Top Headlines: Consumer sector deals rise; wheat mkts still on edge & more

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Consumer companies are looking at inorganic ways to grow their business and also enter new categories, driving up the number of deals in the sector. Geetanjali Shree, the 65-year-old author from New Delhi, made literary history when her Hindi novel, Ret Samadhi won the International Booker Prize 2022. Read more on these in our top headlines.

Consumer sector deals rise in January-March quarter amid consolidation

Consumer companies are looking at inorganic ways to grow their business and also enter new categories, driving up the number of deals in the sector. The number of deals in this space jumped to 74 in the January-March quarter of 2022 from 45 in the corresponding period last year. Also, the value of deals increased to $1.4 billion compared to $566 million in the year-ago quarter, according to data. Read more

Wheat markets still on the edge a fortnight after govt's export ban

On May 13, the government announced a ban on wheat exports, effective immediately, citing a sudden surge in global wheat prices and the resulting food security risks to India. While some ships have been able to move in recent days, not all of them have got full clearance. Companies which were waiting to export in bulk are invoking force majeure clauses to ward off arbitration proceedings from buyers abroad. Read more

Meet Geetanjali Shree, first Booker awardee for an Indian language

Geetanjali Shree, the 65-year-old author from New Delhi, made literary history when her Hindi novel, Ret Samadhi – translated into English by Vermont-based Daisy Rockwell (53) as Tomb of Sand – won the 2022 International Booker Prize for Translated Fiction. Set in North India, this is the first novel originally written in “any Indian language” to receive the prestigious honour. Read more 
 

Okinawa Autotech to invest Rs 1200-1,500 cr in e-two-wheelers in two years

Undeterred by the fire incidents involving its scooters, Okinawa Autotech is charging ahead with an aggressive investment plan. It seeks to make the most of the burgeoning demand for electric two-wheelers in India. Jeetender Sharma, founder and managing director, Okinawa Autotech, said his company will invest Rs 1,200 crore-Rs 1,500 crore over the next two years. Read more 

Sebi searches 16 'suspected entities' in Axis MF front-running case

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has conducted searches at multiple premises associated with 16 “suspected entities”, in connection with an ongoing probe in the front-running case at Axis Mutual Fund. The search operations were carried out this week, covering over 30 locations in multiple cities, said a regulatory official. Read more