Page 4 - Consumer Demand

Companies in clover, but there's something in the economy that's amiss

Today, far too many people earn far too little to support consumption growth of the kind the economy needs, notes T N Ninan

Demand falls as price hike forces consumers to go for smaller packs

Sales in urban areas in May were down 16 per cent and those in rural parts 16.6 per cent (against April)

US economy posts surprise contraction, belying solid consumer picture

While the surprise contraction adds to political headaches for President Joe Biden, it's unlikely to dissuade the Federal Reserve from hiking interest rates aggressively to combat inflation

PwC's Ranen Banerjee on Budget expectations for MSMEs and more

Ranen Banerjee of PwC India shares his views with Business Standard's Krishna Veera Vanamali on what he expects from the upcoming Budget for the MSMEs and what the govt can do to boost demand

Why are SUVs catching the fancy of Indians?

More and more Indians now prefer SUVs -- some of them as bulky as mini trucks -- over hatchbacks and sedans. Let's examine the causes for the dramatic shift in consumer preferences towards SUVs

Consumer durables makers revenue seen rising 20% this fiscal

Driven by electrical appliances makers, the Rs 2 lakh-crore consumer durables sector is set to report a robust 20 per cent revenue growth this fiscal after a flattish run last fiscal, says a report. Revenues of electrical appliances makers are expected to grow twice as fast as white goods makers, forming 65 per cent of the sectoral revenues this fiscal (which traditionally is only 35 per cent of the sectoral revenue), Crisil said in a report on Wednesday. Operating profitability will be a tad lower due to costlier inputs despite price hikes, though, the report said, adding credit profiles will be stable on healthy revenue accruals and low leverage. The Crisil report is based on the analysis of 15 companies which account for 45 per cent of the sectoral revenue. The sector, which clocked Rs 2 lakh crore revenue last fiscal, includes consumer electricals (excluding mobile phones) and white goods. White goods include washing machines, televisions, refrigerators and air conditioners whi

Inflation heat: Consumer goods firms' share in India Inc profit drops

Their net profits down 26 per cent in H1FY22 over H2FY21 owing to higher input costs

India's festival season could bring pick up in demand, says ICRA

India's upcoming festive season raises hopes for consumer demand picking up, rating agency ICRA said in a note on Monday

Middle-class rural India holds a promise

Unless a disruption erupts again, rural India seemed poised to help a recovery in consumer demand

Consumer demand may rebound strongly in Q2: Trent chairman Noel N Tata

Trent will continue to focus on building out differentiated brands and accelerating its reach through stores and digital platforms, said Noel Tata

Consumer demand may rebound in Q2 this fiscal: Trent Chairman Noel N Tata

Customer demand should rebound strongly, possibly from the second quarter onwards, said Trent Chairman Noel N Tata, though he remained "cautiously optimistic" on the medium-term outlook. With growth drivers such as favourable demographics, increasing per capita and disposable income, and growing consumption, India is expected to return to a strong growth trajectory, despite uncertainty over near-term outlook, he added. Trent will continue to focus on building out differentiated brands and accelerating its reach through stores and digital platforms, said Tata in the latest annual report of Trent Ltd - the Tata Group's retail arm. "While we cannot predict how quickly we will see the back of this crisis, there is a reason to believe that we will see a transition out of this pandemic phase. And when it does abate, customer demand should rebound strongly, possibly starting in the second quarter," he said. Tata further said he is "confident" that the business has the "expertise and ...

RBI says economic cost of second Covid-19 wave may be limited to Q1

Government must now step up expenditure to boost demand for private investment and consumption, said RBI

Best of BS Opinion: Storm over social media, Covid-19 vaccination & more

Here are the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for Thursday

The coming long spell of demand drought

Looks like India's demand curve has shifted downwards for a couple of years at least, writes Shailesh Dobhal

Consumer durables industry may contract 12-15% in FY21: Godrej Appliances

This was mainly due to the loss witnessed in June quarter and the worst hit was the air conditioner segment

Four in five urban Indians changed shopping habits during pandemic: Report

It's fresh fruits and veggies over junk, surge in alcohol consumption

China's March exports rise 30.6% as global consumer demand revives

Traders watched for signs of what President Joe Biden might do about reviving tariff war talks with Beijing.

Demand in segments that company caters to has come back: Cummins India

Engines and power equipment maker Cummins India has said the demand in most of the segments that the company caters to has come back strongly

Durables firms fear slowdown in rural regions as Covid-19 cases rise

During unlock, most consumer goods makers, including durables majors, turned their attention to small towns and rural areas

Countryside is the new battleground for Nestle India, Britannia and Parle

Nestle India's aggressive shift to the hinterlands points to the growth that beckons in these areas; Britannia and Parle have already got there