logo
Cotton MSP hiked by 589, taking rates to 7,710-8,110/q

Cotton MSP hiked by 589, taking rates to 7,710-8,110/q

Time of India28-05-2025
Nagpur: The govt has increased the minimum support price (MSP) for cotton, the major crop of the region, by Rs589. This takes the rates for long staple cotton to Rs8,110 a quintal and Rs7,710 per quintal for the medium staple grade.
A section of farmers and activists said it was expected that MSP will be taken to at least Rs8,500 a quintal. According to govt calculations, cost of cultivation per quintal of cotton comes to Rs5,140. Against this, MSP of Rs8,110 leaves margin of Rs2,970 on each quintal of long staple cotton.
Charudutta Mayee, ex-director of Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), said, "MSP should have been fixed at Rs8,500 a quintal to leave a decent profit for farmers."
MSP for soyabean, the second major crop, has been increased by Rs436 to Rs5,328 a quintal. Rates of tur have been hiked by Rs450, taking it to Rs8,000 a quintal. The MSP for paddy has been hiked by Rs69, taking it to Rs2,369 a quintal.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Cement companies end June quarter with solid growth on volume rebound and higher realisations
Cement companies end June quarter with solid growth on volume rebound and higher realisations

Mint

time3 hours ago

  • Mint

Cement companies end June quarter with solid growth on volume rebound and higher realisations

Cement companies wrapped up the June quarter with a solid performance, driven by higher realizations following price hikes and robust volume growth, with most companies reporting double-digit volume growth aided by a low base during last year's election period, an upswing in commercial activity, and a ramp-up in government project execution. A drop in operating costs also contributed to a sharp rise in EBITDA per tonne. The volume growth was led by Ambuja (16.5%), UltraTech Cement (15.3%), JK Cement (14.3%), and Sagar Cements (11.5%), supported by a rebound in demand. Shree Cement's volumes, however, declined by 7.2% due to geopolitical tensions in the northern region. Dalmia Bharat (-5.4%) was impacted by the discontinuation of tolling volumes from Jaypee, while Ramco Cements (-6.8%) faced challenges from the early onset of monsoon, according to domestic brokerage firm Systematix Institutional Equities. The brokerage noted that companies under its coverage posted a 6% YoY and 5% sequential rise in realizations, largely driven by price hikes in southern markets. This also led to a sharp increase in EBITDA per tonne, up 35% YoY and 17.8% sequentially. In addition to firm realizations, a decline in power and fuel costs, along with other operating expenses, aided the EBITDA recovery. Energy costs dropped on a YoY basis, helped by nearly a 20% fall in coal prices and softer Brent crude prices. Freight costs for the brokerage coverage universe rose marginally by 2.6% as logistics efficiencies were partly offset by expansion into newer geographies. On the bottom line, the net profit of Ramco Cement soars 142.3% YoY, while Shree Cement, JK Cement, and Dalmia Bharat have surged 94.8% YoY, 65.6% YoY, and 46.9% YoY, respectively. Cement prices remained flat month-on-month in August 2025 but were relatively stronger year-on-year. The brokerage noted that monsoon slowed construction activity, especially in rural and infrastructure projects, resulting in weaker offtake and limiting companies' ability to raise or sustain prices. The demand in the East fell sharply due to early rains, though prices held steady at Rs353 per bag. In the South, prices rose by Rs10 per bag despite the monsoon, though a correction of Rs5–10 per bag is anticipated in the next quarter. As per the brokerage, central prices dipped by Rs5 per bag, while the North remained unchanged at Rs365 per bag. On an all-India basis, prices had risen 1.2% MoM in August 2025 to Rs360/bag. Channel checks indicate that while demand weakened due to the monsoon, conditions are better than the same period last year. Despite the near-term seasonal slowdown, brokerage remained positive on the sector, expecting a recovery in the second half of the year led by robust demand in infrastructure and urban housing, benign input prices, and increasing thrust on green power. As most of the consolidation is over, it foresees a strong revival in prices and a 7-8% volume growth for H2FY26. Ultratech and Ambuja remain the brokerage's top picks within the coverage universe, with a price target of ₹ 14,481 and ₹ 722, respectively. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

Banks only decide on minimum a/c balance: Guv
Banks only decide on minimum a/c balance: Guv

Hans India

time15 hours ago

  • Hans India

Banks only decide on minimum a/c balance: Guv

Gozaria (Guj): Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Monday said banks are free to decide the minimum balance for savings accounts and that it does not fall under the regulatory domain of the RBI. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function on 'Financial Inclusion Saturation Drive' organized at Gozaria village Panchayat in Gujarat's Mehsana district. Asked about a private bank increasing the minimum balance required for savings accounts, Malhotra said: 'The RBI has left it to individual banks to decide on what minimum balance they want to set. Some banks have kept it at Rs10,000, some have kept Rs2,000 and some have exempted (customers). It is not in the regulatory domain (of RBI).' In a recent decision, private lender ICICI Bank increased the minimum balance requirement for those opening new savings accounts from August 1. The minimum average monthly balance (MAB) has been increased by five times to Rs50,000 from Rs10,000 on savings bank account, as per the lender's website. Similarly, MAB for semi-urban locations and rural locations have been increased five times to Rs25,000 and Rs10,000, respectively. Incidentally, the State Bank of India has decided not to penalise savings account holders if they do not keep minimum balance. Traditionally, public-sector banks have lower balance requirements compared to private lenders with the requirement waived for Jan Dhan accounts. Several public-sector banks have done away with the requirement, and customers who fail to maintain the minimum prescribed balance do not need to pay a penalty. Speaking at the event, Malhotra said digital literacy was very important to succeed in the new age. 'Earlier they used to say if you do not study you will not prosper. In today's age, this is the same for digital literacy. If you do not have digital literacy you will not progress,' he said.

DII surge, FII shuffle, promoter exit - Perfect storm in Indian equities
DII surge, FII shuffle, promoter exit - Perfect storm in Indian equities

Business Standard

timea day ago

  • Business Standard

DII surge, FII shuffle, promoter exit - Perfect storm in Indian equities

Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) are buying into Indian equities and reshaping the market's ownership map — and that shift has clear implications for retail portfolios. Motilal Oswal's latest India Strategy — Ownership note for June 2025 shows DIIs hitting all-time highs across the Nifty-500, while promoter stakes fell to record lows. Over the past year, domestic institutional investor (DII) ownership rose by 170 basis points (bps) year-on-year (+20bps quarter-on-quarter) to reach an all-time high of 19.4% in June 2025. Foreign institutional investor (FII) ownership remained unchanged at 18.8%, showing a 20bps decline YoY but flat QoQ. Promoter shareholding, which has historically stayed range-bound, fell sharply to an all-time low of 49.3% (-170bps YoY, -20bps QoQ). This decline was largely due to a recovery in the primary market in Q1 FY26, where high valuations and strong investor appetite encouraged several promoters to offload stakes. Retail ownership was stable at 12.4% (+10bps YoY, flat QoQ). The quarter's net change in ownership was primarily marked by increased DII holdings, offset by a reduction in promoter stakes. Sectoral Trends (Nifty-500): DII Activity: YoY: DIIs increased holdings in 20 out of 24 sectors. The largest gains were in Retail, PSU Banks, Consumer, Cement, Utilities, Private Banks, Technology, and EMS. Sectors seeing reduced DII holdings included Infrastructure, Media, NBFC–Non-Lending, and Metals. QoQ: Maximum increases were seen in EMS, Retail, Telecom, Technology, and Logistics. FII Activity: QoQ & YoY Gains: FIIs raised stakes in Infrastructure, NBFC–Non-Lending, Telecom, and Media. YoY Declines: FIIs reduced holdings in 13 sectors, with the sharpest cuts in Utilities, Retail, Automobiles, Oil & Gas, Cement, Logistics, Consumer, Consumer Durables, Capital Goods, PSU Banks, and Healthcare. FII-DII ownership ratio remains unchanged sequentially FII-DII ownership ratio in the Nifty-500 stayed flat quarter-on-quarter at 1x, but the underlying shifts tell a different tale. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) trimmed their share by 150 basis points year-on-year to 37.2% of the Nifty-500's free float, with a marginal 10bp dip compared to the previous quarter. Meanwhile, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) expanded their ownership by 210bp YoY to 38.3%, with a 30bp uptick QoQ. The sectoral picture was mixed: over the past year, the FII-DII ratio expanded in Infrastructure, NBFC (Non-Lending), Media, and Telecom, but contracted in 17 out of 24 sectors. Stock-specific trends show that FIIs reduced stakes in 53% of Nifty-500 companies over the year, while DIIs raised holdings in 74%. The divergence is sharper in the blue-chip pack—FIIs cut positions in 80% of Nifty-50 stocks, while DIIs increased their holdings in 88%. As of June 2025, institutional and retail shareholding patterns have shifted notably: Large-cap stocks: FII holdings dipped to a record low of 21.5%, promoter stakes fell to 47.3%, and retail holdings dropped to 10.5%—all-time lows. In contrast, DII ownership hit an all-time high at 20.7%. Mid-cap stocks: FIIs hold 14%, DIIs 17.5%, promoters 54.3%, and retail investors 14.2%. Retail share rose 130bp year-on-year, underscoring persistent individual investor interest. Small-cap stocks: FIIs own 12%, DIIs 15.4%, promoters 51.5%, and retail investors a robust 21%. Key Trends: FIIs: Trimmed large- and mid-cap stakes by 10bp YoY each but slightly increased small-cap exposure (+20bp YoY). Sequentially, they added 10bp in large-caps and 30bp in mid-caps, while cutting small-cap stakes by 10bp. DIIs: Expanded across all market caps—up 190bp in large-caps, 170bp in mid-caps, and 40bp in small-caps YoY. Sequentially, gains continued in large-caps (+20bp) and mid-caps (+80bp) but fell slightly in small-caps (-10bp). Promoters: Reduced holdings across all categories to historic lows—down 160bp/300bp/80bp YoY in large/mid/small caps. Retail investors: Lowest-ever large-cap ownership (10.5%), but resilient in mid-caps and strong in small-caps (21%), reflecting a risk-on stance among individuals. Key points to note: DIIs increased net allocations by $19.7b in 1QFY26, while FIIs added ~$ 5.4b — a striking tilt toward domestic buying. DII ownership in the Nifty-500 rose to 19.4% (all-time high); FII ownership stood at 18.8%. Promoter holdings slipped to 49.3%, the lowest on record. Retail holdings are ~12.4%. FII exposure to BFSI jumped to 34.9% of their Nifty-500 allocation — a seven-quarter high — signalling sustained foreign interest in banks and financials. Sector moves that affect your portfolio DIIs added to 20 of 24 sectors YoY, with the biggest DII increases in Retail, PSU banks, Consumer, Cement, Utilities, Private Banks, Technology and EMS. FIIs concentrated their buys in Infrastructure, NBFC (non-lending), Telecom and Media, while trimming exposure to Utilities, Retail, Autos and Metals. Top stocks by FII value: HDFC Bank (USD 99.9b), ICICI Bank (USD 68.4b), Reliance (USD 48.9b), Bharti Airtel (USD 37.7b), Infosys (USD 30.6b). These names dominate foreign institution flows and thus market direction in the near term. Within the Nifty-500 universe, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) increased their stakes in 9 out of 24 sectors as of June 2025. Top FII holdings by sector: Private Banks – 47.6% (highest among all sectors) Telecom – 23% NBFC – Non-Lending – 21.3% Real Estate – 20.2% Technology – 19.1% Automobiles – 18.6% Healthcare – 18.5% Largest YoY FII stake increases: Infrastructure (+520bp), NBFC – Non-Lending (+470bp), Telecom (+220bp), Media (+140bp), EMS (+120bp), and Chemicals (+80bp). Top DII holdings by sector: Private Banks – 32.9% Consumer – 24.2% Oil & Gas – 21.4% Consumer Durables – 20.8% Metals – 20.6% Largest YoY DII stake increases: Private Banks (+190bp), PSU Banks (+280bp), Retail (+290bp), Consumer (+280bp), Cement (+250bp), EMS (+250bp), Consumer Durables (+220bp), and Utilities (+200bp). BFSI: FII Allocation Hits Seven-Quarter High The BFSI sector (Private Banks, PSU Banks, NBFCs, and Insurance) continues to dominate FII portfolios, with allocation rising 350bp YoY and 50bp QoQ to 34.9% of Nifty-500 – a seven-quarter high. FIIs remain overweight by 420bp compared to BFSI's 30.7% weight in the Nifty-500 index. Following BFSI, the top FII sector allocations were: Technology – 9.2% (down 20bp YoY, -80bp QoQ) Oil & Gas – 7.2% (down 150bp YoY, +40bp QoQ) Automobiles – 7.1% Healthcare – 6.2% Combined, the top five sectors account for 64.6% of total FII allocation. Sequentially, FIIs increased exposure to Telecom, Oil & Gas, NBFC – Non-Lending, Capital Goods, and Automobiles, while trimming positions in Technology, Utilities, Consumer, Metals, and Healthcare. Top FII Investments by Value: Out of $ 914 billion in total FII holdings, the largest sectoral exposure is in Private Banks (USD 215b). The top five individual holdings account for 31% of the total portfolio value: HDFC Bank – $99.9b ICICI Bank – $ 68.4b Reliance Industries – $48.9b Bharti Airtel – $37.7b Infosys – $30.6b Key Takeaways for Individual Investors 1. Growth Stocks Still Have Momentum — But Valuations Matter The report notes that while India's economic fundamentals remain strong, valuations in several growth-oriented sectors are running ahead of earnings. For long-term investors, this means balancing high-growth bets with value-oriented picks to avoid overpaying for future potential. 2. Banking & Financials Remain Core Portfolio Anchors With credit growth healthy and non-performing loans under control, large private banks and select NBFCs continue to offer stability and steady returns. For retail investors, these can act as the 'core' holdings that balance more volatile sectors like technology and consumer discretionary. 3. Manufacturing & Capital Goods in the Spotlight Government-led infrastructure spending and the Make in India push are creating tailwinds for manufacturing and capital goods companies. Long-term investors could consider adding exposure to these sectors via diversified mutual funds or direct equity investments in leading players. 4. IT & Pharma as Global Plays The report highlights that while IT earnings are currently muted due to global demand softness, valuations are turning attractive. Similarly, Indian pharma continues to benefit from global healthcare demand. Both sectors could be smart contrarian bets for patient investors. 5. Mid- and Small-Cap Caution While mid- and small-cap stocks have delivered outsized gains recently, valuations are stretched in several pockets. MOFSL suggests focusing on companies with strong earnings visibility rather than chasing momentum — a message particularly relevant for retail investors tempted by sharp short-term rallies.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store