Auto Network, localisation, pricing keep Maruti unchallenged. Amid slowdown, rivals sit on the fence.

Competitors are monitoring the Toyota-Suzuki integration and are hoping for a slowdown in decision making. But a sluggish Indian market isnt attractive enough for them to put in money and effort to snatch Marutis market share. Indias largest carmaker, however, faces profitability hurdles, among other challenges. Last of a two-part series.

Startups such as WorkIndia, Betterplace, Awign, and Utter have ushered in the digital age for blue-collar job search. Today, millions of such workers are using the apps of these companies to find jobs, pick up skills, and run gigs. However, the segment largely remains a niche for impact investors, with mainstream VCs still watching from the sidelines.

RBIs proposed write-down of Yes Banks perpetual bonds has grave implications for Indias ailing financial system. The country cant be seen as indifferent to creditor obligations. It couldnt have come at a worse time just when India is making efforts to quickly expand its small bond market and tap international debt markets through a larger presence in global bond indices.

The deadly coronavirus has taken a toll on the global economy, with the Indian stock market also becoming a casualty. While the NSEs benchmark index, Nifty, is down by 7% over the last one month, the Quality Index has largely held steady. And investors, who paid high valuations for these stocks, are relatively unhurt.

Though zero-alcohol beer has grown immensely popular in the country within a short span, cola giants dismiss the segment as too tiny to worry about. But attractive pricing and rapidly shifting consumer preferences give the beer zero category a clear edge. Hence, industry participants believe it can create a dent in the market share of cola giants.

Visit link:

Inside the race to build the best quantum computer on Earth - Economic Times