Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, retail firms, and producers of consumer durables are witnessing stable urban demand. However, people in the trade are waiting for clearer signs of revival closer to the festival season, starting in September.
The 24th CPI(M) Party Congress commenced in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, with interim coordinator Prakash Karat emphasizing the need for Left unity to combat "Hindutva neo-fascism." He criticized the BJP-RSS government, accusing it of representing a "Hindutva-corporate nexus" and displaying "neo-fascist characteristics." Other Left leaders, including CPI general secretary D Raja and CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, echoed calls for unity and condemned the current political climate in India.
Retailers are set to end a prolonged period of sluggish sales as the end-of-season sales (EOSS) coincide with the upcoming long weekend. Apparel and lifestyle retailers have faced challenges since the festival season last year. However, with EOSS, which began in June, sales have started to recover, showing noticeable improvement in July and August.
While there was a 6 to 7 per cent increase in volume compared to last year in the first few days of the month which coincided with festivals, a large part of the demand is yet to hit the market.
'It is surprising that the animation world in India doesn't go beyond children cartoons. We had the right kind of people and we felt like taking it forward.'
Consumer durables firms and fashion retailers expect double-digit growth in value terms in the ongoing festival season as consumers have stepped up purchases during this period. They expect to see value sales growth upwards of 15 per cent, which is especially coming in from cities. However, volume growth may lag behind value growth.
The Opposition INDIA bloc on Friday finalised a 14-member coordination-cum-election strategy committee comprising members of various parties, and it will function as the alliance's highest decision-making body and start work on seat-sharing immediately, sources said.
The Tamil Nadu government filed a criminal complaint in a sessions court in Chennai on Wednesday against state Bharatiya Janata Party president K Annamalai for defaming Chief Minister M K Stalin.
This is the second time Vijayan is contesting from Dharmadam constituency.
Six Indians were reportedly killed in a suspected case of murder-suicide in Santa Clara, California on Sunday night. Though the police refused to confirm their identities, news reported claimed that the victims were natives of Wayanad district in Kerala.The deceased were identified as Ayyankoli native Devarajan and his family members Suchitra, Asokan, Akhil, Neha and Ahna.The Santa Clara police remained unavailable for comment.
With this kind of coinage, the Opposition seems to be readily conceding the point that Modi is taller than all of them put together. So they need something bigger than themselves, collectively or not, to capture the voter imagination when it is about taking on Modi and the BJP in 2024, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Sri Lankan government has appointed an advisory committee comprising eminent economic and fiscal experts to provide guidance on addressing the current debt crisis and engaging with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other lenders as the country struggles to combat the unprecedented shortage of foreign reserves.
Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag, Paralympic silver-medallist Deepa Malik and hockey stalwart Sardar Singh were on Friday included in a 12-member committee constituted by the sports ministry to select this year's National Sports Awards winners. Just like last year, the ministry opted for a single selection committee to pick the awardees among both athletes and coaches and it will be headed by Retired Supreme Court Justice, Mukundakam Sharma.
Offline retailers are feeling the Omicron January chill as consumers are apprehensive about venturing out in the midst of rising Covid cases across the country. Covid restrictions, as well as concerns over the new virus variant, are seeing shoppers pull back from the high streets and shopping malls, clearly cautious about streaming into stores and choosing to self-censor instead. Offline retailers' hopes of a bumper End-Of-Season Sale (EOSS) and Republic Day (R-Day) Sale to compensate for losses over the pandemic have been dashed. Fewer trips to malls mean lower footfall and sales, resulting in higher piling of stock - and possibly higher discounts.
Multiple World champion and Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom is among the 19 boxers selected for the senior women core group of probables for this year's Commonwealth and Asian Games.
The film is based on well-known writer Paul Zachariah's novel of the same title.
Get your lowdown on what's goign on in the world of Hollywood, right here!
In the week leading up to Teacher's Day on September 5, we bring you readers' stories about their favourite, most inspirational teachers.
The former president of Marvel Comics invented Chakra: The Invincible in 2011 which was his first Indian comic book creation.
The murder-suicide in Santa Clara, California was not due to financial problems, the police officials said. "We are still exploring a possible motive, including the family dynamics and personal relationships," they added.
Nearly nine months after Devarajan Kalathat killed five family members before turning the gun on himself at their townhouse in Santa Clara, California, Aabha Appu is clueless about the reason behind her husband's murder spree.Aabha remembers nothing unusual about that night, when her brother and sister-in-law and their 11-month-old daughter came over for dinner. They had finished dinner when Devarajan went upstairs. He returned brandishing two .45-caliber handguns.
Reader Lakshminarayanan Devarajan sent us this picture from London.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, overall food prices have increased by 75 per cent in dollar terms since 2000. Devarajan said food prices are likely to continue to increase in the near future. He attributed this phenomenon to raising standards of living in countries like India and China, increased use of food crops for bio-fuels and animal feeds, and increased oil and fertilizer prices.
Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be conferred the first Netaji Subhas Award for her outstanding contribution to the struggle for restoring democracy in her country.
They will also demand a review of strategic aspects of Indo-US relations in Parliament.
Eyeing the burgeoning entertainment market, Virgin Comics and Virgin Animation on Thursday said it plans to tap the 5,000-year "vault of Indian mythology" and showcase it to the world.
The World Bank on Wednesday stressed the need for domestic political consensus for sustained policy reforms, saying it may prove to be a failure if implemented without an open debate.
Rediff reader Uma Parameswaran from Nagpur tells us how she fought endometriosis.
Omkeshwar Singh, head, Rank MF, a mutual fund investment platform, answers your queries.
The World Bank on Tuesday said that India could achieve eight per cent economic growth, provided the government stepped up reforms, including measures to contain fiscal deficit and wasteful subsidies.
Spiderman will put on a sarong and fight the bad guys through the rickshaw-clogged streets of Mumbai in an Indian version of the American comic classic, reports said.
Jnanpith awardee and eminent Malayalam poet, lyricist and environmentalist O N V Kurup passed away at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday following cardiac arrest. He was 84.
The latest updates from the Telugu film industry.
Rohit Sharma is set to launch a new environmental superhero team called, 'HYPER TYGERS' in collaboration with Graphic India, UK based ISM Komix and Cornerstone Sport.
BMS allies with breakaway faction of Congress-affiliated INTUC. This marks a new chapter in India's trade union movement
Slew of resignations at NSEL over past month in the wake of scrutiny; MCX gaps caused by new-age norms for commexes.
Meet the new class of Forbes India 30 Under 30.
About Rs 5,600 crore (Rs 56 billion) of investments of some 13,000 investors are stuck in NSEL. Despite reports from several internal committees of regulators and investigative agencies pointing to fraudulent activities, there hasn't been any substantial enforcement action against the exchange or the officials.
