Production of eight infrastructure sectors recorded an almost flat growth rate of 6 per cent in February as against 5.9 per cent in the same month last year, according to official data released on Friday. The growth in February is lowest in the last three months. The output of core sectors had increased by 8.9 per cent in January 2023 and 7 per cent in December 2022.
From the Sensex basket, Larsen & Toubro, Maruti, Reliance Industries, Nestle, Bharti Airtel, UltraTech Cement, Kotak Mahindra Bank and JSW Steel were among the major laggards. Bajaj Finance climbed nearly 1 per cent higher.
Questions that the state had come to recognise over time but consistently delayed treating seriously because doing so requires an overhaul of perspective and lifestyle, notes Shyam G Menon.
India Inc on Thursday pitched for lowering income tax burden on common man, increase in capital expenditure, and firm steps to contain food inflation in their nearly two-hour long interaction with finance minister Nirmala Shitharaman ahead of the Union Budget. During pre-Budget consultation with Sitharaman, the industry leaders and associations also urged the government to focus more on infrastructure development with a view to maintaining the economic growth momentum. The industry leaders also laid stress on boosting the MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises) sector, considered a backbone of the Indian economy and main employment generator.
India's annual infrastructure output growth slowed to a three-month low of 2.4 percent in Decembe
The core infrastructure industries had expanded by 5.2 per cent in the previous month.
The growth rate in the production of eight key sectors slowed down to a 20-month low of 0.1 per cent in October on account of contraction in the output of crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, and cement, according to the official data released on Wednesday. In October last year, these sectors expanded by 8.7 per cent. In September this year, the core sectors' output growth stood at 7.8 per cent.
The output of eight core industries increased 4.2 per cent in April, boosted by higher electricity, fertiliser and cement production.
During April-June this fiscal, the core industries grew by 4.8 per cent compared to 3.5 per cent in the corresponding period the previous year. Cement production increased by 12.8 per cent in June against 6.6 per cent a year ago, while coal production rose by 14.7 per cent during the month against 6.1 per cent in June 2008.
The Rs 85,000 crore (Rs 850 billion) domestic cement industry is fast realising the painful situation it is getting into, as the GDP growth rate is on a slippery path and over 70 million tonnes of fresh capacities are in the pipeline in the next two years.
The six core industries grew by 2.8 per cent in May 2009 against 3.1 per cent in the same month last year on improved production in cement, coal and electricity.The growth rate of six core industries -- crude oil, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished steel -- was 4.3 per cent in April.
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.
'It is advisable to stay away from the markets for now and buy only on a dip.'
Production of eight infrastructure sectors increased by 5.4 per cent in November against a 3.2 per cent growth in the same month last year on a better show by coal, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity segments, according to the official data released on Friday. Crude oil, natural gas and refinery products, however, recorded negative growth in November this year. The production growth of eight key sectors slowed down to 0.9 per cent in October.
India on Tuesday said cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear technology is an important pillar of the multifaceted cooperation with Russia, which offered help in building small tropical nuclear power stations.
'Like every Budget, this time, too, there is chatter around tinkering with the long-term capital gains tax.' 'Investors may not want to jump into the markets until there is clarity on this front.'
Amid intense scrutiny from short-sellers and regulators, Adani group stocks have seen a significant shift in their shareholder base: Relatively opaque foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have given way to more recognisable investors and broad-based funds. The list of large public shareholders - those directly holding at least 1 per cent - is now dominated by entities, such as the state-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), US-based GQG Partners, Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company, and Qatar Investment Authority's INQ Holding.
Infra segment, refinery product impacted the most, even as contraction narrows in latest month.
The Sittwe deal is more significant than Chabahar in Iran, where India has rights to operate only two terminals and not the port itself.
Growth of eight key infrastructure sectors slowed down to 8.2 per cent in June 2023 compared to the year-ago month due to a decline in the production of crude oil, according to the official data released on Monday.
These three industries might offer a roller-coaster ride and stocks would have to be held for a significant time.
The output had expanded by 4 per cent in March 2014.
Exasperated at repeated price rises by cement companies and complaining of a cartel by the latter, the Builders Association of India has announced a plan by its members to establish at least three factories to produce the key building material.
Production of eight infrastructure sectors expanded by 7.9 per cent in September -- the highest in three months -- on account of better show by coal, fertiliser, cement and electricity segments, according to official data released on Monday. In September last year, the growth rate stood at 5.4 per cent. It was 4.1 per cent in August. The previous high was in June when the output expanded by 13.1 per cent.
The Gujarat government has given its green signal to Nirma Ltd's controversial cement plant in Mahuva.
'Rather than taking a very short-term view on the markets, equity investing should be premised on longer term growth opportunities.'
Production of eight infrastructure sectors expanded at a four-month high of 7.8 per cent in January 2023 on better show by coal, fertiliser, steel and electricity segments, according to official data released on Tuesday.
The growth of eight key infrastructure sectors slowed down to 4.3 per cent in May 2023 due to a decline in the production of crude oil, natural gas and electricity, according to the data released by the government on Friday. The core sector growth was 19.3 per cent in May 2022, while in April 2023, the key infra sectors recorded a growth rate of 4.3 per cent. During April-May this fiscal, the output growth of these eight sectors slowed down to 4.3 per cent against 14.3 per cent in the year-ago period, the data showed.
Infrastructure sector grew by 6.7 per cent during April 2006 compared to six per cent in the same month last year, largely on the back of a surge in oil refining and cement production.
In the fiscal year ended March, infrastructure output grew 3.2 per cent compared with 5 per cent in 2011/12.
The production growth of eight infrastructure sectors -- coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity -- was 19.3 per cent in May 2022, the data showed. In June, the output of coal, refinery products, fertiliser, cement and electricity rose by 31.1 per cent, 15.1 per cent, 8.2 per cent, 19.4 per cent, and 15.5 per cent, respectively.
Despite multiple headwinds at the start of 2023, the Indian markets delivered a strong performance, posting 19-20 per cent growth for the year. Even as new records were set, investor sentiment remains strong going into 2024, given the lower inflation, expectations of steady to lower interest rates, higher economic growth, and strong inflows. However, the overriding concern for most brokerages is valuations.
Infrastructure growth declined marginally to 4.7 per cent during December 2005 from 4.8 per cent a year ago, largely on account of a sharp decline in crude oil output and poor performance in power sector.
Coal, refinery products, electricity and cement production registered a growth of 14.5 per cent, 8.1 per cent, 10.2 per cent and 11.3 per cent, respectively in November, as per the data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry.
Both Putin and Zelenskyy have invited the prime minister to visit Russia and Ukraine respectively after the Lok Sabha elections, sources said, adding they see Modi as a "peacemaker".
Production of eight infrastructure sectors rose at a three-month high of 7.4 per cent in December 2022 against 4.1 per cent in the same month of previous year on a better show by coal, fertiliser, steel, and electricity segments, according to the official data released on Tuesday. Crude oil output, however, contracted by 1.2 per cent in December last year. The production of eight key sectors rose by 5.7 per cent in November 2022.
Aided by robust demand, automobile retail sales in India rose by 11 per cent last year as compared to 2022, dealers' body FADA said on Monday. The overall domestic automobile retail sales stood at 2,38,67,990 units in the 2023 calendar year as compared to 2,14,92,324 units in 2022. Passenger vehicle sales stood at 38,60,268 units last year, up 11 per cent from 34,89,953 units in 2022.
Football was not very close to Sunil Chhetri's heart during his days as a bubbly teenager with proclivity for pranks. He was only looking to use the sport as a vehicle to gain entry to a reputed college and continue his education.
This period of strong growth not only offers opportunities but also calls for strategic considerations to ensure sustainable development and equitable prosperity in the years to come, suggests Sujan Hajra.