๐ฎ๐ณ ์ธ๋ ยท "ECOSYSTEM" ยท ์ด 49๊ฑด
ํํฐ ๋ณด๊ธฐํ์ฌ ์ง์
48.3
0 = ๋ถ์ ์ฐ์ธ
50 = ์ค๋ฆฝ
100 = ๊ธ์ ์ฐ์ธ
์ต๊ทผ 7์ผ ๊ธฐ์ค 5,196๊ฑด์ ๋ถ์ํ ๊ฒฐ๊ณผ, ๋ด์ค ์ฌ๋ฆฌ์ง์๋ 48.3(๊ท ํ)์ ๋๋ค. ๊ธ์ 511๊ฑด(9.8%)ยท์ค๋ฆฝ 3,532๊ฑด(68.0%)ยท๋ถ์ 1,153๊ฑด(22.2%)์ด๋ฉฐ, ์ค๋ฆฝ ๋น์ค์ด ๋๋ ทํ๊ฒ ๋์ต๋๋ค. ์ฑํฅ ์ง์๋ ์ข ํฉ 12.2(์ค๋ ๊ท ํ)์ ๋๋ค.
At SPIEF 2026, Nara Lokesh pitches Andhra Pradeshโs spaceport, Space Policy 4.0 and a planned $4-billion space ecosystem to Russian investors
Shares of Hero MotoCorp gained 3% to their dayโs high of Rs 4,980 on the BSE on Thursday after the company unveiled its first flex-fuel motorcycles, marking its entry into a segment aimed at supporting India's transition towards cleaner and more sustainable mobility solutions.The country's largest two-wheeler manufacturer launched flex-fuel versions of its flagship Splendor+ and HF Deluxe motorcycles, making them India's first flex-fuel motorcycles in the 100cc category. The motorcycles are compatible with ethanol-blended fuels ranging from E20 to E85 and are designed for everyday commuting without compromising on performance or affordability.Hero MotoCorp said the new range is aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of daily transportation while aligning with India's goal of lowering economic carbon intensity by 45% by 2030.The motorcycles were unveiled in New Delhi ahead of World Environment Day in the presence of Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri and Hero MotoCorp Chief Executive Officer Harshavardhan Chitale.Speaking at the event, Gadkari said the introduction of flex-fuel motorcycles in the mass-market segment would support ethanol adoption, help reduce crude oil imports, strengthen farmers' incomes and contribute to the government's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.Puri said the launch represents another milestone in India's efforts to build a mobility ecosystem powered by cleaner and domestically produced fuels. He added that wider adoption of such vehicles could improve energy security, lower carbon emissions and reduce dependence on imported crude oil while strengthening the country's biofuels ecosystem.Chitale said the flex-fuel-ready Splendor+ and HF Deluxe were developed at the company's Centre for Innovation & Technology in Jaipur and reflect Hero MotoCorp's focus on future-ready and locally relevant technologies. He added that the motorcycles have minimal-to-no import content and reinforce India's manufacturing capabilities.Hero MotoCorp said the flex-fuel portfolio will be introduced in Delhi and select regions of Maharashtra in July 2026, followed by a nationwide rollout. The HF Deluxe Flex Fuel has been priced at Rs 72,792 (ex-showroom Delhi), while the Splendor+ Flex Fuel will be available at Rs 82,710 (ex-showroom Delhi).(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
The Indian rupee is trading around Rs. 95-96 to the dollar in late May 2026, setting fresh record lows. Markets are openly discussing the Rs. 100 threshold. The rupee has weakened in almost every year since 2014 and has lost approximately half its value against the dollar over that period. The end of this currency depreciation is not in sight. The factors that would stop it are not yet visible.The government is acting. State run oil companies have implemented four fuel price hikes in ten days as of May 25, taking petrol in Delhi past Rs. 102 per litre. This is the right and necessary response to the energy cost reality created by the Iran war. Crucially, the Modi government has also done its part on the macroeconomic front, consistently and aggressively reducing the fiscal deficit as a percentage of GDP to maintain structural stability.Yet, the currency pressure persists. The energy price impact has not yet fully reached Indian consumers and supply chains. It is coming.Uday Kotak said it plainly at the CII Annual Business Summit on May 12: "Be ready for tough times rather than waiting for the shock to hit us." He was right.Also read | Manufactured monopoly: How industrial policy is structuring monopolies in IndiaThis is not a time to panic. But it is a time to act. The leaders who move now will have options. Those who wait will not.The Overriding Factor: The Psychology of the PlayersWhy is the currency declining despite strong domestic fiscal discipline? Because exchange rates are not driven by mathematical models alone. The currency decline is highly affectedโand acceleratedโby the psychology of all players engaged in this endeavor.Currency movements are deeply behavioral. When a currency visualizes a downward trend, psychology shifts from calculation to self-protection and speculation. Every player in the ecosystem operates under this psychological weight:Corporate CFOs and Treasurers: Instead of hedging normally, they rush to cover future dollar liabilities early, hoarding hard currency and inadvertently worsening the scarcity.Foreign Investors: They begin to judge their returns not by the quality of Indian business operations, but by the eroding value of the conversion rate.Importers and Exporters: Importers advance their payments to avoid paying more tomorrow; exporters delay converting their dollar earnings back into rupees, waiting for a "better" rate. This collective psychology creates a self-fulfilling prophecy.Investors, CFOs, and FDI decision makers extrapolate what is happening now into the future. When they see a currency that has lost approximately half its value since 2014 with no clear floor in sight, their psychological pivot alters market realities.Also read | India tightens checks on overseas flows as currency pressure mounts, sources sayThe cascading timeline of Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) equity behavior perfectly mirrors this psychological shift from rational evaluation to systemic risk aversion:2024 (The Calculation Phase): Rupee averages Rs. 83-84. FPI flows remain positive (+$12 billion) as investors trade on strong domestic corporate earnings.2025 (The Self-Protection Phase): Rupee slides past Rs. 89. Collective psychology shifts to risk mitigation. FPIs withdraw a record $18.4 billion from Indian equitiesโthe largest annual equity outflow on record.Early 2026 (The Capitulation Phase): Rupee breaks past Rs. 95. Sentiment turns into an outright exit strategy. In the first four months of 2026 alone, outflows have already reached $19.1 billion, completely bypassing the entire previous year's record loss in a fraction of the time.FDI agreements are being signed, but capital is delayed because players are psychologically hesitant to deploy funds into a depreciating asset.The Trap of Hard Currency Debt: A Broken Business Model There is a highly significant and dangerous phenomenon unfolding in India today that requires immediate exposure. For years, a specific class of Indian corporates adopted a regular strategy of borrowing heavily in hard currency (External Commercial Borrowings, or ECBs). Lured by low nominal global interest rates, several of these companies over borrowed, treating cheap dollar debt as a permanent structural advantage.Today, that strategy has become a trap. The compounding effect of a depreciating rupee, skyrocketing hedging costs, and brutal refinancing realities is fundamentally breaking their business models.Consider the mechanics of this crisis:The Hedging Penalty: Leaving dollar debt unhedged is now corporate roulette. However, buying hedges at current rupee levels has become structurally prohibitive. The cost of protection completely wipes out any interest rate advantage.The Refinancing Wall: Billions in foreign debt are coming due. These over-borrowed companies must now refinance their liabilities at a time when the rupee value has materially deteriorated. They are effectively forced to borrow far more rupees just to pay back the same amount of original dollars.The Crushing Cost of Rupee Capital: As these companies try to pivot back to domestic lenders, they face a severe escalation in their rupee cost of capital.The Growth Verdict: When your cost of capital spikes and your cash flows are consumed by servicing legacy dollar debt, future growth stops. Capital expenditure (CapEx) plans are being frozen. These companies can no longer invest in innovation, capacity, or market expansion. Their business model shifts overnight from aggressive value creation to basic survival. Boards must realize that this is not a temporary treasury headache; it is a structural threat to the companyโs future viability.India's forex reserves stand at approximately 10 to 11 months of import cover. Substantial, but being actively deployed to defend the currency. Some imports are non-negotiable: oil, critical inputs, components. These will now cost more. That cost passes through every supply chain.Six Actions for Business Leaders1. Protect your cash and liquidity first. This is the most immediate priority. Map your cash position today. Identify every source of liquidity across the next twelve months. Stress-test it at Rs. 100 and beyond. Which receivables are at risk? Which credit lines are rupee-denominated and which are not? Companies that run into a cash crisis during a currency depreciation cycle lose their options entirely. The CFO must own this analysis and present it to the board within days, not weeks.2. Act now on your foreign currency borrowings, hedging, and refinancing. Do not assume the rupee will recover to Rs. 80. Analyse your full foreign currency exposure across the next three years: every loan, every refinancing date, every hedging contract, every procurement price denominated in foreign currency. Hard currency loans now face refinancing at rupee values that have materially deteriorated. Model every scenario at Rs. 100 and beyond. Your CFO, treasury, and procurement team must be aligned on one instruction: do not run into a liquidity crisis. This analysis must happen now, not at the next quarterly review.3. Build a war room. Most companies have begun thinking about war rooms for supply chain disruptions. Expand the mandate. Currency exposure belongs in the same room. Which of your costs are dollar or euro denominated? Which of your revenues are rupee denominated? Where is the mismatch? What is your break-even exchange rate? If you do not have clear answers today, you are exposed. The war room is not a committee. It is a real-time decision environment with live data, a clear owner, and the authority to act.4. Use the currency depreciation advantage: double your export salesforce. A weaker rupee makes Indian exports more competitive. This window will not stay open indefinitely. Double the salesforce in your export markets now. Use this period to upgrade quality, improve service delivery, and build customer relationships that will last beyond the currency advantage. Indian exporters who invest in capability during this period will emerge stronger regardless of what the rupee does next. Those who simply ride the price advantage without building the underlying business will lose when conditions change.5. Watch your stock and your sector. Banks and financial institutions should already be on high alert. Companies with large foreign currency exposure will see pressure on their financials. Some stock prices are already reflecting this. Go through your sector company by company. Identify who is most exposed. If you are an investor or a lender, this analysis is not optional. The combination of currency depreciation, rising oil prices, and FPI outflows creates a compounding pressure that will surface in earnings before it surfaces in headlines.6. Cut costs aggressively. AI will help. There has never been more urgency to reduce costs than now. And there has never been a better tool to do it. AI can cut most operational costs by as much as 30% across functions: procurement, finance, customer service, logistics, and compliance. McKinsey data confirms companies adopting AI and automation reduce operational costs by 20 to 30 percent. This is not a future opportunity. It is a present imperative. Every rupee of cost removed through AI is a rupee that does not need to be recovered through revenue in a deteriorating currency environment. Start now with your highest-cost functions.The CFO as CaptainCurrency risk is a cash flow risk. Every function that touches foreign currencyโprocurement, treasury, sales, capex planningโ must now report into a single coordinating authority. That authority is the CFO. This is not about hierarchy. It is about clarity. In a currency crisis, fragmented decision-making is as dangerous as wrong decision making. One captain. One consolidated view. Weekly reviews minimum.The Bigger PictureThis currency depreciation is a structural signal, not a cyclical one. India's economy must move from a cheap labour advantage to genuine global value creation.The companies that will survive and thrive are those building products and services that command premium prices in global markets. The rupee's weakness is a reminder that competing on cost alone has limits.The recently concluded trade agreements are a genuine opportunity. Execute them with full force. Build the export pipelines. Add the sales capacity.The businesses that move now, with discipline and clarity, will manage market psychology, navigate the debt trap, and define the next chapter of Indian industry.The shock is coming. Prepare before it arrives.Ram Charan is the author of Chinaโs 90% model. It is restricting Indiaโs industrial progress. Former Director of Hindalco and Muyuan (China).
A cybersecurity disclosure has placed infrastructure linked to JEE Advanced 2026 under scrutiny after researcher Rylen Anil alleged that a cloud storage configuration exposed thousands of candidate-related records and admit-card PDFs. IIT Roorkee, the organising institute, acknowledged the configuration issue and said corrective action was being taken. The development comes amid recent cybersecurity concerns involving CBSE's On-Screen Marking system and NTA's re-examination portal, highlighting growing attention on data security across India's examination ecosystem.
Mumbai: With a market capitalisation of over $5 trillion, South Korea has become the sixth largest equity market in the world, replacing India which has a market cap of $4.8 trillion, according to the data from Bloomberg.Earlier, in the last week of May, Taiwan had jumped ahead of India after crossing $5 trillion in market cap.131473576The two Asian markets are in a bull phase, helped by record financial performance from semiconductor manufacturers amid booming demand from the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. South Korean equities have gained 88% in 2026 so far while Taiwan has expanded market cap by 58%. India's market cap, on the other hand, has fallen by over 8% since the beginning of the current calendar year, impacted by heavy selling from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) amid geopolitical uncertainties in West Asia. They have sold equities worth $24 billion (โน2.2 lakh crore) in the first five months of 2026 compared with $18.9 billion (โน1.7 lakh crore) in the whole of 2025.Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, South Korea's two largest companies by market cap, have led the current rally in local equity markets with a year-to-date gain of 182% and 231% on bourses. The Asian semiconductor companies are benefitting from the rising AI capital expenditure since memory chips are a part of the building blocks of the technology.
The S&P 500 and the Dow closed modestly higher โon Tuesday as risk appetite driven by AI fervor was counterbalanced by tensions arising from U.S.-Iran talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the months-long war.Gains in most of the 11 major S&P sectors kept the S&P 500 and the Dow in the green, with the small-cap Russell 2000 outperforming its larger-cap peers. The Nasdaq โended the session essentially unchanged.Small-cap โ stocks have โ been some of the biggest beneficiaries of the ongoing enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence stocks, which provided some upside muscle. The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index advanced on the day.The Software & Services Index, โbattered in recent months over worries of AI disruption, closed in negative territory.Strong results from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and a funding commitment from Alphabet reinforced confidence in the โAI buildout."The market is kind of muted at the surface level, but there is a lot going on under the hood, and that describes much of this year," said Mike Dickson, head of portfolio management at Horizon Investments in Charlotte, North Carolina. "There's some massive dispersion in the whole AI infrastructure โecosystem.""Markets could be in for one of these heated, melt-up rallies where the momentum keeps โ winning," Dickson โadded. "I would not be surprised at all to be sitting here at the end of the summer a good bit โhigher."Tehran is studying a โU.S. proposal to bring the war to a halt, but has not been in contact with Washington โ for days, according to Iranian media, which also said Iran is taking a "stern" approach, given โwhat it views as a history of U.S. noncompliance and mutual distrust. Simultaneously, Israel is continuing its โstrikes on Lebanon, despite Tehran's warnings that the attacks are threatening to derail the fragile truce.The war has sent crude prices soaring, reviving worries over inflation and giving rise to an increasing likelihood that the U.S. Federal Reserve could hike interest rates by year-end. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack said on Tuesday that such a hike could become necessary if already-elevated inflation pressures continue to mount. On the economic front, a report from the Labor Department showed an unexpected spike in job openings, driven by the volatile professional and business services sector. Otherwise, hiring, firing and quits all decreased, suggesting a slowdown โin labor market churn in the face of uncertainties related to strife in the Middle East and inflationary effects.Analysts look to the May employment report due on Friday, which is expected to show the U.S. economy added 85,000 jobs last โmonth, a monthly deceleration โof 26.1%. The unemployment rate is forecast โ to stand pat at 4.3%.According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 gained 10.07 points, or 0.13%, to end at 7,610.03 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 8.78 points, or 0.03%, to 27,095.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 237.13 points, or 0.46%, to 51,316.01.Hewlett Packard Enterprise jumped after โthe AI server maker pulled forward its long-term financial targets by two years. In further evidence of AI buildout, Alphabet said it was looking to raise $80 billion in equity offerings, including an investment from Berkshire Hathaway, to fund a costly expansion of its AI infrastructure. Its shares lost ground on the day. Marvell Technology's shares surged after Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang called the chipmaker the next "trillion-dollar company" at the Computex conference in Taipei. Nvidia invested $2 billion in Marvell in March.A drop in bitcoin hit cryptocurrency firms Coinbase and Strategy Inc.Broadcom is expected to report quarterly results on Wednesday.
New Delhi, Leading broadcaster Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) on Tuesday announced the launch of its sports broadcasting portfolio under the 'Unite8 Sports' brand after receiving the necessary approvals from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.The development comes a day after the company announced an eight-year partnership with the world soccer body, FIFA, to broadcast all matches, including World Cup 2026, in the Indian market.Four channels -- Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD -- have gone live across more than 500 cable and distribution platforms nationwide, said a company statement.These sports networks will offer coverage of a wide range of sporting events, including football, cricket, kabaddi, badminton, wrestling, boxing and combat sports.Commenting on the development, Bavesh Janavlekar, Chief Business Officer, Unite8 Sports, said: "Our focus is on ensuring seamless access for viewers, supported by strong partnerships across the distribution ecosystem. We are geared up to present the upcoming FIFA events across our channels, and we remain well-positioned to deliver a compelling viewing experience to fans across the Nation."
Congress alleged that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has been presiding over a โmonumentally corrupt, inept, and incompetent ecosystemโ that has played havoc with the lives of lakhs of youth
India's first AI-powered music company PaRa Music launched on Tuesday, offering a model designed to help original Indian music reach larger audiences across the country and worldwide, but does not create its own music.The music venture combines human-created music with proprietary AI-led market intelligence to guide catalogue development, distribution, and monetisation of music. It is backed by a funding from a consortium of angel and institutional investors led by Apollo Growth Capital and plans to build a catalogue of 40,000 songs over the next four years across film and non-film music, spanning Hindi and regional languages.Tapping one of the worldโs largest music markets, PaRa is aiming to bridge the gap between audience demand and effective discovery, particularly for regional and non-film music. With the industry projected to reach Rs 7,500 crore in 2028, estimates point to continued expansion in both streaming and recorded music revenues.Para Music has deployed a model "ParaMeter" as its in-house AI Chief of Music Intelligence who does not create music.This AI brain analyses audience signals across platforms and geographies to identify emerging demand, guide investment decisions, and support smarter catalogue and release strategies. The approach is intended to improve discovery and market fit while keeping music creation firmly in the hands of artists, composers, and songwriters.The venture is planning to build its business around the premise that original Indian music should have a stronger path to audience reach and long-term monetisation. It combines human creativity, institutional capital with data-led decision-making to support catalogue creation, targeted distribution, and diversified revenue opportunities for creators and rights holders.It further aims to partner with central and state governments to support music-led cultural, creative, and economic initiatives across India.PaRa Music is entering a broader market in which music rights and catalogues are increasingly viewed as long-term assets, with global investment activity expanding across recorded music and related rights. It adds volume to Indiaโs national music arena through a technology-led approach and a professional team aiming to build Indian music IP for the world, ensuring creators achieve stronger commercial outcomes and capture greater long-term value.โIndia has one of the worldโs richest and most diverse music ecosystems, yet much of its potential remains untapped. PaRa Music was founded to unlock this opportunity through technology, data, and strategic investment in Music IP," said founder Rashna Pochkhanawala.As the global recorded music market moves towards $200 billion by 2035, Pochkhanawala believes that India is poised to become a major growth engine.โWe rarely encounter opportunities where a large market, a proven business model, and exceptional leadership converge so clearly. Indiaโs music economy is entering a period of unprecedented growth, and we believe Music IP will be one of the defining asset classes of the next decade," said Johri, Company Spokesperson - Apollo Growth Capital.
China is pitching itself as the global fulcrum for the next phase of artificial intelligence and a legion of robotics companies is lining up initial public offerings to test investor appetite.Unitree Robotics, one of the most recognizable names in the industry after its robots practicing martial arts made headlines, on Monday received approval for a listing in Shanghai. Its IPO will serve as an early test for what could be a broader wave of offerings. Hong Kong alone has at least 46 robotics-related companies in the pipeline, more than 10% of applicants, according to a report. Companies that have filed IPO applications include Leju Robotics and Deep Robotics. โChinese humanoids are one step closer to IPOs, igniting market interest on humanoids in the second half of 2026,โ Sheng Zhong, head of China industrials research at Morgan Stanley, wrote in a note. โFunds from most of the Chinese humanoidsโ IPOs will go toward R&D, especially robot models.โ The deep pipeline of robotics IPOs mirrors the fast rise of Chinaโs AI ecosystem, where an array of listings whipped up an investor frenzy in the past six months. It also aligns with Beijingโs push to shift high-tech industries from innovation to large-scale deployment. China is rushing to set the pace of funding, industrialization and ultimately leadership in what Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang calls โphysical AI.โ Shares of OneRobotics (Shenzhen) Co. jumped as much as 18% in Hong Kong on Tuesday, while component maker Leader Harmonious Drive Systems Co. gained as much as 11% on the mainland. 131456136โThis is the decade of the robot โ and it belongs to China,โ Barclays analysts, including Zornitsa Todorova, wrote in a note last month. โThis leadership reflects a decade-long, state-guided push.โThe firm says Chinaโs robotics roll-out is already unmatched, accounting for 50% of global industrial robots and 85% of humanoids in 2025. Backed by coordinated industrial policy and tight supply-chain control, humanoids could reach about 3.8% of the nationโs labor capacity by 2035, it estimates. Unitree got a nice shoutout from Nvidiaโs Huang on Monday, when he showcased his companyโs endeavors in robotic AI. The two companies have partnered to build humanoid โreferenceโ machines, featuring five-fingered hands and built-in chips to replace cumbersome โFrankenrobotsโ in research labs.Some investors remain more cautious, though, when looking at the companiesโ fundamentals. Many robotics firms are expected to burn cash for years and concerns are mounting that valuations could run ahead of earnings.A gauge of humanoid robot stocks has fallen about 13% this year, after registering a 47% gain in 2025. ChinaAMC CSI Robot ETF, a major exchange-traded fund tracking robot-related stocks, has seen net fund outflows for most of this year. Valuations were also elevated, with the sector trading at about 40 times forward earnings, compared with about 14 times for the CSI 300 Index, according to Bloomberg-compiled data.โInvestors trading at such elevated valuations are typically not driven by long-term fundamentals, but rather by the pursuit of short-term price gains,โ said Shen Meng, a director at Beijing-based investment bank Chanson & Co. โIt indicates that sentiment is driven more by market dynamics than by conviction or long-term vision.โThe state-run China Securities Journal also struck a cautious tone in an editorial published Tuesday, warning that pre-IPO valuations may outpace fundamentals, with many firms still unprofitable, raising the risk of a sharp correction if growth or commercialization disappoints. Still, prospective issuers can look at the performance of China tech IPOs this year, with many listings thousands of times oversubscribed and producing big gains on their debuts. Two of those companies, AI model developers Knowledge Atlas Technology Joint Stock Co. and MiniMax Group Inc. last month gained inclusion in the Hang Seng Tech Index after massive rallies since their January listings. For investors, the robotics companies can also offer a way to benefit from the rapid expansion of a cutting edge industry, said Zhou Nan, founder and investment director of Shenzhen Long Hui Fund Management Co.โWith continued advances in AI, the robotics sector is poised for substantial long-term growth,โ Zhou said. โRobotics is expected to become a key driver of enterprise value, and progressively complement or replace human labor across a wide range of use cases.โ
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani with startup founders
India's UPI transactions reached record highs in May, with 23.2 billion transactions valued at Rs 29.90 lakh crore. This growth, driven by summer travel and seasonal spending, signifies a healthy upward trajectory for the digital payments ecosystem. Future expansion is anticipated through Credit-on-UPI and cross-border initiatives.
In Bengal, local political ecosystems are built around access to power & convenience. When the perception of power changes, behaviour changes much faster than electoral statistics
Created by Friends of Marine Life, the online register documents marine ecosystems and coastal biodiversity off the coast of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala
New Delhi: Restaurants, fashion and beauty retailers, and multi-brand outlets in malls are raking it in as heatwave conditions, school holidays, and lesser travel combine to drive customers indoors into air-conditioned retail outlets and eating joints."Our restaurants have waiting periods stretching to hours at key locations like Mall of India in Delhi NCR even on weekdays. We have over 15 outlets across key malls in India, and the mall business is higher than last year. Our sales would be up by around 15-20% for outlets in malls compared to last year," said Saurabh Khanijo, managing director of Kylin chain of restaurants.Also read: After Zudio boom, Trent still has a long runway for growth: Noel TataPushpa Bector, group executive director at DLF Retail, said revenues for DLF malls should be up by around 10-11% for April and May compared to last year. โPeople are not travelling as much this summer,โ said Bector. โBecause of adverse weather conditions, disposable incomes are going into malls, and per capita spending seems to have gone up. We should be doing considerably well all the way till August. Categories such as F&B, beauty and fashion are doing well,โ she added.The average time a family spends at the mall has increased since the start of summer vacations, said Ravinder Choudhary, vice president of Vegas & Unity Group that operates half a dozen malls in Delhi and Punjab.โWe have also created activity zones in the malls that we operate. That crowd then spends time shopping and eating out as well. Food and entertainment zones are doing extremely well while there is a stable growth in fashion brands,โ he added.Cafรฉ Delhi Heights, which operates around 44 outlets across malls in India, is seeing a 10% uptick in sales over last year.For standalone outlets in local markets and high street areas, restaurateurs are running offers like extended happy hours to lure more crowds.Also read: The 9 pm rule inside Indiaโs predictable summer shopping pattern"Extreme weather is increasingly becoming a factor in consumer decision-making. During periods of intense heat, air-conditioned malls gain a natural advantage as they offer a complete ecosystem of shopping, dining and entertainment in a comfortable environment,โ said Shriram PM Monga, co-founder, SRED, a retail advisory firm.Monga said that it was not merely a seasonal spike in footfalls but a shift in โdwell-time economics.โโBased on what we are observing across our portfolio, mall footfalls increase by 15โ25% during peak holiday and high-temperature periods, resulting in stronger sales for F&B and lifestyle brands,โ he said. โAs Indian cities continue to urbanise and temperatures grow more extreme, well-planned retail destinations are poised for sustained demand. The consumption story inside organised retail is only getting stronger."
R. Brawin Kumar, a wildlife biologist, told the rock rats are primary food sources for species such as the Bengal fox. โTheir protection and presence in these landscapes is crucial for the local rocky ecosystems they inhabit,โ he said.
CBSE has addressed security vulnerabilities found in its OnMark portal, thanking ethical hackers for their assistance. A cybersecurity team, including experts from government agencies and IITs, has been deployed to strengthen the system. The statement comes after 19-year-old ethical hacker Nisarga Adhikary alleged security flaws in CBSE's digital evaluation ecosystem
India's Social Stock Exchange (SSE) is set to receive a fresh boost after the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) permitted companies to route a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure through the platform. The change is expected to widen funding avenues for non-profit organisations and strengthen transparency and accountability in the social impact ecosystem.The MCA has amended Schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013, to recognise investments in certain Social Stock Exchange instruments as an eligible CSR activity. As per a Gazette Notification issued on May 27, 2026, "subscription to zero coupon zero principal instruments on Social Stock Exchange" has now been added to the list of approved CSR activities.The amendment allows companies to allocate up to 10% of their total annual CSR budget towards not-for-profit organisations (NPOs) registered on the Social Stock Exchange through Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments.The Social Stock Exchange serves as a dedicated platform that connects social enterprises and NPOs with donors, investors and other funding sources. Unlike conventional stock exchanges, where investments are made with the expectation of financial returns, the SSE is designed to facilitate measurable social impact.According to the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the latest policy change could help scale up social financing in India by providing corporates with a regulated and disclosure-based channel to support impact-focused organisations. The exchange said the framework is expected to enhance transparency, credibility and the overall reach of funding within the social sector.The idea of a Social Stock Exchange was first outlined by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the 2019 Budget, with the aim of bringing capital markets closer to the masses while advancing inclusive growth and financial inclusion.With the amendment now in place, companies can incorporate SSE-based contributions into their CSR programmes through a structured and regulated mechanism. NSE said the move is likely to improve funding access for verified NPOs, strengthen governance and disclosure standards, encourage outcome-oriented philanthropy and foster greater trust and accountability across the social impact landscape.Sriram Krishnan, Chief Business Development Officer at NSE, described the amendment as a significant development for India's social sector. He said the provision would enable corporates to channel CSR funds through a transparent, regulated and impact-driven platform, helping improve trust, accountability and access to capital for social enterprises.The MCA notification has come into effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
Microsoft is reportedly developing a 'super app' to consolidate its confusing array of Copilot AI tools. This unified platform aims to end customer frustration by offering a single destination for various AI assistants, including coding, chat, and collaboration features. The app, expected by summer's end, will allow seamless switching between personal and work accounts, simplifying Microsoft's AI ecosystem.
New Delhi: The Centre on Friday advised state-run banks to remain prepared and adaptable amid the West Asia crisis and evolving global situation. The guidance was issued during a meeting held by the Department of Financial Services under the finance ministry to review the performance of public sector banks (PSBs) in 2025-26.The ministry also launched the Common Landing Portal for Unclaimed Financial Assets to facilitate easier access to information relating to unclaimed financial assets."The discussions also underscored the need for public sector banks to adopt prudent expenditure and austerity measures at all levels while maintaining resilience amid evolving global uncertainties," the finance ministry said, adding that banks were also asked to provide proactive and need-based support to eligible borrowers under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0. The scheme is aimed at providing financial relief to businesses-particularly MSMEs, and airlines-to help them manage short-term liquidity mismatches caused by the West Asia crisis.PSBs were further told to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms with adequate oversight, improve operational efficiency and explore new business opportunities to sustain profitability and long-term growth, according to the statement."Deliberations also covered strengthening of digital banking ecosystems, enhancement of cyber security frameworks and initiatives for improving access to credit for MSMEs and other productive sectors of the economy," the ministry said. PSBs' aggregate net profit increased to the highest-ever level of about โน1.98 lakh crore, and aggregate business reached around โน283.3 lakh crore, as of March 31.In the statement, the ministry said that asset quality also remained robust, with gross non-performing assets reaching a historic low of 1.93% and net non-performing assets declining to 0.39%, reflecting continued strengthening of balance sheets and prudent risk management practices. "Progress under major financial inclusion initiatives, including Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, social security schemes, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, PM Vishwakarma and digital lending initiatives, was also reviewed," the ministry said.