
Will IPL money via The Hundred route rescue financially struggling county cricket clubs?
According to the recently-released Leonard Curtis Cricket Finance Report, the gap between the top clubs and the smaller ones is widening with the big three -- Surrey, Lancashire and Warwickshire -- generating 44 per cent of the total revenue of all 18 first-class counties in 2023.
The smaller clubs like Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire are hugely reliant on the funding from the parent body -- the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The sale of equity in the eight franchises of The Hundred is expected to raise approximately 520 million pounds, a part of which would be shared with the county clubs.
The ECB decided to sell stakes of the eight franchises ahead of The Hundred's fifth season that begins on August 5, day after the conclusion of the Test series between India and England.
Four out of the eight teams have attracted investments from IPL franchise owners connected to Mumbai Indians (49 per cent of Oval Invincibles), Sunrisers Hyderabad (100 per cent of Northern Supercharges), Delhi Capitals (49 per cent of Southern Brave) and Lucknow Super Giants (70 per cent of Manchester Originals).
The other four teams -- Welsh Fire, Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Trent Rockets -- have drawn huge sums from American investors.

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Mint
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Euro area yields drop after US-EU trade deal, Fed, BoJ, data in focus
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Which sector could emerge as a winner this earning season? Amnish Aggarwal answers
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Barring a couple of banks which have done well, the majority of the companies have disappointed in Q1. If you look at the commentary of some of the companies like Kotak or Bajaj Finance – some of these financiers are the parameter of the economy – show that the demand trends and the stress on MSME or unsecured loans is very clearly visible. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Digital Marketing MCA Product Management Finance Design Thinking Leadership Others CXO MBA Data Science Project Management Cybersecurity Public Policy Healthcare Operations Management Data Science Artificial Intelligence PGDM Data Analytics Management Degree healthcare Technology Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategies Customer Journey Mapping Paid Advertising Campaign Management Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Strategies Customer Journey Mapping Paid Advertising Campaign Management Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Digital Marketing and Analytics Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategy Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Social Media Marketing & Advertising Data Analytics & Measurement Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business Professional Certificate Programme in Digital Marketing Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategies Customer Journey Mapping Paid Advertising Campaign Management Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Digital Marketing and Analytics Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why This NDAA-Compliant American Drone Company Is Crushing Chinese Competitors Hylio | StartEngine Learn More Undo Secondly, on the demand side also, not many consumer companies have so far come out with results. But if you look broadly, I am not very confident that many of them will beat the estimates and for a large part of those companies, we will see some cut in earnings as we go along. Similarly, in these two baskets, except for some good numbers from select capital good stocks or commodity companies which have been showing better margins like cement, steel, etc, – the earning season so far has been very tepid and demand has failed to take off. The biggest weight in all the indices is financials. There also things are not looking great and that is the reason why it is keeping markets in a very narrow zone. What do you make of the pharma pack for now because the earnings were not that bad? Look at Dr Reddy's numbers. Even Cipla managed to surprise as did Laurus Lab where the experts have raised the target price, though the management has reiterated their FY26 outlook. What is your view on the pharma pack right now? Amnish Aggarwal: Traditionally FMCG, IT, and pharma have been considered defensives and as of now, only the pharma segment is doing better. There is reasonably good demand in the domestic and also on the overseas side. Some part of it might also be due to the fact that there might be some stocking ahead of the tariff announcement because there is a lot of tariff uncertainty. But having said that, as of now, within the defensive pack, pharma is standing out and in certain cases, the valuations might not be cheap but a select pharma stock could do well if it has number visibility. Live Events You Might Also Like: Jigar Mistry on 3 sectors that offer better earnings upside in Q1 Where is demand headed right now in terms of staples and where could strength return to the sector? Amnish Aggarwal: As of now, it is quite uncertain and in Q1 also we had a favourable base and because of elections, a lot of uncertainty. 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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘He knew where to hit us': Did Trump strongarm EU into signing trade deal? Steep price for shaky peace
The United States and the European Union have averted a full-scale trade war, but the price of peace is steep. In a high-stakes, hastily arranged meeting at President Donald Trump's golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland, Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a trade deal that will impose a 15% baseline tariff on most EU goods entering the US: a compromise designed to stave off Trump's threatened 30% tariff if no agreement had been reached by August 1. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Trump hailed the agreement as 'the biggest-ever,' while von der Leyen called it 'the best we could get.' But behind the triumphant rhetoric lies a deal many in Brussels quietly acknowledge as a strategic retreat. A deal under pressure The deal, struck in under an hour, came after months of threats, stalled talks, and tariff escalations that rattled European markets and unnerved EU leaders. According to CNN, the US president had threatened tariffs as high as 50%, pushing the EU to the negotiating table under mounting economic pressure and fears of NATO destabilisation. Trump's administration insisted on a 15% blanket tariff, covering cars, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and more. Although von der Leyen claimed some strategic products such as aircraft, select chemicals, and agricultural goods would see zero tariffs, many sectors remain exposed. The AP reported that energy and defence purchases sweetened the deal — with the EU agreeing to spend $750 billion on US energy and invest a further $600 billion in American industries. Yet steel and aluminium will still be hit with 50% tariffs. Trump was blunt: 'Steel stays the way it is.' Von der Leyen maintained that a quota system would eventually moderate those terms, but no final text has been released. EU countries must now ratify the agreement. Ireland said it 'regrets' the baseline tariff, and Germany's powerful BDI industry group warned of 'considerable negative repercussions.' The VCI chemicals association simply called the tariffs 'too high.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As CNN noted, while markets responded positively with the Dow rising 0.3% few in Europe are celebrating. Europe's pain threshold — and trump's street fight Multiple reports, including from Financial Times and BBC, paint a picture of a bloc outmanoeuvred. Trump's early-April 'Liberation Day' tariffs sent markets reeling, forcing Brussels to suspend retaliation and enter talks under duress. FT reported that EU diplomats believe the bloc's fragmented stance — especially Germany's desire to shield its car industry — prevented a stronger response. One EU diplomat told FT, 'He's the bully in the schoolyard and we didn't join others in standing up to him.' Former Commission negotiator Georg Riekeles said the EU 'would have been better off answering the US vigorously in April in a one-two combo with China.' The Commission had originally drawn up a strategy to offer purchases and tariff reductions. But the Trump administration moved faster, levying 25% tariffs on steel, aluminium, and vehicles. Meanwhile, internal divisions saw some states pushing for tough retaliation and others urging caution. Irish Trade Minister Simon Harris was reportedly a vocal advocate for protecting Irish pharmaceuticals and spirits, according to FT. The Trump camp saw opportunity in these divisions. He rejected a July proposal for a 10% 'reciprocal' tariff, demanding instead 15% across the board. As BBC pointed out, Trump viewed the EU as exploiting US openness while restricting access to its own markets — a sentiment echoed by his claim that the union was 'nastier than China.' Symbolic win? The final deal delivers predictability and avoids escalation — but at a cost. Most European exports now face higher tariffs than under the previous regime, where the US average was around 1.6%, FT found. The 15% rate, while lower than Trump's threats, is still a substantial barrier and could erode the EU's export competitiveness. Car manufacturers are particularly exposed. Volkswagen has already taken a $1.5 billion hit this year, and Mercedes-Benz warned of 'significant increases' in US prices. While Trump said pharmaceuticals were not part of the deal, von der Leyen later insisted they were 'on a separate sheet of paper' — hinting at continuing negotiations. Still, there's relief that a deeper trade war was averted. BBC noted that Brussels' chief concern was avoiding Trump's wrath spilling over into security cooperation, especially in Eastern Europe and Ukraine. The EU is now betting that stability is worth the compromise. In Trump's words: 'This was the big one.' For von der Leyen and EU officials, the deal may mark not a victory, but the moment the US president 'worked out exactly where our pain threshold is.'