Business
Crude oil surpasses $100: WTI up 30%, brent crude reaches $118; what it means? – The Times of India
Oil markets skyrocketed beyond the $100 mark on Monday as Middle East conflict continues to intensify, fueling fears about energy supplies disruption and shipping routes across the region. Brent crude, the global benchmark, climbed past $118 a barrel. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate followed a similar trajectory as the light, sweet crude grade jumped 30% higher than its previous close of $90.90 on Friday.At 0230 GMT, WTI crude climbed 30.04% to $118.21 per barrel before paring some of its gains, while Brent crude was trading 27.54% higher at $118.22.The latest spike came after an already volatile week for oil markets. Last week, US crude prices had surged 36% while Brent rose 28%, as the conflict, now entering its tenth day, began drawing in regions central to the production and transportation of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf.Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil move through the Strait of Hormuz every day, accounting for about one-fifth of global oil supply, according to independent research firm Rystad Energy. However, the threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks has nearly halted tanker traffic through the narrow waterway. The strait, bordered to the north by Iran, is a critical route for shipments from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran.Export constraints have begun to affect production levels in the region. Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have reduced oil output as storage facilities fill up due to limited export capacity. At the same time, strikes targeting energy infrastructure have intensified supply concerns, with Iran, Israel and the United States attacking oil and gas facilities since the conflict began.The last time Brent and US crude futures traded near the current levels was in 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Natural gas prices have also moved higher during the conflict, although the gains have been more modest compared to oil. Late Sunday, natural gas was trading at around $3.33 per 1,000 cubic feet, about 4.6% above its Friday closing price of $3.19, after rising roughly 11% during the previous week.Oil’s rise has also begun to show up in fuel prices. In the United States, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline reached $3.45 on Sunday, about 47 cents higher than a week earlier, according to the AAA motor club. Diesel prices climbed to roughly $4.60 per gallon, up around 83 cents over the same period.Meanwhile, crude oil is also a key ingredient in many everyday consumer goods, including detergents, biscuits, toothpaste, paints and packaging materials. Petroleum-based derivatives are widely used in products such as soaps, shampoos, creams, hair oils, as well as in plastic bottles and tubes. In India, these inputs account for over 25% of production costs for FMCG companies and nearly 40% for paint manufacturers. As a result, if crude oil prices continue to rise, the cost of these daily-use products could increase further.Some analysts and investors have further cautioned that if oil prices remain above $100 a barrel for a prolonged period, the global economy could struggle to absorb the impact.
Business
Warburg to list housing finance company purchased from Shriram – The Times of India
Mumbai: Warburg Pincus-backed housing finance company Truhome Finance ( formerly Shriram Housing) has filed draft papers with capital markets regulator SEBI to raise Rs 3,000 crore through an initial public offering.The IPO will comprise a fresh issue of equity shares of face value Rs 10 aggregating up to Rs 1,500 crore and an offer for sale of equity shares of face value Rs 10 aggregating up to Rs 1,500 crore, according to the draft red herring prospectus filed with SEBI. The offer for sale will be undertaken by promoter selling shareholder Mango Crest Investment, which plans to offload shares worth up to Rs 1,500 crore.Truhome Finance plans to use the net proceeds from the fresh issue to augment its capital base to support future capital requirements, including onward lending and general corporate purposes. The funds will also help the company comply with RBI’s capital adequacy norms as its business expands.The company said the proceeds are expected to be deployed over the financial years ending March 31, 2027 and March 31, 2028.JM Financial, IIFL Capital Services, Jefferies India and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company are the book running lead managers to the issue.Warburg Pincus completed its acquisition of Shriram Housing Finance (SHFL) from Shriram Finance and other sellers in December 2024 for approximately Rs 4,630 crore, marking a strategic shift in India’s housing finance sector.
Business
Ticketmaster parent Live Nation reaches settlement with Department of Justice over antitrust concerns
Signs are seen at the Live Nation NYC headquarters on May 23, 2024 in New York City.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images
Live Nation Entertainment has reached a settlement with the Department of Justice over antitrust concerns surrounding its Ticketmaster platform, a senior DOJ official said Monday.
The settlement would see Ticketmaster unwind some of its exclusivity agreements with musical artists and open up the ticketing industry to greater competition. It still needs approval by more than 20 states that had filed suit and by the court.
As part of the settlement, Ticketmaster will offer a standalone third-party ticketing system for other companies like SeatGeek to use its technology. Live Nation has also agreed to divest at least 13 of its amphitheaters and will no longer be able to require artists to use other Live Nation products tied to its venues. It has also agreed to pay roughly $280 million in civil penalties.
Shares of Live Nation rose 5% in morning trading. Live Nation and Ticketmaster did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ticketmaster has long faced criticism that its dominance in the live events and ticketing space pushes up prices for consumers. The company has come under heightened scrutiny in recent years from fans who argue that it’s become harder and pricier to snag coveted event tickets.
In 2022, the backlash boiled over when the rollout of tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour was mishandled, leading to a probe of the company. And in 2024, the DOJ — along with more than two dozen states — sued to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which merged in 2010.
In September, Live Nation was separately sued by the Federal Trade Commission over what the agency called “illegal” ticket resale tactics. The FTC said Ticketmaster controls roughly 80% of major concert venues’ ticketing.
In a Monday statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office would continue to fight against Live Nation’s alleged monopoly even after its agreement with the DOJ.
“The settlement recently announced with the U.S. Department of Justice fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case, and would benefit Live Nation at the expense of consumers. We cannot agree to it,” said James, who is joined by the attorneys general of more than 20 other states.
Business
How the Iran war may affect your bills and finances
The conflict in the Middle East could raise the cost of petrol, household energy bills and even food.
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