Akshara Srivastava

War shadow dims Brand Dubai's glitter amid rising West Asia tensions

With $250 billion property deals in 2025, property market may continue to show resilience

India-NZ T20 World Cup final play means business for eateries, pubs

Restaurants and pubs expect higher footfall as India faces New Zealand in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup final, while hotel bookings in Ahmedabad surge and room rates edge up

Urban-rural FMCG growth gap narrows in December quarter, says NIQ

Rural FMCG demand continued to outpace urban markets for the eighth quarter, but the gap narrowed as metro consumption improved and GST-related adjustments softened overall growth

MakeMyTrip buys majority stake in Flamingo Transworld to boost packages

MakeMyTrip will acquire a majority stake in Flamingo Transworld, aiming to expand its holiday packages business by tapping the tour operator's strong regional presence in western India

West Asia crisis: Rising input costs may push up consumer durables prices

Copper and aluminium prices are surging, crude is climbing and the rupee is weakening, raising input costs for appliance makers as geopolitical tensions strain supply chains

Hotels likely to wait before unlocking West Asia biz expansion door

Indian hotel companies exploring growth opportunities in West Asia are adopting a wait-and-watch stance as the sudden conflict in the region injects uncertainty into long-term expansion plans

Travel firms hit as West Asia crisis triggers cancellations, stock decline

Travel and tourism stocks fell more sharply than the Sensex as tensions in West Asia led to mass cancellations, flight disruptions and rising uncertainty across key outbound markets for India

Dabur acquires minority stake in RAS Beauty under new ventures arm

Dabur Ventures has made its first investment by acquiring a minority stake in RAS Beauty for Rs 60 crore, strengthening Dabur's presence in the fast-growing premium skincare market

FMCG companies worried about price pressure amid West Asia conflict

FMCG firms exporting to West Asia are monitoring the Iran conflict as rising crude prices and supply chain risks threaten higher packaging and freight costs, with exporters bracing for volatility

Bira91's current, former employees protest as unpaid dues stack up

Over 40 current and former Bira91 employees gathered outside Ankur Jain's home alleging prolonged non-payment of salaries, even as the company pursues investors and asset sale talks

India sees 350 flight cancellations as West Asia conflict disrupts routes

Indian carriers cancelled 350 flights on Sunday after airspace restrictions across West Asia, with Europe-bound routes hit hardest and airlines issuing waivers, rerouting or suspending services

Domestic travel surges ahead of Holi as bookings jump across categories

Flight, bus and hotel bookings are rising sharply ahead of Holi, with strong tier-II and III demand and a surge in destination searches as travellers plan extended festive getaways

Nicobar Designs to sharpen focus on gifting and women's evening wear

Marking a decade since launch, Nicobar Designs plans to grow through gifting-focused stores, expanded women's evening wear, new collaborations and deeper retail penetration across Indian cities

Indian fashion designers pivot to jewellery to tailor topline boost

Couture houses like Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra are expanding into high jewellery, tapping self-purchasing women and investment-led demand while extending their design language beyond apparel

Time, space, experience: Travel diaries now seek the truly exotic

An excursion to the White Continent or a secret ski party, travel diaries now seek the exotic

India is the hottest market in Asia: Hilton APAC President Alan Watts

Hilton announces third Waldorf Astoria - its topmost luxury brand - to come up in Goa in 2030

India plays central role in our international strategy: Wyndham Hotels

The chain is progressing towards the 100-hotel milestone in the country, with over 50 hotels in the pipeline across various stages of development

Homegrown players dominate FMCG market value in APAC region: Report

Home-grown FMCG brands now command 79% of APAC market value, signalling a structural shift toward purpose-led, globally competitive local players

Voltas expects 25% rise in AC sales as early summer boosts demand

Voltas projects 25% AC sales growth this summer, launches AI-powered units, raises prices amid higher commodity costs and new BEE norms, with strong demand from tier II-III cities

Domestic market continues to power India's corporate biz travel: Report

Domestic travel forms 72% of corporate trips, says a Thomas Cook India report, with key hubs driving demand, rising costs prompting controls and more firms adopting digital tools