Business - The Purbottar

06 Nov

AINU’s Bhubaneswar expansion signals growing investment in specialised kidney and urology care

Business BureauBusiness

The Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology (AINU) has expanded its pan-India healthcare network with the launch of its eighth hospital in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, reflecting growing investment opportunities in specialised kidney and urology care. The expansion builds on AINU's 13-year legacy of treating over 6 lakh patients and its strategy of establishing centres of excellence in underserved regional markets. The move comes against the backdrop of a rising kidney disease burden in Odisha. An ICMR-INDIAB study identified impaired kidney function prevalence of 6% or higher in the state, while an ICMR-NIHR study covering 19,703 adults across 53 tribal communities in…

06 Nov

Shopsy offers affordable festive fashion and essentials for Durga Puja, Navratri

Business BureauBusiness

Shopsy by Flipkart has introduced a range of affordable festive products for Durga Puja and Navratri, bringing together ethnic wear, puja essentials, home décor, accessories and gifting options for shoppers across India. The festive assortment is organised under two sections — Diwali Must-Haves and the Price Point Store — alongside three categories: Decorate Your Own/Home Furnishing, Festive Hampers and Festive Attire. The offerings include traditional and contemporary products at accessible price points, with festive offers across categories. For Durga Puja, shoppers can explore sarees, kurtis and ethnic sets for pandal visits and family gatherings. The collection also includes puja thalis,…

06 Nov

SEBI chief highlights eightfold rise in West Bengal investors, stresses financial literacy

Business BureauBusiness

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey has emphasised the need for greater financial literacy and investor protection, citing an almost eightfold increase in investor participation in West Bengal over the past decade. Addressing a Regional Investor Seminar for Awareness (RISA), organised by the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) under SEBI's aegis in Kolkata, Pandey said the state's investor base had grown from approximately 12 lakh in 2015 to nearly 90 lakh. West Bengal also has around 43 lakh unique mutual fund investors, with assets touching Rs 3.65 lakh crore at the end of FY…

06 Nov

Aadhar Housing Finance posts 22% growth in Q2 loan disbursements

Business BureauBusiness

Aadhar Housing Finance Ltd reported a 22 per cent year-on-year increase in loan disbursements to Rs 2,577 crore in the second quarter of FY27, reflecting sustained demand for affordable housing finance. The company announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter and half-year ended September 30, 2026, on Thursday. The company's assets under management (AUM) grew 18 per cent year-on-year to Rs 32,643 crore, compared with Rs 27,554 crore a year earlier. Profit after tax (PAT) increased 16 per cent to Rs 308 crore from Rs 266 crore, while net worth stood at Rs 8,201 crore. Adjusted for employee stock…

06 Nov

Tata Sons chairman Chandrasekaran meets Italian PM Meloni after Iveco acquisition

Business BureauBusiness

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi in Rome on Wednesday, with the acquisition of Italian commercial vehicle manufacturer Iveco Group by Tata Motors featuring prominently in discussions amid growing industrial and economic ties between India and Italy. According to sources, Chandrasekaran outlined the Tata Group's strategy following its acquisition of a controlling stake in Iveco, one of Italy's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. The transaction is expected to bring Tata Motors and Iveco Group together to create one of the world's largest commercial vehicle manufacturers. On October 30, Tata Motors announced that it…

06 Nov

NPCI stresses digital payment security as festive spending raises consumer protection concerns

Business BureauBusiness

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has highlighted five key safety measures to strengthen consumer protection in India's expanding digital payments ecosystem, as increased festive-season shopping activity raises the risk of online financial fraud. Festivals typically drive higher consumer spending across online and offline retail channels, supported by attractive discounts, limited-period sales, cashback promotions and gifting campaigns. However, the growing urgency to secure promotional deals also creates opportunities for fraudsters to exploit consumer behaviour through social engineering, fake websites and fraudulent payment requests. NPCI has advised consumers to shop exclusively through official applications and websites, avoid suspicious links and…

06 Nov

Sensex, Nifty Open Higher as Foreign Funds Keep Pouring In

sunny EditorBusiness

Trading higher after a volatile early session on Friday, benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty found footing due to sustained foreign fund inflows and moderate crude oil prices that fostered market optimism, beginning with the 30-share BSE Sensex up 33 points at 79,343.06 and the 50-share NSE Nifty down 52.95 points at 24,477.40, before momentum picked up to push the Sensex higher by 443.87 points to 79,760.10 and the Nifty up 81 points to 24,612.85. Within the Sensex pack, Mahindra & Mahindra rallied over 4 per cent following its Thursday announcement of a 25 per cent increase in second-quarter consolidated profit…

05 Nov

Vi strengthens enterprise AI play with PwC India partnership, launches Vi Intelligence

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Vodafone Idea (Vi) has stepped up its focus on the growing enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) market with the launch of Vi Intelligence, a strategic initiative aimed at accelerating AI-led transformation across its operations and business customers. The move reflects the growing demand for AI-driven solutions as companies increasingly explore intelligent automation, improved customer engagement and operational efficiency. The initiative centres on the Vi Intelligence Lab, established in partnership with PwC India, which will develop, incubate and scale enterprise AI solutions. PwC India will deploy a dedicated Centre of Excellence team at Vi's Mumbai facility, combining Vi's telecom infrastructure with PwC's…

05 Nov

India’s medical cost growth projected to ease to 10.1% in 2027, says Aon report

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Medical cost growth in India is expected to moderate to 10.1 per cent in 2027 from 11.5 per cent in 2026, but healthcare expenses will continue to rise significantly faster than general inflation, according to a report released by global professional services firm Aon plc on Wednesday. Aon’s 2027 Global Medical Trend Rates Report estimates India's general inflation at 4 per cent in 2027, while the net medical trend rate, after adjusting for inflation, is projected to decline from 7.4 per cent in 2026 to 6.1 per cent in 2027. India's projected medical cost growth remains above the Asia-Pacific average…

05 Nov

Godrej Foundation partners Culture Ministry for India Biennale 2026 pavilion

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Godrej Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Culture and architecture firm AUR to establish the Godrej Pavilion at the India Biennale 2026, scheduled to be held at Purana Qila in New Delhi from December 4, 2026, to March 21, 2027. The non-permanent exhibition and cultural space will be inaugurated on December 4 and designed around the theme ‘Shadows of the Arches’, drawing inspiration from the geometric arches of Mughal architecture. The pavilion will use temporary, low-impact and reusable construction methods to complement the heritage monument. The 108-day Biennale, themed ‘Tat Tvam Asi — You…