Business
Fallout of rupee breaching 90 mark: Get ready to pay higher for consumer goods; here’s what may become costlier – The Times of India
Consumers may soon have to brace for higher prices! The depreciation of the rupee beyond Rs 90 against the US dollar could force various sectors including consumer electronics, beauty products, and automobile manufacturers to increase their prices. This increase may end up eating into the benefits after the recent GST rate cuts. This potential price rise might neutralise the positive sales momentum these sectors saw after recent tax reductions.Companies dependent on imported components or complete imported products are seeing concerns. Several companies had postponed their price increase plans, despite escalating raw material costs, due to potential government oversight following the GST reductions effective September 22.
Rupee hits new low: Will prices rise?
Manufacturers of smartphones, laptops, televisions and major appliances have indicated plans to hike prices by around 3-7% starting December-January, according to an ET report.The price hikes aim to compensate for increased costs of memory chips, copper and additional components resulting from rupee depreciation. The imported materials constitute between 30-70% of manufacturing expenses across these product categories.“The advantages of reduced GST rates will be nullified by currency devaluation and increasing component costs,” said Avneet Singh Marwah, chief executive at Super Plastronics, which manufactures Kodak, Thomson and Blaupunkt TVs.
Currency push
“Memory chip prices have increased more than six times in the past four months. We anticipate demand might decline again after the brief recovery from the GST reduction,” said Marwah according to the ET report.Also Read | Rs 90 to a dollar: What’s driving the fall and why it matters to you – explainedIndustry leaders noted they had calculated costs expecting the rupee to remain at 85-86 against the dollar, but its sharp fall to Rs 90 necessitates new calculations. Several firms had postponed regular price adjustments since October despite rising material costs, wary of being accused of profiteering after GST implementation.Presently, firms have begun notifying retailers about forthcoming price increases. Havells has indicated a 3% increase in LED TV prices, whilst Super Plastronics plans 7-10% higher prices, and Godrej Appliances will raise prices by 5-7% for air-conditioners and refrigerators from January.They indicated that a single-level change in energy efficiency ratings from January will create additional challenges. “The stricter energy rating requirements and weakening rupee necessitate price adjustments from January. Should the rupee weaken further, additional increases may be needed in the March quarter,” said Kamal Nandi, business head at Godrej Appliances. “The GST reduction benefits will be completely negated, but we have no alternative.“Consumer goods manufacturers have privately informed government officials that they cannot continue to absorb rising costs.The rapidly expanding beauty market in India, with international brands like Shiseido, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique and The Body Shop, faces potential challenges due to rising import costs. Furthermore, the GST on cosmetics remains at 18%, with no provisions to offset currency-related cost increases.Also Read | ‘Not losing sleep’: CEA Nageswaran on rupee touching 90 mark versus US dollar; ‘falling rupee is not affecting…’“A weaker rupee does increase our landed cost since a significant share of beauty products across fragrances, cosmetics and skincare are imported and dollar-denominated,” said Biju Kassim, chief executive at Shoppers Stop Beauty. “For distributors like Global SS Beauty, this creates margin pressure that becomes hard to sustain long-term unless partially offset. We work closely with our global brand partners to optimise costs and hedge currency exposure, but some price correction on high-end imported portfolios may eventually be unavoidable.“The declining value of the rupee poses risks to the recent positive trend in vehicle sales, following price reductions implemented by companies on two-wheelers and cars after GST reduction benefits.Mercedes-Benz India’s managing director Santosh Iyer stated, “We estimate the positive effect of the price drop on demand for luxury vehicles to gradually wean away in the mid- to long-term, as prices of luxury cars will rise from current levels owing to deteriorating forex movement. We are mulling a price correction from January 26.”The competitor Audi India is currently evaluating its position in the market.Audi India’s head Balbir Singh Dhillon commented, “The rupee depreciation impacts the company directly and fully, but as of now, the company has not decided on the price increase or its quantum.”The government’s decision to reduce GST on compact automobiles and two-wheelers from 28-31% to 18% resulted in actual price reductions of 8.5-9.9%. This led to increased sales of 17% and 19% in October and November respectively, following a sluggish first half of the financial year. However, the current currency fluctuations might neutralise this surge in demand.
Business
IndiGo Share Price Slips 2% In Focus As Massive Flight Disruptions Hit Operations Nationwide
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InterGlobe Aviation Limited faced nationwide IndiGo flight delays and cancellations due to technology issues, congestion, weather, and new crew rostering rules.
IndiGo Plane (Representative Image)
IndiGo Share Price: Shares of InterGlobe Aviation Limited, the parent firm of IndiGo airline, slipped 2 per cent intraday to touch a low at Rs 5,405 apiece today, after the operator faced massive flight delays and cancellations nationwide due to technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements.
The disruption has left thousands of passengers stranded at airports. On Wednesday, multiple airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, reported over 100 flight cancellations till the afternoon.
The scrip was trading at Rs 5,545 apiece, with a fall of 0.88 per cent around 9.40 AM, against the previous day close at Rs 5,595 apiece.
In a statement, the airline acknowledged that its operations had been “significantly disrupted across the network for the past two days” and issued an apology to passengers.
“A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations) had a negative compounding impact on our operations in a way that was not feasible to be anticipated,” an IndiGo spokesperson said as stated in the statement.
To stabilise operations, the airline said it has begun calibrated adjustments to its flight schedules, a temporary measure expected to remain in place for the next 48 hours. The adjustments, it said, will help restore punctuality and limit further disruptions.
The cascading disruptions also reflect the airline’s recent struggles with punctuality. Government data showed that only 35% of IndiGo flights were on time on December 2, and 49.5% operated on time on December 1.
“Our teams are working around the clock to ease customer discomfort… affected customers are being offered alternate travel arrangements or refunds, as applicable,” the spokesperson added.
IndiGo has urged passengers to check flight status online before heading to the airport, as terminals in several cities remain crowded with stranded travellers seeking rebooking and assistance.
The airline is facing a severe pilot shortage ever since the new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms became applicable last month, which lay out more humane rostering for crew.
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.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 04, 2025, 08:43 IST
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Russia has blocked access to popular gaming platform Roblox due to concerns over child safety and extremism, including the spread of LGBT-related content.
The country’s media regulator said Roblox had become rife with “inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children”, according to local news outlets.
The multiplayer online platform ranks among the world’s most popular, but has been heavily criticised over its lack of features to protect children.
A spokesperson from Roblox said the company respects the laws where it operates, adding that the platform provides a “positive space” for learning.
“We have a deep commitment to safety and we have a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent harmful content on our platform,” the spokesperson said in response to the BBC.
Russian media reported that Roskomnadzor, the country’s media regulator, blocked the US platform over concerns about terrorism-related content and information on LGBT issues, which are classified as extremist and banned in Russia.
Such activity is often found in Roblox’s servers, where scenarios simulating terrorist attacks, as well as gambling, have surfaced, the agency is quoted as saying.
Roblox, which ranks among Russia’s most downloaded mobile games in recent years, allows players to create and share their own games – a model that has made regulation challenging.
The Roskomnadzor also flagged reports of sexual harassment of children and the sharing of intimate images on the platform. Other countries have raised similar issues, and the platform is already banned in certain countries, including Turkey, over concerns about child safety.
Roblox also came under scrutiny in Singapore in 2023 after the government there said a self-radicalised teenager had joined ISIS-themed servers on the platform.
Last month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the platform over “flagrantly ignoring” safety laws and “deceiving parents” about the dangers it posed to young people.
This month, Roblox announced it would stop allowing children to chat with adult strangers, after longstanding criticism over the platform’s networking feature.
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Stocks to watch: Shares of firms like Infosys, ONGC, Pine Labs, JSW Steel, IndiGo, Tata Capital, and others will be in focus on Thursday’s trade
Stocks To Watch
Stocks to Watch on December 4: Markets saw a volatile session and settled marginally lower, extending the ongoing consolidation phase. Sentiment took a hit as the rupee weakened to a record low of 90.13 against the dollar, raising concerns over higher import costs and triggering FII outflows. Caution ahead of the MPC meeting and mixed global cues further weighed on investor mood.
During the session, the Nifty slipped below the key short-term support of the 20-DEMA near the 25,950 level, but a recovery in the final hour helped it reclaim this mark. Analysts advised investors to manage position sizes carefully and stay selective—preferring IT and pharma stocks for long trades, while looking at rate-sensitive sectors on dips.
Meanwhile, here are some of the top stocks to watch today:
ONGC:
The government has approved a one-year extension for Arun Singh as chairman of ONGC. His three-year term was set to end on December 6. Singh, who retired as chairman of Bharat Petroleum Corporation in 2022, was appointed to revive ONGC at a time when the company was facing years of declining output.
Reliance Industries:
Reliance Strategic Business Ventures, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries, along with Surrey County Cricket Club, announced a partnership in the Oval Invincibles franchise in The Hundred. This follows a deal under which the two entities will hold 49 per cent and 51 per cent stakes, respectively, with ownership transferred from the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Infosys:
The IT major is witnessing rising client interest in India-based global capability centres (GCCs). Several new engagements are now beginning with proposals to set up GCCs before expanding into wider technology partnerships, a senior executive said on Wednesday. The company is also stepping up efforts to capture a larger share of the expanding GCC market.
Pine Labs:
The fintech firm reported a consolidated net profit of ₹5.97 crore in Q2 FY26, compared with a loss of ₹32.01 crore in Q2 FY25. Revenue from operations rose 17.82 per cent year-on-year to ₹649.9 crore from ₹551.57 crore.
Cipla:
In partnership with Stempeutics Research, Cipla announced its entry into orthobiologic medicine with the launch of Ciplostem—an allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy for knee osteoarthritis.
JSW Steel:
Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel and JFE Steel Corporation will jointly own and operate the steel business of Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd (BPSL) under an equal partnership. The Japanese steelmaker will acquire a 50 per cent stake in the joint venture for ₹15,750 crore.
InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo):
India’s largest airline has cancelled more than 300 flights over the past two days and delayed hundreds more as a growing pilot shortage disrupted operations following the implementation of new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules, aviation industry sources said.
RailTel Corporation of India:
The company informed exchanges that it has received a work order from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority for a project worth ₹48.78 crore, excluding tax.
Indian Energy Exchange:
India’s leading electricity exchange recorded a monthly electricity traded volume (excluding TRAS) of 11,409 MU in November 2025, reflecting a 17.7 per cent year-on-year increase. A total of 4.74 lakh Renewable Energy Certificates were traded during the month.
Bank of Maharashtra:
The offer-for-sale (OFS) of the bank closed for subscription on Wednesday at a floor price of ₹54 per share. At this price, the government stands to raise about ₹2,492 crore by divesting its 6 per cent stake. Before the OFS, the government held 79.60 per cent in the bank. Post dilution to 73.6 per cent, the bank will meet the minimum public shareholding (MPS) norm of 25 per cent.
Tata Capital:
Sebi has passed a settlement order related to a suo motu settlement application filed by the company under the Sebi (Settlement Proceedings) Regulations, 2018. Tata Capital also said it has paid the settlement amount of ₹14,40,000.
Lemon Tree Hotels:
The company has signed a licence agreement for “Lemon Tree Hotel” at Pacific Mall, Jaipur. The property will be managed by Carnation Hotels Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lemon Tree Hotels Limited.
Vintage Coffee and Beverages:
The company has launched 100 per cent pure instant coffee in India as part of its expansion into the fast-growing coffee and beverages market. Following the opening of the Vintage Coffee Café in Nerul, Navi Mumbai in September 2024, and the successful launch of two brands in the conventional roast and ground coffee segment on select e-commerce platforms, the instant coffee launch further strengthens its product portfolio and consumer reach.
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.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 04, 2025, 07:59 IST
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