New Delhi, Aug 27: Despite the growing weight of artificial intelligence (AI) in corporate strategy, 57 per cent of office occupiers in India said it has no material impact on their leasing decisions, a report said on Thursday.

The report from CBRE South Asia said about 93 per cent of over 200 occupiers surveyed are at some stage of AI implementation, but roughly 59 per cent remain in early or exploratory phases testing proofs‑of‑concept and mapping systemic changes before committing capital or restructuring physical assets.

AI is at an advanced or scaled adoption stage for a third of the cohort, driving immediate changes in how talent is deployed and physical workspaces are utilised, the report said.

While a majority do not expect immediate changes to leasing strategies, occupiers are likely to prioritise high‑quality workplaces that support talent attraction, innovation and advanced technology needs, the report added.

A large proportion of organisations are likely to plan their real estate decisions based on their workforce dynamics and business impact of their AI strategies.

Meanwhile, a section of occupiers anticipated AI creating new opportunities for workforce growth as organisations scale emerging capabilities and technology-led functions.

“While AI adoption is becoming increasingly widespread, business maturity and the pace of deployment will ultimately determine its impact on workforce requirements and, consequently, future leasing decisions,” said Anshuman Magazine, Chairman and CEO-India, South-East Asia, Middle East and Africa, CBRE.

“As organisations continue to transition from experimentation to scaled implementation, the implications for headcount, workplace strategies, and space demand are likely to evolve over time,” he added,

Ram Chandnani, Managing Director, Leasing Services, India, CBRE said that the flight-to-quality trend remains firmly intact, with premium workplaces continuing to play a critical role in attracting and retaining talent.

“In effect, AI is influencing the type of space occupiers seek well before it alters the quantum of space they require,” he added.

Mumbai, Aug 27: The Indian equity markets posted a mild uptick early on Thursday as oil prices edged down on expectations of Iran-Oman talks over opening the Strait of Hormuz.

As of 9.18 am, Sensex added 81 points, or 0.10 per cent, to reach 77,553 and Nifty gained 37 points, or 0.16 per cent, to reach 24,425.

Main broad-cap indices performed in line with the benchmark indices, as the Nifty Midcap 100 added 0.31 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 0.24 per cent.

All sectoral indices on NSE traded in green except Nifty Media. Nifty IT was the top gainer up 0.42 per cent.

Brent crude eased 0.6 per cent to $87.30 a barrel after Iran informed about discussions with Oman to finalise the Strait of Hormuz-related agreement, easing concerns over prolonged oil supply disruptions in West Asia.

“The near-term bias remains cautious and range-bound, with mixed Asian markets and subdued global cues keeping investors watchful. The focus remains on inflation, bond yields and ongoing geopolitical developments, while easing crude prices could provide some support to Indian equities,” an analyst said.

The immediate support for Nifty is placed at 24,000–24,050 level. On the upside, the 24,350–24,400 zone remains a key hurdle for the bulls, market participants said.

In Asian markets, China’s Shanghai index gained 0.63 per cent and Shenzhen added 1.17 per cent. Japan’s Nikkei lost 0.15 per cent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index eased 0.47 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi added 2.01 per cent.

Overnight, Wall Street ended mixed-to-lower as investors assessed Nvidia’s earnings and renewed concerns over US inflation, while early Asian markets are trading mostly higher.

The US markets ended in red overnight as Nasdaq lost 0.08 per cent. The S&P 500 shed 0.02 per cent, and the Dow Jones dipped 0.21 per cent.

On August 26, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) net bought equities worth Rs 502 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought equities worth Rs 6,425 crore.

New Delhi, Aug 26: India is not facing a sugar shortage as adequate stocks are available to meet domestic demand until the new crushing season begins in October, the government said on Wednesday.

It clarified that the share of sugar diverted for ethanol production has declined from around 12 per cent in 2022-23 to around 9 per cent in 2025-26. Moreover, nearly three-fourths of the ethanol produced in the country now comes from grains, particularly maize, it said, refuting claims that the diversion of sugar for producing ethanol was leading to the price rise of the sweetener.

Simultaneously, retail sugar prices for consumers have also remained broadly stable, increasing by only around 3 per cent annually between August 2024 and July 2026, according to the government factsheet.

Sugar prices have increased in recent weeks, from Rs 48.18 per kg on July 20 to Rs 55.70 per kg on August 20. This reflects an increase of around 15.6 per cent within one month. This suggests the current uptick largely reflects short-term supply and market factors, rather than a shift in the underlying price trend, the factsheet states.

The present increase in sugar prices is due to a combination of factors, including lower-than-expected domestic production, increased demand ahead of the festive season, and weather-related damage to the sugarcane crop. Besides, tightening global sugar supplies and rising prices, as well as speculation and hoarding by some sections of the industry, are other factors behind the price rise, the statement said.

Sugar production during the current season is expected to be around 306 LMT, compared to the initial estimate of around 343 LMT. Production has been affected by two factors: Red Rot and Top Borer disease, and waterlogging caused by excess rainfall. However, despite the lower-than-estimated production, adequate sugar stocks are available in the country to meet domestic demand. The new crushing season will begin in October.

The tightening of sugar supplies is a global phenomenon and is not limited just to India. The global sugar deficit for 2026-27 is estimated at around 33 lakh MT. As a result, international sugar prices have risen sharply from $474/tonnes on June 30, 2026 to $552/tonnes on August 20, 2026. This marks an increase of over 16 per cent in less than two months, the factsheet points out.

It also states that the ethanol programme has helped sugarcane farmers and strengthened sugar mills. On average, India produces around 300-340 lakh MT of sugar annually and its domestic sugar consumption is around 280-290 lakh MT each year.

In years of surplus production, excess stocks block the funds of sugar mills and delay payments to sugarcane farmers. Diversion of excess sugar towards ethanol has helped address this structural problem and improved the financial health of sugar mills. The area under sugarcane cultivation has also increased from 49.27 lakh hectares in 2015-16 to 58.87 lakh hectares in 2025-26.

As of August 20, 2026, 97 per cent of sugarcane dues for the 2025-26 sugar season have already been paid to farmers. The improved financial position of sugar mills has reduced their dependence on government support, the statement added.