X Shore, a Swedish electric boat manufacturer, is eyeing India as a market due to rising global sustainability demand. Founder Konrad Bergstrom emphasizes focusing on building a better future, not just financial gain. Currently scaling up production, X Shore aims for purpose-driven innovation and sustainability, leveraging Bergstrom's early success with Marshall audio products.
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Tesla reported lower than expected profits Wednesday but confirmed key 2025 benchmarks, saying it will return to sales volume growth and move forward with fully autonomous driving. But Tesla expects growth in 2025, saying in its earnings release that "with the advancements in vehicle autonomy and the introduction of new products, we expect the vehicle business to return to growth in 2025."
NHAI has prepaid loans of Rs 56,000 crore this fiscal year, reducing its debt from Rs 3.3 lakh crore to around Rs 2.8 lakh crore. With help from budgetary allocation and monetisation proceeds, NHAI aims to further reduce debt by March and save Rs 1,200 crore in interest costs.
Oil prices declined following President Trump's statement about convincing Saudi Arabia and OPEC to reduce crude costs. WTI futures dropped below $75 and Brent below $79. The OPEC and its allies aim to support prices by limiting output with potential plans to gradually revive production starting in April.
Companies in India are expected to see an average salary increment of 8.8% in 2025, slightly down from 9.0% in 2024. While 75% of companies aim to maintain or reduce pay hikes due to muted revenue growth, top performers may receive 1.7 times higher increments than average employees, with a focus on optimizing costs and talent differentiation.
Indo Farm Equipment's IPO gets nearly 6 times subscription on opening day. Retail investors subscribed 8.54 times, and non-institutional investors 7.61 times, while QIBs received 1% subscription. The company plans to use the proceeds for manufacturing capacity expansion, debt payment, and investment in its NBFC subsidiary.
Industry bodies requested tax cuts, increased public spending, and focus on MSMEs in the budget to boost demand and job creation during their consultations with FM Sitharaman. Proposals included reducing personal tax rates, excise duty, improving credit flow to small businesses, and developing rural industrial parks, with an emphasis on public capex and female workforce participation.
Samsung Electronics is preparing to enhance AI functionalities with its new Galaxy S25 series smartphones, launched recently. The company aims to reclaim market share in India, establishing significant R&D and manufacturing hubs. The expansion includes penetrating smaller towns, focusing on AI integration in various sectors and data security improvements, and enhancing their televisions and home appliances business.
The rupee depreciated by 2.8% against the US dollar in 2024, marking its seventh consecutive year of decline. Contributing factors included RBI's forex intervention strategy, a strong US dollar, and capital outflows due to a shift in investor focus from India to China. Structural issues like inflation differentials and current account deficits also played a role.
Indians are shifting towards premium wines and spirits, creating growth opportunities for companies like Moet Hennessy. High taxes and varying state regulations complicate the market, making foreign liquor expensive. Ongoing FTA discussions, particularly with the UK, aim to reduce duties and boost consumption. Domestically produced wines, like Chandon, are also gaining popularity.
Udaan, a B2B e-commerce startup, secured a fresh $75 million in funding led by existing investor M&G, maintaining a $1.8 billion valuation. The company is also negotiating an additional $25 million in funding. The investment will enhance Udaan's supply chain and vendor partnerships.