Latest Sectors News

Demand is being driven by rising smartphone use and consumer AI applications such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. View More

Two Iranian nationals who entered the UK on small boats have been charged with preparing acts of terrorism, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement, with tensions between Britain and Iran already high over another security incident. View More

In a significant logging error, 1,299 trees were cut down on Gerald and Rhonda Smith's property in Mississippi. The Smiths meticulously recorded the extent of their loss through photographs and measurements, leading to legal proceedings. A court recognized the logging company's blatant negligence, awarding the couple $41,920. Expert surveyor J.T. Strickland confirmed the boundary lines, and the appeals court reaffirmed the lower court’s ruling, validating the Smiths' claims for damages. View More

In Sherman County, Oregon, a wheat-farming family thrives, thanks to the wind turbines dotting their property. These turbines not only allow for uninterrupted traditional farming practices but also generate crucial income through payments from renewable energy projects. The McCullough family's success story highlights a unique blend of agriculture and sustainable energy, benefiting not just them but also providing significant tax revenue that nurtures local services and supports rural infrastructure. View More

Effective October 1, Maryland introduced legislation banning unsolicited checks sent with home purchase offers. This initiative is designed to safeguard homeowners from misleading marketing strategies from property investors. Consumer advocates highlighted the risk of vulnerable owners being tricked into agreements upon receiving such checks. Historical precedents in consumer lending underline the necessity for legal protections, advising homeowners against accepting random financial items received through mail. View More

In 1972, the Himachal Pradesh government allotted three bigha and two biswas of agricultural land in Shimla to a person under the Nautor rules for cultivation. His wife died in 2012, leaving behind their only daughter, who subsequently approached the revenue authorities once again for issuance of the patta. Her request was reportedly rejected outright on the ground that married daughters were ineligible for land under the Nautor rules. View More

US employers added only 29,000 jobs in September, significantly lower than economists' expectations of 90,000. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% as more people entered the workforce without immediate jobs. Healthcare hiring showed a notable slowdown, with government job cuts further contributing to weak hiring figures. While layoffs decreased by 18%, hiring plans fell sharply, reaching their lowest since 2011. View More

India's chemicals sector is showing signs of recovery after a downturn in recent years. Median revenue across 72 listed companies grew by 22 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of FY27. However, established and newly commissioned plants operate at low capacity utilisation rates, influencing recovery speed. The long-term demand for India's specialty chemicals market remains strong despite the cyclical downturn. View More

New Delhi: India's chemicals sector has begun to recover from the downturn of the past few years, but returns on capital could take another two to three years to improve as companies work to utilise large capacities built during the previous investment cycle, according to an Equirus Capital sector report. The September 2026 report, titled "Indian Chemicals: The Reset," said signs of recovery are now visible in company earnings, although the improvement in profitability has so far been stronger than the recovery in asset utilisation. Also Read: Capacity scale-ups to drive Epigral's Rs 5,000 crore target by FY31: CMD Maulik Patel "We see the sector on a path to recovery, with occasional speed bumps and the odd nitro boost along the way," Equirus said. It added that "the margin recovery has started showing, though the return on capital will lag," as investments made over the past few years are yet to contribute meaningfully to earnings. Equirus expects this process to play out over the next two to three years as recently commissioned plants scale up and utilisation improves. Live Events The recovery became more visible in the first quarter of FY27. Across Equirus' universe of 72 listed Indian chemical companies, median revenue grew 22 per cent year-on-year, while 83 per cent of companies reported revenue growth. The aggregate sector margin improved to 17.4 per cent from 15.5 per cent in the previous quarter. Also Read: India's first port-based e-Methanol production facility to produce and supply green fuel to ships However, the report cautioned that part of the improvement came from higher realisations linked to movements in crude oil and freight costs rather than purely from stronger volumes. Agrochemicals, the largest sub-segment, continued to see weak revenue trends, making volume growth an important indicator over the coming quarters. A key challenge remains the utilisation of capacity built during the earlier boom. Established specialty chemical plants are currently operating at around 60-75 per cent utilisation, while newly commissioned facilities are running at only 20-30 per cent. Equirus said the pace at which these plants fill up will be the biggest determinant of how quickly sector returns recover. The brokerage views the 2023-25 downturn as largely cyclical and capacity-driven rather than a structural weakening of India's chemical industry. Excess Chinese capacity, aggressive pricing, weak global demand and customer destocking had weighed on margins and returns, even as Indian companies continued to invest. Longer-term demand drivers remain intact. India's specialty chemicals market, estimated at around USD 36 billion in 2025, is projected to grow at about 11 per cent annually to nearly USD 61 billion by 2030, faster than the broader domestic chemicals industry and the global specialty chemicals market. Equirus said the sector is now "finding its footing", with the bulk of capital expenditure behind it, while improved utilisation, domestic demand, import substitution and differentiated chemistry are expected to drive the next phase of growth. .Pbanner{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;background-color:#ec1c40;margin-top:20px;padding:5px 10px;border-radius:4px;color:#fff;line-height:10px;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box} .Pbannertext{display:flex;align-items:center;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannertext img{height:20px;margin:0 6px} .Pbannerbutton a{display:flex;align-items:center;background-color:#fff;color:#ec1c40;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:4px 8px;border-radius:6px;font-size:15px;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannerbutton img{height:20px;margin-right:6px} .Pbannerbutton a:hover{background-color:#f7f7f7} Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

India's retail real estate market saw strong demand in Q3 2026, led by Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, which accounted for 61% of gross leasing volume. Fashion and Food & Beverage dominated leasing activities, while future Grade A mall supply is expected to enhance retail space availability. View More

Under Section 56(2)(x), there is applicable taxation of such a difference in the buyer's hands if the stamp duty value of the property is higher than the purchase consideration by more than the greater of Rs 50,000 or 10% of the consideration. Here, the difference of approximately Rs 22.71 lakh exceeded 10% of the agreed purchase price of Rs 1.23 crore. View More