Business
UPI transaction in September slip below 2 billlion but daily average up – The Times of India
MUMBAI: UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions in September 2025 continued to show strong momentum, with growth evident in both daily transaction counts and values. While the total number of transactions for the month dipped slightly compared to August, the average daily data—adjusted for the shorter 30-day September—indicates a clear upward trend in activity on the platform.UPI processed 19.63 billion transactions in September, marginally lower than the 20.01 billion recorded in August. In value terms, the platform saw Rs 24.90 lakh crore transacted, almost flat compared to Rs 24.85 lakh crore in August. On a month-on-month basis, this translated into a 1.9% decline in volume but a 0.2% increase in value. The fall in aggregate numbers was largely due to September having one fewer day than August, making the daily averages more representative of underlying growth.On an average daily basis, UPI handled 654 million transactions worth Rs 83,000 crore each day in September. This marked a 1.37% increase in daily transaction count compared to August’s 645 million and a sharper 3.54% rise in daily value from Rs 80,160 crore. The stronger rise in value relative to volume indicates a growth in average ticket size, with users transacting higher amounts per payment in September. July’s daily averages were lower at 628 million transactions and Rs 80,900 crore, showing a clear three-month progression.The year-on-year picture remains more robust. September’s total transaction volume was 31% higher than the same month last year, while August had posted 34% growth. In value terms, both August and September registered 21% growth over their respective 2024 levels. These double-digit gains underscore the platform’s continued expansion and deepening integration into everyday payments.
The Target bullseye logo is seen on the outside of its store at the Lycoming Crossing Shopping Center.
Paul Weaver | Lightrocket | Getty Images
Target will report earnings on Wednesday morning as the big-box retailer gears up for the holiday season, gets ready for a new CEO and tries to snap a sales slump.
Here’s what Wall Street expects for the Minneapolis-based retailer’s fiscal third quarter, according to a survey of analysts by LSEG:
- Earnings per share: $1.72 expected
- Revenue: $25.32 billion expected
Target’s sales have been roughly stagnant for four years as it faces stiffer competition and has grown weaker in some of the areas that set it apart in the past, including its eye-catching merchandise, its well-organized stores, and its friendly and helpful customer service. Some customers also boycotted the retailer after it rolled back key diversity, equity and inclusion programs, a dynamic that Target blamed in part in May for its weaker sales results.
Target expects sales to decline again this year by a low single-digit percentage. It said adjusted earnings per share for the year, excluding gains from litigation settlements, will range from about $7 to $9. Most of that range would come in lower than last year, when adjusted earnings per share were $8.86.
Target announced in August that Michael Fiddelke, the company’s chief operating officer and former chief financial officer, would become its next CEO. He will succeed longtime Chief Executive Brian Cornell in February.
On an earnings call in August, the day of Target’s CEO announcement, Fiddelke laid out his three top priorities: reestablishing Target’s reputation as a retailer with stylish and unique items, providing a more consistent customer experience, and using technology more effectively to operate an efficient business.
He said he wouldn’t wait until stepping into the role to make changes.
Last month, Target announced it would cut 1,800 corporate jobs — its largest layoff in a decade. It’s made moves to sharpen its merchandise and get back its fashion sense, including sending its designers to rodeos and ski lodges for inspiration. And it’s tweaked its online fulfillment strategy at stores to try to free up employees’ time to stock shelves and assist customers.
It also rolled out a policy change that shoppers may notice during the holiday season, which it dubbed the 10-4 program. When store employees are within 10 feet of a customer, Target has asked them to smile and show friendly and welcoming body language, such as waving and making eye contact. When a customer is within 4 feet, Target is asking store employees to initiate a conversation by personally greeting the shopper along with smiling.
Target isn’t the only big-box retailer getting a new CEO. Its rival Walmart announced last week that John Furner, the chief executive of its U.S. business, will succeed longtime CEO Doug McMillon. He will start the role on Feb. 1, the same day Fiddelke takes over at Target.
Business
PM Kisan 21st Installment Live Updates: PM Modi To Release Rs 18,000 Crore To Nearly 9 Crore Farmers
PM Kisan 21st Installment Live Updates: The wait for the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi’s 21st installment is now going to be over today, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to release the next tranche of Rs 2,000 shortly at an event in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
“The prime minister will release the 21st installment of PM-KISAN on November 19, 2025, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu,” according to PM Kisan’s portal.
As per the government data, Rs 18,000 crore will be transferred to nearly 9 crore farmers nationwide. Combined with state schemes, many farmers are receiving additional income buffers ahead of the agri season.
“This instalment comes at a crucial moment: rising input costs, mandi price volatility, and liquidity gaps continue to challenge small and marginal farmers. A deeper lens on how direct benefit transfers are influencing farm decisions, post-harvest management, storage choices, and credit dependency could make for a compelling industry story,” said Amith Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of StarAgri Warehousing & Collateral Management.
PM Kisan: How To Check Beneficiary Status?
1. Visit the official PM Kisan portal: https://pmkisan.gov.in
2. On the homepage, under the ‘FARMERS CORNER’, click on ‘Beneficiary List’.
3. Enter your state, district, sub-district, block, and village.
4. Click ‘Get Report’ to view the list of beneficiaries in your village.
New Delhi: Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella will begin a three-day visit to India on December 10.
The India-born tech leader will travel to Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai as part of his tour, during which he is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and other senior government officials.
Nadella will start his visit in Delhi on December 10, move to Bengaluru on December 11, and conclude in Mumbai on December 12. This will be one of his several visits to India in recent years as Microsoft continues to expand its presence and strengthen its position in the fast-growing cloud and AI services market.
During his earlier visit in January this year, Nadella had announced a $3 billion investment to build cloud and AI infrastructure in India and to support skilling programmes.
At that time, he said India was becoming a global leader in AI innovation and stressed that Microsoft wanted to help make the country “AI-first.” The company also said it would train 10 million more Indians in essential AI skills by 2030.
Microsoft had already exceeded its 2025 target by training 2.4 million people within a year, with a majority of participants coming from Tier-II and Tier-III cities and 65 per cent of them being women.
Rival Google has also announced a major push in India, with a $15 billion investment to set up a state-of-the-art AI hub in Visakhapatnam.
The build-up to Nadella’s visit saw another important meeting on Tuesday, when Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal met Lisa Monaco, President of Microsoft Global Affairs.
After the meeting, Goyal posted on X that the discussion focused on Microsoft’s continued engagement in India and its support for AI-led innovation and infrastructure development.
He added that both sides also explored ways to strengthen the India–US partnership in AI, digital trade, and workforce skilling to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth.
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