Page 5 - Festive Season

Businesses expect strong sales as Diwali shoppers balance budget, big plans

The roads are jammed and shops chock-a-block as people make beelines for malls and markets to grab just the perfect gift to make the festival of lights a memorable affair for their loved ones. Dinner sets, beauty hampers, gourmet food baskets, electronic gadgets, and the ever reliable chocolates and mithai, the options are endless for the fervent Diwali shoppers but the task is to balance budgets with big expectations. Samriti Khanna, a homemaker in her 30s, knows it too well as she treads the fine line between temptation and staying within budget. "The temptation to give innovative and expensive gifts to your near and dear ones is always there but one can't go out of budget too. The key is in finding the right balance," Khanna told PTI. On her shopping list is an eclectic mix of home decor for friends, smartwatch for her husband, board games for children and home appliances for house helps. "Gifting during the Diwali festival comes with a huge responsibility. I guess zeroing in o

Festive boost: Flipkart records 7.2 billion customer engagement visits

The e-commerce firm also witnessed a record 282 million unique visitors during the period, primarily driven by premiumisation and personalised preferences, especially in metros and Tier-2+ cities

Kerala fireworks accident: Over 150 injured, 8 critical at temple festival in Kerala's Kasaragod

Over 150 people were injured, including eight in critical condition, in a fireworks accident during a temple festival in Kerala's Kasaragod on Monday.

216k festive season jobs recorded in logistics, e-com, hospitality: Apna.co

This hiring trend is not limited to major metro cities; Tier-II and Tier-III cities are also experiencing a significant rise in job opportunities

Overall recruitment postings increases 20% this festive season: Report

Professional networking platform apna.co has reported a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in job postings to 2.16 lakh this festive season across logistics & operations, e-commerce, and hospitality. This year's festive season was particularly important for businesses looking to rebound after a slowdown in consumer spending during the summer and election periods. Companies were focused on driving sales beyond last year's numbers, according to apna.co. Additionally, the rapid expansion of the quick commerce industry contributed to this hiring momentum. Among the sectors, logistics and operations experienced the highest growth with a 70 per cent increase in job postings. Retail and e-commerce followed with a 30 per cent rise, while the restaurant and hospitality sector grew by 25 per cent. To meet the rising demand, logistics and mobility leaders like Rapido, Delhivery, Ekart, and Shiprocket have posted over 30,000 openings for roles like warehouse managers, logistics associates, ...

Samvat 2081: Top 10 Diwali picks for stocks

As we step into the festive season and prepare to welcome Samvat 2081 with Diwali festivities, watch the video to know the top stock picks for the upcoming year.

Zomato raises platform fee to Rs 10 as festive season demand spikes

With a reported order volume of 647 million in FY23, the Re 1 increase could add Rs 65 crore to Zomato's annual revenue

Amid slackness, RBI report confident of festive season boost to economy

"Stage is set for the private sector to deploy capital and invest in growth"

Froth covers Delhi's Yamuna ahead of festive season, posing health hazard

The Yamuna river in Delhi was seen covered with a thick layer of white froth on Friday with experts saying this poses health hazards for people especially as the festive season approaches. Multiple videos circulating on social media show vast sections of the river frothing, resembling clouds over the water, which gradually dissipated later in the day. Bhim Singh Rawat, Associate Coordinator of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), told PTI, Normally, the upper segment of the Yamuna experiences significant flood spells, but this year, there have been none during the just-concluded southwest monsoon of 2024." "This is unusual, as the river generally witnesses at least a couple of low or medium flood spells in this segment every year, Rawat said. He highlighted that the pollution in the river is a serious concern affecting human health and wildlife near the river. While the river has some natural cleansing ability, pollution levels are alarming, he said, adding ..

Real deal about festival home loan offers; starting marathon running

This week we report about how to review a discount home loan and what you need to take up running

Bajaj Auto, TVS, Hero slip up to 11% on below expectation festive demand

At 10:15 am, the BSE Auto index, the top loser among sectoral indices, was down 3 per cent, as compared to the 0.33 per cent decline in the BSE Sensex

Festive season motorcycle sales fall short of expectations: Bajaj Auto

Motorcycle sales in the ongoing festive season so far are below expectations as demand is muted and the industry will be lucky if it sees 3-5 per cent growth compared to last year, Bajaj Auto Executive Director Rakesh Sharma said on Wednesday. While there are still about 15 more days to go for the festive sales this month, he said as a result of muted growth in motorcycles, the overall growth prospects of the two-wheeler industry could also be impacted for the full fiscal. "The responses in the motorcycle industry are a little bit muted in the sense that we thought that about 6 to 8 per cent growth will be there in the festive period, but it is not that much. It is 1-2 per cent, almost very similar to last year, same period," Sharma told reporters in an earnings call. The expectations were that by Dussehra the growth would be at about 6 to 8 per cent, he added. "There are still 15 days. We have noticed a lot of times that demand can become very compressed, and can surprise us even

High food prices pushing customers to curtail spending ahead of festivals

In September, retail inflation was 5.49 per cent and food inflation at 9.24 per cent. Vegetable prices were 36 per cent higher than a year ago

Centre releases Rs 1.78 trn advance for states ahead of festive season

By norm, money from the divisible tax pool is devolved to states in 14 annual instalments: 11 in 11 months and three in March

'Buyers opting for lighter, more affordable pieces amid rising gold prices'

Despite the increase in gold prices, the enduring appeal of gold during festive seasons and weddings remains strong

Hiring surge in gig economy: 1 million jobs to boost this festive season

As the festive season approaches, India's gig economy is set to create around one million jobs, driven by demand in e-commerce, retail, and logistics, with a notable rise in female participation

Beats Solo Buds: Unboxing and first look at India-exclusive festive edition

Apple-owned Beats by Dre launched India-exclusive Solo Buds – Festive Special Edition. The earbuds and case feature a two-toned bright and burnt orange with purple accents.

Festival fillip: Car dealerships see four-fold increase in footfall

Dealer sources claimed that even enquiries and bookings are up by 3-4 times when compared to the last 2-3 months

Gold hits fresh all-time high of Rs 78,450 per 10 gm on festive demand

Gold prices rose by Rs 150 to hit a fresh all-time high of Rs 78,450 per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday on increased demand from jewellers and retailers driven by the ongoing festive season. The precious metal closed at Rs 78,300 per 10 grams on Thursday. Silver surged Rs 1,035 to Rs 94,200 per kg from Rs 93,165 per kg in the previous session, according to the All India Sarafa Association. Meanwhile, gold of 99.5 per cent purity climbed Rs 200 to reach an all-time high level of Rs 78,100 per 10 grams. Bullion traders attributed the rise in precious metal prices to the emergence of buying by jewellers and retailers driven by the ongoing 'Navratri' festival. In futures trade on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold contracts for December delivery rose Rs 131 or 0.17 per cent to Rs 76,375 per 10 grams, hovering near an all-time high. "Silver witnessed steady moves as participants widened their bets on a firm spot demand seen in physical markets due to the start of the

Amazon, Target announce big hiring, but retailers cut back on holiday jobs

As retailers gear up for the holiday shopping season, hiring plans vary, with some scaling back on seasonal staff amid economic uncertainty, while others maintain strong hiring goals