‘States’ reopening not prudent as vaccination rates still low’
The Hindu
Using test positivity as guiding factor may create challenges: Oxford Economics
States’ reopening strategy in the wake of a decline in COVID-19 cases is not “prudent” and might even result in a rise in infections as vaccine coverage remains low in many States, global forecasting firm Oxford Economics said on Wednesday. In a report, it also said, “we remain cautious and maintain our 2021 growth forecast at 9.1%”, pointing out that economic data did not support an upward revision at this point. The rapid decline in COVID-19 cases and test positivity rates has prompted many States to relax restrictions that are in place to curb the spread of coronavirus infections. Against this backdrop, Oxford Economics said vaccination rates were far below the levels deemed to be safe for easing social distancing measures substantially in the more populous and economically important States.
Stock markets decline as Sensex and Nifty fall amid foreign fund outflows and low trading volumes on December 26, 2025.
Rupee drops 23 paise to 89.94 against the dollar amid negative equity trends and rising crude prices.
The commencement of commercial flight from the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is expected to speed up infrastructure and real estate development across Navi Mumbai and surrounding regions, analysts & industry executives said.
GCCs keep India’s tech job market alive, even as IT services industry embarks on a hiring moratorium
Global Capability Centres, offshore subsidiaries set up by multinational corporations, mostly known by an acronym GCCs, are now the primary engine sustaining India’s tech job market, contrasting sharply with the hiring slowdown witnessed by large firms in the country.
India’s manufacturing sector underperforms compared to China and South Korea, partly due to public sector wages that raise costs and reduce competitiveness.
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, once prominent investors in the Indian equity market are seen shying away due to rupee depreciation and have moved to global funds, said a top financial services executive.
Mobile phones are increasingly migrating to smaller chips that are more energy efficient and powerful supported by specialised Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to accelerate AI workloads directly on devices, said Anku Jain, India Managing Director for MediaTek, a Taiwanese fabless semiconductor firm that claims a 47% market share India’s smartphone chipset market.
In one more instance of a wholly owned subsidiary of a Chinese multinational company in India getting ‘Indianised’, Bharti Enterprises, a diversified business conglomerate with interests in telecom, real estate, financial services and food processing among others, and the local arm of private equity major Warburg Pincus have announced to collectively own a 49% stake in Haier India, a subsidiary of the Haier Group which is headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong, China.
Indian stock markets closed lower amid volatility, with key firms lagging as global trends influenced trading activity.
Bharti and Warburg Pincus invest in Haier India, acquiring a 49% stake to enhance growth and innovation in consumer durables.
India's net FDI remains negative for October 2025, with outflows surpassing inflows amid trade deal uncertainties.
Bombay High Court halts fraud notices to Anil Ambani, questioning banks' compliance and the audit's validity.
Explore the key business events that defined India in 2025, from trade wars to regulatory reforms and corporate expansions.