Latest news with #Russia-Ukraine
Mint
2 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
FMCG stocks face margin pressure. Here's why
The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is seen as a favourite among investors due to its stable cash flows and performance even in turbulent times. But recently, FMCG companies have been facing a new wave of margin pressure. From rising input costs to subdued demand, multiple forces are compressing the profitability for companies, and the markets are taking notice. Market acknowledgement of this fact is reflected in the performance of the FMCG index. Looking at the broader markets over the past year, the Nifty FMCG index rose 0.96% as compared to a 9.06% increase in the Nifty50. Here's a closer look at why FMCG stocks are under margin pressure right now. Reasons for Margin Pressure At the core of the problem is cost inflation. Sharp price rise in key raw materials- especially palm oil, wheat, maida, potato, cocoa, tea, etc, have pressured margins and have made it necessary for the companies to raise the prices. But companies can pass on these costs through price hikes only to some extent. The confluence of a few macro factors further impacted the margins, which have pushed global commodity prices higher. These factors are: geopolitical disturbances due to the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, and reciprocal trade tariffs by the US. Slowdown in various advanced economies, including the US and the UK, and climate change (untimely monsoon, floods, droughts) are the other factors. Managements of various top FMCG giants have highlighted the uncertainty in input costs and remain cautious in their margin guidance in the recent investor presentations. The management of Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) revised FY26 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) margin guidance downward from 23–24% to 22–23% due to inflation. Operating profit margins (OPM) for FY25 of Marico Ltd are lower, from 21% to 20%, while Britannia's margins have fallen from 18% to 16.4%. Further, the pace of real GDP growth decreased from 9.2% in FY24 to 6.5% in FY25. The weakness in consumption was seen in the flat volume growth of the FMCG sector, both in rural and urban areas. To make matters worse, India's consumer food price index fluctuated during the previous fiscal year, with a peak in October 2024 (marking an inflation rate of 10.08%). The cumulative impact of inflationary pressures, as well as low GDP growth, has pulled down household savings and reduced consumption expenditure. Another factor contributing to the margin pressure is the intense competition in the FMCG space, not just from large brands but also from aggressive local players and small direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. Recovery signs in the FMCG space Despite a weak short-term outlook, the FMCG companies are cautiously positive for the FY26 recovery. Management sees macro factors to normalise soon, including stabilising CPI inflation, easing raw material prices. India's overall retail inflation fell to 3.16% in April 2025, the lowest in nearly six years. Companies are implementing gradual price increases to slowly rebuild and recover their margins without disturbing the demand. Consumption expenditure is expected to pick up slowly due to the continuous recovery in rural demand because of the good monsoon. Further, improvement in urban demand can be seen due to lower inflation levels and tax cuts announced in the Union Budget, which is expected to boost disposable incomes. What could turn things around? The companies are focusing on deepening penetration and distribution in core and growth categories. The companies continue to execute on their strategy of premiumization (a shift towards branded products) and innovation. Companies are improving supply chain management and achieving cost optimization through modern trade, e-commerce, quick commerce, and digital transformation. They are continuously focusing on volume-led competitive growth. Conclusion The FMCG stocks are facing margin pressures right now. Rising input costs, weak demand, and intense competition, all putting pressure on the profitability of the companies and affecting the revenue growth as well. For FMCG companies, the solution lies in premiumization, cost optimization, deeper penetration, and digital transformation. Investors should be selective with stock picking, looking for companies that are adjusting to changing consumer preferences through product innovation and deeper distribution. Investors should evaluate the company's fundamentals, corporate governance, and valuations of the stock before making any investment decisions. Happy Investing. Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Graham, Blumenthal meet with Zelensky in Ukraine
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday after a wave of Kremlin attacks last weekend. The three leaders discussed a legislative initiative to strengthen U.S. sanctions against Russia and ongoing peace negotiations according to Zelensky's office. 'Ukraine's fight is our fight. Our national security is at stake because [Russian President] Vladimir Putin will keep going and his aggression will continue not just against Ukraine but against our allies and we will be obligated by our treaty to put troops on the ground,' Blumenthal said in a Friday video post on the social media platform X. 'Now is the time to stop Putin, now is the time to support Ukraine and I'm inspired by the continuing bravery and strength of the Ukrainian people,' he added. In response to the over three-years long war, Graham has pushed ahead a bill in the upper chamber seeking to increase sanctions on Russia in an effort to tame their aggression in Eastern Europe. Despite 82 co-sponsors for Graham's bill, lawmakers said they will wait to put the bill on the floor until President Trump approves of harsher measures. The president has signaled that he is nearing his edge with Putin, who ordered strikes in Kyiv over the weekend. 'He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I'm not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,' Trump said in a Truth Social post. 'I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!' The president said Putin had 'gone absolutely crazy' while slamming Zelensky for his rhetoric on the war. Still, Trump told reporters that he was only 'considering' sanctions. Ceasefire talks are slated to take place in Istanbul early next week, but Zelensky says Putin has shown no real desire for the bloodshed to end. 'The President noted that Ukraine remains ready for constructive negotiations, but the Russian side cannot even define the agenda of the meeting planned for June 2 in Istanbul,' Zelensky's office wrote in a Friday release. 'Russia shows a desire for peace only in statements, while instead preparing for new offensive operations,' it continued. To date, more than 500,000 soldiers have been injured or killed in the Russia-Ukraine war. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What's next as Trump vents fury at Vladimir Putin: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team's latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. In today's edition, Elon Musk and Donald Trump bid farewell from the Oval Office on live TV. Meanwhile, Kristen Welker digs into Trump's latest social media salvos at Vladimir Putin and what they could mean for the Russia-Ukraine war. And senior Supreme Court reporter Lawrence Hurley answers a reader question about a notable provision tucked into the House budget bill that passed recently. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. — Scott Bland Elon Musk stood next to President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday, but the physical proximity belied a growing philosophical divide between two of the world's most powerful men, resulting in the tech mogul's abrupt announcement that he is departing Washington — without having achieved his goal of decimating the federal government. 'He came, he saw, he folded,' Steve Bannon, a senior White House adviser during Trump's first term who is influential with the working-class wing of Trump's MAGA base, said in a text exchange with NBC News. Musk, who stood with his arms folded across his chest as he and Trump took questions, sported a bruise near his right eye — an unmistakable metaphor for his tumultuous government service — that he said was incurred while playing with his 5-year-old son X. Trump took a more charitable view of Musk's tenure during a sprawling news conference in which he also declined to rule out pardoning Sean 'Diddy' Combs, who is standing trial on charges of sex trafficking and other alleged crimes; said he dislikes 'the concept' of former first lady Jill Biden being forced to testify before Congress about her husband's mental fitness; and predicted again that Iran is on the cusp of making a deal that would suspend its pursuit of nuclear weapons. 'He had to go through the slings and the arrows, which is a shame because he's an incredible patriot,' Trump said of Musk. Trump and Musk both contended that DOGE will continue to wring out savings by rooting out waste and fraud without Musk as its face. 'This is not the end of DOGE, but really the beginning,' Musk said, vowing to reach the trillion-dollar mark in cuts by the middle of next year. At the same time he spoke of cutting government spending, Musk lauded Trump's remodeling of the Oval Office. 'I love the gold on the ceiling,' he said. Musk has argued that inertia throttled his efforts to reduce government spending — a conclusion that raises questions about whether he was naive about the challenge of the mission he undertook. 'The federal bureaucracy situation is much worse than I realized,' he told The Washington Post this week. 'I thought there were problems, but it sure is an uphill battle trying to improve things in D.C., to say the least.' Read more → President Donald Trump has ramped up the rhetoric attacking Russian President Vladimir Putin, but so far there's no teeth behind it. After months of cutting Putin slack on the world stage and clashing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump has undergone a stark rhetorical shift in recent days. He's taken to social media to blast Putin for having gone 'absolutely crazy' and for 'needlessly killing a lot of people' including Ukrainian citizens 'for no reason whatsoever.' He has warned that 'what Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!' Trump appears to now be warming to the belief many Western leaders have held for years — that Putin isn't seriously pushing for peace, outside of total Russian victory. In recent weeks, we've seen some of the biggest bombardments of the entire war, including a massive drone attack in Kyiv that came in the shadow of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine. None of this means Trump is buddy-buddy with Zelenskyy now, and he criticized the Ukrainian as 'stubborn' during Friday remarks in the Oval Office, even as he underscored his disappointment with Putin. Meanwhile, the issue of sanctioning Russia and sending aid to Ukraine obviously splits the GOP, and it doesn't necessarily sit well with the 'America First' wing of the GOP that Trump commands. But if Trump wants to act, as former Vice President Mike Pence told me he recommended during our conversation earlier this month, he has arrows in his quiver. Earlier this week on 'Meet the Press Now,' former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul told us that the only way to convince Putin to come to the negotiating table is to convince him he can't advance on the battlefield. While one might think the West is tapped out when it comes to sanctions, McFaul said there's a lot more on the table, including seizing more assets or banning Russia's 'shadow fleet' that ships oil from docking at Western ports. And just a few days ago, Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, an elder statesman in the Senate, called on Trump to be as 'decisive' in new sanctions against Russia as he's been in his push against Harvard University. So if Putin has run out of leash with Trump, then what's the president waiting for? Join us Sunday when we talk about this and a flurry of other important domestic and international issues with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Georgia Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock. Thanks to everyone who emailed us! This week's reader question is on an under-the-radar provision in Republicans' 'big, beautiful bill.' 'I heard that the bill contains language that takes away a judge's authority to hold someone in contempt when they don't comply with the court's orders. Is that true? I've seen a lot about the financial implications but nothing on this.' To answer this, we turned to senior Supreme Court reporter Lawrence Hurley. Here's his response: The House bill does indeed include a provision that would limit the ability of federal judges to hold people in contempt for violating court orders. (Read it here.) The Republican-backed measure comes amid considerable pushback on the right against a number of judges who have not only blocked Trump administration policies but have also questioned whether the administration is complying with rulings and at least considered contempt proceedings. The provision in question would seek to limit the ability of judges to pursue contempt findings by withholding federal funds that could be used to enforce such a ruling unless the plaintiff posted a bond when seeking a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction. But there is no guarantee the Senate will include the language in its version of the bill, in part because it may fall foul of rules intended to ensure budget bill provisions have a direct link to federal revenues. 👩⚖️ A temporary win on temporary status: The Supreme Court said it would continue to let the administration revoke the temporary legal status of more than 500,000 immigrants from four countries as litigation continues. Read more → 🦷 Speaking of having teeth: A new study warns that a 50-state ban on fluoride in water could lead to 1 in every 3 children in America developing cavities in the next five years. Read more → 📉 A roller coaster: Trump's tweet accusing China of flouting a deal on tariffs sent stocks sliding amid the uncertainty related to the trade war between the two countries. Read more → ☔ The fate of FEMA: While the Department of Homeland Security is publicly saying it will get rid of FEMA, it's quietly moving to keep some key pieces in place ahead of hurricane season. Read more → 🚙 Getting out of dodge: A growing number of lawmakers are looking to ditch Washington for the governor's mansions, leaving a job without a term limit for a chance to move back home. Read more → ➡️ Inflation rate: Inflation didn't change much in April, according to new data released by the Commerce Department. Read more → 📱 Poke: The Trump administration wants more social media vetting of Harvard's visa applicants. Read more → ◼️ Bernie Kerik has died: The former New York City police commissioner who later spent three years in jail on tax and false statement charges before being pardoned has died at the age of 69. Read more → That's all From the Politics Desk for now. Today's newsletter was compiled by Scott Bland and Ben Kamisar. If you have feedback — likes or dislikes — email us at politicsnewsletter@ And if you're a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on
The Hill
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Graham, Blumenthal meet with Zelensky in Ukraine
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday after a wave of Kremlin attacks last weekend. The three leaders discussed a legislative initiative to strengthen U.S. sanctions against Russia and ongoing peace negotiations according to Zelensky's office. 'Ukraine's fight is our fight. Our national security is at stake because [Russian President] Vladimir Putin will keep going and his aggression will continue not just against Ukraine but against our allies and we will be obligated by our treaty to put troops on the ground,' Blumenthal said in a Friday video post on the social media platform X. 'Now is the time to stop Putin, now is the time to support Ukraine and I'm inspired by the continuing bravery and strength of the Ukrainian people,' he added. In response to the over three-years long war, Graham has pushed ahead a bill in the upper chamber seeking to increase sanctions on Russia in an effort to tame their aggression in Eastern Europe. Despite 82 co-sponsors for Graham's bill, lawmakers said they will wait to put the bill on the floor until President Trump approves of harsher measures. The president has signaled that he is nearing his edge with Putin, who ordered strikes in Kyiv over the weekend. 'He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I'm not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,' Trump said in a Truth Social post. 'I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!' The president said Putin had 'gone absolutely crazy' while slamming Zelensky for his rhetoric on the war. Still, Trump told reporters that he was only 'considering' sanctions. Ceasefire talks are slated to take place in Istanbul early next week, but Zelensky says Putin has shown no real desire for the bloodshed to end. 'The President noted that Ukraine remains ready for constructive negotiations, but the Russian side cannot even define the agenda of the meeting planned for June 2 in Istanbul,' Zelensky's office wrote in a Friday release. 'Russia shows a desire for peace only in statements, while instead preparing for new offensive operations,' it continued. To date, more than 500,000 soldiers have been injured or killed in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Newsweek
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump Weighs In On If He Should Have Been A Judge Instead Of President
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump weighed in Friday on whether he should have become a judge instead of president when a reporter asked him about it. The Context The Trump administration has been dealt a flurry of legal setbacks since Trump took office as courts across the country blocked or temporarily paused Trump's efforts to deport pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil; the administration's attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling international students; Trump's effort to dismantle an independent agency; his retaliatory campaign against law firms whose work runs counter to his policies; and more. Trump and a number of other administration officials have publicly targeted the judges who have issued adverse rulings, calling them "rogue" and "woke activist" judges and adding that they should be impeached. One Republican lawmaker has also called for Trump to serve three terms in office so he can "reset" the courts. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. Evan Vucci/AP What To Know Fox News' Peter Doocy asked Trump about the string of rulings during an Oval Office press conference on Friday, saying: "So many of the things that you're trying to do are held up in court right now. If the courts are going to have so much influence over U.S. policy, do you wish you would have just become a judge instead?" Trump laughed in response and said, "Yeah, well, look, it wasn't meant to be that way. If you look at the founders, the president had certain powers. And you have three groups and ... they're equal powers." The president went on to repeat his criticisms of a federal judge in Boston who recently accused the Trump administration of violating a court ruling ordering it to provide "meaningful" due process to people targeted for deportation. "You can't have a judge in Boston running foreign policy in places all over the country because he's got a liberal bent or he's a radical left person," Trump said, referring to U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden. "That's what the executive branch is for and you have checks and balances," Trump told Doocy. The president then went on recycle his criticisms of the Biden administration over immigration, inflation, the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war. This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
