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Economists at the country's largest lender, SBI, today said they see India's Q2 real GDP growth slowing down further to 6.5% in the September quarter of this fiscal year. Amid concerns over the country's economic growth rate and whether it is slowing down, the analysts said they expect FY25 growth to come "closer to" 7%. SBI analysts join a long line of agencies like Fitch, ADB, IMF, Moody, World Bank, S&amp;P, and even RBI in forecasting India's GDP growth for FY25 in the range of 6.8% to 7.2% for FY25, driven by robust consumption and investment. SIP inflows have been at an all-time high, and so has QIP (qualified institutional placement) fundraising. As many as 71 companies raised Rs 88,678 crore this year through QIPs. Activity in Indian primary markets also remained robust, with 78 mainboard IPOs in 2024; this is a 111% rise from just 38 listings in FY23. Between April and June 2024, India's real GDP grew by 6.7%, the lowest growth seen in 15 quarters, pushing experts to believe that India is caught in a cycle of slowdown. "There is some incipient pressure evident on the domestic economy. Based on our analysis of 50 meaningful leading indicators (both consumption and demand-centric), a dip looks plausible across select cohorts of agriculture, industry, and services in Q2," the <keyword id="22337294" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI-economists" source="keywords">SBI economists</keyword> added. Stating that they track 50 indicators to gauge economic activity, SBIs note said the proportion of indicators showing acceleration declined to 69% in Q2 FY25, as against 80% in Q2 FY24 and 78% in Q1 FY25. However, things might be changing now, given that rural demand has started looking up amidst muted urban demand. SBI also explained that the ongoing regulatory tightening on unsecured lending and roadblocks that are hindering rollover/refinancing of debt through unsecured credit are dismantling the unwarranted exuberance that had built up post-pandemic, especially in the urban areas. Madhu Lunawat, CIO &amp; Fund Manager, Bharat Value Fund states that the overall investment environment remains strong due to favorable economic conditions supporting government policies &amp; reforms. "The sustainable inflow from domestic investors is going to support the Indian equity market in any kind of correction. The long-term bullish structure of Indian economy will continue to attract new domestic &amp; global investors to participate in India’s growth story through various Investment avenues.” <h2>Rate cuts not on cards</h2>RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das clarified today that changing the monetary policy stance to 'neutral' does not mean a rate cut is imminent in the central bank's next policy announcement. Notably, RBI MPC is set to meet between December 4 and 6, 2024, to decide if the prevailing repo rate of 6.5%, which has stayed unchanged for the last 2 years, should be brought down or not. In its last meeting, The <keyword id="20501100" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI-monetary-policy" source="keywords">RBI monetary policy</keyword> committee had shifted its stance to 'neutral' indicating that it is open to adjusting interest rates based on economic conditions. "It should not be assumed that we have done this, so therefore the next step is a rate cut. A change in stance doesn't mean that the next step is a rate cut in the very next meeting. It's not so," Das said. Das also cautioned that inflation remains a key factor, and inflation and CPI prints for October are expected to stay high.

SBI economists see Q2 GDP growth slowing down to 6.5%; FY25 growth to be closer to 7%

Just as India gears up to celebrate Dhanteras tomorrow, in some good news for Indians, <keyword id="19910265" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="keywords">gold prices</keyword> today witnessed a dip of about Rs 10, with 24-carat gold currently valued at Rs 8,045.3/gram and 22-carat gold at Rs 7,376.3/gram. As per the <keyword id="23632186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="All-India-Sarafa-Association" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="All India Sarafa Association" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="All India Sarafa Association">All India Sarafa Association</keyword>, gold prices fell by Rs 400 to Rs 81,100/10 grams in Delhi today. However, silver remained flat at Rs 99,500 per kg. Meanwhile, gold of 99.55 purity declined Rs 400 to Rs 80,700 per 10 grams on Monday. The value of gold as a symbol of wealth and prosperity in our culture is no secret, which is why Indians look forward to buying it on auspicious, festive occasions like Dhanteras. Moreover, with the wedding season setting in, the demand for gold is only set to increase in the months to come. At 24%, the yellow metal's annual return in 2024 has been nothing less than glittering. Compare this with the 14.88% returns gold delivered in 2023. The last time gold returns skyrocketed was at the peak of the pandemic, i.e., in 2019-2020, when gold's annual yields were at 24.45% and 28.24%, respectively. In 2024, gold's demand as a safe investment avenue has only skyrocketed. <keyword id="19955176" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="geopolitical-tensions" source="keywords">Geopolitical tensions</keyword> and inflationary pressures have pushed not just individual investors but even central banks to make a beeline for the yellow metal. During the second half of this year, India's RBI and Poland's National Bank were among the largest buyers of gold. Per a report by <keyword id="20046776" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Religare-Broking" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Religare Broking" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Religare Broking">Religare Broking</keyword>, global official reserves of gold burgeoned by 290 metric tons during the first quarter of 2024. The momentum continued well into the second quarter as well, with global central bank gold purchases jumping by 6% to 183 tons during this period. "We continue to believe that gold has further upside potential wherein any dips could present buying opportunities. According to our recent quarterly report, a correction of 5-7% is plausible and could serve as an accumulation zone," note experts at Motilal Oswal Financial Services. <h2>Returns-wise, how has gold performed?</h2> Data from CapitalMind PMS suggests that between 2000 and 2024, gold has outperformed Nifty and silver in about 7 years. Nifty has been a clear winner overall, outpacing gold and silver in 12 out of 25 years in review. Silver only managed to inch past gold and Nifty in just 6 years. Per data, gold returns peaked at 29.9% in 2011, largely on the back of global financial uncertainty. Years where gold has delivered 20%+ returns <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; box-shadow: none; width: 468pt; font-family: Merriweather; table-layout: fixed; padding-bottom: 10px !important; background-image: inherit !important; background-position: inherit !important; background-size: inherit !important; background-repeat: inherit !important; background-attachment: inherit !important; background-origin: inherit !important; background-clip: inherit !important;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Gold Returns (in %) </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Nifty Returns (in%) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">2002 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">24.1 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">5.3 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">2008 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">24.5 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">-51.3 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">2009 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">24.9 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">77.5 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">2010 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">21.7 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">19.2 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">2011 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">29.9 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">-23.8 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">2019 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">22.9 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">13.5 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">2020 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">27 </td><td style="border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 5pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top; overflow: hidden; overflow-wrap: break-word;">16.1 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Source: CapitalMind PMS Not just in India, gold has delivered returns exceeding domestic equity markets in most emerging countries like Turkey and Argentina. Per the DSP Netra October report, over the last 26 years, equity markets in Turkey have delivered 21.2% returns, as opposed to gold, which has generated 29.3% returns during the same period. Similarly, in Argentina, equity markets have delivered 38.4% returns, while gold saw 44.3% returns in the same time frame. <h2>Stay put for Silver</h2> However, if experts at Motilal Oswal Financial Services are to be believed, the performance of silver could either match or outperform gold in the medium to long term, as <keyword id="20762025" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="silver-prices" source="keywords">silver prices</keyword> are expected to reach Rs 1,25,000 per kilogram on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) and USD 40 per ounce on the COMEX within the next 12 to 15 months. In fact, even the YTD (yield to date) for silver is higher at 31.1% as compared to gold, which stands at 22.6%. However, do not go overboard with silver allocation in your portfolio.

Ahead of Dhanteras 2024, how has gold glittered so far this year?

India's services sector showed robust expansion in October, per the <keyword id="22267674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HSBC-India-Services-PMI" source="keywords">HSBC India Services PMI</keyword> (Purchasing Managers' Index), which rose to 58.5 last month, up from September's ten-month low of 57.7. October's figures managed to exceed even the long-run PMI average of 54.1, largely on the back of a strong sales pipeline and elevated demand. Employment, or job creation in this sector accelerated to its fastest growth rate in 26 months. Anticipating solid, sustained demand in the near term, firms added new employees at the most rapid pace in over 2 years. October also saw <keyword id="23834175" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="input-costs-rise" source="keywords">input costs rise</keyword> at their fastest pace in 3 months, indicating renewed demand and economic activity in the country. The ISM Services PMI, an indicator of the economic health of the US, also exceeded expectations, reaching 56.0 compared to the forecasted 53.8, suggesting strong growth within the services sector. "During October, the Indian services sector experienced strong expansions in output and consumer demand, as well as job creation, which achieved a 26-month high," said Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC. The sector saw increased business activity across multiple fronts, with export sales showing significant growth and companies reporting stronger demand from international markets including Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, and the UK. However, industry experts remain cautiously optimistic about the sector's prospects. Suman Chowdhury, Chief Economist at Acuité Ratings &amp; Research, noted that while the October recovery is promising, several factors warrant careful monitoring. “The recovery in the PMI indices in October 2024 is promising for the second half of the fiscal after the dip in several high-frequency indicators in September 2024. Industrial and service activity has expectedly received a boost from the anticipated spike in consumption demand in Q3 FY25, driven by the festivities and the marriage season," she said. Chowdhury added that it will be crucial to monitor the sustainability of these PMI indices at these elevated levels, given the reported weakness in urban demand in Q2 as flagged by FMCG companies. She also noted that potential increases in wholesale and core retail inflation, combined with higher input costs and wage pressures, could delay expected interest rate cuts. RBI governor Shaktikanta Das also noted that inflation and CPI figures for October might be elevated, pushing ahead any chances of interest rate cuts in the near future. Acuité Ratings &amp; Research maintains its GDP growth forecast at 7.0% for FY25 while acknowledging the multiple downside risks that will require close observation in the coming months.

India's Services Index jumps to 58.5 in October as employment grows the fastest in 26 months

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Travelers appear to be abandoning Airbnb due to high costs, excessive fees, and poor host service.</li><li>Airbnb was once a disruptor offering affordable stays but some say it has lost its charm.</li></ul>As the founder of a travel site, Michael Rozenblit and his partner Maggie have stayed in hundreds of Airbnbs over the past decade."We love the convenience of having our own space," Rozenblit told Business Insider. "Particularly when it comes to cooking our own meals and having a bit more comfort than is found in a typical hotel room."But after recent trips, Rozenblit said they have both "fallen out of love" with the platform. They claim places to stay on Airbnb are more expensive now than hotels, and hosts are not even providing toilet paper, trash bags, and coffee anymore.Rozenblit said cleaning fees are also extortionate, despite hosts demanding that guests do the chores. One host <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/high-airbnb-cleaning-fee-less-bookings-not-dipping-into-profit-2023-5">previously told BI</a> he charges $400."There are almost always over-the-top cleaning requirements for check-out, often including the requirement to take out the trash and strip the beds at the minimum," Rozenblit said.Travelers have become wise to this apparent shift. Airbnb was once hailed as a major disruptor of the vacation industry, allowing people to stay in cities all over the world in comfort and at a price tag much lower than costly hotels.But the pendulum has swayed the other way, with some holiday-makers now tired of the endless fees, and difficult hosts who can make their stays miserable, say experts.Locals in tourist hot spots, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/barcelona-airbnb-ban-florence-amsterdam-lisbon-are-regulations-working-2024-8">Barcelona</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/greece-middle-of-an-anti-cruise-rebellion-overtourism-economy-travel-2024-8">Athens,</a> have also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-protesters-rallying-against-overtourism-in-barcelona-2024-7">protested</a> overtourism this year, taking aim at the platform's hosts buying up properties and pricing them out.Airbnb warned investors of dwindling customer demand in an earnings call earlier this month, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-vs-hotel-some-travelers-choose-hotels-for-price-quality-2024-8">BI reported</a>, and lowered its projected earnings for Q3 from $3.8 billion to between $3.67 billion and $3.73 billion.The company's revenue is also down 15% compared to this quarter last year, from a net income of $650 million to $555 million.Airbnb's stock has since tanked, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/airbnb-stock-price-consumer-demand-slowing-inflation-travel-pandemic-spending-2024-8?_gl=1*oitje4*_ga*MTIzMzIzMzcyNi4xNzEzNzg0Nzk5*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTcyNDE0MjQ1NC4zMDYuMS4xNzI0MTQ0MjA4LjUxLjAuMA..">falling 14% in one day earlier this month</a>.Meanwhile, hotels have bounced back, with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-vs-hotel-some-travelers-choose-hotels-for-price-quality-2024-8">former Airbnb fanatics returning</a> and some seeing pre-pandemic levels of occupancy, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.statista.com/topics/1102/hotels/">according to Statistica</a>. The industry is expected to see an annual growth rate of 3.72% until 2029, when it is anticipated to be worth $511 billion, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/mmo/travel-tourism/hotels/worldwide">according to Statistica data</a>.Experts say hosts have a lot to answer for in Airbnb's downfall.<h2 id="ff01f1b4-94e7-4e95-a951-a5d181b7fff1">All about profit</h2>Grace Moser, the owner of the women's lifestyle blog Chasing Foxes, has been a full-time traveler since 2016 and believes hosts have played "a huge role in Airbnb's crash.""Airbnb essentially allows anyone to sign up to be a host, which will always prove to be problematic," she told BI. "Because when you have people flooding in year after year who are seeing it as a way for them to make quick cash, you're going to be met with bad customer service."Moser believes that the majority of hosts now aren't prioritizing the guest — "it's just another income stream where they do the bare minimum and know nothing about customer relations.""There's no training, only feedback to the host after the fact," she said. "If that customer either leaves a positive or ambiguous review, or none at all, they probably won't improve for the next person."Jessica Dante, a travel expert and the founder of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://loveandlondon.com/">Love + London</a>, told BI it was the personal connection that guests and hosts would make that made Airbnb such a success in the early days when it launched in 2008."Most listings were with hosts that would be staying in the property with the guest or who were leaving for a few days and renting their place for a bit of extra income," Dante said. "Hosts would leave binders filled with local recommendations, be there to help with anything that guests needed, and you'd hear stories of guests and hosts that became great friends after a stay."These days, she said, the majority of hosts are staff or property owners who are "solely focused on maximizing revenue.""They charge cleaning fees while asking for chores to be completed, they aren't readily available where there's a problem, and they see guests as just a number," Dante said. "The personal connection has been lost."<h2 id="97a9c439-17f7-4c39-8210-6b8f47567e64">Nightmare hosts</h2>Stories about bad Airbnbs frequently hit the headlines, in part because wronged guests can go viral on TikTok with their experiences.In January, one traveler said the trailer she rented <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-woman-shares-freezing-cold-nightmare-rental-2024-1">was so cold she could see her breath</a>. Another described his "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-shows-san-diego-airbnb-broken-toilet-bed-in-garage-2023-10">Airbnb from hell</a>" as "the most pathetic excuse for a house" he's ever stayed in, with the toilet not attached to the wall and a bed in the garage.Last year, a woman booked a New Orleans Airbnb for Taylor Swift's Eras tour this fall, but <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-host-triples-price-for-taylor-swift-concert-2023-11">the host later tried to triple the price</a> when they realized they could charge a premium.Other horror stories include a guest saying their <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-guest-belongings-dumped-street-passport-checkout-date-compensation-2023-11">host dumped all their belongings</a>, including their passport, into the street after mixing up the checkout date and a woman saying her host didn't refund her booking when she had to cancel it <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airbnb-did-not-cancel-booking-when-guest-mom-was-dying-2023-11">after learning her mom was dying</a>.Duncan Greenfield-Turk, the chief travel designer at Global Travel Moments, told BI that hosts "without a doubt" have played a big part in Airbnb's unpopularity.Inconsistent quality and service have led to growing dissatisfaction and a lack of trust in the platform, he said."Unlike hotels, which generally adhere to industry standards, Airbnb experiences can vary widely from one property to the next," Greenfield-Turk said. "While some hosts provide excellent service, others have been accused of being greedy or neglectful, focusing on maximizing profits at the expense of guest satisfaction."Stories of unreasonable rules, hosts cutting corners, and being unresponsive when issues arise are only becoming more common, Greenfield-Turk said."These negative experiences contribute to a tarnished reputation for the platform as a whole, making the reliability of traditional hotels more appealing," he said.<h2 id="62730fa3-d9b8-46eb-bdab-f59f986a3e26">Hotels are bouncing back</h2>When Airbnb was new, it offered authentic, community-driven travel experiences, Greenfield-Turk said. But now, it's full of full-time, profit-driven businesses, meaning the original charm is gone.Airbnb's loss is the hotel industry's gain. The industry is making the most of the backlash by offering more personalized services and often matching or undercutting Airbnb prices.Rozenblit said travelers are more aware of the problems that can come with Airbnbs and see the benefits of hotels, where they have "little of these requirements placed upon them."For Airbnb to regain its footing, Greenfield-Turk said it will have to implement stricter guidelines for hosts, enforce transparency with its pricing, and reconnect with the community-driven values that set it apart in the first place."This shift toward commercialization has alienated a segment of travelers who were drawn to the platform for its promise of unique, personal experiences," Greenfield-Turk said."Instead, they are now often met with impersonal, hotel-like stays — without the consistency and reliability that hotels offer."BI has reached out to Airbnb for comment.

Hosts have ruined Airbnb with excessive fees, high demands, and bad customer service, travel experts say 

Dear readers, As another week ends and festive season lights up India, the world of business, tech, and sustainability brings you some new stories to explore. <keyword id="19896956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swiggy" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Swiggy" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Swiggy">Swiggy</keyword> is preparing for a grand IPO launch, expected to open on November 6, which could set the tone for India’s tech sector. Meanwhile, a Blinkit customer was in for a shock when he ordered a gold coin online. There was also a stark forecast that India could lose 25% of its economy by 2070 if immediate action isn’t taken. In addition to this, <keyword id="19974102" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Web-Services" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon Web Services" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Amazon Web Services">Amazon Web Services</keyword> CEO was in the limelight for his comments on <keyword id="20294959" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-from-office" source="keywords">work from office</keyword> mandate. <h2>Top stories of the week </h2> Swiggy sets IPO price band between ₹371-₹390; offer likely to open on November 6 Swiggy has announced its initial public offering (IPO) price band, which will range between ₹371 and ₹390 per share. The much-anticipated IPO includes both fresh issues and an offer for sale, and it is expected to open on November 6. Swiggy’s move to go public this year highlights its growth trajectory as one of India’s top tech IPOs, with proceeds likely aimed at expanding its footprint and product offerings. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/swiggy-sets-ipo-price-band-between-rs-371-390/share-offer-likely-to-open-on-november-6th-heres-all-you-need-to-know/articleshow/114722518.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> “I was scammed, cried while talking to delivery executive,” man orders gold coin from Blinkit, claims to receive wrong item In a recent incident, a Delhi resident reported receiving a 0.5 gm gold coin instead of the 1 gm he had ordered from Blinkit. Despite sharing evidence and CCTV footage, Jain’s complaints were not addressed in time, as Blinkit’s support team said the complaint window had closed. The issue has sparked a social media discussion, highlighting concerns about quality control and customer service on e-commerce platforms. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/i-was-scammed-cried-while-talking-to-delivery-executive-man-orders-gold-coin-from-blinkit-claims-to-receive-wrong-item/articleshow/114767787.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> India could lose a quarter of its economy by 2070, here’s why A new report has forecast that India’s economy could shrink by up to 25% by 2070 due to unchecked climate risks. Key sectors across the country may face significant productivity and revenue losses if policies aren’t adapted to mitigate these impacts. This sobering projection calls for urgent action in sustainability efforts to protect India’s economy and ensure long-term resilience against climate-induced disruptions. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/india-could-lose-a-quarter-of-its-economy-by-2070-heres-why/articleshow/114840631.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> 'Find another company if it doesn’t work for you’: Amazon Web Services CEO on work from office mandate Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Adam Selipsky has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to a work-from-office mandate, even suggesting that employees unhappy with the policy may want to consider alternatives. AWS’s stance underscores Amazon’s prioritization of in-office work, aligning with its broader efforts to encourage collaboration. The decision comes as many tech firms continue to face challenges in balancing remote and in-office work. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/find-another-company-if-it-doesnt-work-for-you-amazon-web-services-ceo-on-work-from-office-mandate/articleshow/114677655.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> Partner pay at big 4 firms is dropping, the latest sign of the consulting slowdown A slowdown in the consulting industry is leading to notable reductions in partner pay at Big 4 firms. This comes as demand for consulting services sees a dip amid economic uncertainty, with firms choosing to cut back on bonuses and other expenses. 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The <keyword id="1370377" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BPM-industry" source="Orion">BPM industry</keyword> in India is at the cusp of a transformation and the demand for AI-enabled talent is set to surge, redefining workforce needs across the sector. “My spectrum tells me, in the next 3-5 years, there’s going to be an uptick in AI-enabled workers till the time that models stabilise,” said Nitasha Atreya, the Head of Transformation, Digital Operations and Platforms at Wipro, during a panel discussion on “AI-Ready <keyword id="20041791" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bpm" source="keywords">BPM</keyword> Industry in India,” hosted by Business Insider India. While AI has the potential to streamline many business processes, industry experts caution against relying solely on AI. Human intervention is still required, which means skilling new talent and upskilling existing talent is vital to leveraging AI effectively. Investing in these areas allows organisations to better meet evolving demands with a workforce that complements AI-driven solutions. <div type="Youtube" id="3ewvUSYfG1M" title="Al-Ready BPM Industry In India" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3ewvUSYfG1M/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ewvUSYfG1M]]></url></div> <h2>Why human intervention is critical</h2>As the demand for AI and generative AI models is rising among BPM clients, particularly for model-building capabilities, so is the demand for AI-skilled workers. “For us to have the right intervention for human-in-the-loop processes, it’s essential that we develop an AI-enabled workforce,” Mythily Ramesh, Co-Founder and Director of NextWealth told Business Insider. Ramesh shared industry projections that estimate AI could create up to 100 million jobs globally. AI models generate predictions based on historical data and probabilities, but human oversight is essential to ensure accuracy and minimise errors. “AI as an enabler or augmenting the human workforce is probably the way this industry is going to progress. With the risks that are associated with completely leaving AI to replace humans – it’s just not going to work,” explained <keyword id="23987938" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sundar-hariharan" source="keywords">Sundar Hariharan</keyword>, Vice President of Digital Business Experience Centre at Alorica IQ. <h2>Shaping the future of AI And BPMs with collaborative intelligence</h2>The panellists emphasised a significant challenge in AI model development: only 1 in every 100 models actually makes it to deployment. For all of these models, a rigorous process of training and fine-tuning is required, using either synthetic or human-generated data. This process is not just about feeding the model data but also validating the output to ensure it functions as intended. “There’s a lot of requirements for data training and validation,” said Ramesh, highlighting the substantial demand for data annotators, labelers, and specialists in areas like image and video annotation. These roles are crucial for ensuring that the data used to train models is of high quality and accurately reflects the task at hand. However, the skills required for these roles go beyond traditional data labelling. The workforce must move away from rigid Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and understand the context in which data is being used. This requires employees to make judgement calls that help refine the model’s performance, adapting to continuously evolving instruction sets. "It’s collaborative intelligence—human intelligence combined with artificial intelligence," Ramesh noted. To address this evolving demand for skills, companies like Wipro have implemented comprehensive upskilling programs. These programs are tailored to different business segments, from basic AI awareness (AI 101) to advanced training for developers, engineers, and architects—those working directly on the models. Atreya shared that over 10,000 developers and engineers at Wipro are currently receiving training across these programs. <h2>AI’s role in transforming BPM operations</h2>According to Suhrid Brahma, the Chief Technology Officer at WNS Global Systems, the core model of the BPM industry is changing. “There is a shift from focus on people, to outcomes and value-add as an industry,” he said. He outlines a three-part strategy for the upgrades needed in AI-driven BPM, beginning with AI in operations. By building an AI-skilled workforce and maintaining a ‘human in the loop’ approach, organisations can maximise the value of AI while keeping essential human oversight. The second area is AI for applications and platforms. Each BPM deal has a technological component, which varies from client to client, but AI should be woven directly into these enterprise systems to ensure seamless functionality. Lastly, he highlights AI’s evolving role in analytics, shifting from retrospective analysis to providing predictive insights that drive proactive decision-making across the organisation. “This whole industry will grow for sure. But the nature of work we do, the kind of value-add we do for clients and the kind of outcomes we deliver as an industry, will definitely change,” Brahma noted. <h2>Navigating an evolving AI landscape in BPM</h2>As AI continues to reshape BPM, the nature of customer needs is also changing. With AI, businesses now have the potential to drive end-to-end process automation, where one part of the process is handled by the BPM organisation and the other by the client, fostering a more collaborative approach to AI adoption. Hariharan noted that BPM providers are transitioning into more tech-driven organisations, as AI increasingly becomes a key enabler of business processes. However, the road to AI integration is not without challenges. Atreya pointed out several challenges like siloed technology limiting the potential of AI to drive meaningful results. Atreya highlighted that siloed technology often limits the ability of AI to drive results. Organisations must assess whether they are AI-ready, with a mature data infrastructure and robust data availability. According to her, the most pressing concern remains ensuring ethical and responsible AI deployment, as new regulations continue to evolve. For sectors like BFSI, tech integration is already advanced, but industries like logistics have an opportunity to leapfrog by integrating systems and running processes end-to-end with AI, according to Brahma. He emphasised the importance of data integration to fully benefit from AI. Looking ahead, the panellists see huge opportunities in sectors like e-commerce and automotive, where AI-driven services are changing the landscape. The key to success will be collaboration, integration, and a well-trained workforce prepared to drive this AI-enabled transformation. This article is part of a four-part webinar series in partnership with nasscom. These monthly webinars aim to delve deep and offer insights into the evolving BPM landscape. You can watch the full video of the third session <a href="https://youtu.be/3ewvUSYfG1M">here</a>. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on <a href="mailto:insiderstudios@businessinsider.in">insiderstudios@businessinsider.in</a>

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