'Recent underperformance notwithstanding, equities should constitute a major part of investors' financial portfolio.'
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.
Signs of a strong pickup in hiring by companies are adding to the rosier outlook for Indian households.
In the wake of recent hike in airline fares owing to rise in aviation turbine fuel prices, the Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Thursday met Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and sought reduction in excise duty on the fuel in the Budget.
