Six hundred bikes to be provided to children in disadvantaged Birmingham areas.

West Midlands Cycle Hire launched in Wolverhampton and Sutton Coldfield.

Tom Towelling is the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award 2024 winner.

Richard Lutz is blown away by the flags that blow away.

Sacred Funk Quartet announce debut album with live premiere in Birmingham.

“Udaan’s financial performance for FY23-24 reflects its commitment to building a robust, profitable and resilient business. With revenue reaching INR 5,700 crores for FY23-24, we have made significant strides toward profitability, reducing EBITDA burn by 40% year-on-year to ~INR 900 crores,” said Kiran Thadimarri, SVP Finance, Udaan in a LinkedIn post.

China's Xiaomi had complained to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that the report - which found Flipkart, some of its sellers, and smartphone players in violation of competition laws - contained commercial secrets that should have been redacted, Reuters reported in September.

The action is related to the financial transactions being done by some of the "preferred" vendors and sellers who do business through Amazon and Flipkart like e-commerce platforms.

India's food safety regulator directed e-commerce and quick commerce companies to follow shelf life guidelines for packaged food deliveries. The regulator emphasized a minimum remaining shelf life of 30% or 45 days upon delivery. This action follows complaints about companies not disclosing expiry dates. The regulator stressed the importance of clear expiry dates and adherence to labeling regulations.

Indore's Siyaganj market is experiencing a surge in demand for groceries ahead of the wedding season, despite significant price increases in edible oils, pulses, and grains. Traders anticipate an 8-10% rise in business compared to the previous year, driven by bulk orders from caterers and increased individual purchases.

The Food Processing sector continues to attract significant investment, with several projects from companies such as Bhuvaneshwari Foods and Beverages, Aban Beverages, and Geofast Consumer Products. These projects, located in Khurda, Baragarh, and Cuttack, will have a combined investment of Rs 1,542.04 crore and are expected to create over 1,358 jobs.

India's consumer price inflation likely surged to a 14-month high in October, driven by soaring vegetable and edible oil prices. Economists predict inflation hit 5.81%, just below the central bank's 6% tolerance limit. A weak rupee and rising global commodity prices add to inflationary pressures, potentially delaying anticipated interest rate cuts.

Despite the persistent inflation and sluggish demand, several leading FMCG and retail brands are doubling down on their premiumization strategies, reshaping their approach to appeal to discerning customers.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to meet with state counterparts on December 21-22 for pre-budget discussions and a GST Council meeting. Key agenda items include potential GST exemptions for certain insurance policies and rate reductions on various goods. The Council may also consider raising GST on luxury items like high-value shoes and watches.

China's Singles' Day shopping extravaganza has lost its sparkle as consumers, wary of promotional tactics and facing economic headwinds, prioritize necessities over extravagant purchases. Major e-commerce platforms have ceased publicizing sales figures, reflecting this trend. Merchants are also scaling back, citing high advertising costs and diminishing returns, prompting a shift towards international markets.

Inter IKEA reported a 5.3% drop in annual sales, partly due to price cuts with lower raw material costs. As inflation impacts spending, more people are expected to host at home this holiday season. More price reductions are planned for 2025 by Inter IKEA starting from September 1st.

TTK Prestige has promoted Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan to managing director. Venkatesh, who was previously CEO, takes over from Chandru Kalro. The company expects to grow under Vijayaraghavan's leadership, focusing on consumer delight and innovative products. Venkatesh has held leadership roles at Cavinkare and Airtel before joining TTK Prestige.

Tupperware Brands has been granted approval to sell its assets to its lenders, enabling the company to exit bankruptcy. Unable to find a buyer to pay off its $818 million debt, Tupperware will transfer its brand name and key assets to investment firms Stonehill Capital Management Partners and Alden Global Capital. The company plans a digital-first, asset-light business model post-bankruptcy.

Commenting on Q2 performance, Stove Kraft's managing director Rajendra Gandhi said, “With positive market momentum supporting us, we remain committed to driving volume and value growth in revenue and margins in the upcoming quarters." He further said that ​​the company's expansion of Pigeon outlets through the COCO and COFO model has been promising. During this quarter, the firm added 22 new stores, bringing our total to 213.

Akzo Nobel India reported a 14% increase in net profit to Rs 108.7 crore in the fourth quarter, driven by higher demand from the automotive sector. Despite muted retail demand due to higher rainfall and price hikes, the company's revenue from operations rose 3% to Rs 9.82 billion.

Eureka Forbes reported an 83.2% YoY rise in Q2 net profit to Rs 46.67 crore, with revenues up 27.6% to Rs 672.87 crore. Growth was driven by product innovation, increased marketing, and early festive season demand.

Net profit after minority interest declined to ₹694.60 crore in July-September quarter from ₹1,205.40 crore during the corresponding period of last fiscal year. Consolidated net sales decreased 5.3% to ₹8,003.0 crore from ₹8,451.9 crore.

Asian Paints faced a challenging second quarter with muted demand due to uneven rainfall and a slowdown in metro cities. Despite price hikes, competitive intensity remains high. The company is cautiously optimistic about single-digit volume growth in the coming quarter while closely observing AkzoNobel's strategic review of its India business.

Jubilant Foodworks Ltd., the operator of Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' in India, reported a lower net profit of Rs 66.53 crore in the second quarter, compared to Rs 97.2 crore in the same period last year. Despite the profit dip, revenue rose to Rs 1,954.72 crore from Rs 1,368.63 crore, fueled by expansion and growth in the Indian market.

An investigation by India's antitrust body found food delivery giants Zomato and SoftBank-backed Swiggy breached competition laws, with their business practices favouring select restaurants listed on their platforms, documents showed.

Cigarette maker Godfrey Phillips India Ltd on Monday reported a 23 per cent rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 248.31 crore in the second quarter ended September 30, 2024, fuelled by higher sales.

Britannia Industries' revenue from operations increased by 5.29 per cent to Rs 4,667.57 crore in Q2 FY25, up from Rs 4,432.88 crore during the second quarter of the financial year 2023-24. On the company's quarterly performance, Varun Berry, vice chairman and managing director, said, “A ~8% volume growth with a sequential increase in revenue and operating profits are satisfactory results in the face of severe commodity inflation leading to a tepid consumer demand scenario in most FMCG categories."

Colgate-Palmolive India is experiencing growth in the expanding oral care market. The company reported a 10% rise in revenue. However, it recognizes market difficulties like fluctuating demand and rising costs. Colgate remains dedicated to improving oral health awareness in India. It aims to achieve this through education and product innovation. The company is focused on sustainability and social responsibility initiatives.

Parag Milk Foods reported a 15.9% rise in consolidated net profit, reaching Rs 29.21 crore in the second quarter ending September 2024. This compares to Rs 25.19 crore during the same period the previous year. The company saw a 10% volume growth and a 9% value growth. Total revenue from operations increased by 9.2% to Rs 871.

Britannia Industries reported a 10% drop in profit for the quarter ended September as surging housing costs and low income growth in urban areas led to a slowdown in demand for fast-moving consumer goods. While rural demand has been stable, urban demand has seen a significant downturn, mirroring global trends of consumer confidence returning but wages lagging behind inflation.

Coca-Cola India's consolidated profit plummeted by 41.82% to Rs 420.29 crore in FY24, despite a 4.24% increase in revenue, reaching Rs 4,713.38 crore. The company's advertising and sales promotion expenses surged by 35.47% to Rs 1,520.21 crore, while royalties paid to its US parent company also rose.

Food delivery giant Swiggy debuted on the stock market with a premium over its IPO price, despite ongoing financial losses. Analysts expressed caution, citing market volatility and the company's negative earnings, while acknowledging its revenue growth. Swiggy plans to use the IPO proceeds for investments in subsidiaries, technology, and marketing.

On its listing day, brokerage firms - Macquarie and JM Financial - became the first ones to initiate coverage on the debutant but came out with polar opposite views. Macquarie's initiating coverage report gave it an underperform rating with a target price of Rs 325, which indicates downside potential of 17% from IPO issue price of Rs 390.

Xiaomi India President Muralikrishnan B has resigned to pursue a doctorate, marking the end of his tenure during a period of recovery for the leading smartphone company. Muralikrishnan, who joined in 2018, will transition into a six-month gardening leave. His departure follows strategic executive appointments aimed at boosting offline sales and premium market presence.

"During the quarter, the company maintained the growth momentum established in the first quarter. A strong performance across all major segments, supported by a robust order book, reflects increasing demand for its diverse product portfolio," said an earnings statement from Blue Star.

Bajaj Electricals experienced a 59% drop in second-quarter profits, attributing the decline to weaker demand for cooling products due to monsoon rains. Despite a slight revenue increase, the company's profits were impacted by reduced demand and cost-of-living pressures. Analysts anticipate a demand resurgence in the December quarter, fueled by festive season promotions.

Samsung India Electronics' revenue grew by a mere 4% in FY24, reaching Rs 102,626 crore, marking its slowest growth in eight years. This slowdown, largely attributed to a stagnant smartphone market and heightened competition, is believed to be behind recent layoffs and cost-cutting measures.