Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

After a full day of meetings at Julie, a startup that sells a morning-after pill, CEO Amanda E/J Morrison jumped a flight from New York to Boston and headed to a small, private college, where a trivia night awaited her. Dozens of students shuffled into a classroom with plates of chicken tenders, Texas toast, and bright blue boxes of the emergency contraceptive.Morrison had worked with the Planned Parenthood Generation Action club at Suffolk University to sponsor the event, part of Julie's efforts to win a new generation of consumers. However, she had another, more pressing reason for being there. Julie is doing more campus events to clear up some of the confusion about emergency contraception — namely, that it isn't medication abortion.Standing at the head of the classroom, Morrison read off a projector screen, "Emergency contraceptives like Julie are legal in how many states? 25, 48, 50, 37." Students tapped their answers into a quiz app. "It's 37," Lily, a spirited sophomore, whispered to her teammates.In a minute, the correct answer appeared on screen, and the quiet chatter rose to a clamor. Half the teams said 37 states."Fifty states, guys. It's everywhere," Morrison said.When asked why she said 37, Lily said, "Just the way things are going."In states that outlaw abortion, some patients and politicians worry that contraception could be in legal jeopardy, too. There's no federal law preserving access to birth control, rather, a patchwork of state laws and court decisions holding it in place. Another Trump term <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/29/trump-birth-control-contraception-00159555">could change that</a>.For Julie, "that's the million dollar question of this election," Morrison said.<div type="image" title="TK" height="2000" width="2667" msid="114460252" hostid="261" sizebytes="193282"></div>"We're not worried about some big ban happening in the first hundred days. But how those decisions trickle down — what is presented in Congress as a bill, how the Supreme Court reacts, what trickles down to the states — becomes a real secondary concern," she said.Founders of women's health startups feel doubly invested in this election, one of the closest presidential races of the century. Half a dozen founders and investors of women's health companies, all women, told Business Insider that if Vice President Kamala Harris wins, it's business as usual. They said another Trump victory creates uncertainty for reproductive health startups, from period trackers to online abortion clinics to embryo banks.<div type="image" title="TK" height="1610" width="2147" msid="114460254" hostid="261" sizebytes="109206"></div>While Harris's presidential campaign has been marked by unrelenting support for reproductive healthcare, including contraception and abortions, Trump's position has been a moving target.The former president suggested <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/29/trump-birth-control-contraception-00159555">in May</a> that he was "looking at" restrictions on birth control, then walked that position back in a social media post later that day. During the September presidential debate, he called himself a "leader" on IVF, a move that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/12/trump-ivf-gop-roe-abortion-00178760">angered</a> parts of his base that have sought to restrict fertility treatments. He said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-says-he-would-veto-federal-abortion-ban/">in October</a> that he'd veto a national abortion ban after deflecting the question for months but would support states ordaining their own abortion bans.Trump's waffling on reproductive rights has put founders of women's health startups on notice. "It is one of the major issues that we're discussing and that our CEOs are focused on — how to continue to provide care to women, especially women of childbearing age," said Trish Costello, founder of Portfolia, an investing platform that pools money from female accredited investors.The day after the presidential debate, Mika Eddy was vibrating with the weight of the election. The race's outcome could drastically change reproductive rights, foreign policy, gun safety, and climate law — all issues close to Eddy, a 35-year-old Californian and mother of two.But Eddy also has skin in the game as the chief executive officer of Malama Health, a startup helping women with gestational diabetes access better care. Its doula network assists patients on Medicaid with applying for benefits such as diabetes-friendly meals and medical transport.Eddy worries that if Trump wins, he would restrict access to the coverage and benefits that her users rely on, weakening one of Malama Health's key services."There is this common misperception that, 'we're in California, we're in a liberal state, and so we're safe.' And I don't think that's the case," Eddy said.For some founders of women's health startups, this election is more than a political contest; it has ramifications for their livelihoods. With so much at stake, they're planning how to handle a scenario where states or courts might impose more limits on reproductive rights.<div type="image" title="US Vice President Kamala Harris taking pictures with some young teen girls." height="3000" width="4000" msid="114460257" hostid="261" sizebytes="755478"></div><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/abortion-telemedicine-startup-hey-jane-roe-v-wade-2022-10">Hey Jane</a> is a telehealth startup that connects patients to medical providers who offer online appointments and delivers abortion pills to their doorsteps. A year after the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion, Hey Jane started selling birth control and treatments for urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and herpes, both oral and genital. The new products cushion the business against a "plan E" scenario of a national abortion ban, said Carli Sapir, a Hey Jane investor and founding partner of Amboy Ventures."We're thinking about how to make sure those other verticals are in a good place to continue carrying the company forward," said Sapir.This time last year, one of Hey Jane's rivals, Choix, shut down <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vcs-backing-online-abortion-sites-say-its-good-business-2021-9">after three years in service</a>. The company said in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/choix-closes-virtual-doors-launches-130300919.html">press release</a> that "the stigma and politics surrounding abortion care posed significant fundraising challenges." It raised a $1 million seed round in 2022.While direct providers of abortion, like Hey Jane, could see major restrictions or shutdowns to their core businesses if Trump returns to the White House, a wider range of companies expect to feel the ripple effects. Startups that seem removed from the front lines, such as those involved with period tracking and fertility treatments, are also preparing for potential challenges.<div type="image" title="Then-President Donald Trump addresses the anti-abortion &quot;March for Life&quot;" height="750" width="1000" msid="114460247" hostid="261" sizebytes="53678"></div>If a national abortion ban were to occur, apps like Flo Health or Clue might face increased scrutiny, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-lux-capital-deena-shakir-wrote-childrens-book-2024-9">Deena Shakir</a>, a general partner at Lux Capital. These apps track when women have their periods and when they miss them. In today's post-Roe America, privacy experts worry that such data could be used to suggest that someone has had or is thinking about having an abortion, potentially putting women at risk of prosecution in certain states.The stakes could be equally high for companies involved with fertility treatments.The demand for services like in vitro fertilization, or IVF, and surrogacy has been climbing for years as people have kids later in life and infertility rates increase. That's birthed a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fertility-startups-booming-despite-market-downturn-2023-6">global fertility market</a> that includes companies that operate clinics to provide services like egg freezing and IVF, companies that run labs and tests, and firms that help people pay for the procedures.However, the industry's future is uncertain following attacks on abortion access. The end of Roe v. Wade opened up the legal terrain for states to interfere with access to other reproductive care, said Lauren Berson Sugarman, founder and chief executive officer of Conceive, a startup that offers personalized fertility guidance, including text support from nurses and peer groups.In Alabama, the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos should be considered children. That put patients and fertility clinics on edge that they could be criminally charged for destroying extra embryos. A handful of Alabama clinics paused IVF treatments while patients throughout the South began moving their embryos to jurisdictions with more stable legal protections."We see a lot of patients come to us and say, should I move my embryos out of a red state? Because what happens if they come after IVF?" said Berson Sugarman.The push for "embryo rights" could have wide-reaching repercussions for startups like Maven Clinic or Carrot Fertility, which offer fertility benefits for employers, and TMRW Life Sciences, a biotech company creating robots for the safe storage of frozen sperm, eggs, and embryos.Moreover, it could influence the type of research that startups conduct and where. Alice Zheng, a principal at women's health investor RH Capital, explains how the shifting legal landscape might affect companies like Vitra Labs. As a biotech startup working on developing eggs from stem cells for IVF, "they're doing really cutting-edge research for fertility, but they need to think very carefully about where they set up shop," Zheng said. "Some of their research might involve certain types of tissue, which is more closely scrutinized in some areas than others."<div type="image" title="TK" height="2000" width="2667" msid="114460250" hostid="261" sizebytes="243576"></div>Two years ago, in the hours after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to an abortion, Morrison's phone started ringing and didn't stop. Investors wanted to know if the ruling would kill Julie's launch in Walmart stores that fall. Job candidates wondered if the company would still exist in six months. Morrison's mom called, concerned for her daughter's future."For probably two weeks straight, I was just doing reassurance calls," Morrison said.While emergency contraception is not the abortion bill and is currently legal in all 50 states, it is continuously confused with the abortion pill, which can have damaging consequences. In June, the medical journal JAMA Network Open published a <a target="_blank" href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2820370?%20utm_source=For_The_Media">study</a> that found retail pharmacy fills of Plan B, a leading morning-after pill brand, fell by 65% in states with near-total abortion bans the year after the Dobbs decision, partly due to clinic closures and confusion about its legal status.That confusion could threaten Julie's sales, and puts the onus of the company to better educate consumers. It sponsors events like trivia nights and sorority house brunches. It has enlisted TikTok influencers to share videos of their drugstore hauls showing how easy it is to buy Julie. In one video, a young woman going back-to-school shopping walks off with a two-count pack of the emergency contraceptive pill. The caption reads, "double majors, not double strollers."Other startups are urging consumers to fight for reproductive rights at the polls. Eddy's Malama Health has reminders to register to vote in its app and will tell users where their nearest polling station is closer to election day. The company asks for their ZIP codes during onboarding, Eddy explained."When you have a baby, you're like, 'I want to vote, but I don't know where to go,'" Eddy said. She hopes the emails will get more pregnant women and new moms to head to the polls. Eddy added that the emails won't support a candidate and are meant as a "nonpartisan resource."<div type="image" title="TK" height="2000" width="2667" msid="114460255" hostid="261" sizebytes="192114"></div>Julie's content isn't political, either. It's not trying to change any minds about abortion rights. The goal is simply to spread awareness among young adults that emergency contraception helps prevent pregnancy, not end it. This way, Morrison said, a woman who is anti-abortion and has unprotected sex can feel confident taking Julie knowing that she isn't compromising her abortion stance.It was past 9 o'clock on a weekday, and the competition at trivia night was heating up. Students in teams of two or three screamed with delight as they watched their names climb the leaderboard. They competed to win prizes like sex toys and T-shirts with the phrase, "A Better Morning After.""Morning-after pills end pregnancy. True or false," the club president called out.Thirty seconds later, the screen showed that every team had answered correctly.Morrison pumped both fists in the air, beaming her approval.<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/melia-russell">Melia Russell</a> is a senior correspondent at Insider covering startups and venture capital. She can be reached via the encrypted messaging app Signal at +1 603-913-3085 and email at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:mrussell@businessinsider.com">mrussell@businessinsider.com</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/rebecca-torrence">Rebecca Torrence</a> is a correspondent at Business Insider writing about healthcare startups and venture capital. Send her an email at <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:rtorrence@businessinsider.com">rtorrence@businessinsider.com</a>.

'The million-dollar question of this election': Women's health startups are confronting a shifting legal landscape   

Amid the ongoing geopolitical tension, the <keyword id="19904988" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-sector" source="keywords">energy sector</keyword> will continue to face challenge while the <keyword id="20468174" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-goods" source="keywords">consumer goods</keyword>, automotive, healthcare is set to expand in 2025, highlighted a report 'Industry Outlook 2025' by <keyword id="20618515" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Economist-Intelligence-Unit" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Economist Intelligence Unit" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Economist Intelligence Unit">Economist Intelligence Unit</keyword>. The report noted that the Fossil fuel markets will continue to face risks from geopolitical conflicts, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine. However, investments in <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword> will remain strong, especially in China, as the world pushes toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. The report said "Fossil-fuel markets will continue to face <keyword id="20064250" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="geopolitical-risks" source="keywords">geopolitical risks</keyword> amid conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, but investment into renewables will remain strong, particularly in China." It also added that the financial sector faces a mixed outlook with falling interest rates anticipated to narrow bank profit margins, potentially leading to smaller dividend payouts for shareholders. Yet, regulatory easing could provide relief, with the Basel III endgame likely seeing further delays, softening the impact on banking institutions amid a challenging economic landscape. For the consumer goods and retailing the report added that the Global retail volumes are forecast to grow by 2.2 per cent in 2025, thanks to easing inflation. However, stricter regulations on online retailing will target high-volume, low-price retailers, to ensure fair competition and consumer protection. It said "Global retail volumes will expand by 2.2 per cent, helped by disinflation, but regulations around online retailing will tighten further" As per report, the <keyword id="20359760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="automotive-sector" source="keywords">automotive sector</keyword> is set for a record year, it said "After a difficult few years, annual new-vehicle sales will reach a record 97.2m units in 2025. This includes a 2 per cent rise in new car sales, a 4 per cent increase in commercial vehicle sales, and a significant 16 per cent growth in <keyword id="19963112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicle-sales" source="keywords">electric vehicle sales</keyword>, reflecting the sector's recovery and the shift toward cleaner mobility. In technology the report added more countries will adopt satellite internet, although the primary users will be enterprise clients, including military and maritime sectors. Amazon's Project Kuiper will challenge the existing market dominance of Starlink and EutelSat OneWeb, offering more competition and potential growth in satellite connectivity. The resulting tensions will continue to affect investment into production and market entry, with companies taking advantage of government incentives to build out more flexible supply chains. <keyword id="23684177" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment-in-technology" source="keywords">Investment in technology</keyword>, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), will also be strong as projects gather pace. However, technology companies will face pressure from several directions as regulations tighten (particularly in Europe), investors become more impatient for profits and their energy usage comes under more scrutiny.

Consumer goods, auto and healthcare sector to expand but energy may face challenge in 2025: Report

<div type="image" title="For the unversed, trading in futures and options can be akin to setting their hard-earned money on fire" height="900" width="1200" msid="114064202" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;For the unversed, trading in futures and options can be akin to setting their hard-earned money on fire&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Once upon a time, there thrived a wild, wild land. Here, it was all about super high monetary stakes, lightning-fast trade deals, and bucketloads of money shifting hands every single second. This wilderness lured millions of individuals with the promise of super duper high returns. But, at what cost? Welcome to the unforgiving, ultra-risky wild west of <keyword id="19991165" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-equity-markets" source="keywords">Indian equity markets</keyword> called the <keyword id="145718" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Futures-and-Options" source="Orion">futures and options</keyword>. Here, everyone seems to just fly right through the bright red-flagged warnings of financial risks to earn even a fraction of these promised returns. Most burn themselves in the process, but carry on nevertheless, as if nothing ever happened. <h2>Chasing the cloudy profits</h2>The data conclusively proves that every 9 out of 10 individuals only lost their hard-earned money in this land. But hey, what do the numbers know? Some hide their losses out of shame, some out of fear. The proponents, meanwhile, proudly boast unusually high returns on their investments, some open social media channels while others encourage their friends and family to take the plunge. Naturally, news of this unstoppable and humongous en-masse migration to the F&amp;O (futures and options) town has reached sheriff <keyword id="19901201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SEBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SEBI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="SEBI">SEBI</keyword>, galvanising them into action. After all, it was time to put a leash on this madness and save the common man. The inhabitants of this town doubled in the last 2 years, from 51 lakh in FY22 to 96 lakh in FY24—99.8% of whom were small and mid-income traders. But profits? Well, that's a different, rather completely absent story. <h2>Que Sera Sera, much?</h2>A recent report by SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) that studied profits and losses made by traders in the equity derivatives segment between FY22-24 exposed the mad mania of futures and options trading in India, especially since the pandemic. Per the report, 91.1% of individual traders, or about 73 lakh traders had only lost money trading in futures and options in FY24. Between FY 22-24, over 1 crore traders, or about 92.8% of individual traders, had lost Rs 2 lakh each. But once bitten, twice shy? Well, not in this case. More than 75% of individuals, who had only made losses trading in F&amp;O in FY22 and FY23, continued to trade vigorously in FY24 as well, without any changes in the bottom line, which remained deep in red and negative. So, then all these traders must be uber-rich, with tons of cash and not much care to spare? Nope. 76% of traders in the F&amp;O space in FY24 had an annual income of less than Rs 5 lakh. 2 years ago, their share stood at 71%. And their choice of poison? Options! In FY24, 60% of traders made losses trading in futures, but a whopping 91.5% burnt their funds trading in options. Mind you, futures are riskier than options. With futures, which require significant capital investment, the buyer and seller both are contractually bound to adhere to the pre-determined strike price of the futures or options contract, irrespective of whether the prevailing prices are higher or lower (and thus, resulting in losses for either the buyer or seller). With options, since this adherence ain't necessary, individuals end up taking debt to take highly leveraged positions while trading here. <h2>Scale of the explosion</h2>Anyone who trades even infrequently will tell you that a demat account is the mitochondria or powerhouse of the trading cell. As of August 2024, India had over 17.1 crore <keyword id="20957284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demat-accounts" source="keywords">demat accounts</keyword>, which are a prerequisite for trading in the markets. India is the 9th biggest country in the world, in terms of total demat accounts. Did you know that our demat accounts are at par with the entire population of Bangladesh? Talk about scale! Just 4 years ago, in March 2020, this number was a mere 4 crore. Naturally, the total F&amp;O turnover on both <keyword id="20004725" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NSE" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NSE">NSE</keyword> and BSE has hit the roof, and also broken it. As of October 4, 2024, the total futures and options turnover on NSE stood at a massive Rs 4,78,27,27,750.30 crore. Good luck counting the thousands! <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Total Turnover (Both Futures and Options) (In Rs Crore) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2020-21 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">64,36,03,951.51 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2021-22 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,69,52,33,134.47 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2022-23 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">3,82,23,26,468.06 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2023-24 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7,99,27,67,152.43 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Source : NSE Another metric that underlines the meteoric growth of trading in India is the collection of STT or <keyword id="20930760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Securities-Transaction-Tax" source="keywords">Securities Transaction Tax</keyword>. As of September 2024, India's STT mop-up had gone past Rs 26,000 crore. Traders have to pay STT whenever they buy or sell any security in the market. So, more trading brings in more STT, and hence, more revenue for the government, so they're not really complaining. After all, this is certainly what they'd call enviable growth. As of August 2023, our STT collection stood at about Rs 21,599 crores. And in FY20-21, India's STT collection had been Rs 16,000 crore. If only our salaries also managed to grow at this rate! <h2>So, what's happening?</h2>Two things. One, it's the big bulls who are raking in all the moolah. And it's the younger lot (those aged under 30) who are propping them up for this. In FY24, 43% of individual traders in the market were less than 30 years of age. In just one year, this number has swelled by 12 percentage points from just 31% of individual traders. But who says ageing is bad? Wrinkles and silver hair seemingly have a propensity of incurring lesser losses in the market. In FY24, only 79% of traders aged above 60 years made losses, as compared to 93% of those aged below 30. Small and mid-income traders, which make up 98% of the total trader base, witnessed average losses per person of Rs 65,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh in FY24 in futures and options, respectively. The winner here? Clearly, the big bulls, who declared an annual income of over Rs 1 crore, ended up with average profits of Rs 96,000 per person this year. <h2>What’s the sheriff up to?</h2>The government has finally swung into action, hiking the STT rate for F&amp;O during this year’s budget. Effective October 1, 2024, the STT on futures stands at 0.02%, up from 0.0125%. For options, it was upped to 0.1% versus 0.0625% previously. Small margins, but huge impact oncoming. Says Puneet Sharma- CEO and Fund Manager at Whitespace Alpha, “SEBI aims to enhance market stability while safeguarding investor interests, reflecting the regulator's intent to balance risk management with market participation”. But this might come with its own share of challenges, too. “Stricter norms around leverage, transparency, and capital adequacy could limit the ability of investors to determine their own risk appetite, thereby stifling innovation in trading strategies. Over-regulation in an environment that thrives on strategic flexibility and creativity could dampen the market’s dynamism, affecting India's competitiveness in the global derivatives landscape”, he observes. SEBI recently came out with a set of guidelines that aim to thwart <keyword id="19972907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="keywords">retail investors</keyword>' participation in futures and options and hinder them from taking undue risks. Here's a quick recap of what's to come for the residents of the F&amp;O town Margin Requirements: To battle the high volatility and chaos which is generally seen on expiry days(i.e the last mandated date, post which an option becomes invalid), SEBI will put in place an extreme loss margin (ELM) of 2% for all open short options on the day of expiry. Translation? Traders will need to pony up more cash upfront, leaving them with fewer funds to take on risky bets. It ain't a choice: No more of one expiry every single day! Going ahead, an exchange like BSE or NSE will just be able to offer weekly expiries, that too, only on one benchmark index, as opposed to an entire buffet it currently offers. At present, NSE offers weekly options contracts for its financial index, bank and midcap indices. But say goodbye to this, and hello to derivatives on only 1 index per exchange. Raising the bar: Effective November 30, 2024, the minimum contract value for index derivatives will be upped to Rs 15 lakh, from the present Rs 5-10 lakh. The hope is that by making it ultra-expensive to enter these trades, investors will be dissuaded from taking on risky trades. Pay upfront: Starting February 2025, those trading in options will have to pay the entire options premium upfront, even before their trades are executed. This is because options generally carry very high leverage, and paying a significant sum upfront can force traders to think twice. Invigilation Pro Max: Starting April 1 2025, to make sure that the number of positions for equity index derivatives does not slyly slip over the mandated limit, especially on expiry days when trade volumes are huge, the exchanges will have to take a minimum of 4 position snapshots randomly. The question is, will these injections of sobriety be enough to calm down the steroid-fed bull of the futures and options market in India? Well, only time and market turnover will tell! For more insights into the financial markets and business news, stay tuned to our site and social media handles. And don’t forget to subscribe to Business Insider India’s newsletters for your weekly dose of Simply Put! Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. We recommend readers consult certified, qualified and registered advisors for professional and personalised financial advice.

SIMPLY PUT: SEBI is on a mission to take on the wild, wild west of futures and options in India. Here’s why, what, and how

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Small-format stores are becoming a significant part of the evolution of US retail.</li><li>Macy's and Best Buy are two prominent retailers who are leaning into the shift.</li></ul>For decades, the American shopping experience <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shopping-mall-rise-fall-timeline-1950s-to-today-2023-1">was defined by department stores</a> and big-box retailers, with consumers poring over vast amounts of products in untold numbers of large-scale buildings.But many retailers are scaling back their physical footprints to reduce costs and boost customer convenience as they look to open new locations, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/02/retailers-small-stores-macys-best-buy/">according to The Washington Post</a>.Macy's and Best Buy are two of the latest retailers to embrace the strategy further. Both announced last week that they would open more small-format locations. Retailers like Nordstrom and Target have also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nordstrom-opens-more-local-stores-for-returns-and-pick-ups-2019-9">opened more compact locations</a> recently as consumers have increasingly embraced online shopping.For Macy's, the announcement comes as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/macys-stores-closing-locations-list">the company announced last week that it would close 150 underperforming stores</a> — including 50 locations in 2024 alone — over the next three years.During an analyst call last Tuesday, Macy's CEO Tony Spring said the company would need to "focus on having the best stores, not the largest number of stores," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/business/macys-earnings-strategy.html">according to The New York Times</a>.In recent years, Macy's opened eight small-format stores called Market by Macy's, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/macys-retreats-from-mall-growth-plan-2020-2">the company's foray into off-mall boutique-sized locations</a>, along with a small-format Bloomingdale's concept called <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=191bfbb807c179dd3195efec9e24afceb7698a2bbe34d74232908b9e57b0f523&amp;postID=65e3896a4aaa4153d1fd7114&amp;postSlug=macys-best-buy-small-format-stores-retail-department-big-box-2024-3&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloomingdales.com%2Fc%2Fbloomies%2F">Bloomie's</a>. Last October, the company announced it was <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-smallformat-stores-retail-8e2c4fc2ea5a66e3ebd6ff4b83d93667">expanding its small-format stores</a>, aiming to add 30 locations by the end of 2025.And Macy's will lean further into its luxury offerings, announcing last week that it would add 15 Bloomingdale's locations and 30 new locations of its beauty chain, Bluemercury.Meanwhile, Best Buy is set to overhaul its in-store experience for customers as it also eyes a retail landscape where small-format stores are becoming more prevalent."We are planning to open a few additional outlet centers and new formats to continue to test two important concepts," Best Buy CEO Corie Barry <a target="_blank" href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/q4-2024-best-buy-co-050558727.html">said during an earnings call</a> last week."First, we will open small locations in a couple outstate markets where we have no prior physical presence," she continued. "Second, we will test our ability to close a large-format store and open a small-format store nearby, thereby maximizing physical store retention through convenience."

Macy's and Best Buy are banking on small-format stores to lower costs and boost consumer convenience amid an ever-shifting retail landscape

<keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, under the leadership of <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, showcased its vision for the future during the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was held today (August 29). During the AGM, <keyword id="19936674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance" source="keywords">Reliance</keyword> laid out ambitious plans that span across its diverse businesses. The conglomerate, which has interests ranging from oil to telecom to retail, is positioning itself as a key player in India’s growth story, with a particular focus on <keyword id="20239522" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technological-innovation" source="keywords">technological innovation</keyword>, energy security, and retail expansion. <h2>Not chasing short-term profits</h2><keyword id="19898589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambani" source="keywords">Ambani</keyword>, during his speech, said that Reliance is not merely chasing short-term profits but is dedicated to creating long-term wealth for the nation. He reiterated the company’s commitment to providing high-quality products and services that enhance the lives of Indian consumers. The chairman announced that the company’s board will consider issuing bonus shares on September 5, further rewarding shareholders as Reliance continues to grow. <h2>Transforming into a deep-tech company</h2>A major theme of the AGM this year was Reliance’s transformation into a deep tech company, with advanced manufacturing capabilities at its core. Ambani described this shift as essential to securing a place in the global top-30 companies in the near future. He highlighted the company’s strategic adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), calling it one of the most transformative events in human history. AI, he noted, opens up new avenues to address complex problems, making Reliance a net producer of technology. Reliance has been making significant strides in R&amp;D, with over ₹3,643 crore invested in FY24 alone, taking the total research expenditure to over ₹11,000 crore in the last four years. This investment is driving innovations in various areas, including bio-energy, solar power, green energy, and high-value chemicals. The company has also been active in digital research, filing patents in 6G, 5G, AI, and IoT, among others. Ambani assured that this tech-driven transformation would propel Reliance into a new phase of hyper-growth, multiplying its value in the coming years. <h2><keyword id="20337020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-business" source="keywords">Retail business</keyword> to double</h2>In addition to technological advancements, Reliance Retail, the company’s retail arm, is set to double its business in the next three to four years. Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail, shared that the retail segment recorded a gross revenue of ₹3.06 lakh crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, marking a 17.8% growth over the previous year. The retail business has rapidly expanded, with Reliance opening 1,840 new stores in the past year, bringing the total to 18,836 stores across 79 million square feet of retail space. This growth has positioned Reliance Retail among the top-5 global retailers in terms of store count and among the top-10 in market capitalization globally. Isha Ambani emphasised that much of this growth is driven by a focus on smaller towns, where two-thirds of the new stores have been opened. Reliance Retail is also focused on creating high-quality, affordable products through its Consumer Brands business, which has seen the re-launch of popular brands like Campa, Lotus Chocolates, and Sosyo. Mukesh Ambani concluded by underscoring Reliance’s mission to provide energy security to India while also contributing to a cleaner and greener world. As the global landscape becomes increasingly uncertain, he expressed confidence in India’s role as a key growth engine in the global economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that India will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, surpassing Japan and Germany. Ambani affirmed that Reliance will continue to be a driving force in India’s march toward becoming a developed nation.

Reliance AGM 2024: Company aims to double retail business, Mukesh Ambani says not pursuing short-term profit

With <keyword id="19899402" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital" source="keywords">digital</keyword> adoption fast gaining currency, <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword> is likely to see <keyword id="19992513" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail" source="keywords">retail</keyword> <keyword id="19989657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payments" source="keywords">digital payments</keyword> double to USD 7 trillion by 2030 from current levels, a study by Kearney and <keyword id="19942875" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Pay" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Amazon Pay" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Amazon Pay">Amazon Pay</keyword> said. In the report 'How Urban India Pays', Kearney-Amazon Pay said strong adoption of digital payments in <keyword id="21056201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-purchases" source="keywords">online purchases</keyword> has potentially led to a permanent shift in consumer behaviours, fuelling offline adoption as well. While 90 per cent of the respondents of the survey preferred digital payments when making online purchases, affluent consumers lead the way with the highest Degree of Digital Payment Usage (DDPU), tending to use various modes of digital payment for 80 per cent of their transactions. "<keyword id="19955338" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="millennials" source="keywords">Millennials</keyword> and Gen X are leading in the adoption of all types of digital payment instruments," it said. "Men and women both use digital payments in about 72 per cent of their transactions, indicating gender parity." The research was based on an online survey of over 6,000 consumers along with more than 1,000 merchants through offline and online methods across 120 cities with representation from various regions, income groups, city categories, age brackets and genders. India has seen a surge in <keyword id="19990771" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce" source="keywords">e-commerce</keyword>, with the market valued at USD 75 billion to USD 80 billion in 2022 and expected to grow at a 21 per cent CAGR until 2030. "In line with India's digital journey, retail digital payments have grown dramatically over the past five years - from USD 300 billion in FY18 to USD 3.6 trillion in FY24. By FY30, they are likely to double to USD 7 trillion," the report said. The Unified Payments Interface (<keyword id="19900911" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="UPI" source="keywords">UPI</keyword>) has been a key driver of this growth, demonstrating a CAGR of 138 per cent in its volumes during FY18-24. Other instruments such as cards and digital wallets are also gaining in popularity, contributing 10 per cent of digital transaction value today. "With such dynamic developments, it is no wonder that India is a global frontrunner in the digital payment landscape, accounting for a stellar 46 per cent of the global digital transaction volumes in 2022," it said. Digital payments have penetrated small towns, with respondents in these areas highlighting that 65 per cent of their transactions are digital, while respondents in larger cities cited this ratio to be 75 per cent. "There is a strong correlation between a city's average DDPU and its retail potential, as measured by the Kearney India Retail Index, with the top six metros displaying both high DDPU and high retail potential," the report said. DDPU surpasses retail potential in some cities such as Lucknow, Patna, Bhopal, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Indore, Ahmedabad and Pune, which have a high DDPU nearly matching that of larger metropolitan cities despite having a lower retail potential than the top six metros. The report said co-branded credit cards are gaining momentum. "Emerging methods such as buy now, pay later (BNPL), wearable payments and voice assistant-based payments are also starting to make inroads." Digital modes of payment constitute around 69 per cent of the total transaction volumes for the Indian merchants that were surveyed. Even street vendors such as paan shops, fruit and flower sellers, food stalls, and kirana stores are joining the digital payment brigade. "Challenges for merchant adoption mirror consumer concerns, emphasizing issues of financial fraud, limited connectivity and trust," it said. The report said the next wave of growth in digital payments will be fueled by increasing penetration in segments with lower DDPU, such as consumers in lower-income groups and smaller towns, along with enhancing the value of spending via digital modes of payment in the higher DDPU segments by addressing their concerns. "All key stakeholders across the digital payments' ecosystem, including payment providers, the government, and value-added services players, will need to play a part in expanding digital payment adoption," it said. The focus areas should be empowering communities with financial education by launching target programmes to boost awareness of digital payments and new methods such as UPI Lite and UPI Lite X, especially for aspiring consumer segments, women in small towns, and street commerce merchants, to encourage higher adoption. Also, there is a need to create user-friendly consumer journeys by streamlining documentation and know-your-customer (<keyword id="19910870" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kyc" source="keywords">KYC</keyword>) processes, optimising user interfaces, and establishing responsive customer complaint resolution mechanisms, it said adding also there is a need to enhance digital infrastructure by addressing systems and network issues and exploring innovations such as UPI Lite X for areas with limited internet. Also, the risk of fraud has to be minimised and access to credit-based payment methods expanded by using alternate data for underwriting risk, developing innovative credit products and promoting credit education for financial health. "These areas can help India overcome challenges in the digital payment ecosystem by fostering a more inclusive, secure, and user-friendly environment, thereby enhancing the adoption of digital payments among consumers and merchants in India," it added.

India to see retail digital payments to double to USD 7 tn by 2030: Report

<ul><li>Deal volumes jumped by 21% to 191 while the values declined by 37% to USD 9.4 billion in <keyword id="20061151" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="April" source="keywords">April</keyword> compared to March 2024</li><li>Adani Group's three major domestic consolidations of around USD 2 billion in value marked 38% of the total deal values in April 2024.</li><li>Experts predict sustained momentum and growth in deal activities, supported by strong fundamentals and a conducive investment climate.</li></ul> In the dynamic landscape of Indian business transactions, the manufacturing sector has emerged as a beacon of value, while consumer retail reigns supreme in volume. April 2024 marked significant shifts in deal-making compared to the month before with a notable absence of billion-dollar deals. Overall deal volumes jumped by 21% to 191 while the values declined by 37% to USD 9.4 billion in April compared to March 2024, as per the latest <keyword id="20034170" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Grant-Thornton-Bharat" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Grant Thornton Bharat" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Grant Thornton Bharat">Grant Thornton Bharat</keyword> Dealtracker report. The past month has witnessed a flurry of activity, with notable shifts and surges across various industries, offering a compelling glimpse into the evolving economic terrain. "Deal volumes increased in April 2024 marking the highest monthly volumes since May 2022. There were no billion-dollar deal but witnessed 12 high value (&gt; USD 100 million) deals amounting to USD 3.8 billion," said Shanthi Vijetha, Partner at Grant Thornton. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Adani Group leads M&amp;A activity" comment="subhead" text="Adani Group leads M&amp;A activity">Adani Group leads M&amp;A activity</cmsannotation> At the forefront of deal values stands the manufacturing sector, boasting an impressive tally of nine transactions amounting to a staggering USD 1,919 million. This surge is underpinned by two monumental deals, notably the Adani Group's strategic stake increase in Ambuja Cement and ACC, which was the most significant M&amp;A activity of the month. Adani Group secured a significant 7.5% stake in Ambuja Cements, injecting a substantial USD 1.8 billion into enhancing the manufacturing capacity of cement makers, signaling a bold step towards industry expansion and innovation. Overall, the group's three major domestic consolidations of around USD 2 billion in value marked 38% of the total deal values in April 2024. Despite this, the <keyword id="21645622" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="merger-and-acquisitions" source="keywords">merger and acquisitions</keyword> transactions saw the highest decline in value, dropping by 75 percent to USD 2.5 billion from USD 10.2 billion in March. This was mainly because of the absence of large-scale mergers like those seen in March. However, M&amp;A deal-making remained robust in April with significant domestic consolidations. "This month's activity, characterized by deal volumes spanning across breadth of sectors and by large deals by select players, illustrates a market that is both diverse and robust," observed Shanthi. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Private Equity landscape remains vibrant" comment="subhead" text="Private Equity landscape remains vibrant"><keyword id="19895041" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-equity" source="keywords">Private Equity</keyword> landscape remains vibrant</cmsannotation> The private equity transactions also experienced a slight decrease in value, reaching USD 2.666 billion, according to the report by Grant Thornton Bharat. However, with a total of 130 deals, the overall market landscape remains vibrant. The numbers indicate a clear shift towards enhanced number of investments while the size of the deals remains smaller compared to previous months. "The stable value of investments, despite the higher number of transactions, indicates a strategic adjustment towards spreading investments across various sectors, aiming to capitalize on emerging opportunities while mitigating large-scale risks," says the report. "The deal outlook for 2024 continues to remain positive as India stands at the cusp of a new era of growth and investment supported by a growing consumer market, a flourishing tech start-up ecosystem, and supportive government policies," concludes Shanthi Vijetha. Factors that could influence domestic markets in the near future include the outcome of Lok Sabha elections, global and domestic trends in interest rates driven by inflation, and supply chain dynamics. However, experts predict sustained momentum and growth in deal activities, supported by strong fundamentals and a conducive investment climate.

Volumes up, values down: April 2024 marks notable shifts in India's deal-making landscape

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Vince Toye leads community-development banking and agency lending for JPMorgan Chase. </li><li>Navigating affordable housing for middle-income renters can be confusing and stressful. </li><li>Toye and his team use professional expertise to get deals funded and across the finish line. </li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/industry-leaders-transforming-business-2023-11">Vince Toye</a> leads two affordable-housing businesses for JPMorgan Chase, the world's largest bank, in its offices hundreds of feet up the Manhattan skyline. Growing up in a small Virginia town as one of seven kids raised by a single mother, he never expected to reach these heights.For the first few years of his life, his mother rented single-family homes in a segregated town until she was able to purchase a home; they were the only Black family in the neighborhood. Toye was the first person in his family to go to college."If you had asked me when I was growing up, 'Do you think you would be in New York and that you'd be running two lines of business in a major institution?' I wouldn't have said that was possible," Toye told Business Insider.Now Toye runs JPMorgan's community-development banking and agency-lending divisions. Financing affordable housing is so important to the firm, Toye said that one of the first calls he got was from CEO Jamie Dimon, who encouraged him to think big in his new role.<h2>Building homes for middle-income workers</h2>Toye runs the bank's affordable-housing arm, which finances projects funded by government subsidies to help the poorest renters. His division helped broker $12 billion in deals in 2022. He also works on funding to help renters who earn too much for government-subsidized housing but not enough for market-rate rentals.This group is part of what Toye calls the "missing middle," and they face the biggest challenges in the current housing market.Thanks to subsidies, it's much easier to finance market-rate-rental projects and low-income housing than to build affordable housing for middle-income people such as teachers, nurses, firefighters, retail clerks, and warehouse workers.In 2022, Toye launched the firm's "workforce housing solutions" business to help fill this gap in middle-income housing. The concept originated in the 1970s in <a target="_blank" href="https://aspenjournalism.org/build-and-let-live-40-years-of-affordable-housing-in-aspen/">Aspen</a>, Colorado, after locals like teachers and ski instructors began getting priced out of the housing market, prompting the local government to work with employers to provide subsidized housing.While the term now generally refers to middle-income rentals, Toye said employers are once again interested in financing building projects that could house their workers.More middle-income workers — whether they work for a hospital network, a large retailer, or a warehouse operator — are finding it difficult to afford to live close to their workplaces. Long commutes and high rent can negatively affect employee morale and productivity and increase turnover. Toye said companies that help fund middle-income housing may get first dibs on a percentage of units set aside for their employees, or they can negotiate a master lease on some units, which they can then rent to employees.For developers, this can help fund deals and get building projects across the finish line. In addition to funding from employers, building a workforce-housing unit may also require a bank loan, local tax credits, abatements, land grants, and money from the developer. This is where Toye comes in, using JPMorgan's wide-ranging network of banking professionals to find funding solutions."There's no road map, and every deal's different," Toye said. The complexity of these deals has kept many large banks away from workforce housing in the past. Some of Toye's deals have required as many as seven separate funding sources. But because of the housing crisis, it's become a priority for JPMorgan, Toye said.While the high cost of borrowing could lead municipalities to pull back on issuing bonds that could help finance affordable housing, Toye said the bank's leadership wants him to continue pushing ahead."When I talk to my manager, or his boss that runs commercial banking, or Jamie, they're not saying, 'Well, Vince, you need to slow down,'" Toye said. "It's, 'Keep your foot on the pedal. We want you to do more. Do it smartly, and make an impact.'"<h3>Read more from Transforming Business</h3><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/industry-leaders-transforming-business-2023-11">10 industry leaders transforming business in 2023</a><a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/advertising-transforming-new-digital-world-2023-11">The digital world remade itself and now every company has become an ad seller</a><a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/private-credit-lenders-middle-market-deals-2023-11">The way companies borrow money is changing forever</a>

Vince Toye wants to transform the American housing landscape, one affordable unit at a time 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Hi! In a story that seems straight out of a sitcom, a local politician lost an election by one vote <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/political-candidate-didnt-vote-lost-election-one-ballot-thurston-washington-2023-12">after failing to vote for himself</a>. In today's big story, we're looking at the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-and-target-are-looking-increasingly-similar-these-days-2023-12">rising similarities between Target and Walmart</a>. What's on deck: <ul><li>Markets: Meet the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-top-hedge-funds-11-experts-2023-11">AI experts leading the charge</a> at nine top hedge funds.</li><li>Tech: What does the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/broadcom-vmware-new-era-begins-2023-11">future of VMware look like</a> under Broadcom?</li><li>Business: Elon Musk's <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-cybertruck-apocalypse-inequality-2023-12">apocalypse-driven pitch</a> for the Cybertruck.</li></ul>But first, can I borrow that idea?If this was forwarded to you, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h2>The big story</h2>Retail déjà vu<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-and-target-are-looking-increasingly-similar-these-days-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="Side by side images of Walmart's new Dollar Shop and Target's Bulleseye's Playground" height="933" width="1918" msid="105760931" hostid="261" sizebytes="275966"></div>If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Walmart and Target are embarking on some serious tributes to each other. Two of the country's largest retailers are taking pages from each other's playbooks as they adjust to a <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/consumer-slowdown-recession-shopping-retail-spending-expectations-us-economy-outlook-2023-11">changing economic landscape</a>. From the vibes at Walmart's "<a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/visiting-walmart-recently-renovated-supercenters-in-wisconsin-2023-11">store of the future</a>" to the proliferation of Target's new low-priced deals, the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-and-target-are-looking-increasingly-similar-these-days-2023-12">similarities between the two stores are becoming undeniable</a>, writes Business Insider's Dominick Reuter. The commonalities go beyond physical appearance or types of deals, Dominick points out. Their executives even sound like one another.Christina Hennington, Target's chief growth officer, recently said the retail giant wants to be a "holiday destination for affordable joy," thanks to Target's "everyday low prices." If that phrase sounds familiar, it's because it's been a key part of Walmart's pricing strategy <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.walmartmuseum.com/content/walmartmuseum/en_us/timeline/decades/1970/artifact/2480.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">for decades</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-and-target-are-looking-increasingly-similar-these-days-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="Side-by-side images of the fresh produce sections at Walmart (left) and Target (right)." height="1096" width="1915" msid="105761018" hostid="261" sizebytes="323148"></div>It's not uncommon for retail chains to borrow ideas from one another. Home Depot and Lowe's have been cribbing ideas from one another for decades. And Walmart founder Sam Walton openly admitted <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/founding-history-of-costco#sam-walton-liked-what-price-and-sinegal-were-doing-with-fedmart-in-california-so-much-that-he-opened-the-first-walmart-in-arkansas-1962-2">he stole borrowed plenty of ideas from Sol Price</a>, the originator of the wholesale club model. But what makes the Walmart-Target dynamic so interesting is the distinct type of consumer they typically serve. While there is bound to be some overlap, shoppers tend to gravitate toward one of the two stores. The dividing line is often economic status. Historically, upper-middle-class consumers opted for Target, while lower-income shoppers headed to Walmart. However, stubborn inflation forced consumers to be <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-is-so-bad-wealthy-shopping-at-dollar-stores-2023-9">more diligent with their shopping decisions</a>. That's led Walmart to see an increase in higher-income clientele, <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-retains-wealthy-customers-thanks-to-inflation-low-grocery-prices-2023-5">a trend they're leaning into</a>.Meanwhile, Target is offering more competitive promotions in a bid to meet consumers at a more comfortable price point for them.But both companies going after each other's target audience isn't about crushing the competition, Dominick told me. It's more a representation of the current economic landscape. Even if it's about swapping customers, that's a tricky strategy. A shift in a company's core offering could alienate <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/typical-shoppers-leading-retail-brands">its most loyal customers</a>. After all, more than beating up on one another, these rivals have a bigger fish to worry about: Amazon.<h2>3 things in markets</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-top-hedge-funds-11-experts-2023-11"></a><div type="image" title="Head shot compilation of Balyasny Asset Management's Charlie Flanagan, AQR Capital Management's Bryan Kelly, Vatic Investments' Li Deng, and Two Sigma's Mike Schuster" height="1500" width="3000" msid="105761020" hostid="261" sizebytes="273510"></div><ul><li>The people leading hedge funds' AI era. Investment firms have been scooping up AI talent to help boost productivity and performance while cutting costs. We identified <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-top-hedge-funds-11-experts-2023-11">11 experts running AI teams</a> at top funds like Millennium, AQR, and Point72.</li><li>What can we expect from the Fed regarding rate cuts next year? A recent note from Barclays is projecting four rate cuts next year. But analysts at ING believe central bankers will make six cuts in 2024. <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-interest-rate-cut-outlook-economy-inflation-bond-yields-2023-12">More on where interest rates are headed next year</a>.</li><li>Israel is reportedly investigating claims of increased short-seller activity ahead of the Hamas attacks. A research paper highlighted <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/israel-hamas-war-short-selling-stock-research-paper-oct-7-2023-12">a spike in bets against the MSCI Israel Exchange Traded Fund and hundreds of Tel Aviv Stock Exchange securities</a> before the terrorist attacks. The Israel Securities Authority told Reuters the matter "is under investigation by all relevant parties."</li></ul><h2>3 things in tech</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-companies-that-have-raised-at-least-50-million-this-year-2023-11"></a><div type="image" title="Sam Altman" height="1548" width="2064" msid="105761021" hostid="261" sizebytes="124274"></div><ul><li>The AI startups that attracted the most investment this year. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Starlink AI topped the list of AI startups that raised money in 2023. But <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-companies-that-have-raised-at-least-50-million-this-year-2023-11">more than 200 startups</a> have raised at least $50 million this year.</li><li>Leaked memo: Spotify CEO's message announcing layoffs. The company is <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spotify-layoffs-read-memo-ceo-sent-employees-announcing-cuts-2023-12">cutting 17% of its headcount</a> — around 1,500 employees. CEO Daniel Ek wrote in his email that "being lean is not just an option but a necessity."</li><li>VMware's future under Broadcom could see "change" and "uncertainty." Insiders and leaked memos point to <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/broadcom-vmware-new-era-begins-2023-11">drastic changes at the company</a>. Competitors are eyeing VMware's customers, and VMware employees are facing a bit of culture shock under Broadcom.</li></ul><h2>3 things in business</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-cybertruck-apocalypse-inequality-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="Elon Musk laughing in a Cybertruck surrounded by flames" height="1000" width="2000" msid="105761022" hostid="261" sizebytes="237988"></div><ul><li>Elon Musk's Cybertruck apocalypse. The Tesla CEO says its long-awaited truck is built for the apocalypse. In reality, that's silly. But his belief in a truck that can survive suggests an <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-cybertruck-apocalypse-inequality-2023-12">even more dystopian mindset</a>.</li><li>A millennial who rushed into being a manager in her 20s shares her regrets. She said that it's important for managers to help their direct reports with their development and career trajectories. But at 26, she was still <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-becoming-manager-regret-job-career-advice-2023-12">navigating her own career trajectory</a>.</li><li>Gen Z is opting out of working for others. Instead, they want to work for themselves. One in three Gen Zers believes the <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-self-employed-build-wealth-instagram-traditional-work-job-2023-12">best way to build wealth</a> is to be self-employed, according to a new survey. Gen Z is the "hustle generation," and they reject a lot of millennial attitudes about careers.</li></ul><h2>In other news</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaving-california-moving-to-las-vegas-living-in-seattle-2023-12">People are fleeing California. Here's where they're plotting to move to</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aging-secrets-longevity-advice-japan-supercentenarian-2023-12">Four aging secrets of Japanese supercentenarians, from a longevity researcher whose great-grandmother lived to 115</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-and-worst-states-to-find-a-job-ranked-2023-11">The best states to find a job, ranked</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-soldier-marines-trying-defend-dnipro-river-cant-swim-bbc-2023-12">Ukrainian soldier admits some of the marines trying to defend a key river against Russian attack "can't even swim.</a>"</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/klarna-freezes-hiring-shrink-the-company-relies-on-ai-chatgpt-2023-12">Klarna is freezing hiring and turning to AI tools such as ChatGPT to pick up the slack</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-aws-reinvent-xxl-meeting-biggest-customers-2023-12">Amazon holds an exclusive meeting at its cloud conference to give "XXL" customers like Salesforce a forum to air grievances</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-grew-salary-after-pivoting-tech-data-privacy-2023-12">I got a tech job and quadrupled my salary to $400,000 after leaving law. You don't need a traditional tech background to succeed in the industry</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-lesson-for-founders-be-a-control-freak-2023-12">Sam Altman's biggest lesson for founders: control freaks win</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-affordable-places-to-visit-next-year-2023">I traveled to over seven countries in 2023. Here are four of the most affordable cities I visited</a>.</li><li><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-sp500-bull-rally-indicator-bear-rebound-resistance-2023-12">CHART OF THE DAY: The S&amp;P 500 is running into an obstacle that could make or break the bull rally</a>.</li></ul><h2>What's happening today</h2><ul><li>The "Dancing With The Stars" season finale is tonight on ABC. The stars in contention for gold are Xochitl Gomez, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Mraz, Charity Lawson, and Ariana Madix.</li><li>The 2024 Major League Baseball Draft Lottery will be broadcast live. It'll air on the MLB Network. The lottery will give teams that didn't make the playoffs a chance to land their top picks.</li><li>Earnings today: AutoZone, Asana, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/earnings-calendar">and other companies</a>.</li></ul><h2>For your bookmarks</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-burglar-reveals-how-she-picked-homes-target-alarms-useless-2023-12"></a><div type="image" title="Burglar entering house with crowbar" height="1414" width="1885" msid="105761024" hostid="261" sizebytes="74768"></div>Home safety tipsFormer burglar shares advice on how to keep your home safe. She said security systems indicate there's <a style="text-decoration: underline;" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-burglar-reveals-how-she-picked-homes-target-alarms-useless-2023-12">something valuable and worth stealing inside</a>.The Insider Today team: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-defrancesco">Dan DeFrancesco</a>, senior editor and anchor, in New York City. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/diamond-naga-siu">Diamond Naga Siu</a>, senior reporter, in San Diego. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/hallam-bullock">Hallam Bullock</a>, editor, in London. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/lisa-ryan">Lisa Ryan</a>, executive editor, in New York.

Walmart and Target borrowing ideas from each other shows we're in a new economic landscape

Demand for industrial and <keyword id="108235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="logistics" source="Orion">logistics</keyword> spaces hit an all-time high across eight major cities last year with <keyword id="117877" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="leasing" source="Orion">leasing</keyword> activity rising annually by 8 per cent, according to <keyword id="20060150" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cbre" source="keywords">CBRE</keyword>. In its latest report, <keyword id="6354553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="real-estate" source="Orion">real estate</keyword> consultant CBRE said that the leasing of industrial and logistics spaces rose to 38.8 million square feet in 2023 from 36 million square feet in the previous year driven mainly by demand from third-party logistics (3PL) companies. Anshuman Magazine, Chairman &amp; CEO, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East &amp; Africa, CBRE, said, "As we envision the future of the industrial and logistics sector, this robust growth is a testament to the sector's resilience despite global economic challenges." Leasing activities across the top eight cities remained robust in 2023, showing a steady annual space occupancy, he said. "The leasing landscape in 2023 reflects a pronounced influence of 3PL players, commanding a substantial 45% share," Magazine said. The consultant noted that diverse industries, including <keyword id="35621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce" source="Orion">e-commerce</keyword>, <keyword id="6354851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail" source="Orion">retail</keyword>, and <keyword id="6362048" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manufacturing" source="Orion">manufacturing</keyword>, chose to outsource their supply chain operations to 3PL firms. This strategic move was aimed at meeting storage requirements, attaining increased flexibility, cost reduction, and overcoming challenges associated with labour sourcing. Engineering and manufacturing companies constituted 17 per cent of the total leasing activity. The proactive government policies and initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme played a pivotal role in fuelling the growth of domestic engineering and manufacturing firms. Leasing of industrial and logistics spaces in Mumbai touched an all-time high, registering 9.9 million sq ft in 2023 as against 7.3 million square feet in the previous year. In Delhi-NCR, the demand fell to 7 million square feet last year from 9.4 million square feet during 2022 calendar year. Bengaluru saw a decline to 4.7 million square feet from 5.9 million square feet. Kolkata too witnessed a dip to 3 million square feet from 3.8 million square feet. However, in Hyderabad, the demand grew to 4.3 million square feet from 3.7 million square feet. Leasing of industrial and logistics spaces in Chennai increased to 6 million square feet from 3.9 million square feet. In Pune, the leasing went up to 1.7 million square feet from 0.7 million square feet. The demand for industrial and logistic warehousing spaces in Ahmedabad rose to 2.2 million square feet last year from 1.2 million square feet in the 2022 calendar year. "Driven by increased demand for high-quality spaces, restricted availability of quality supply in specific locations, and an escalation in land costs, rental values witnessed an annual rise in prominent micro-markets across cities, except in the case of Kolkata," CBRE said.

Industrial & logistics space demand hit record in 2023 at 38.8 mn sq ft in 8 cities: CBRE

<ul><li>The effects of the RBI crackdown on easy <keyword id="35520" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="personal-loans" source="Orion">personal loans</keyword> is yet to be seen. </li><li>Despite a more than 25% decrease in acceptance rates, credit card balances have consistently increased. </li><li><keyword id="185013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-loans" source="Orion">Gold loans</keyword> stand out within the <keyword id="817163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-lending" source="Orion">retail lending</keyword> segment by providing the most favourable acceptance rates. </li></ul>Personal loans are on the rise. The month of December has seen the category in lending-verse amass outstanding balances of approximately ₹11 lakh crore, as per the Consumer Finance Overview by InCred Finance. Within the segment, the most rapid growth has been seen in small ticket personal loans (STPL), defined as loans under ₹25,000, witnessing a fourfold increase in volume over the past two years. Meanwhile, conventional personal loans, characterised by larger amounts and stricter underwriting criteria, have doubled in volume over the same period. It is to be noteworthy that in November, earlier this year, RBI increased the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/rbi-tightens-norms-on-personal-loans-for-banks-nbfcs/articleshow/105269235.cms">risk weightage</a> for unsecured personal loans, and the effect is expected to be seen gradually. Retail lending trumps corporate lending Interestingly, retail lending, directed at individuals rather than businesses, now holds the foremost position and exhibits the most rapid growth within the credit landscape. Retail lending stands at approximately ₹89 lakh crores (around $1.1 trillion), constituting 46% of the overall credit in the economy. The report says that comparatively, corporate lending amounts to ₹74 lakh crores (about $0.9 trillion), securing the second largest segment. Retail balances are growing at a rate of 22% annually from a substantial base, outpacing the 17% growth of overall credit balances and the 14% growth of corporate balances. <keyword id="6387037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-cards" source="Orion">Credit cards</keyword> remain fastest growing retail lending category, despite decreased acceptance rates The fastest growing sector in retail lending remains credit cards. Despite a more than 25% decrease in acceptance rates and an industry-wide tightening of credit policies for new-to-credit customers, credit card balances have consistently increased. This appears to be a preemptive risk management step by lenders, as overall credit performance in the industry remains stable or even shows signs of improvement. A report by Worldline, a payment and transaction services company, highlighted a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/indias-debit-card-transactions-fall-but-credit-card-spends-rise-further/articleshow/103960976.cms">surge in credit card transactions</a> in H1 2023, reaching 1.550 billion, signifying a significant increase of 19.6% compared to H1 2022. Loans for personal consumption drive retail lending The outstanding balances for consumer finance have crossed ₹22 lakh crores (approx. USD 270 billion). Despite this high base, balances continue to grow at over 25% per annum across most product categories. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual outstanding balance growth rate (%) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Gold loans </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">25 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Car loans </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">26 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Personal loans </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">29 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Two-wheeler loans </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">31 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Consumer loans </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">33 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Credit cards </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">34 </td></tr></tbody></table> Source: InCred <keyword id="1897540" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-durable-loans" source="Orion">Consumer durable loans</keyword> see rapid growth Consumer durable loans, akin to STPL loans in terms of loan amounts, are experiencing rapid growth. However, the distinction lies in their controlled use case, where disbursements are directly made to the merchant. The risk performance of these loans earmarked for consumer durables has shown stability. Gold loans continue to shine Gold loans also stand out within the retail lending segment by providing the most favourable acceptance rates, which is natural since it is a secured loan. Banks have observed a rapid increase in their unsecured loan portfolios, raising concerns by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Responding to the RBI's worries about the growth of unsecured loans, specific banks are swiftly shifting their attention toward encouraging secured lending. Among these, gold loans have emerged as an attractive financial product within the retail sector. This shift aims to mitigate risk by promoting lending backed by collateral rather than unsecured lending, aligning with the RBI's cautionary stance.

Retail trumps corporate lending as small-ticket loans see fourfold jump in past two years

<ul><li>Overall <keyword id="46211" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="auto-sales" source="Orion">auto sales</keyword> decline 12.6% year-on-year in October, but sales surpass highs of 2017 <keyword id="48284" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="navratri" source="Orion">Navratri</keyword> by 18% in 2023, shows <keyword id="354719" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="fada" source="Orion">FADA</keyword> data.</li><li>The <keyword id="163191" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="two-wheeler-sales" source="Orion">two-wheeler sales</keyword> are up 15% in the same period. Strong rural demand and higher liquidity during elections to support demand in coming months.</li><li>The commercial vehicle segment experienced robust bookings and a positive uptake in retail sales, buoyed by festive cheer and strategic price support.</li></ul>Retail auto sales in October grew by a healthy 13% month-on-month but declined 12.6% year-on-year, according to data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations. Even though a like to like comparison is not correct as the first half of the month of October fell during the inauspicious Sharddh period. However, auto sales during the Navratri of 2023 have surpassed the peak sales seen during 2017 by 18%. While bookings portray a healthy trend, FADA has expressed concerns about the build up of inventory in the passenger vehicle segment, which now stands between 63-66 days. Commenting on October retail sales data, FADA President, Manish Raj Singhania, said: "The month commenced under the shadow of the inauspicious Shraddh period, persisting until the 14th. Consequently, a YoY comparison may not accurately reflect the actual trajectory of growth in the Indian Auto Retail sector. When compared month-on-month, auto retail sales flourished, achieving a 13% increase, with contributions from all categories. Two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles, tractors, and commercial vehicles expanded by 15%, 2%, 7%, 15%, and 10%, respectively, underscoring the sector's robust growth momentum.” The road ahead may be a tad slippery for passenger vehicles. A survey done by the industry association shows that the passenger vehicle segment is going through a tricky phase. While there may be a spike of bookings during the festive days, the shadow of year-end discounts looms over immediate sales. High inventory levels in PVs, at a critical 63-66 days range, demand urgent attention from OEMs. <div type="image" title="FADA Oct" msid="105005299" hostid="261" sizebytes="68292" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Data from F&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;ADA October report&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The association has said that without substantial interventions and if Diwali sales don't rise to the occasion, the weight of unsold stock could lead to significant dealer distress, echoing FADA's concerns for potential industry-wide repercussions. Immediate and decisive action is imperative to counter the risk of a financial squeeze as the year closes. Despite the concerns expressed by dealers across India, the month of October has shown some positive signs. The two-wheeler category during the Navratri period holds promise as sales were buoyed by festive cheer and stronger rural demand. Enhanced availability of models, especially those in high demand from the previous year, along with better financial schemes, contributed to a solid market momentum. States going into elections also injected optimism into the market, leading to an increase in government spending and improved liquidity. Despite a shift in festival dates, with Diwali moving to November, the anticipation of the festive season stimulated purchase intent and dealers reported good stock preparation and robust ground efforts that led to an uptick in sales figures, showcasing a resilient and adaptive market. The 3W segment continued the uptick in demand during Navratri, largely driven by competitive finance options and a significant rise in e-Rickshaw interest, signalling a healthy move towards electrification. October continued this positive trend with robust market sentiments and festive celebrations contributing to increased customer bookings. The commercial vehicle segment experienced robust bookings and a positive uptake in retail sales, buoyed by festive cheer and strategic price support from manufacturers. The demand for light and small commercial vehicles surged, driven by infrastructure development activities and the need for vehicle replacement. Healthy demand was witnessed especially in segments like cement, iron ore and coal transport. The festive seasons, including Navratri, catalysed market activity, with customers taking advantage of favourable finance schemes. The PV segment navigated a complex landscape, marked by both enthusiasm and caution. During Navratri, despite regional variability, the industry witnessed a surge in bookings, buoyed by the introduction of compelling new models, particularly SUVs and the availability of attractive consumer offers. However, the impact of local elections and market saturation meant that the festive spirit didn't translate uniformly into sales across all regions. Throughout the month, the anticipation for Diwali in November and the launch of new models generated a steady demand. The period overall saw a resilient PV market, supported by a stronger product line-up unlike last year, when stock availability was a major issue."

You Searched For "retail landscape" and got 12 results

'The million-dollar question of this election': Women's health startups are confronting a shifting legal landscape

Melia Russell,Rebecca Torrence

Consumer goods, auto and healthcare sector to expand but energy may face challenge in 2025: Report

ANI

SIMPLY PUT: SEBI is on a mission to take on the wild, wild west of futures and options in India. Here’s why, what, and how

Ira Alok Puranik

Macy's and Best Buy are banking on small-format stores to lower costs and boost consumer convenience amid an ever-shifting retail landscape

John L. Dorman

Reliance AGM 2024: Company aims to double retail business, Mukesh Ambani says not pursuing short-term profit

BI India Bureau

India to see retail digital payments to double to USD 7 tn by 2030: Report

PTI

Volumes up, values down: April 2024 marks notable shifts in India's deal-making landscape

Deekshith Pinto

Vince Toye wants to transform the American housing landscape, one affordable unit at a time

Alex Nicoll

Walmart and Target borrowing ideas from each other shows we're in a new economic landscape

Dan DeFrancesco

Industrial & logistics space demand hit record in 2023 at 38.8 mn sq ft in 8 cities: CBRE

PTI

Retail trumps corporate lending as small-ticket loans see fourfold jump in past two years

Anagh Pal

Retail auto sales up 13% MoM in October, but high inventory levels in PV a concern

BI India Bureau

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides