The benchmark S&P BSE Sensex fell for the third day and closed 56.57 points lower at 19,748.19, dragged down by metal, realty and bank stocks ahead of the RBI's policy review next week.
Markets ended lower on Thursday following the expiry of July derivative contracts weighed down by profit taking in FMCG shares after recent gains.
Footfalls will invariably come down to a trickle even after lockdown restrictions go away, and the only way to prevent someone else from poaching your consumer is to go down to the consumer herself. Consumers will prefer products and services to be delivered to their doorstep, hygienically and safely.
The Street was hoping that investors will lap up shares of high-dividend companies on optimism that their payouts will increase further, thanks to the 20 per cent tax saving. However, the trade failed to materialise as wealthy investors stayed away fearing high tax outgo, and experts raised doubts on whether companies would actually increase cash dole outs.
Three options have been shortlisted for the new name: Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), Unilever Hindustan Ltd and finally, Unilever India. So far, the first option -- HUL -- seems the most likely.
As urban shoppers tighten their belts, companies are betting on rural consumers and smaller packs to fire up sales.
ASCI has released norms for fairness creams, saying these would go a long way in ensuring ads do not discriminate against people with dark skin.
British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday began his India visit seeking a "special relationship" between the two countries, saying it is "about the future and not the past" for which sky is the limit.
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries
The consumer goods segment faces an uphill task of retaining investor interest in the near future as valuations become expensive.
Say will take up the issue with the HUL management.
Business leaders, among others, ask govt to let go of fiscal target, seek stimulus, and direct cash transfer.
Promoters' holding in private sector BSE 500 companies declined to 43.4% in Sept
Ajit Mishra, vice president, Research, Religare Broking, answers your queries.
The results declared by key companies for the three months ended March 31 show most firms have managed to arrest the moderation in volume growth witnessed in previous quarters.
Harpreet Singh Tibb has worked at the largest fast-moving consumer goods company in the country, Hindustan Unilever.
The Bombay Stock Exchange's 30-share Sensex closed at 19,504 up 117 points. The National Stock Exchange's 50-share S&P CNX Nifty closed up 26 points at 5,930.
The main driver remains expectations of a big rate cut in the May 3 credit policy review, but stocks like Hind Unilever and ITC have also seen heavy buying.
A dip in 'dream job' applications could also mean that students are bagging their desired offers in the first go itself.
Second quarter numbers hint at a rocky road ahead with a slowdown in discretionary categories set to continue.
Across the country, companies have stepped up their act to contain the crisis. IT and other new economy firms seem to have taken a lead.
Enthused by robust financial performance and attractive valuations, foreign investors increased their exposure to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies such as Britannia, Hindustan Unilever and Godrej Consumers Products in April-June this year.
As group CEO, Sudhanshu Vats' job is to steer the television (Colors, Nick, Sonic, MTV, etc) and film businesses of Viacom18 Media.
Most companies reporting an improvement in operating margins in Q1 as they cut ad spends and other expenses.
Equity investors should thank cash-rich biggies such as TCS, ITC, HUL, Nestl, and Bajaj Auto for this.
PI Industries, GCPL, Colgate and HUL have delivered positive returns every year since 2008.
Firm global cues, along with gains in FMCG majors ITC and Hindustan Unilever aid the upmove.
The aggregate value of merger and acquisition (M&A) transaction involving Indian entities was $20.8 billion last year, down 46.3 per cent over the 2012 figure, global deal tracking firm Mergermarket said.
National brands prefer the acquisition route since the southern market is culturally different, reports T E Narasimhan from Chennai.
While green shoots are beginning to emerge, with June sales rebounding to pre-Covid levels thanks to a rural revival, most FMCG chief executives have voiced concerns about localised lockdowns that began in July and have extended into August in some states.
The problem is with the broking model and what brokers are allowed to do, notes Debashis Basu.
Ash content is now allowed up to 1%, the new notification has proposed to increase it to 2% for seasonings or tastemakers.
Volume growth, a key metric for most consumer companies, was down to five per cent for HUL in the third quarter from almost 9-10 per cent a year ago.
Indicating that Hindustan Unilever (HUL) which sells almost 40 percent of its brands in thehinterlands will increase its focus on rural markets, the consumer goods major today called for convergence of urban and rural marketers so that prosperity spreads to the rural areas.
The regional players are outrightly opposed to the idea, while MNCs are looking for procedural changes that, they say, will align the labelling criteria with global practices.
Patanjali, to a large extent, has penetrated the target group for its products. As a result, increasing the consumer base and revenue by 100 per cent in FY18 will be a stiff challenge.
HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) -- with free-float market cap of over Rs 3 trillion -- have the highest weight in the Sensex and the Nifty.
The NSE Nifty ended 55.75 points, or 0.57 per cent, higher at 9,912.80 after moving between 9,925.75 and 9,882.
'Even the most basic water amenities, people like us used every day, didn't exist there at all.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances