Business & Economy

As North India battles the winter chill, India’s soft drink and beer industry is already preparing for the upcoming summer and the Holi festival in March. With demand for aerated drinks and alcoholic beverages set to rise, manufacturers are rushing to secure aluminium cans, which have become scarce domestically. Second Consecutive Year of Can ShortageIndia’s domestic production capacity for beverage cans is limited, making imports a necessity. Last year, restrictions on can imports created a shortage, affecting the packaging of soft drinks and beer. With Holi just one and a half to two months away, beverage companies have doubled their imports from Sri Lanka and the UAE to ensure adequate supply. Why the Shortage?Vinod Giri, Director General of the Brewers Association of India (BAI),...

With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman set to present the Union Budget on February 1, state governments have raised significant demands from the Centre, citing declining revenues despite robust GDP growth. Rising GDP, Falling State RevenuesIndia’s economy is projected to grow at 7.4% in the current fiscal year, following two consecutive quarters of impressive GDP growth. However, state governments claim that their revenues are not keeping pace with the country’s overall economic expansion. States receive 41% of the Centre’s tax revenue, but they do not get a share of cesses and surcharges. In a pre-budget meeting with the Finance Minister, several states—including those ruled by opposition parties—urged special assistance to address the gap in their revenues. Impact of GST Rate ...

M. Raja Shekar from Hyderabad, along with his friend K. Vamsi Prasad, co-founded the startup College Mentor—a platform designed to provide students with the right guidance at every stage of their education. Within a short span, the startup has achieved an annual revenue of ₹5 crore and employs over 250 people. Overcoming Challenges to Guide StudentsChoosing the right career has become one of the biggest challenges for today’s youth. In India, nearly 90% of students make career choices without proper guidance. To address this gap, M. Raja Shekar and K. Vamsi Prasad launched College Mentor in October 2024. Unlike conventional education portals that merely list colleges, College Mentor offers a comprehensive mentorship ecosystem for students from 8th grade through graduation. Raja Sheka...

New Delhi: Indian Railways is all set to introduce the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, promising passengers a unique travel experience. The key highlight of this train is that there will be no Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) facility—passengers will either get a confirmed ticket or none at all. The train will be slightly more expensive than existing premium services like the Rajdhani Express. The inaugural service will run on the Guwahati–Howrah route and is scheduled to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week. The Vande Bharat Sleeper Express is expected to reduce travel time by up to three hours compared to conventional express trains. Fare Structure According to a circular issued by the Railway Board on 9 January, the minimum chargeable distance will be 40...

New Delhi: U.S. President Donald Trump recently unveiled an ambitious plan to ramp up oil production in Venezuela, proposing a massive $100 billion investment from major American and European oil companies. However, the response from industry leaders was lukewarm, raising questions about the feasibility of Trump’s strategy. Industry Skepticism During a meeting on Friday, executives from leading oil companies expressed serious reservations about Venezuela’s long-term stability. ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods reportedly told officials that doing business in Venezuela is extremely challenging. Following the potential departure of President Nicolas Maduro, the country faces significant political and operational uncertainty, which could persist for years. Woods highlighted that Venezuela hol...

New Delhi: In 2025, Mumbai firmly established itself as India’s largest residential real estate market, according to the latest report by Knight Frank India. The city also recorded the second-highest office leasing activity in the past decade, highlighting its continued dominance in both residential and commercial real estate. Office Leasing Performance The report, India Real Estate: Office and Residential Market, July–December 2025 (H2 2025), reveals that 9.8 million sq. ft. of office space was leased in Mumbai during 2025. While this marks a 5% decline compared to 2024, it still represents the second-strongest annual leasing performance in the last ten years. In the second half of 2025 alone, 4.3 million sq. ft. of office space was leased. Residential Market Trends In the res...

In recent years, central banks—including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)—have been actively increasing gold reserves while simultaneously reducing their holdings in US Treasury bonds. Policy changes under US President Donald Trump have also prompted several countries to rethink their foreign reserve strategies. RBI Cuts US Treasury Exposure New Delhi: The RBI’s investment in US Treasury bonds has fallen below $200 billion. According to a report by Economic Times, India is not alone—several other nations have also reduced their US Treasury holdings. As of October 2025, the RBI held $190 billion in US Treasuries, $50.7 billion less than the same period last year. Meanwhile, the RBI increased its gold reserves, signaling a strategic shift in managing foreign exchange reserves. As per...

The Indian Railways, the nation’s lifeline, is undergoing a major transformation, with new Vande Bharat trains, upcoming sleeper Vande Bharat services, and modernized railway stations. In a historic step, the Railway Ministry has announced a significant change in staff uniforms, signaling the end of colonial-era attire. Colonial Black Coats to Be Retired Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Friday that the black closed-collar coats, introduced during British rule, will no longer be part of the formal dress for railway employees. “We need to remove every symbol of colonial legacy,” he said. “It is not just about uniforms; we must rid ourselves of the colonial mindset in our thinking and working methods.” According to a Times of India report, Vaishnaw added, “Today, I make...

The initial public offering (IPO) of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, received an overwhelming response from investors on the very first day. The IPO was oversubscribed more than eight times, highlighting strong interest from both retail and non-institutional investors. Record Demand on Day One Mumbai: When BCCL’s IPO opened at 10 AM on Friday, all shares were fully subscribed within just half an hour. By the end of the first day at 5 PM, the IPO had received an 8.08 times subscription, reflecting extraordinary investor enthusiasm. Retail and Big Investors Join the Race BCCL had put 34.69 crore shares on sale. However, bids were placed for nearly 280 crore shares, indicating massive demand. Both retail investors (RIIs) and non-institutional...

December brought a mixed picture for India’s mutual fund industry. While equity mutual fund investments fell, Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) inflows reached an all-time high, reflecting continued investor confidence. Equity Mutual Fund Investments Drop New Delhi: Volatility in the stock market led to a 6% decline in equity mutual fund inflows in December, which totaled ₹28,054 crore. Despite this, retail investors set a new record through SIPs, contributing ₹31,000 crore, up from ₹29,445 crore in November. According to AMFI data, the industry’s total assets under management (AUM) fell from ₹80.80 lakh crore in November to ₹80.23 lakh crore in December, primarily due to large-scale withdrawals from debt schemes. SIP Investments Continue to Shine Anand Rathi Wealth’s Joint CEO,...