Business & Economy

Italy has achieved a remarkable feat in the global apple market, surpassing both the United States and China to become the world’s largest apple exporter. The reopening of the Suez Canal has further boosted its trade, giving Italian apples an edge in international markets. According to the Italian Agricultural Research Institute (Ismea), Italy now accounts for 16% of the global apple export market, compared to the U.S. at 14% and China at 13%. Other notable exporters include New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, Poland, France, the Netherlands, and Turkey. In the 2025/26 marketing year, Italy exported over 1 million tons of apples, marking a 24% increase over last year. Germany remains the largest buyer, with Italy holding a 30% share of the market in terms of value. Exports to Germany r...

New Delhi: While the BSE Sensex has climbed roughly 9% since last Christmas, a select group of 12 stocks has delivered exceptional returns ranging from 100% to 518%, turning investors into substantial winners. These high-performing companies have a market capitalization of over ₹3,000 crore and witness a minimum daily trading volume of 5,000 shares. Top Performers Cupid: Leading the pack, its stock soared from ₹77 to ₹473, delivering a staggering 518% return in just one year. CIAN Agro Industries & Infrastructure: Gained 181%, rising from ₹519 to ₹1,458. Apollo Micro Systems: Provided 176% returns, climbing from ₹95 to ₹263. GRM Overseas: Up 161%, from ₹63 to ₹166. Lumax Auto Technologies: Surged 146%, from ₹631 to ₹1,551. Larsen & Toubro Finance: Rose 119%, f...

Adani Airports’ Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) officially began commercial operations on Thursday, marking a new chapter in India’s aviation sector. The airport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8, 2025, is set to ease congestion at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and meet the growing passenger demand in the region. The first arrival at NMIA was IndiGo flight 6E460 from Bengaluru, which landed at 8:00 AM and was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute. Shortly thereafter, at 8:40 AM, IndiGo flight 6E882 departed for Hyderabad, completing the airport’s inaugural departure. Airlines and RoutesInitially, domestic flights will be operated by IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air, and Star Air. On its first day, NMIA will b...

New Delhi: The domestic IPO market in India had a record-breaking year in 2025, with companies raising a historic ₹1.75 lakh crore through public offerings. This marks the highest-ever annual fundraising via IPOs. Notably, eight major companies alone raised nearly ₹78,300 crore, accounting for almost 44.5% of the total capital. A total of 103 companies launched IPOs on the mainboard this year, up from 91 in 2024 and 57 in 2023. For perspective, in 2015, only 21 companies went public, raising ₹13,614 crore. Major IPOs of 2025The largest IPO of the year was Tata Capital, raising ₹15,512 crore in October. Other major contributors included: HDB Financial Services: ₹12,500 crore in June LG Electronics India: ₹11,605 crore in October ICICI Prudential AMC: ₹10,602 crore in Decembe...

New Delhi: Many consumers in Delhi NCR and Mumbai prefer imported food and beverages from the US, UK, or other European countries, believing them to be of superior quality. However, recent police action has exposed a fraudulent racket selling expired foreign FMCG products, highlighting the risks of blindly trusting imported goods. How the Racket OperatedThe Delhi Police Crime Branch raided wholesale markets in Sadar Bazaar, Pahadi Dheeraj, and Faiz Ganj, uncovering a sophisticated operation. Fraudsters imported near-to-expiry or already expired food products from countries like the US, UK, and Dubai. Once in India, the original expiry dates were erased using thinners and replaced with new dates. Some packages even featured fake barcodes to mislead customers. Massive SeizureDuring the...

New Delhi: India’s rapidly transforming railway network is attracting the attention of both global and domestic food and beverage brands. With the introduction of trains like Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat and a major redevelopment of railway stations, brands such as McDonald’s, KFC, Haldiram’s, Wow! Momo, and Baskin Robbins are keen to set up outlets at these stations. According to officials and industry insiders, railway stations may even surpass airports in sales potential due to higher passenger footfall. Government sources indicate that the first premium outlets are expected to open by 2026, following revisions to the 2017 railway catering policy that now explicitly allows premium food brands. Franchise OpportunitiesSagar Daryani, President of the National Restaurant Association ...

New Delhi: The refurbished smartphone market in India is witnessing a strong resurgence, thanks to the festive season. After a slowdown earlier in 2025, when major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart scaled back sales of refurbished phones, companies such as Cashify and Control Z stepped in to sell directly to consumers (D2C), reviving growth and reshaping the sector’s outlook. Early-Year SetbackAccording to Economic Times, the first half of 2025 saw Amazon and Flipkart exit the refurbished smartphone segment due to high return rates and quality concerns. This impacted numerous smaller players who relied on these platforms for sales. D2C Model Sparks RevivalIn response, companies like Cashify and Control Z expanded their direct-to-consumer channels, including online stores ...

2025 has been a phenomenal year for precious metals, with gold and silver delivering exceptional returns. While gold surged over 70%, silver skyrocketed more than 150%, giving investors more than double the return compared to gold. This raises the key question for 2026: which metal will perform better? Record-Breaking Gains in 2025From the start of the year, both metals witnessed a sharp upward trajectory. According to reports, silver started at ₹89,700 per kg on December 31, 2024, and has risen 153% since then. Gold, meanwhile, gained over 73% in global markets. By comparison, the Nifty 50 index recorded a modest 10.18% growth, underscoring the strong appeal of gold and silver among investors. On Wednesday, silver prices in Delhi surged by ₹9,750, reaching a new record of ₹2,27,000 ...

As 2025 draws to a close, several critical financial deadlines are fast approaching, with belated and revised Income Tax Returns (ITR) topping the list. Taxpayers who fail to file their revised ITR by December 31, 2025, risk delays in tax refunds and may even incur interest or penalties, especially if the information in their ITR does not match government records. Why This Date MattersDecember 31, 2025, is the last day to file both belated and revised ITRs for the assessment year 2025-26 (FY2024-25). The Income Tax Department’s Central Processing Centre (CPC) examines returns and flags any discrepancies. If your ITR is checked after December 31 and errors are found, you may lose the opportunity to correct them. Chartered Accountant Suresh Surana warns that once this deadline passes, tax...

Success in business often requires more than just money—it demands a unique vision. Pooja Kaul, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, is a perfect example of this principle. She saw potential in donkey milk and launched a skincare startup that has now grown into a profitable venture, all starting with just ₹26,000—the money she had saved for a trip to Goa. Today, Pooja earns lakhs of rupees annually from her business. The BeginningIn 2016, Pooja was pursuing her postgraduate studies at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). While traveling in a government bus in Solapur, Maharashtra, she noticed a herd of donkeys carrying migrant workers who relied on the animals for work at brick kilns and construction sites. Despite their hard work, these families earned only ₹300–400 per day, barely enough...