Business

Music has quietly become one of the most powerful forces shaping travel choices among young Indians. Airbnb’s new Experience-Led Travel Insights has revealed that Gen Z are increasingly planning trips around live concerts and festivals, turning gigs into gateways for discovering new cities, extending stays, and spending time exploring local neighborhoods well beyond the main event. For this generation, travel decisions are being driven less by calendars and more by culture. Live events and IRL experiences influence where they go, who they travel with and how deeply they engage with the destination. In 2026, music is set to play an even bigger role in shaping travel behavior, with 62% of Gen Z planning trips around concerts and music festivals. This intent is already reflected in their cur...

Reliance Industries has announced that its Jamnagar refinery, recognized as the largest in the world, is projected to not receive any oil shipments from Russia in January 2026. Furthermore, the company reported that there have not been any deliveries of Russian oil to the refinery in the preceding three weeks. This statement follows the company's announcement on November 20, 2025, regarding the suspension of Russian oil imports intended for its export-oriented Special Economic Zone unit located in Jamnagar. The company issued a statement addressing a recent news report which claimed that shipments of Russian oil were nearing the Jamnagar refinery. In its response, the company sought to clarify the situation surrounding these shipments and potentially refuted any implications made in...

Mother's Recipe is launching a digital-led campaign across India's North East to promote its Recipe Sauces range.  The "MOM FU: Maa ka pyaar in a new avatar" campaign targets Guwahati, Dimapur, Agartala and Aizawl, positioning the sauces as a way to bring Pan Asian flavors to home cooking while maintaining the comfort of traditional maternal care. "Families are trying Pan Asian favourites at home more often, and a great sauce makes that possible in minutes," said Sanjana Desai, Executive Director at Mother's Recipe, noting the North East's strong food culture makes it ideal for the campaign. The festive season push uses social media posts, stories and influencer partnerships to demonstrate quick meal preparation while emphasizing authentic flavor and ease of use.

Mother’s Recipe, a legacy homegrown food brand trusted by Indian households for generations, has intensified its focus on the North East market with a high-impact outdoor campaign promoting its Ready to Cook spice mixes this festive season. The campaign highlights the simple consumer insight that more families are preparing flavour-rich dishes at home, while still seeking restaurant-style taste and convenience without lengthy preparation. Rolling out from December 20, 2025, to the first week of January 2026, the campaign features large outdoor hoardings across Agartala, Imphal, Dimapur, Aizawl and Shillong, showcasing popular restaurant-style dishes with strong visual appeal and clear product messaging. The range promises authentic flavours, no added preservatives and all-natural ingre...

Against the glowing silhouette of the Howrah Bridge, the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour closed its 2025 edition with a craft story that blended emotion, heritage and market ambition. On a barge anchored in the Hooghly River, designer Anamika Khanna’s AK|OK collection unfolded like a tribute to generations of artisans, featuring deconstructed zardozi, chikankari and mirror-work reimagined through futuristic cuts and metallic finishes. Actor Ishaan Khatter, arriving dramatically by speedboat, became the face of a message that craftsmanship can leap beyond tradition into a global conversation. Inside The Bengal Paddle vessel, guests discovered the Riverine Museum’s maritime artefacts and installations tracing the Hooghly’s legacy; an immersive backdrop that connected memory, heritage and...

The Indian stock market closed with mild losses during Wednesday's session, December 24, as sharp losses in IT stocks capped gains, and a lack of fresh triggers and thin year-end trading volumes also weighed on sentiment, with investors looking to the upcoming third-quarter earnings season for a confidence boost. Overseas investors resumed their selling trend, remaining net sellers over the last two trading sessions after a brief pause, also keeping the sentiment weak. The Nifty 50 ended the session with a decline of 0.13% at 26,142, while the S&P BSE Sensex shed 0.14% at 85,408. Broader markets were mixed, with the Nifty Midcap 100 index falling 0.%, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 index rose 0.3%. Sector-wise, Nifty Oil and Gas shed 0.76%, while Nifty Chemicals declined b...

Leading telecom operatorVihas announced a partnership with travel banking fintech Niyo to offer Zero Markup Forex Card delivery for customers travelling abroad this holiday season. Vi said this is the first such partnership by a telco in India, enabling customers travelling for holidays, business or higher education to receive a Niyo Zero Forex Markup Card at their doorstep within 24 hours. The new partnership strengthens Vi’s travel portfolio, which already includes Truly Unlimited international roaming (IR) packs, discounted IR packs for families, lounge access, travel insurance and baggage protection. Customers can request the Niyo Forex card through the Vi app, after which a Niyo executive will provide KYC verification, card setup and a trial transaction. Users can submit their name a...

Britannia NutriChoice has unveiled a new campaign centered on the idea that “one good choice makes the next one easier,” featuring Bollywood actor Aamir Khan as the face of the brand. The initiative seeks to spark everyday conversations around mindful choices, using relatable moments like deciding whether to skip sugar in tea. Conceptualised by Lowe Lintas, the TVC films showcase how one small decision can set off a chain of better choices. The campaign blends humour and simplicity through slice-of-life scenes highlighting Aamir Khan’s effortless screen presence. Alongside the campaign, Britannia NutriChoice launched its latest variant – 100% Millets Apple Cinnamon cookies*, crafted with millet flour and led by jowar. The product contains foxtail and ragi millet flour and follows a phi...

On December 19, Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) announced it has acquired a 20% stake in Shriram Finance through a preferential allotment of shares, in a transaction valued at $4.4 billion (Rs 39,600 crore), marking the largest foreign direct investment in India’s financial sector. MUFG will have the right to appoint two nominee directors to Shriram Finance’s board. The floor price for the preferential issue has been set at Rs 840.83 per share, with MUFG acquiring 47.11 crore equity shares. This $4.4 billion deal surpasses previous large investments in India’s financial services sector, including Emirates NBD’s Rs 26,850-crore investment in RBL Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s Rs 14,043-crore stake in Yes Bank. Shriram Finance, with assets under management e...

HDFC Life has released its latest research-based study, the ‘Ready for Life’ Index 2025, highlighting a significant gap between how financially prepared urban Indians believe they are and their actual level of readiness. According to the report, India’s actual Ready for Life Index stands at 59, while perceived readiness is much higher at 85, showing a 26-point gap. The study examines financial preparedness across four areas — financial planning, emergency preparedness, health and well-being, and retirement strategy. The findings are relevant for cities like Shillong and the wider eastern region, where financial discipline is visible but long-term protection planning remains limited. The report notes that retirement planning is the weakest area, with nearly two out of three individuals ...