Author: Aruna Kaim

India’s flagship real-time payment rail, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), has completed a decade of operations, recording an extraordinary transformation in the global fintech landscape. Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and launched in 2016, UPI has grown from a modest pilot project into the primary driver of India’s cashless digital economy. Decadal Growth & Scale Highlights 13,000-Fold Volume Surge: Annual transaction volumes have skyrocketed from under 100 million transactions in its initial rollout phase to handling over 130 billion annual transactions, marking a roughly 13,000-fold expansion. Massive Value Transfer: UPI now accounts for more than 80%…

At the ET World Leaders Forum session titled “The New India Blueprint: Cities, Consumers, and the Business of Aspiration,” industry leaders across luxury, hospitality, housing, and consumer goods explored the evolving dynamics of Indian consumer behavior. Moderated by ET’s Sonali Krishna, the panel highlighted that while the modern Indian buyer is increasingly seeking premium experiences and lifestyle upgrades, they remain fiercely value-conscious and intolerant of sub-par quality. Key Executive Perspectives & Insights Puneet Chhatwal (MD & CEO, IHCL): Value-Driven Premiumisation: Customers are willing to spend beyond the “you only live once” mindset, but they demand a strict price-value balance. Poor…

Godrej Industries Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Haryana to invest approximately ₹20,000 crore ($2.4 billion) in the state. Signed in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, the initiative is expected to generate around 40,000 direct and indirect jobs across multiple sectors. Key Investment Highlights Godrej Properties (GPL) Expansion: As the primary driver of this initiative, GPL plans to deploy ₹16,000 crore by FY28. This will bring its total cumulative investment in the state to ₹27,000 crore across 18 existing and upcoming projects in Gurugram, Sonipat, Faridabad, Panipat, and Kurukshetra, generating…

Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd (PGHHL) anticipates that operating environment challenges will continue into FY27, according to its latest annual report. Despite near-term headwinds, the maker of Whisper and Vicks expressed strong confidence in its long-term trajectory, anchored by its integrated growth strategy, digital channel expansion, and focus on product innovation. Key Financials & Operational Highlights FY26 Performance: PGHHL delivered revenue of ₹4,290 crore, while Profit After Tax (PAT) jumped 19% year-on-year to ₹857 crore. FMCG Sector Dynamics: The domestic FMCG market is shifting toward volume-led growth rather than price hikes. Non-food inflation remains below the RBI’s…

India’s capital goods and power equipment sector is projected to experience a subdued performance in the first half of FY27, before witnessing a meaningful rebound in the second half. According to a research report by 360 ONE Capital, the expected recovery will be primarily driven by a multi-year thermal power ordering cycle and robust public capital expenditure. Key Drivers & Growth Indicators Thermal Power Ordering Pipeline: Surging domestic electricity demand is increasing the need for baseload power generation. State utilities and power producers are issuing fresh tenders and finalizing medium- and long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), providing strong multi-year revenue…

China’s prolonged property sector downturn has reached a dramatic new milestone following a court sentencing of the founder of China Evergrande Group to life imprisonment, underscoring Beijing’s uncompromising stance on corporate misconduct and financial risk within real estate development. Key Developments Severe Legal Fallout: The sentencing marks a severe legal reckoning for the once-towering developer, whose collapse in late 2021 triggered an unprecedented debt crisis that rippled across China’s broader economy and global financial markets. Ongoing Real Estate Stagnation: Despite a series of government stimulus measures, property sales and housing starts across China remain depressed. Homebuyers and investors continue to…

Financial markets are increasingly pricing in a more hawkish stance from the European Central Bank (ECB) as a confluence of geopolitical friction, volatile energy costs, and depleted natural gas reserves threatens to keep Eurozone inflation persistently above target. Key Factors Driving Hawkish Expectations Resurgent Energy Pressures: Ongoing supply chain anxieties and Middle East geopolitical developments—including shipping friction in the Strait of Hormuz—have kept energy markets volatile, pushing regional gas and crude benchmark prices higher. Depleted Natural Gas Inventories: Eurozone energy stockpiles face renewed strain ahead of upcoming demand cycles, compounding worries that higher energy inputs will pass through into core…

European equities edged lower on Monday morning, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index dipping 0.1% to around 653.40 as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of detailed announcements regarding new U.S. sanctions on Iran. Key Market Drivers Impending U.S. Financial Sanctions: Financial markets are closely monitoring an upcoming briefing from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlining what Washington has framed as “the greatest financial offensive ever marshalled”. The measures target nations and entities maintaining trade partnerships with Iran, following escalating regional rhetoric over shipping access in the Strait of Hormuz. Sector Performance: Technology shares led the decline across European indices…

President Donald Trump executed over 1,000 securities transactions in June alone, according to a financial disclosure released by the US Office of Government Ethics. The combined estimated value of these trades ranged between $78.1 million and $263.1 million, based on the reporting ranges used in federal disclosures. The high-volume activity in June follows a broader trend: during 2025, Trump logged more than 21,000 trades valued between $600 million and $1.86 billion, with transactions frequently occurring in bursts surrounding major market events. Key Purchases: Notable buy orders included high-profile stocks such as Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Visa Inc., Mastercard Inc., and Cintas…

Share capital seems straightforward on paper: a company issues shares, investors pay for them, and that cash becomes part of the business’s permanent capital foundation. However, financial engineering can turn this basic mechanism into a visual illusion. How Round-Tripping Works Round-tripping occurs when a company manufactures the appearance of new, external capital without adding a single cent of real value: The Departure: Money leaves the company through a back door, often disguised as payments for bogus services, inflated equipment purchases, or loans to third-party entities. The Transit: The funds pass through a chain of intermediary shell companies or friendly partner…