Business
Northern Ireland energy prices: SSE and Power NI confirm changes
Getty ImagesPower NI has said an electricity price tariff rise of 4% was “unavoidable” following a review by the Utility Regulator.
A customer with a credit meter will see their bill rise by around £40 per year, while customers with a keypad (PAYG) meter will see a yearly increase of about £39.
This is the second tariff increase from Power NI in less than a year.
William Steele, from Power NI, said the company works hard to keep prices as low as possible.
He said even though wholesale energy prices have stabilised, they remain higher than previous years.
“Unfortunately, rising regulated pass-through market and network related costs which are beyond our control, have made a tariff adjustment unavoidable.”
Gas prices
Meanwhile, SSE Airtricity has announced that gas prices in Greater Belfast and West will be dropping by 8.47%.
The tariff changes, which come into effect from 1 October, come as the Utility Regulator concluded its reviews of the regulated tariffs for Power NI, SSE Airtricity Gas Supply and Firmus Energy.
The SSE tariff decrease means the annual gas bill of a typical household will reduce by about £94 per year.
Stephen Gallagher, from SSE Airtricity said: “We know energy costs remain a primary concern for customers across Northern Ireland, so this price reduction will hopefully provide some welcome relief for many gas customers.”
The Consumer Council said it welcomed the reduction and said about 218,000 domestic and small businesses would be affected.
On Thursday, Firmus Energy announced its gas price in the Ten Towns area will fall by almost 8% in October, which is the equivalent to £78 a year for a typical customer.
The Ten Towns area includes Antrim, Armagh, Banbridge, Ballymena, Coleraine, Craigavon, Newry, Londonderry and more than 25 other towns and villages in the surrounding area.
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Shares of metal companies rallied sharply on October 24, defying the broader market downturn
Metal Stocks
Metal Shares Gain: Shares of metal companies rallied sharply on October 24, defying the broader market downturn. The surge pushed the Nifty Metal index up more than 2% to 10,457.40 in early trade before paring some gains to trade 1% higher at 10,359 around noon.
Here are the key factors driving the rally in metal shares:
1. Trump–Xi Meeting Hopes Ease Trade Concerns
Global metal prices surged after the White House confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on October 30, as part of Trump’s Asia visit.
The announcement came amid renewed trade tensions following Trump’s plan to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to 155%. Investors are now hopeful that the meeting could ease trade hostilities, improving the global demand outlook for metals.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s itinerary includes stops in Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, following his address at the APEC CEO Summit.
2. Metal Prices Rise on Tight Supply and Global Stimulus Hopes
Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME) climbed past $2,850 per tonne, supported by strong demand and tightening supply. The rally was further fueled by expectations of monetary easing from major central banks.
Adding to the supply crunch, a smelter in Iceland temporarily shut operations due to equipment failure, likely affecting 100 kt of production. Copper prices also advanced about 2% on the LME.
3. US Fed Rate Cut Expectations Lift Sentiment
Optimism around further rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve added to the positive momentum. According to a Reuters poll, the Fed is expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 3.75–4% on October 29, with another potential cut in December.
Lower rates generally boost non-yielding assets like commodities, supporting investor appetite for metals.
4. Top Metal Gainers
National Aluminium Company (NALCO) shares have gained more than 4 percent, while Hindalco Industries and Hindustan Copper shares have gained more than 3 percent each. Vedanta shares were up nearly 3 percent.
Earlier during the day, Hindalco shares hit a 52-week high of Rs 826.50 apiece. This comes after its subsidiary Novelis said that its fire-damaged plant in Oswego will restart by the end of December, earlier than expected.
Hindustan Zinc shares gained around 2 percent, while NMDC, Jindal Stainless Steel, Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and Jindal Steel and Power shares were up around 1 percent each.
Heavyweights Tata Steel and JSW Steel shares were trading in the green with marginal gains.
Bucking the trend, APL Apollo Tubes, Welspun Corp and Adani Enterprises shares were trading in the red.
Disclaimer: The views and investment tips by experts in this News18.com report are their own and not those of the website or its management. Users are advised to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a…Read More
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a… Read More
October 24, 2025, 13:33 IST
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Stock Market Today: Indian stock markets started Friday’s session on a negative note
Sensex Today
Sensex Today: Indian benchmark indices traded lower on Friday, weighed down by reports that the US is considering a fresh probe against China regarding their 2020 trade deal. Rising crude oil prices, driven by US sanctions on Russia, further dented market sentiment.
By 12 PM, the Sensex was at 84,354.58, down 201.82 points or 0.24%, while the Nifty stood at 25,823.90, down 67.5 points or 0.26%.
On the Sensex, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Kotak Bank, Axis Bank, Titan, Power Grid, ITC, Adani Ports, NTPC, Tech Mahindra, Eternal, and Maruti Suzuki were the top losers, falling up to 3.5%. On the upside, ICICI Bank, Tata Steel, Bharat Electronics (BEL), M&M, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Bank, and SBI led the gains.
Broader markets were muted, with the Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.05% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 sliding 0.18%.
Sector-wise, the Nifty Metal index led the rally with 1% gains, followed by the Nifty Realty index, up 0.5%. The Nifty FMCG index lagged, declining 1.16%.
Global Cues
Across Asia, markets traded higher after the White House confirmed that US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold discussions next week during Trump’s Asia visit. Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 1.1%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.95%, and South Korea’s KOSPI gained 1.29%.
Overnight, US markets closed higher, led by gains in technology stocks following upbeat corporate earnings. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6%, the Nasdaq Composite surged 0.9%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3%.
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a…Read More
Aparna Deb is a Subeditor and writes for the business vertical of News18.com. She has a nose for news that matters. She is inquisitive and curious about things. Among other things, financial markets, economy, a… Read More
October 24, 2025, 08:53 IST
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Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-Door: Maruti Suzuki announced that the Jimny 5-door has achieved a landmark milestone, surpassing a cumulative export figure of 1 lakh units from India. The export journey for the Jimny 5-door began in 2023, shortly after its India debut. This SUV, manufactured exclusively in India, is being exported to over 100 countries, including Japan, Mexico and Australia.
Jimny 5-door’s entry in Japan in January 2025, under the name “Jimny Nomade”, sparked off an overwhelming response with orders crossing the 50,000 mark within days of introduction.
Speaking on the milestone, Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, “The Jimny has over half a century of heritage globally. Jimny 5-door crossing 1 lakh export mark is a proud achievement for Maruti Suzuki. We are deeply thankful to customers around the world for their trust in this acclaimed SUV. Jimny’s strong off-road DNA, reliable performance and uncompromising quality have earned admiration in over 100 countries.”
He added, “The Jimny, along with 16 other models exported by Maruti Suzuki, stands as a shining example of ‘Make in India for the World’. The year-on-year rise in the Company’s exports reflects the love and confidence of customers in our products and highlights India’s rise as a hub for world-class automobile manufacturing.”
In the official statement, the company said, “This achievement reinforces Maruti Suzuki’s robust and sustained export growth trajectory. With over 2 lakh vehicles exported in H1 FY 2025-26, the Company grew by around 40% and recorded its highest-ever half-yearly export volume.”
“Maruti Suzuki commands over 46% share in India’s passenger vehicle exports. In FY 2024-25, the Company had exported over 3.3 lakh vehicles,” it further said. Maruti Suzuki has demonstrated significant growth in export volumes over the past five financial years, culminating in a record high of 332,585 units in 2024-25, up from 96,139 units in 2020-21.
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