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GST 2.0: RBI bulletin highlights gains in ease of doing business; domestic growth outlook stays positive – The Times of India

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GST 2.0: RBI bulletin highlights gains in ease of doing business; domestic growth outlook stays positive – The Times of India


The GST reform will progressively deliver a positive impact on the Indian economy by enhancing ease of doing business, lowering retail prices and strengthening consumption growth drivers, according to an article in the Reserve Bank of India’s September Bulletin.The bulletin said global uncertainty remained elevated in the wake of US tariffs on major trading partners and renewed concerns over the fiscal health of advanced economies, PTI reported.“The landmark GST reforms should progressively result in a sustained positive impact through significant gains in ease of doing business, lower retail prices and strengthening of consumption growth drivers,” the article noted.

New GST Rates Take Effect; Farmers, Shopkeepers, Consumers React to New Tax Structure

The government rolled out GST 2.0 last week, introducing a simplified two-rate structure of 5 per cent and 18 per cent, replacing the earlier four-rate duty regime. The new rates came into effect on September 22.The bulletin said the Indian economy demonstrated marked resilience, as seen in the five-quarter high growth recorded in Q1 2025-26, driven by domestic demand. CPI-based headline inflation edged higher but remained below the target rate for the seventh consecutive month. System liquidity stayed in surplus, aiding the pass-through of monetary policy easing.Equity markets saw two-way movements during August-September, while the current account deficit moderated in Q1 compared with last year, supported by robust services exports and strong remittance inflows.On the September GST Council decisions, the article said they had “set in motion major structural reforms in the GST regime, simplifying rates and processes.” The measures addressed inverted duty structures, streamlined compliance, and particularly benefited MSMEs and startups. These reforms are expected to strengthen tax buoyancy, boost compliance, and support ease of living alongside ease of doing business.On the impact of the 50 per cent US tariff on Indian exports, the article said the immediate effect may be limited to select sectors, as about 45 per cent of India’s shipments to the US — including key products such as smartphones and pharmaceuticals — are exempt. Despite trade uncertainties, merchandise exports showed resilience during April-August 2025-26, while the S&P sovereign rating upgrade underscored the strength of India’s macroeconomic fundamentals.The RBI bulletin said the Q1 GDP estimates reaffirmed the resilience of domestic drivers, with August high-frequency indicators showing manufacturing and services activity at a decadal high. “In this scenario, the growth outlook for H2 is one of optimism. Healthy corporate balance sheets and the focus on structural reforms by the government are the bright spots of the economy,” it added.The report said stronger kharif sowing is expected to sustain agricultural momentum and keep food prices in check. The transmission of front-loaded monetary policy easing has been “robust,” and coupled with income tax relief for households and job creation measures, is set to drive a pick-up in consumption in H2, potentially creating a virtuous cycle of higher investment and growth.High-frequency food price data for September indicated rising cereal prices, a mixed trend in pulses, firmer edible oil prices in mustard, sunflower and palm, and easing groundnut oil rates. Prices of potato, onion and tomato softened, with tomato showing a sharp decline.The bulletin also said global uncertainty continues to cloud the outlook, with lingering US trade policy concerns, fiscal stress in advanced economies, and geopolitical risks. However, the global PMI rose to a 14-month high in August, with both manufacturing and services activity expanding.External sector stability was also highlighted. The current account deficit remained contained, supported by services exports and remittances, while net FDI inflows touched a 38-month high in July. Foreign exchange reserves stayed adequate.The Reserve Bank clarified that the views expressed in the bulletin are those of the authors and do not represent the central bank’s official position.





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Nike shares fall 9% on weak outlook, expected 20% sales decline in China

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Nike shares fall 9% on weak outlook, expected 20% sales decline in China


A Nike logo is displayed at a Nike store in Austin, Texas, Feb. 5, 2026.

Brandon Bell | Getty Images

Shares of Nike fell in extended trading Tuesday after the retailer warned sales will fall for the rest of the calendar year, led by an expected 20% decline in its key China market during the current quarter.

Chief Financial Officer Matt Friend said during the company’s earnings call that Nike expects sales for its current fiscal fourth quarter to drop between 2% and 4%, compared with Wall Street estimates of a 1.9% increase, according to LSEG.

For the duration of the calendar year, Friend said, the company expects sales to fall by a low single-digit percentage, led by growth in North America and offset by declines in China. That outlook wasn’t comparable to estimates.

Nike beat expectations across the business on both the top and bottom lines for its fiscal third quarter, but its guidance left investors with more questions about how long its turnaround will take. Friend also cautioned that Nike’s guidance was based off of where the global economic picture stands today — and it could change given recent geopolitical volatility.

“We also recognize that the environment around us has become increasingly dynamic, and we could experience unplanned volatility due to the disruption in the Middle East, rising oil prices and other factors that could impact either input costs or consumer behavior,” said Friend. “We are focused on what we can control.”

Shares fell more than 8% in extended trading.

Here’s how the world’s largest sneaker company did for its fiscal third quarter, compared with estimates from analysts polled by LSEG:

  • Earnings per share: 35 cents vs. 28 cents expected
  • Revenue: $11.28 billion vs. $11.24 billion expected

The company’s reported net income for the three-month period that ended Feb. 28 was $520 million, or 35 cents per share. That’s a 35% decline from $794 million, or 54 cents per share, a year earlier. That plunge came as Nike’s gross profit margin slid 1.3 percentage points to 40.2%, “primarily due to higher tariffs in North America,” the company said.

Sales were flat at $11.28 billion, compared to $11.27 billion last year.

While Nike beat expectations on the top and bottom lines, it posted a mixed picture regionally. Nike’s largest market of North America continued to show steady growth, as revenue climbed 3% to $5.03 billion, but that was just shy of Wall Street’s expectations of $5.04 billion, according to StreetAccount.

Meanwhile, Nike’s Greater China market continued to shrink, with revenue down 7% to $1.62 billion during the quarter. Still, that total beat analyst estimates of $1.50 billion, according to StreetAccount.

Nike is continuing to work through a colossal turnaround under CEO Elliott Hill. About a year and a half into his tenure, Hill has made strides in repairing parts of the business, but has been clear that it’ll take time for the entire company to improve given the retailer’s scale and complexity. 

He reiterated that expectation on Tuesday, saying in a news release that “the pace of progress is different across the portfolio.”

“The areas we prioritized first continue to drive momentum,” Hill said. “The work is not finished, but the direction is clear, our teams are moving with focus and urgency, and our foundation is getting even stronger to build the future of NIKE.”

Friend said Nike’s turnaround efforts “will continue to impact results over the balance of the calendar year.”

Nike’s recovery was already coming at a tough time as a global trade war dented its efforts to improve profitability and drive sales from inflation-weary shoppers. But now the athletic company will have to contend with a new war in the Middle East that’s already led to rising gas prices and is expected to send consumer prices even higher, which could push shoppers to cut back on nice-to-haves like new clothes and shoes to save money elsewhere. 

“We continue to be encouraged by the momentum in North America. We’ve got a strong order book for summer,” Friend said. “We’re seeing positive signs and sell through. We’re not seeing a consumer reaction to what’s going on in the Middle East at this point in time, in North America.”

Hill has focused in part on revitalizing Nike’s business with wholesale partners as opposed to direct sales on its website and in stores. Wholesale revenue climbed 5% to $6.5 billion.

Meanwhile, direct sales slid 4% to $4.5 billion.

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Tech giant Oracle makes ‘significant’ job cuts

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Tech giant Oracle makes ‘significant’ job cuts



It is thought that thousands of people may have lost their jobs at Oracle, one of the world’s largest tech companies.



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Oil nears highest price since start of Iran war

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Oil nears highest price since start of Iran war



The US-Israel Iran war has halted almost all traffic in a key waterway and the price Brent crude has surged.



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