
Barometers trade sideways; pharma shares decline
The Nifty traded below the 24,800 level. Pharma shares extended losses for the second consecutive trading session
At 10:40 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex advanced 89.11 points or 0.10% to 81,281.38. The Nifty 50 index lost 4.65 points or 0.02% to 24,761.85.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index slipped 0.27% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index fell 0.08%.
The market breadth was weak. On the BSE 1,924 shares rose and 1,696 shares fell. A total of 212 shares were unchanged.
New Listing
Shares of Shanti Gold International were currently trading at Rs 233.50 at 10:15 IST on the BSE, representing a premium of 17.34% compared with the issue price of Rs 199.
The scrip was listed at Rs 229.10, exhibiting a premium of 15.13% to the issue price.
So far, the stock has hit a high of Rs 238.40 and a low of Rs 227. On the BSE, over 17.72 lakh shares of the company were traded in the counter so far.
Buzzing Index:
The Nifty Pharma index declined 2.44% to 22,215.90. The index tanked 3.71% in two trading sessions.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (down 3.62%), Aurobindo Pharma (down 3.45%), Gland Pharma (down 2.53%), Cipla (down 2.53%), Granules India (down 2.52%), Dr Reddys Laboratories (down 2.46%), Lupin (down 2.26%), Divis Laboratories (down 1.97%), Alkem Laboratories (down 1.95%) and Zydus Lifesciences (down 1.61%) fell.
Stocks in Spotlight:
Steel Strips Wheels (SSWL) declined 2.27%. The company reported a net turnover of Rs 378.87 crore for July 2025, up 4.47% YoY growth compared to Rs 362.64 crore posted in July 2024.
Suzlon Energy jumped 5.44% after the company secured a 381 MW order from Zelestra India and its affiliates to power their first firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) project.

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Brand confusion After the joint venture with Hero Group was dissolved, scooter sales remained strong in urban areas. However, in the central and northeast regions, where motorcycle demand was high, the perception that Honda and Hero were synonymous remained deeply rooted within the market, and many consumers continued to confuse the brands. In response, Honda launched its 'Honda is Honda' strategy to re-establish the brand's market presence and regain consumer trust. The company kicked off various initiatives to enhance brand recognition. These included installation of Honda signages at dealerships, screening iconic videos featuring F1 cars and large motorcycles to convey the Honda brand worldview, wrapping buses and trains, and producing commercials featuring popular Hindi film star, Akshay Kumar. 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To break into the stronghold of competing motorcycle brands, we repeatedly visited rural areas,' says Takashi Watarai who was in northern India from 2010 to 2015. In Rajasthan, there was once an area termed the 'untouched rural region' where security was so poor that taking photos was not allowed, and the market was dominated by a single competing motorcycle brand. Sales and service always go hand-in-hand. In rural areas, we placed great importance on the idea that dealerships are meaningless if they cannot provide maintenance, and we put a lot of effort into expanding our service Takahashi 'Sales and service always go hand-in-hand. In rural areas, we placed great importance on the idea that dealerships are meaningless if they cannot provide maintenance, and we put a lot of effort into expanding our service network,' says Koji Takahashi , part of HMSI headquarters from 2015 to 2020. Reaching out directly Even after sales staff made steady efforts to open new venues, there were cases where the dealership had to close due to insufficient demand. To learn from these experiences, in regions where demand was not sufficient to justify establishing a physical dealership, Honda made efforts to directly introduce products and services to customers. This included using a caravan truck provided by dealers to travel to rural areas and hold temporary workshops in village squares to promote products. In regions where agriculture was the primary industry, Honda staff participated in tractor exhibitions and continued steady efforts to enhance Honda brand awareness. Also read:Honda to operate dedicated electric 2-wheeler plant in India by 2028 Through trial and error, sales gradually expanded. Honda's motorcycle market share increased by approximately 15% over the four-year period from 2011 to 2015. The steady efforts in sales and service had paid off. Trial and error 'It was all about trial and error. Don't stop, keep moving, and challenge yourself. Always think about what you can do to make the people in India happy while you're working,' was the motto at the time, according to staff stationed in India. Sales representatives paid attention to service maintenance while service representatives approached customers with a sales mindset to drive repeat purchases. Despite the small team of expatriates and local associates, they collaborated across departmental boundaries. There were numerous challenges, including strengthening service systems and maintaining quality in response to increased sales, addressing the market needs for both every day and recreational motorcycles, and further strengthening the Honda brand in rural areas.


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