Business
World food commodity prices declined modestly in May: FAO

World food commodity prices declined modestly in May for the second consecutive month, although wheat and poultry prices pushed higher, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported on Friday.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 157.4 points in May 2022, down 0.6 per cent from April. The Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of commonly-traded food commodities, however, remained 22.8 per cent higher than in May 2021.
The FAO Cereal Price Index increased by 2.2 per cent from the previous month, led by wheat prices, which were up 5.6 per cent from April and 56.2 per cent from their corresponding value a year earlier.
International wheat prices, averaging only 11 percent below the record high reached in March 2008, rose in response to an export ban announced by India and concerns over crop conditions in several leading exporting countries as well as reduced production prospects in Ukraine due to the war.
International rice prices also rose across the board, while coarse grain prices declined by 2.1 per cent, with maize prices dropping by even more in step with slightly improved crop conditions in the US, seasonal supplies in Argentina and the imminent start of Brazil’s main maize harvest.
The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index declined by 3.5 percent from April, while still markedly higher than its year-earlier level. Prices dropped for palm, sunflower, soy and rapeseed oils, due in part to the removal of Indonesia’s short-lived export ban on palm oil and sluggish global import demand for soy and rapeseed oils in view of elevated costs in recent months.
“Export restrictions create market uncertainty and can result in price spikes and increased price volatility, the decrease in oilseeds prices shows how important it is when they are removed and let exports flow smoothly,” said FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero Cullen.
The FAO Dairy Price Index also dropped by 3.5 per cent month-on-month. Prices of milk powders declined the most, linked to market uncertainties from the continued Covid-19 lockdowns in China, while robust retail sales and high demand from restaurants in the Northern Hemisphere prevented cheese prices from falling significantly despite weakened global import demand.
Butter prices also dropped on account of a weaker import demand amid improved exportable supplies.
The FAO Sugar Price Index declined by 1.1 per cent from April, as a bumper crop in India buoyed global availability prospects.
The weakening of the Brazilian real against the US dollar, along with lower ethanol prices, also pressured world sugar prices downwards.
Meanwhile, the FAO Meat Price Index set a new all-time high, increasing by 0.6 per cent in May even as world bovine meat prices remained stable and those of pig meat fell.
The climb was driven by a steep increase in international poultry meat prices, reflecting continued supply chain disruptions in Ukraine and recent cases of avian influenza amid a surge in demand in Europe and the Middle East.
Business
Indian stock markets open higher amid global trade concerns, Q2 earnings buzz

Mumbai, Oct 14: Indian stock markets opened higher on Tuesday as investors looked past global uncertainties caused by the ongoing trade tensions between the US and China, while also tracking quarterly earnings from Indian companies.
The Sensex began the day at 82,562, gaining 235 points or 0.29 per cent. Similarly, the Nifty opened at 25,283, up 55 points or 0.22 per cent.
Among the top performers on the Sensex were HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, Infosys, Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Finserv, Ultratech Cement, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Larsen & Toubro, which rose up to 1.3 per cent.
On the other hand, stocks like Eicher Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Axis Bank, Sun Pharma, State Bank of India, Bajaj Finance, and Bharti Airtel witnessed early losses.
In the broader market, both the Nifty MidCap and Nifty SmallCap indices were trading in the green, rising 0.37 per cent and 0.38 per cent, respectively.
Among sectoral indices, the Nifty Metal index led the gains with a 1 per cent rise, supported by positive momentum in metal stocks.
Meanwhile, the Nifty Pharma index was the biggest laggard, slipping 0.37 per cent.
As per the experts, IT stocks, particularly the largecaps, are viewed as overvalued by the market since they are facing many headwinds and some strong structural issues.
“On the other hand PSU stocks have been trading at very low valuations despite decent growth and robust balance sheets. This anomaly in valuations have been corrected by the market. This trend is likely to continue,” market experts said.
‘However, in growth stocks like digital companies and renewable energy, their long-term growth potential will continue to attract investment despite high valuations,” they added.
With Muhurat trading approaching, there is room for a mild rally, according to analysts.
Business
India’s CPI inflation declines to 8-year low of 1.54 pc in September

New Delhi, Oct 13: India’s inflation rate based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined to an over 8-year low of 1.54 per cent in September this year, compared to the same month of the previous year, as prices of food items and fuels turned cheaper during the month, according to figures released by the Ministry of Statistics on Monday.
This is the lowest year-on-year inflation after June 2017, and is also lower than the inflation rate of 2.05 per cent for August.
Food inflation continued in the negative zone for the fourth consecutive month and was recorded at -2.28 per cent during September, the figures showed.
“The decline in headline inflation and food inflation during September is mainly attributed to a favourable base effect and the decline in inflation of vegetables, edible oils, fruits, pulses, cereals and egg. Besides, fuels also turned cheaper during the month,” the official statement said.
The inflation outlook for 2025-26 has become more benign due to large favourable base effects combined with the good southwest monsoon, healthy kharif sowing, adequate reservoir levels and comfortable buffer stocks of foodgrains. The GST rate cuts, which kicked in on September 22, are bringing down prices across goods which will result in reducing inflation further in the coming months.
The decline in the inflation rate gives the RBI more headroom to continue with a soft money policy by cutting interest rates and injecting more money into the economy to spur growth.
The RBI’s monetary policy committee (MPC) on October 1 slashed its forecast for India’s inflation rate for the financial year 2025-26 to 2.6 per cent from 3.1 per cent in August primarily on account of the GST rate cuts and benign food prices.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said, “The recently implemented GST rate rationalisation would lead to a reduction in prices of several items in the CPI basket. Overall, the inflation outcome is likely to be softer than what was projected in the August monetary policy committee resolution, primarily on account of the GST rate cuts and benign food prices.”
Addressing journalists after the MPC meeting, Malhotra said that the “overall inflation outlook has turned even more benign in the last few months.”
The RBI Governor pointed out that headline CPI inflation declined to its eight-year low of 1.6 per cent year-on-year in July 2025 before rising to 2.1 per cent in August – its first increase after nine months. Benign inflation conditions during 2025-26 so far have been primarily driven by a sharp decline in food inflation from its peak of October 2024.
Inflation within the fuel group moved in a narrow range of 2.4-2.7 per cent during June-August. Core inflation remained largely contained at 4.2 per cent in August. Excluding precious metals, core inflation was at 3.0 per cent in August.
The RBI Governor further stated that the current macroeconomic conditions and the outlook has opened up policy space for further supporting growth.
Business
Mumbai’s Chembur & Malabar Hill To Undergo ₹4,800 Crore Redevelopment By Bengaluru-Based Builders

Mumbai: A Bengaluru-based real estate developer, Puravankara Ltd, has announced two major redevelopment projects in Mumbai, adding significant weight to its western portfolio in the first half of the current financial year. The company, which has also added two projects in Bengaluru, has recorded a total gross development value (GDV) of ₹9,100 crore across all four projects.
In Mumbai, Puravankara has bagged a marquee redevelopment project in the upscale Malabar Hill area of South Mumbai. Spread across 1.43 acres, the project will offer 0.7 million square feet of development potential, valued at around ₹2,700 crore.
The second project is located in Chembur and involves 1.2 million square feet of development on 4 acres of land, carrying an estimated value of ₹2,100 crore. Both projects are part of Puravankara’s strategy to strengthen its redevelopment footprint in Mumbai’s prime and emerging residential zones, according to a report by HT.
“Our growth momentum remains strong, supported by sustained demand and timely project execution,” said Ashish Puravankara, Managing Director of Puravankara Ltd. “In the first half of FY26, we expanded our portfolio with over 6.36 million square feet of developable area worth around ₹9,100 crore.”
The company reported pre-sales of ₹1,322 crore in the July–September quarter of FY26, up 4% from ₹1,270 crore last year. For the first half of FY26, total pre-sales stood at ₹2,445 crore, also reflecting a 4% increase. The average realisation improved to ₹8,814 per sq ft in Q2 FY26, up 7% year-on-year.
Industry experts note that Mumbai’s redevelopment market continues to attract strong interest from national developers, thanks to rising property prices and limited land availability. With its Malabar Hill and Chembur projects, Puravankara is positioning itself as a key player in the city’s high-value redevelopment segment.
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