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- The high debt levels have not only bought firms under severe stress, it has also bought to the fore concerns of economic stability and the growth trajectory of country.
- The figures confirm that companies in the capital goods, metals and infrastructure sectors have been hit the hardest, along with those in drugs and pharmaceuticals.
- Inflation downtrend, narrowing twin deficits and supportive economic policies are likely to boost corporate earnings going ahead.
- RIL slips in the BT 500 ranking on lower gas output and falling oil prices but it could benefit from a likely gas price hike and earnings from new ventures such as retail.
- Manufacturing's share in the country's GDP has fallen in recent years and it will take more than a marketing campaign to turn India into a manufacturing powerhouse.
- Adani aims at building a capacity of 20,000 MW by 2020 - it has built close to 9,000 MW so far - which would involve more debt and pressure on the bottom line in future.
- The turnover growth of BT500 companies slowed considerably to 9.7 per cent in 2013/14 as compared to 12.48 per cent in 2012/13 (and 23.16 per cent in 2011/12).
- In 2013, market capitalisation of conglomerates grew by 13 per cent as against six per cent all the BT 500 companies registered and investors paid almost double the price for these stocks compared to 2012.
- One reason for investor faith in this public sector behemoth is clearly the coming to power of the new Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government.
- Compliling the BT 500 list was a fascinating journey. It revealed which companies navigated the difficult terrain better than others.
- The entire market capitalisation of BT 500 companies has risen 35.5 per cent, with PSUs in the BT 500 showing a 31 per cent rise in combined market capitalisation.
- The firm's ability to offer diverse roles and its sensitive and empowering approach to the challenges that women face have won many hearts.
- Notable trends from an analysis of BT 500 data
Foldscope: An origami microscope made of paper
Called Foldscope, the microscope can be cut out of paper and fitted together with small lenses, batteries and an LED to a make bookmark-sized microscope.
People who made news this past fortnight
Know more about the people who made news this past fortnight.
LBNL leaderspeak: Wolfgang Will
Wolfgang Will, South Asia Director for Lufthansa Passenger Airlines talks about his journey to success.
Book review: Powers of Two
The book junks the doing-it-all-alone tales and argues cogently in favour of interdependenceMoto X (2nd Gen) gives rivals a tough time
The Moto X (1st Gen) gave its rivals a tough time. The 2nd Gen pushes the boundaries even further.Gadgets to watch out for in coming days
While most of the action happened in the smartphone space, there is a lot coming up as far as wearables, tablets and cameras go.Galaxy Alpha is best looking Galaxy smartphone till date
Instead of a massive 5-inch-plus display, it has a 4.7-inch super AMOLED display with 1280x720 pixel resolution. It is thin and weighs only 115 grams.Business sentiment improves for the fourth consecutive quarter
Business confidence began to improve from October last year but picked up pace in the first quarter of this fiscal year after the NDA formed a stable government at the Centre.
Inflation at new lows makes strong case for a rate cut
The pressure on RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan to cut lending rates rises as wholesale inflation touches five-year lows.Kareus Therapeutics pursues Anji Reddy's dream of bringing a new drug to market
Kareus Therapeutics continues to pursue Anji Reddy's dream of bringing a new drug to market.Companies start hiring as business environment improves
After several bad years, things are looking up on the hiring front in the country. Several surveys show that companies across sectors are planning to increase their recruitments in coming months.Are e-tailers going overboard on TV advertising to get more visibility?
E-tailers are going on an advertising overdrive on TV to ensure more visibility for their brand.Economic recovery still looks a remote possibility
The growth numbers in the first quarter were a result of deferred expenditure by the government with no uptick in the investment rate.
Industry leaders suggest how 'Make in India' can succeed
"India can do everything, but we're not manufacturing the basic goods", said VIP Industries Chairman Dilip Piramal.
Events, people who made news recently
Featuring news on Infosys, Kishore Biyani, Satya Nadella, inflation and more
