On an average most commodities are up between 20-30 per cent compared to a year ago levels.
'With inflationary pressures now at elevated levels and the adverse cost environment persisting, the company has to pass on a portion of the increased costs to the market, while continuing to ensure that the impact on customers is kept to the minimum extent possible.'
Escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia are beginning to disrupt India's automotive supply chain, leading to rising commodity prices, logistics bottlenecks, material shortages, and pressure on consumer demand, with two-wheeler makers already raising prices.
Rising commodity prices are set to hurt margins of India Inc in the on-going fourth quarter of FY 11, even though revenues are seen higher than the previous year, ratings agency Crisil said on Monday.
Suzuki Motorcycle India Ltd (SMIPL) has revised its domestic two-wheeler sales growth estimate for FY27 downwards from 7-8 per cent, citing rising commodity costs due to the ongoing West Asia conflict and its impact on consumer affordability.
India's wholesale price inflation (WPI) increased to 9.87 per cent in June, up from 9.68 per cent in May, primarily due to significant price increases in non-food and food products, with food inflation alone rising to 5.49 per cent.
The adverse impact on the margins of auto, consumer staples and consumer durables sectors will be counterbalanced by an earnings uptick in the metals, cement and oil & gas sectors.
Net profit of the private sector entities followed a downward trend in third and fourth quarters of 2008-09.
The Reserve Bank of India's Financial Stability Report indicates that the interim peace deal between the US and Iran has favourably shifted the balance of risks, reducing headwinds from the West Asia conflict. However, it cautions that exchange rate volatility could increase if crude oil prices spike due to delayed normalisation of supply chain disruptions.
India's finance ministry anticipates inflation will remain relatively contained in the coming months, supported by a correction in crude oil prices and softening input costs following the cessation of the West Asia conflict, despite earlier spikes in wholesale and retail inflation.
Companies are already diversifying sourcing, raising prices, and reworking operating models as the disruption drags on.
Investors and companies should brace for higher commodity prices over the next few weeks in the backdrop of Russian troops attacking Ukraine on Thursday. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden threatened new sanctions against Russia for an act of aggression against Ukraine. All this, analysts believe, can push prices of key commodities such as crude oil, ammonia, urea, potash, and phosphates higher.
India's wholesale price inflation surged to 8.30 per cent in April, up from 3.88 per cent in March, primarily driven by a significant increase in the prices of fuel, power, and crude petroleum, according to data from the commerce and industry ministry.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected a 6.9 per cent GDP growth for the current financial year, citing concerns over commodity prices and supply chain disruptions stemming from the West Asia crisis.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced India's growth forecast for FY27 to 6.4 per cent, citing the potential impact of higher energy prices offsetting the country's economic resilience. Despite this, India remains among the fastest-growing major economies.
Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches in India rose 25.4 per cent year-on-year to 4,37,312 units in April, continuing the strong demand momentum from the previous fiscal year, according to SIAM.
Mahindra Group CEO Anish Shah emphasizes the critical role of Artificial Intelligence, advocating for its meaningful integration at scale across all aspects of the company. He highlights that AI is redefining industries and decision-making, urging a proactive approach to leverage its potential. Shah also addresses global uncertainties, stating the group's commitment to accelerate amidst challenges and aim for global leadership.
Maruti Suzuki India's shares gained over 2.5 per cent after a strong March-quarter performance, with analysts maintaining a positive medium-term outlook driven by buoyant domestic market volumes, capacity expansion, and export growth, despite anticipated near-term margin pressures from higher commodity prices and startup costs.
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is largely bullish among analysts following its Q4FY26 results, driven by strong SUV demand, a robust product pipeline, and improving growth visibility across segments, despite near-term margin pressures from rising commodity costs and potential weakness in the tractor cycle.
After the hit of the pandemic, India Inc is now worried about the adverse impact of inflation and higher commodity prices on their revenues and margins. The inflation scare is the strongest among manufacturers of consumer goods such as automobiles, consumer durables, and fast-moving capital goods (FMCG). Companies across sectors fear they will not be able to pass on the hike in input costs to their consumers due to weak demand, which, in turn, would lead to a hit on margins and profitability in the forthcoming quarters.
Richard Heald, Vice-Chairman and Amitabh Malhotra, Director of Rothschild spoke about the volatile market, its implications and how this is an opportunity for Rothschild in India. Heald said that rising commodity prices are worrisome. The inflationary pressures are a concern. He advised that corporates should be open to all financing options. Investors in general want to invest in cash generating assets and commodities. With no decoupling other markets will impact India too.
Flex fuel motorcycles can deliver "3 per cent higher torque and 7 per cent higher peak power".
Hindustan Unilever (HUL) exceeded consensus estimates in Q4FY26, driven by lower overheads and 6 per cent consolidated volume growth. However, the company anticipates further price hikes to counter an expected 8-10 per cent material cost inflation, while maintaining a mid-term margin guidance of 22.5-23.5 per cent.
Commodities prices will witness a major upheaval in the coming couple of years with demand for food going up.
'OMCs are incurring losses of Rs 1,000 crore per day due to the West Asia crisis.'
Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha criticised the Modi government's economic policies, citing the LPG crisis, lack of energy security, and concerns over the Economic Stabilisation Fund.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced declines due to a sharp rally in crude oil prices, continuous foreign fund outflows, and geopolitical uncertainties. Regulatory developments in the banking sector, particularly the implementation of the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) framework, also contributed to the selling pressure.
Prices of key inputs up 44% to 74%; analysts expect earnings squeeze after a quarter or two.
Headline inflation for March stood at 8.98 per cent, while food inflation was at 8.76 per cent for the week ended April 16.
S&P Global Ratings has increased India's GDP growth forecast for the next fiscal year to 7.1 per cent, citing private consumption, investment, and exports as key drivers. However, the agency also cautioned that the conflict in the Middle East could strain India's fiscal position due to higher energy prices.
'Once the market decides it wants to go up, it goes up -- no amount of bad news can really hold it back.'
Passenger vehicle sales in India reached a record high of 4.7 million units in FY26, boosted by strong performances from major automakers and the implementation of GST 2.0.
Insights from behavioural economics suggest that an ambitious nudge can be effective if three conditions are met, points out Ram Singh Insights from behavioural economics suggest that an ambitious nudge can be effective if three conditions are met, points out Ram Singh, director, Delhi School of Economics.
Live updates on the US-Israel-Iran war: Trump escalates threats, Iran retaliates, and oil prices surge as the Strait of Hormuz crisis disrupts global markets.
The case for long-term investment in gold, however, remains intact.
India's leading passenger vehicle manufacturers are significantly increasing investments and factory capacities, alongside planning major product launches for FY27, driven by strong confidence in sustained domestic demand growth despite global geopolitical tensions and supply chain risks.
The Indian government has restricted industrial, commercial, and institutional users from purchasing petrol and diesel from retail petrol pumps, directing them to bulk sale points instead. This move, which can last up to 90 days, aims to address abnormal demand growth and prevent localised shortages caused by a significant price difference between retail and bulk fuel prices.
India's economy registered a robust 7.7 per cent growth in the fiscal year 2025-26, an increase from 7.1 per cent in the previous year, with the January-March quarter alone seeing a 7.8 per cent expansion.
Following through announcements with enforcement of measures is key, as a run through recent Indian economic history shows, points out A K Bhattacharya.
Reliance Industries Ltd reported a 22 per cent year-on-year decline in consolidated net profit for the June quarter, primarily because the previous year's earnings were inflated by a one-time gain from the sale of its stake in Asian Paints.
