vivaan won big at the Solar Decathlon, placing second overall (and missing the first position by a whisker). Members of the award-winning Team Shunya tell Mrigank Warrier how they built a carbon-neutral, water-neutral, energy-positive home for a family of four.

Tata to invest 4 bn to build EV battery plant in UK

Tata to invest 4 bn to build EV battery plant in UK

Rediff.com19 Jul 2023

Tata Group on Wednesday announced an investment of 4 billion pounds (about Rs 42,500 crore) in setting up a flagship factory to make batteries for Jaguar Land Rover as well as other manufacturers. Tata Sons, owner of JLR, chose Bridgwater in Somerset in southwest England for the gigafactory over a rival location in Spain. The gigafactory, at 40GWh, will be one of the largest in Europe and Tata's first outside of India, the conglomerate said in a statement.

Not just EVs, new technologies a big draw at this year's auto expo

Not just EVs, new technologies a big draw at this year's auto expo

Rediff.com16 Jan 2023

Innovation ranging from exterior designs of vehicles to EV charger locks grabbed eyeballs at the expo

Is Shah Rukh's Name Plate Made Of Diamonds?

Is Shah Rukh's Name Plate Made Of Diamonds?

Rediff.com22 Nov 2022

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's residence Mannat has a new name plate.

'Private investors will wait for election results'

'Private investors will wait for election results'

Rediff.com14 Aug 2023

'Policy-sensitive sectors will wait and watch, but policy-agnostic areas will continue based on normal consumption demand.'

How RIL quietly reinvented its investment strategy to meet new goals

How RIL quietly reinvented its investment strategy to meet new goals

Rediff.com27 Sep 2022

Reliance Industries (RIL) has been distilling its investment strategy to meet new goals. The share of the new energy vertical - its key focus area - accounts for more than a fourth (26 per cent) of the total war chest of $6.4 billion, ploughed into acquisitions and picking up stake from 2018 to date, reveals the latest Morgan Stanley data. Nearly half the incremental investments made on deals by RIL between August 2020 and September this year ($3.3 billion) has been spent on new energy - acquiring global companies with technology and expertise.

India Inc earns 72% of revenue from the domestic market: Morgan Stanley

India Inc earns 72% of revenue from the domestic market: Morgan Stanley

Rediff.com16 Jun 2021

72 per cent of the revenue of Indian firms (India Inc) is derived from the domestic / home market - the sixth highest in percentage terms in the emerging market (EM) and the Asian region, said a recent report by Morgan Stanley. The balance, according to the report titled 'Global Exposure Guide 2021' co-authored by analysts led by Jonathan F Garner, their chief Asia and emerging market strategist, is split between the developed markets (DMs) and other EMs. The report is based on an analysis of 3,300 companies globally that have revenue exposure in 17 different regions.

To My Mother, A Teacher Who Inspired

To My Mother, A Teacher Who Inspired

Rediff.com5 Oct 2023

Rakesh Ranjan reveals how his mother Samita Ghosh braved difficult odds to teach students in a small school in Bihar.

How To Prevent Terror On The High Seas

How To Prevent Terror On The High Seas

Rediff.com17 Apr 2024

The world needs to wake up to this new dimension of war at sea and be prepared to face the 'unknown enemy' who have the advantage of attacking at their choice of location and time, cautions Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).

FY24 earnings makeover: IndianOil to MRF, companies rewrite profit playbook

FY24 earnings makeover: IndianOil to MRF, companies rewrite profit playbook

Rediff.com6 Dec 2023

The headline for corporate profit growth has been very encouraging in the July-September quarter (Q2) of 2023-24 (FY24), with the combined net profit of listed companies up by 38 per cent year-on-year. However, the earnings distribution has been very lopsided, with most of the growth coming from public-sector oil-marketing companies (OMCs), banks, non-bank lenders, automobile (auto) companies, and cement producers. By comparison, companies from information technology services, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail, and consumer durables were disappointed, experiencing a sharp slowdown in net sales growth and a relatively muted increase in reported net profit.

Wholesale price inflation stays in negative territory

Wholesale price inflation stays in negative territory

Rediff.com14 Aug 2023

Wholesale price inflation remained in the negative territory for the fourth month in a row in July at (-)1.36 per cent, even though prices of food items, especially vegetables, skyrocketed. The inflation, however, has inched up from (-)4.12 per cent recorded in June fuelled by 62.12 per cent rise in vegetable prices. In July last year, wholesale price index (WPI) was 14.07 per cent.

Early birds' Q2 profit soars, top line a worry

Early birds' Q2 profit soars, top line a worry

Rediff.com30 Oct 2023

The combined net profit of "early bird" companies, those that have declared their quarterly results, rose for the third consecutive quarter in July-September 2023 (Q2FY24). But the figures suggest a continued slowdown in revenue growth and stagnation in earnings over recent quarters. This slowdown is severe for companies in the manufacturing and non-financial service sectors.

7 Cliches Of Movie Criticism & Reporting

7 Cliches Of Movie Criticism & Reporting

Rediff.com19 Jan 2024

This isn't a hatchet job, and my excuse for the exercise is my feeling that when you invert some of the clichés mentioned here, you might just arrive at the portals of genuine movie-making energy, says Sreehari Nair.

AstroSpeak: Your Predictions For 2024

AstroSpeak: Your Predictions For 2024

Rediff.com4 Jan 2024

Chirag Daruwalla, who is following in the footsteps of his famed astrologer father, the late Bejan Daruwalla, makes his predictions for the New Year.

Sorry Mr Modi, Katchatheevu Isn't An Election Issue In Tamil Nadu

Sorry Mr Modi, Katchatheevu Isn't An Election Issue In Tamil Nadu

Rediff.com4 Apr 2024

Rulers in New Delhi and their political aides in sensitive states like Tamil Nadu have to be doubly careful not to provoke a situation whose consequences may be much more than visible now to the naked eye, notes N Sathiya Moorthy.

An arduous second half awaits oil marketing firms

An arduous second half awaits oil marketing firms

Rediff.com15 Nov 2023

The medium-term scenario for oil marketing companies (OMCs) is high risk due to the surging crude and gas prices. Apart from OPEC-plus cutting production, the Hamas-Israel conflict has caused fears of supply disruption. The July-September quarter of 2023-24 (Q2FY24) saw positive surprises for OMCs. Strong gross refining margins (GRMs) more than offset weak marketing margins.

Gautam Adani will find it hard to raise funds, says Moody's

Gautam Adani will find it hard to raise funds, says Moody's

Rediff.com3 Feb 2023

Moody's Investors Service on Friday warned that the rout in Adani Group shares could hurt the conglomerate's ability to raise capital, while its peer Fitch saw no immediate impact on its ratings. Adani Group's listed companies have lost over USD 100 billion in value in just over a week after short-seller Hindenburg Research's scathing report flagged concerns about the ports-to-energy conglomerate's debt levels and alleged stock manipulation, accounting fraud and the use of tax havens.

Modi wears jacket made by recycling plastic bottles

Modi wears jacket made by recycling plastic bottles

Rediff.com9 Feb 2023

The prime minister was seen wearing a light blue "sadri" jacket as he sat in the Rajya Sabha in the morning.

Clean energy cess to hike cost for power sector

Clean energy cess to hike cost for power sector

Rediff.com1 Mar 2015

Clean energy cess to hike cost for power sector.

'US-India initiatives will face new scrutiny'

'US-India initiatives will face new scrutiny'

Rediff.com5 Dec 2023

'This incident offers ammunition to those inside the US government and elsewhere who question the wisdom of trusting India, so it will have a lasting consequence no matter how it is managed.'

Punjab nab 5 suspects for blasts near Golden Temple with SGPC's help

Punjab nab 5 suspects for blasts near Golden Temple with SGPC's help

Rediff.com11 May 2023

The latest blast occurred on Wednesday midnight behind the Guru Ramdas Niwas building, police said.

157 killed, 160 injured as strong earthquake jolts Nepal

157 killed, 160 injured as strong earthquake jolts Nepal

Rediff.com4 Nov 2023

According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake with an epicentre in Jajarkot district was recorded at 11.47 pm.

Stock Picks: 10 Value Bets For Rich Payoffs

Stock Picks: 10 Value Bets For Rich Payoffs

Rediff.com7 Nov 2023

10 non-bank and non-finance stocks from the BSE500 Index universe that offer an optimal blend of low valuation, reasonably robust revenue and earnings growth in recent quarters, a strong balance sheet, and most importantly, positive cash flow from their operations.

Finance, durables stocks see maximum FPI selling in last fortnight of Feb

Finance, durables stocks see maximum FPI selling in last fortnight of Feb

Rediff.com9 Mar 2023

Financial services and consumer durable companies accounted for most of the selling by foreign portfolio investors (FPI) in the last fortnight of February. FPIs sold finance stocks worth Rs 2,263 crore and consumer durable stocks worth Rs 1,111 crore, according to data collated by Prime Infobase. Information technology (selling worth Rs 708 crore), metals and mining (Rs 694 crore), and power (Rs 497 crore) were the other sectors where overseas funds sold shares.

The Crown Review: Appropriate Finale

The Crown Review: Appropriate Finale

Rediff.com19 Dec 2023

After the debacle of the first episodes of Season 6, the latter half give an even-handed treatment to intriguing not-so-well-known events of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, observes Vaihayasi Pande Daniel.

In 'white gold' rush, India starts talks with lithium-rich nations

In 'white gold' rush, India starts talks with lithium-rich nations

Rediff.com13 Dec 2022

To ramp up domestic battery manufacturing capacity and reduce the dependence on imports, the government has initiated talks with a few lithium-rich countries to supply the mineral to Indian companies, industry sources informed Business Standard. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) held a meeting with the ambassadors of countries, including Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, among others, to put forth its request.

Must Watch OTT Shows of 2023

Must Watch OTT Shows of 2023

Rediff.com2 Jan 2024

Sukanya Verma picks the best of OTT from 2023.