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Top stocks to watch on May 18

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Top stocks to watch on May 18


Bharti Airtel, Cipla & more: Top stocks to watch on May 18

Jefferies has a buy rating on Bharti Airtel with the target price raised to Rs 2,350 from Rs 2,250. Analysts said the telecom major’s Jan-March quarter (Q4FY26) revenues and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) beat analysts’ estimates, but normalised profits missed estimates. India mobile average revenue per user (ARPU), strong growth in homes and Africa, and healthy free cash flow (FCF) generation were the key highlights. The proposed share swap for Airtel Africa is on better-than-expected terms and may lower concerns on future stake sales by Singtel.JP Morgan upgraded Cipla to overweight with the target price at Rs 1,550. Analysts upgrade the stock on improved earnings growth visibility driven by complex US launches over the next two years, coupled with attractive valuations post the recent correction. The company’s management guided for a US exit run-rate of $1 billion in FY27, a material step-up from the current quarterly run-rate of about $155 million. The company’s pipeline of launches looks promising with gVentolin (launch soon), gAdvair (first half of the year), gSymbicort (second half of the year 2H), and select peptides including a material one. Analysts kept their estimates largely unchanged but raised the multiple as the pipeline now has more tangible milestones (approvals in hand, PAI done, goal dates), which gave them higher confidence on execution. Morgan Stanley maintained its underweight rating on Dixon Technologies with the target price at Rs 8,157. Analysts said the company’s Q4FY26 revenue growth was at 2% while EBITDA declined 8% on the year (YoY). Also its revenue and EBITDA missed estimates by 12% and 17% respectively, while EBITDA margin contracted by 40 basis points (100 basis points or bps = 1 percentage point) YoY to 3.9%. Mobile and EMS revenue rose 4% YoY while margins dipped to 3.6%. Its consumer electronics revenue growth was at 1% YoY while adjusted PAT was in line aided by lower interest and minority interest costs.HDFC Securities Institutional Equities has upgraded Hyundai Motor India to add with the target price hiked to Rs 2,103. Analysts said they were finally sensing some aggression from the management toward domestic growth, market share, and focus on growing exports. While they do not expect the company to revive meaningful market share just yet considering the intensifying competition in the SUV space, they believe the intent and efforts could materialize better in the medium to long term, considering the capability of the parent company. Making HMIL the global production hub for Venue, as well as focus of expanding to other geographies, augurs well. Additionally, the current CAFÉ 3 draft and the company’s focus on CNG and upcoming launch of a dedicated EV in the compact SUV space, puts the company in a better spot with regard to the upcoming CAFÉ 3 norms. They said the key risk for the stock is the intensifying competition in both the domestic and the export markets.Nomura has a buy rating on Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals with the target price at Rs 335. Analysts said the company’s growth recovery was on track. Its Q4FY26 EBITDA was ahead and its push across a wider portfolio, normal summer to drive growth. They said the stock’s valuation remains attractive at 25x FY28 earnings per share (EPS).(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)


US says China to buy billions in agricultural goods after Trump-Xi talks | Business and Economy News

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US says China to buy billions in agricultural goods after Trump-Xi talks | Business and Economy News


China will buy ‘at least’ $17bn worth of US agricultural goods annually, the White House says.

China will buy “at least” $17bn worth of agricultural goods from the United States annually following US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s summit in Beijing, the White House has said.

China will make the purchases through 2028, with the 2026 target applying to the remainder of the year on a proportionate basis, according to a fact sheet released on Sunday.

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The White House said the deal is in addition to China’s commitment to buy at least 87 million metric tonnes of US soya beans, which was made at Trump and Xi’s summit in South Korea in October.

China will also restore market access for US beef by renewing the expired listings of more than 400 production facilities, and resume imports of poultry from states determined by the US Department of Agriculture to be free of avian influenza, according to the fact sheet.

Trump and Xi also agreed to establish two new bodies – the US-China Board of Trade and the US-China Board of Investment – to manage trade and investment between the sides, the White House said.

China has yet to confirm or comment on the White House’s announcement.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The White House’s update provides further clarity on the outcome of Trump and Xi’s two-day summit, which was heavy on pageantry and camaraderie but light on concrete agreements.

During their two days of talks in Beijing, Trump and Xi sought greater alignment on economic issues and trade, while largely skirting the sensitive issues of Taiwan and the US-Israel war on Iran.

In a readout after the summit wrapped up on Friday, the White House said the two sides had discussed ways to “enhance economic cooperation”, and that they agreed on the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon.”

Beijing did not explicitly state that Iran should not have nuclear weapons, but stressed the importance of reaching “a settlement on the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues that accommodates the concerns of all parties”.

Neither White House statement contained any mention of Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing views as an integral part of its territory.

The omission of any reference to the island – the defence of which Washington is committed to supporting under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act – came after Xi warned of “clashes and even conflicts” between the superpowers if the issue is not “handled properly”.

After nearly a decade of tit-for-tat economic salvoes between Washington and Beijing, US-Chinese trade is down sharply from its peak.

Their bilateral trade in goods last year came to some $415bn, down from more than $690bn in 2022.


Moment two fighter jets collide mid-air during US air show

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Moment two fighter jets collide mid-air during US air show


Four crew members are in stable condition after two fighter jets collided mid-air during a US air show, officials say.

All the aircrew safely ejected from US Navy EA18-G jets that were performing an aerial demonstration when they crashed.

The dramatic incident happened on Sunday, during the second and final day of the Gunfighter Skies air show in Idaho.

Read more about this story here.


Gen Z drives fashion, beauty e-sales

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Gen Z drives fashion, beauty e-sales


Cart stars: Gen Z drives fashion, beauty e-sales

NEW DELHI: Around half of India’s online fashion and beauty shoppers are now Gen Z, and platforms are rapidly realigning to keep pace. Significantly, the cohort also boasts 1.5x the e-retail spend share on categories such as lifestyle, beauty, and electronics compared to other age groups, driving growth in a market that has more than doubled over five years to $66 billion in gross merchandise value, Bain & Co data showed.Online platforms, including Amazon, Nykaa, Myntra and Shein, as well as consumer brands are sharpening their strategies around this cohort’s fast-evolving tastes and high-engagement behaviour. At Amazon Fashion, the shift is visible with Gen Z’s share surging to 52% from about 30% two years ago, according to its director, Nikhil Sinha. Beyond penetration, engagement across browsing, visits and transactions is up two-and-half times YoY, he told TOI.A significant chunk of the growth and engagement is now coming from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. “Gen Z (shopper) growth in tier 2 and 3 cities is happening at twice the rate compared to the rest of the country. Customers in cities such as Indore, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Kochi, Nagpur, Jaipur and Surat now have access to the same global trends, creators and content as customers in metros like Mumbai or Bengaluru,” Sinha added.For Myntra too, Gen Z accounts for nearly half the customer base and contributes almost half of all new customers in 2025, says Suman Saha, CXO House of Brands and FWD, Myntra.What sets this cohort apart, is the kind of brands they engage with — particularly new-age and digital-first labels, Sinha said, adding there’s a strong traction towards premiumisation. Further, the consumption pattern has accelerated the rise of D2C (direct to consumer) and Gen Z-focused brands. “The Gen Z cohort is growing faster than older cohorts because more of them are entering the workforce and increasing their discretionary spend,” said Nikita Khanna, founder of D2C haircare brand Moxie Beauty.


Iran war live: Trump threatens Tehran; Saudi, UAE report drone attacks

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Iran war live: Trump threatens Tehran; Saudi, UAE report drone attacks



Peace talks remain deadlocked as drones hit sites in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.


Political executions surge in Iran

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Political executions surge in Iran


“At a time when it is confronting multiple internal and external crises, it is attempting, through intensified repression and an increase in executions, to stage a display of power and project the message: ‘I am still here, and I still control the situation,'” he says.


Israel kills at least five in Lebanon after ‘ceasefire’ extended | Israel attacks Lebanon News

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Israel kills at least five in Lebanon after ‘ceasefire’ extended | Israel attacks Lebanon News


At least five people have been killed as Israeli air attacks hit several locations in southern and eastern Lebanon.

A series of Israeli air attacks on southern and eastern Lebanon has killed at least five people and injured more than a dozen, according to the Health Ministry.

Despite Israel agreeing to a ceasefire extension with Hezbollah, the attacks on Sunday included the municipalities of Tayr Felsay, Tayr Debba, Az-Zrariyah and Jebchit.

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According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), at least three people were also killed in a separate Israeli attack on the village of Jouaiya.

The Israeli military issued forced displacement orders to residents in the villages of Sohmor, Roumine, al-Qusaibah, Kfar Hounah and Naqoura in southern Lebanon.

“It’s been another violent day here in southern Lebanon,” reported Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto, from the southern city of Tyre. “As the ceasefire comes into place, we have seen the exact opposite happening with Israel intensifying its attacks,” he said.

At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was “holding territory, clearing territory, protecting Israel’s communities, but also fighting an enemy that is trying to outsmart us”.

Since the war resumed on March 2, at least 2,988 people have been killed and 9,210 injured in Israeli attacks across the country, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Sunday.

Talks in Washington

Sunday’s attacks followed talks in Washington, DC, where the two countries agreed a 45-day ceasefire extension – even though the original accord which began on April 17 has never been observed.

The third round of talks in the US capital concluded after the first direct meeting in decades last month between Lebanon and Israel, which do not have diplomatic relations.

NNA reported that the ceasefire extension is intended to allow for a US-facilitated security track to begin on May 29, with the next round of talks between the two sides planned for June 2 and 3 in Washington, DC.

Hezbollah opposes direct negotiations, especially as Israeli forces continue to bomb southern Lebanon and occupy parts of it since the ceasefire.

“The direct negotiations that the authorities in Lebanon have conducted with the Israeli enemy have … led them down a dead-end path that will result in nothing but one concession after another,” Hezbollah legislator Hussein Hajj Hassan said on Sunday.

“Neither they nor anyone else will be able to carry out what the enemy wants, especially when it comes to the issue of disarming the resistance,” he said, adding that authorities were creating “very big predicaments” for the country.

On Saturday, Hezbollah said it struck a military target in northern Israel, having earlier announced several operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

The war is having a disastrous humanitarian impact. Between March and April, more than 1.2 million people have been forced to leave their homes due to fighting, according to the Danish Refugee Council.

The conflict is pushing the economy towards breaking point. Bassem El-Bawab, head of the Lebanese Business Association, said the country has suffered more than $25bn in direct and indirect losses since Israel’s war started in 2024.

Around $12bn will be needed for reconstruction, with El-Bawab warning that the total could rise further if the conflict continues.

He added that Lebanon is losing about $30m daily in indirect economic damage, alongside the direct destruction of homes, businesses and infrastructure.


Eurovision winner Dara arrives to screaming fans in Bulgaria

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Eurovision winner Dara arrives to screaming fans in Bulgaria


Bulgarian pop star Dara was met by a crowd of fans in Sofia airport on Sunday, celebrating her historic Eurovision win.

The 27-year-old’s tune Bangaranga won Bulgaria its first ever title in the song contest.

“Thank you for being here,” she told fans as she arrived in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, before adding “I cannot wait to dip my toes in this atmosphere”.


Weather & then war lead to tears in India’s onion basket

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Weather & then war lead to tears in India’s onion basket


Weather & then war lead to tears in India’s onion basket

Seeking relief: Onion growers want an MSP of Rs 3,500/quintal and a Rs 1,500-a-quintal compensation for distress sales

Rain clouds rolled over Maharashtra’s onion belt. Then came war winds from West Asia. Prices collapsed. Crops rotted. Farmers counted losses in rupees — and sold tears by the quintal. Across Nashik, Solapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, onion growers are reaping a bitter harvest this season as wholesale prices at agriculture produce market committees (APMCs) have crashed far below production costs.Prakash Galadhar, a farmer hailing from Paithan taluka in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, hauled 1,262kg of onions he had harvested to market last week. After deductions for labour, loading and transport, his final balance showed he owed the trader Re 1.In Satana APMC of Nashik district, farmer Jitendra Solanke brought 30 quintals hoping to recover at least part of his investment. Traders first offered Rs 50 a quintal. After he protested, rate climbed to Rs 175 a quintal — Rs 1.75 a kg.Still, numbers refused to add up. “I spent Rs 1,200 per quintal to grow crop. After sale, labour and transport charges, only Rs 500 remained. The loss mounted to Rs 36,000,” Solanke said.Inputs have become expensive — seeds, fertilisers, diesel, mechanised farming and labour costs have all risen sharply — while market prices have sunk into mud.“We sell onions at Rs 4 to Rs 5 per kg while production cost is over Rs 12,” said Bhausaheb Jagtap, a farmer from Pune district. “After paying everybody, nothing is left,” Jagtap said.Prices have been sliding since Feb this year. At Lasalgaon APMC in Nashik — country’s largest onion wholesale market and benchmark for national rates — the kitchen staple is currently selling between Rs 400 and Rs 1,600 a quintal. Nearly 80% of arrivals fetch less than Rs 800 a quintal.In Solapur APMC, arrivals on May 13 touched 14,756 quintals. Prices ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 1,700 a quintal, or Rs 1 to Rs 17 a kg. A year ago, onions sold there for Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 a quintal.Growers said break-even price stands near Rs 18 a kg. “Losses are massive because nearly 80% of onions are selling between Rs 400 and Rs 800 per quintal,” said Bharat Dighole, president of Maharashtra Onion Growers’ Association.Market experts blamed a perfect storm: bumper arrivals, weak domestic demand, export disruptions and rain-damaged produce flooding mandis.“Geopolitical tensions involving Iran, US and Israel disrupted export markets and reduced overseas demand,” said Vikas Singh, vice president of Horticulture Produce Exporters’ Association of India.Unseasonal rain between March 19 and 21 added another blow to the farmers. Showers lashed Nashik district just as summer onion harvest began, damaging ready crop and triggering rot during storage. “Only 30% of produce was grade-1 quality,” said Prakash Jadhav, head of onion department at Solapur APMC. “Rain damage and long storage hurt quality.”Farmers are demanding onions be brought under minimum support price, pegging at Rs 3,500 a quintal. Growers’ groups want Maharashtra govt to compensate farmers by Rs 1,500 a quintal for distress sales.(Inputs from Prasad Joshi)


‘Won’t be anything left’: Trump issues threat to Iran amid stalled talks | Government News

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‘Won’t be anything left’: Trump issues threat to Iran amid stalled talks | Government News


United States President Donald Trump has reiterated his threats against Iran, as negotiations to end the conflict between the two countries continue to flounder.

In a Sunday morning post on his platform Truth Social, Trump warned that time was running short before a fresh wave of US military action might be launched.

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“For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” Trump wrote in the short, two-sentence message. “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

The post was the latest example of Trump using violent rhetoric against Iran as his administration struggles to achieve its goals in the war.

Just a day earlier, Trump had posted an AI-generated image of himself atop a military ship, labelled, “It was the calm before the storm.”

The conflict began on February 28, when Israel and the US jointly attacked Iran.

Since then, Trump has put forward a range of objectives for the resulting war, including dismantling Iran’s missile arsenal, severing its relations with regional allies, and ending its nuclear enrichment programme.

On April 7, Trump coupled those demands with a social media post suggesting wholesale destruction in Iran. Critics have likened the post to a call for genocide.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote.

Within hours of the post, the US and Iran agreed to a ceasefire that has been in place ever since, though both sides have accused each other of violations.

The US president had previously threatened to attack the country’s civilian infrastructure, including its power plants and bridges, which legal experts warn could amount to a violation of the Geneva Convention.

Separately, in a May interview with Fox News, Trump said Iranian officials will “be blown off the face of the earth” if they attack US vessels.

Iran has denounced such rhetoric and rejected Trump’s demands as excessive.

Mehr, a news agency sponsored by the Iranian government, issued a statement on Sunday saying that the US has offered “no tangible concessions” in its latest proposals.

It also accused the US of seeking to “obtain concessions that it failed to obtain during the war”, a strategy that “will lead to an impasse in the negotiations”.

Separately, a spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces, Abolfazl Shakarchi, was quoted as warning the US against further threats.

“Repeating any folly to compensate for America’s disgrace in the Third Imposed War against Iran will result in nothing but receiving more crushing and severe blows,” he told Mehr.

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Almigdad Alruhaid said that the Iranian government has indicated that violent rhetoric from the US will not be tolerated.

“From what we understand, this kind of language is not acceptable here in Tehran. They are projecting defiance rather than [giving] an immediate response to this kind of rhetoric,” Alruhaid said.

He added that the increasingly hostile remarks from both sides signal that the ceasefire could be at imminent risk of shattering.

“Behind all of this rhetoric, there is awareness that the diplomatic window right now is narrowing,” Alruhaid said.

“We do know that there is hard language, hard messaging from both sides — that the finger’s on the trigger on both sides.”

But Adam Clements, a foreign policy analyst, told Al Jazeera there could be a “domestic element” to Trump’s hardline rhetoric, including his latest flurry of messages.

“Of course, Iran would have to take it seriously,” Clements said of Sunday’s post.

“At the same time as well, President Trump is known for his bombastic tweets, his bombastic statements, perhaps for domestic audiences.”

Clements added that it will be critical to watch whether Trump’s statements are echoed by his officials in the coming days, and whether they are also matched by increased military activity.

“ The White House press office has been known to post these type of strange memes, or AI-generated memes and cartoons in the past,” he explained.

“So I think it’s necessary here to sometimes look past some of the political noise, some of the things for show, and really try to pay attention to these clear signals.”