Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian economy seen 'shrinking 12 per cent in April-June'

THE INDIAN economy is likely to register a 12 per cent contraction in the June quarter of fiscal year 2021-22, against a 23.9 per cent decrease in the same quarter previous year, according to a brokerage report.

The imposition of lockdowns by states during April-May to control the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic may trigger this fall, Swiss brokerage UBS Securities India said.


India's economy witnessed its worst contraction in fiscal year 2021 at 7.3 per cent following an unprecedented lockdown of more than two months that crippled the economy.

With a 12 percentage point reduction, India is likely to miss a sharp V-shaped recovery, unlike last year when the national lockdown was lifted, the brokerage said.

Consumer sentiment is weak as people are more worried about the pandemic this year than last year, it said.

The brokerage expects a sequential recovery in economic activity from June; however, it may gain strength only from the second half, when the vaccination drive may pick up pace.

The vaccination drive has improved in India to 3.2 million doses daily in the week to June 13 from 2.5 million in May.

More For You

Black Friday

Britons are expected to spend £9.52bn over this year's four-day Black Friday weekend

Getty Images

Black Friday bargains 'not always the cheapest', survey finds

Highlights

  • Research tracked 175 products across eight major retailers over 12 months.
  • Britons expected to spend £9.52bn over four-day Black Friday weekend.
  • 77 per cent of small businesses reject participation, up from 69 per cent last year.
Shoppers hunting for bargains this Black Friday may be disappointed, as new research reveals the heavily promoted discounts often fail to deliver the year's best prices.

Consumer group Which? compared prices for 175 home, tech and health appliances across eight retailers, including Amazon and John Lewis, tracking them over a full year from May 2024 to May 2025. The investigation found that on Black Friday 2024, none of the items examined were at their cheapest price over the surrounding 12-month period.

The findings cast doubt on the annual shopping event's promise of unbeatable deals. Britons are expected to spend £9.52bn over this year's four-day Black Friday weekend, 4.2 per cent more than last year, according to separate research from Vouchercodes.

Keep ReadingShow less