Sunday, September 13
Mergers and acquisitions activity dropped to USD 50 billion in the first half of 2025, down 17 per cent when compared with the year-ago period, a report said on Tuesday.When compared with the July-December 2024 period, there was a 2 per cent increase in the value, leading authors at the consultancy firm EY to term the H12025 activity as defying global headwinds and policy uncertainties.From a volume perspective, the number of transactions dropped 12 per cent on-year to 1,285, it said, adding that there is a shift in investor strategy to prefer fewer, high-value bets which are strategic in nature."The rise in large ticket deals despite a drop in volume reflects a flight to quality, driven by macro concerns and a changing regulatory environment," its partner Ajay Arora said. The first six mo
Wholesale inflation in India likely fell to a near two-year low in July 2025, driven by a sharp drop in food and fuel prices, according to a report by Union Bank of India.The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is estimated to have declined to -0.45 per cent year-on-year (y/y) in July, compared to -0.13 per cent in June, marking the lowest level in almost two years.The report stated "July'25 WPI y/y likely fell to almost 2 years' low of -0.45 per cent".The report noted that this fall in WPI mirrors the trend in retail inflation (CPI), with both food and fuel sub-segments slipping further into deflation territory during the month. However, core WPI, which excludes food and fuel, showed improvement, rising to 1.50 per cent in July from 1.06 per cent in June.As per report, food inflation in the whole
