Jyotindra Dubey

After SBI, private banks slash lending rates: Here is how it affects you

After State Bank of India, multiple private sector banks slashed interest rates on Monday as a surge in deposits following the ban on high-value bank notes sparked a race among the country’s lenders to woo consumers with cheaper home and vehicle loans.

4 sectors that will bring cheer to investors in 2017

The curtains have been rung down on an eventful year. Brexit, Donald Trump’s surprise victory in the US Presidential elections, rising crude oil prices and, wrapping up the year, the biggest of them all — demonetisation — were some of the major highlights of the year. And the reverberation of all these events will be felt in the unfolding year.

2016: How the year impacted India’s billionaires

Year 2016 has been very volatile for the Indian equity markets. Here’s a list of top five Indian billionaires who lost the maximum networth that went by.

Markets more efficient as WPI, CPI converge

The inflation indices, Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI), which had been diverging since 2008, now appear to be converging. The reducing gap between CPI and WPI is a sign of an efficient market.

Social media turns good medicine for doctors, hospitals

Social media – WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Viber – is slowly evolving into more than a platform for sharing pictures, videos and chats. From searching doctors to posting feedback about hospitals and treatments, they are helping doctors reach out to patients, guide them for treatments, provide post-surgery counselling and create close-knit support communities.

A cashless economy is still a long way to go since cash remains the king

Two-thirds of Indian population live in rural areas. The number of bank branches and ATMs are far and few and very few people actually have bank accounts. Besides, most shops in these areas do not have the infrastructure to accept digital payments or plastic money.

Demonetisation and after: Ratings agencies slash India growth forecast for 2016-17

Rating agencies and broking houses have cut their estimates of India’s GDP growth for 2016-17 in anticipation of temporary disruption in economic activity because of the cash crunch after demonetisation.

Demonetisation to cost Rs 1.28 lakh cr, cost to companies Rs 61500 cr

According to estimates by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the cost of demonetisation during the 50-day window till December 30, 2016 (the deadline for converting all your old banknotes into new ones) would be R1.28 lakh crore. Businesses are expected to pay the biggest price of the demonetisation exercise, and the immediate impact could be around R61,500 crore, almost 50% of the total cost of demonetisation, according to CMIE.

Companies take the discount route to lure consumers

Companies, including Flipkart, Amazon, Grofers and Pepperfry, are offering attractive discounts to win over consumers.

Modi’s demonetisation to hit real estate, jewellery sectors hardest

The resale market in the real estate sector may be hit the most since many deals are made in cash. However, the demand in primary real estate may not drop since most buyers have got bank loans.

Independent directors hard to come by on boards of central PSEs

Sebi regulations and the Companies Act, 2013 have laid down specific rules on corporate governance. But surprisingly, companies where the government still holds majority stake, do not comply with this.

Currency demonetisation: Brokers make the most of long queues at banks

Small shop-owners, acting as brokers, are making good use of this opportunity to earn quick money.

Banks won’t get nearly 30% of black money: SBI

Even though the Narendra Modi government has demonetised the currency notes of ₹500 and ₹1,000, about 25-30% of the black money may not be injected into the formal banking system.

Win set to boost Turmp’s investments in India

With Donald Trump winning the US presidential election, Trump Organisation’s India investments are likely to become more valuable. Trump Organisation has interests in real estate development, property management and brokerage, among others. It is currently linked with five projects in India.

Trump’s poll win may boost his company’s value

With Donald Trump winning the US election, Trump Organisation of which he is the president is likely to become more valuable.

Ratan Tata Vs Cyrus Mistry: What the balance sheets say

Cyrus Mistry served the post for almost four years. The market capitalisation of salt-to-software conglomerate doubled from Rs 4.6 lakh crore in December 2012 since Mistry took over. Also, the aggregate revenues grew up 42%.

All you wanted to know about Cyrus Mistry and his Shapoorji Pallonji Group

The shock removal of Cyrus Mistry as the chairman of Tata Sons has put the spotlight on the Shapoorji Pallonji Group (SPG), the single largest stake holder in the company outside the Tatas.

Long-serving independent directors may just be biased

Similarly, BS Mehta, is on the boards of P&G hygiene and healthcare and HDFC for 36 and 28 years in an independent role. Darius Erach Udwadia has been on the board of Astrazeneca Pharma for the last 37 years.

Too much of Ramdev on TV? Patanjali in an ad drive

Do you get the feeling that you are seeing more and more of yoga guru Baba Ramdev these days while surfing TV channels and even social media? Little wonder -- Ramdev’s brand Patanjali has increased its on-air advertisement manifold and become the third biggest advertiser in India behind Hindustan Unilever and Dettol-maker Reckitt Benckiser.

Four out of 10 BSE-listed firms are shying away from CSR spending

Four out of ten companies listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange failed to spend the prescribed amount for corporate social responsibility (CSR) in 2015-16 with the total unspent amount totalling to ₹1,200 crore.

Company heads take home a bounty, but not the average employee

Indian company heads take home a bounty but not the average employee

An HT analysis shows that around 25 highest-paid executives of BSE-listed companies in 2015-16, on an average, earned 899 times more than the median pay of employees of their respective companies.

No more in the family: Companies turn to professionals in search for women directors

Companies turn to professionals in search for women directors

More and more companies are appointing professionals as women directors on board, instead of inducting family members, including wives and daughters, as directors to meet a regulatory deadline that require listed firms to appoint at least one woman director on their boards.

Professional CEOs got better raises than promoters last year

Companies have evidently learned the art of rewarding hardworking ‘C’ suite executives: they received better increments last fiscal than even promoters.

Value of mobiles made in India increases 186%

According to the data by Indian Cellular Association (ICA), the overall value of handsets manufactured in India increased by 186% in FY16 to Rs 540 billion. ICA has projected mobile phone production to grow by 74% and reach Rs 940 billion in FY17.

India Jumps 19 places to 35 in World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index

India’s performance in logistics has vastly improved in 2016, as indicated by the World Bank’s latest Logistics Performance Index (LPI) report titled “Connecting to Complete 2016”. India jumped 19 places, moving up the ranks from 54 in 2014, to 35 this year. The LPI report is published by World Bank every two years.

Major growth surge in fund flows from UAE

FDI inflow from UAE to India more than doubled to $ 1 bn

Mauritius is the biggest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India. It accounted for 34 per cent of FDI inflows in 2015-16.

Video streaming and social media experience decide customer loyalty: Ericsson Survey

The report revealed that mobile broadband experience is twice as important to user loyalty than a voice experience.