Leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies in India are expressing strong optimism for the current fiscal year, anticipating robust consumption trends, significant growth, and improved profit margins. This positive outlook is largely driven by resilient demand and the expected easing of elevated input costs, despite ongoing inflationary pressures and potential weather volatility.
The key beneficiary of this expansion in the motorcycle market happens to be Bajaj Auto.
India's domestic passenger vehicle sales experienced a robust 24.6 per cent year-on-year increase in June, propelled by favourable government policies like income tax relief and repo rate cuts, alongside resilient rural demand, even as global crude oil prices pose potential cost pressures.
Maruti Suzuki, India's leading passenger vehicle manufacturer, is experiencing robust growth in the June quarter, driven by a recovery in the entry-level segment, easing supply constraints, and significant market share gains. Despite potential headwinds from El Nio, analysts remain optimistic about the company's future performance.
Consumer goods firms and auto companies are witnessing an upturn in rural demand, which had been lagging for most of FY24. Expectations of a bumper rabi crop harvest have helped turn the tide. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate unchanged last week, noting that as rural demand catches up, consumption is expected to support economic growth in 2024-25.
Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches in India reached a record 12,73,811 units in the first quarter of FY27, marking a 25.9 per cent growth, driven by robust domestic demand despite geopolitical headwinds, according to SIAM.
Indian passenger vehicle manufacturers are significantly increasing production and stocking dealerships in anticipation of strong festival season demand, with new launches planned and supply bottlenecks being addressed. However, the industry faces potential moderation in growth during the second half of FY27 due to a high base from last year's post-GST surge, commodity inflation, and elevated inventory levels.
Fuel prices have risen by about Rs 7.5 per litre since May 15, as global crude oil prices surged due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia and supply concerns around the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian stock markets this week will be primarily influenced by a series of corporate Q1 earnings, the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia, and fluctuations in crude oil prices, according to market analysts.
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sales in rural areas witnessed a sequential recovery in the latter half of December, according to data by retail intelligence firm Bizom. Also, demand witnessed in the previous month compared to November was higher from tier-3 cities than mega cities. Overall demand from rural areas declined 0.2 per cent on a month-on-month basis in December while it was down 17 per cent in November, according to Bizom's data.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) reported encouraging results for Q4FY26 with improved asset quality and earnings, but analysts maintain a cautious near-term outlook due to geopolitical tensions, monsoon risks, and specific portfolio concerns.
Fitch Ratings forecasts a 9 per cent aggregate revenue increase for rated Indian corporates in the current fiscal year (FY27), a stronger outlook compared to the 5 per cent estimated for FY26, which is expected to keep credit metrics stable despite potential global and domestic challenges.
As MGNREGA comes to a close, both critics and supporters keenly eye VB G RAM G's performance.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has maintained its benchmark policy rate at 5.25 per cent for the fourth consecutive meeting, prioritising clarity on inflation trends, particularly concerning energy costs and geopolitical developments.
LIC is the only brand in the Brand Finance India 100 2026 report that has a top five rank in both brand value and brand strength.
India's top cement producers delivered a solid July-September quarter (Q2) in 2025-26 (FY26), lifted by firmer prices, higher sales volumes, and a favourable base. Seasonal weakness and maintenance outages did dent sequential performance, but the overall picture remained positive - and the road ahead looks steady.
Domestic automobile retail sales in India experienced a significant surge of 26 per cent year-on-year in February, driven by improved affordability and market confidence across various segments, according to FADA.
Underlining that students are the "architects of India's future," President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said the government is taking comprehensive steps to reform public examinations to completely curb paper leaks and unfair means, making the system transparent, secure, and trustworthy.
ITC reported a 16.2 per cent year-on-year drop in consolidated net profit to 4,394.13 crore in Q1 FY27, primarily due to a significant increase in taxes on its cigarette business. Consolidated net revenues also declined by 11.1 per cent to 19,114 crore, missing analyst estimates.
Driven by GST reforms, robust festive demand, and softening raw material prices, the FMCG industry expects volume-based growth, supported by a mid-single digit revenue rise and improved operating margins in the December quarter.
JPMorgan has downgraded Indian equities to 'neutral' from 'overweight', citing elevated valuations, rising earnings risks, and limited exposure to next-generation technology like AI. The brokerage believes other emerging markets offer more attractive risk/reward propositions despite India's strong structural growth story.
A recent SBI Economic Research report indicates that the significant gap between credit and deposit growth, currently over 530 basis points, is likely to persist if geopolitical risks and external supply shocks continue. However, an improvement in deposit growth is anticipated with inflows into foreign currency non-resident (bank) deposits.
In May, Satpal Singh, who runs a dairy business with three buffaloes in Jewar, near Noida, was worried about the steep spike in input costs. Singh said dry fodder rates, which cost Rs 1,500-2000 per tractor trolley last year, were quoting at Rs 4,500-5,000. The price of other cattle feed ingredients (that include mustard meal and similar mixes) had also gone up from Rs 2,000 per quintal to Rs 3,100-3,200 per quintal.
Analysts worry about possible loan waiver.
Sai Tamhankar plays delicious contradictions of her character in an immensely watchable central performance, applauds Mayur Sanap.
Dabur India's shares rose 3.7 per cent after reporting in-line Q4FY26 results, driven by a healthy 10 per cent growth in its India business, despite some analysts remaining cautious about future execution.
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.
India's total automobile retail sales recorded a significant 9.55 per cent year-on-year growth in May, reaching an all-time high of 25,31,067 units, driven by strong performances in three-wheelers, passenger vehicles, and tractors, despite prevailing heatwave conditions and fuel price pressures.
India's passenger vehicle (PV) industry is projected to experience moderated growth in FY27, following a strong rebound in H2FY26, primarily due to the high base effect, absorbed pent-up demand, and the lingering impact of geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
A state-level 'Temple Land Protection Conference' was held in Mumbai on Monday, during which participants passed a resolution demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the proposed legislation, the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh state in a release.
The ongoing investigation into the murder of Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal suggests that his fiance, Siya Goyal, was instigated by co-accused Chetan Chaudhary to commit the crime. Goyal and Chaudhary, who were in a relationship, are accused of pushing Agarwal off Lohagad Fort. The probe also addresses reports about Agarwal wearing a wig and details about the planned wedding expenses.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd has launched the Wagon R, India's first flex-fuel car, capable of running on any blend of ethanol and petrol from E20 to E100, aligning with national energy security and sustainability goals.
The World Bank has increased India's economic growth projection for FY27 to 6.6 per cent, citing resilient domestic demand, while simultaneously cutting its global economic growth outlook due to the conflict in West Asia.
Feeble demand in rural areas of the country has affected sales of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in September as compared to August, which saw heavy stocking ahead of the festival season, according to the data of Bizom, a retail intelligence platform. Sales in rural India fell 14.3 per cent while urban sales growth stood at 1.1 per cent in September as compared to the previous month. Overall FMCG sales fell by 9.6 per cent in September as compared to August.
India has emerged as the largest global market for Nestle's iconic KitKat chocolate-coated wafer bar, surpassing other nations due to strong consumer penetration, product innovation, and aggressive marketing investments.
Gram Chikitsalay Season 2 returns with a confirmed connection to Panchayat universe and a more heartwarming narrative, observes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
"Our strategy has always been to focus on volume-led penetration growth," said Manish Tiwary, chairman and managing director, Nestle India.
Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran stated that India's economy is projected to return to a 7 per cent-plus growth trajectory by 2027-28 (FY28), or sooner if external conditions improve, despite near-term challenges from the West Asia crisis.
'Once the market decides it wants to go up, it goes up -- no amount of bad news can really hold it back.'
Passenger vehicle (PV) sales growth in India is expected to moderate to 3-5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in financial year 2027 (FY27) due to a high base and preponed replacement demand, according to a report released by India Ratings and Research on Thursday.
