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Asia
The Economic Times

Retail investors bet on these 10 small-cap stocks; they rally up to 185% in 3 months

Retail investors placed their bets on small-cap stocks last March '26 quarter—and the market rewarded many of them in a big way. Shareholding data shows that retail investors increased their stake in nearly 195 stocks in the Nifty Smallcap 500 Index compared with the previous December '25 quarter. (Note: Retail investors refer to resident individuals holding nominal share capital of up to Rs 2 lakh.)The move proved rewarding, with more than half of these companies delivering strong returns. Around 100 small-cap stocks rallied between 25% and 185% in just over three months, from the start of April to date. Among the biggest winners, 10 stocks skyrocketed 80% to 185%, while four emerged as multibaggers, more than doubling investors' wealth in a little over three months. (Data Source: ACE Equity) Over the last three months (from the beginning of April to date), the stock has surged 184%, rising from Rs 511 to Rs 1,449. Meanwhile, retail shareholding inched up to 13.87% in March 2026 from 13.85% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has rallied 147%, climbing from Rs 182 to Rs 450. Retail shareholding increased to 33.06% in March 2026 from 31.28% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has gained 122%, rising from Rs 38 to Rs 84. Retail shareholding edged up to 24.25% in March 2026 from 24.05% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has rallied 121%, advancing from Rs 599 to Rs 1,325. Retail shareholding increased to 8.68% in March 2026 from 8.57% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has surged 96%, climbing from Rs 366 to Rs 716. Retail shareholding rose to 19.03% in March 2026 from 18.81% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has jumped 95%, rising from Rs 23 to Rs 44. Retail shareholding increased to 22.22% in March 2026 from 21.21% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has gained 93%, moving up from Rs 928 to Rs 1,788. Retail shareholding climbed to 9.52% in March 2026 from 9.11% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has rallied 89%, rising from Rs 189 to Rs 358. Retail shareholding increased marginally to 25.83% in March 2026 from 25.68% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has advanced 89%, climbing from Rs 322 to Rs 608. Retail shareholding rose to 30.11% in March 2026 from 29.37% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has gained 82%, rising from Rs 41 to Rs 75. Retail shareholding increased to 8.94% in March 2026 from 8.65% in December 2025. Over the last three months, the stock has rallied 81%, climbing from Rs 909 to Rs 1,649. Retail shareholding rose to 18.00% in March 2026 from 17.76% in December 2025.

Retail investors bet on these 10 small-cap stocks; they rally up to 185% in 3 months
Asia
The Economic Times

11 equity mutual funds deliver over 25% in 3 months. Do you own any?

Around 11 equity mutual funds delivered over 25% in three months. There were 302 funds in the said time period. Here is a detailed breakup (Source: ACE MF) Motilal Oswal Small Cap Fund, Helios Small Cap Fund, ITI Small Cap Fund delivered 29.06%, 27.82% and 27.53% returns respectively in the last three months. Quant Value Fund and Quant Small Cap Fund posted a return of 26.39% and 26.17% respectively in the said time period. Invesco India Smallcap Fund, Quant Focused Fund, and HSBC Small Cap Fund delivered 25.90%, 25.75% and 25.12% returns respectively in the said time period. Do not go by historical returns. Always choose funds based on your risk appetite, investment horizon and financial goals.

11 equity mutual funds deliver over 25% in 3 months. Do you own any?
Europe
BBC Business

Burnham says there is some room for movement on tax

Image source, ReutersByKate Wannel and Joshua Nevett, Political reporterPublished2 July 2026Updated 30 minutes agoAndy Burnham, who is widely expected to take over as prime minister later this month, has said there is "some room" for movement on tax. In an interview with LBC, Burnham suggested business rates on warehouses could be increased to fund tax cuts for pubs and some high-street businesses. But the newly elected Makerfield MP said he would stick to the pledges Labour made not to raise VAT, income tax or national insurance in its general election manifesto in 2024. He also defended his credibility on economic policy, insisting he would not be "indisciplined" with the public finances if he becomes PM. Some on the left of the Labour Party have called for borrowing rules to be relaxed to fund more public spending. Burnham has faced criticism in the past for arguing, external that the UK had "got to get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets", which governments use to borrow money to fund government spending. Speaking to LBC presenter Andrew Marr, Burnham said the finances in Greater Manchester had been "rock solid" when he was mayor - and pointed to his previous experience as a Treasury minister in the last Labour government. "So, let me be absolutely clear about that, but there is some room within that manifesto for movement on tax." The pledge to help on business rates was made last month during his successful by-election campaign to become the MP for Makerfield. Burnham said pubs, clubs and music venues would receive a 20% cut, while smaller, independent hospitality, leisure and retail companies would have the threshold for paying business rates raised for the first time since 2017. The cuts would be paid for by higher levies on giant warehouses operated by online firms such as Amazon, and targeting the owners of empty high street properties. The LBC appearance was his first media interview since announcing his bid to become prime minister.

Burnham says there is some room for movement on tax
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

ADB approves $230 million loan to modernise water supply and sanitation in Chennai

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday approved a $230 million loan to modernise and expand Chennai’s water supply and sanitation infrastructure, benefiting 4.5 million residents in the Greater Chennai area. The project will construct over 170 km of water supply pipes and sewer pipes, upgrade seven water pumping stations and 38 sewer pumping stations, and strengthen water utility assets and operations management through performance-based contracts, ADB said. Chennai will become the first Indian city to implement a comprehensive ring-main solution—a closed-loop system designed to maintain balanced water pressure and deliver water efficiently across service areas—improving reliability, equity, and resilience to natural hazards in its urban water supply system, the bank said. Despite being India’s fourth-largest city and a major industrial hub, Chennai’s water supply infrastructure has not kept pace with growth. ADB’s latest investment builds on earlier projects in the city to expand access to safe and equitable water and waste management services, in line with the Government of India’s flagship urban development interventions, such as the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 and the Urban Challenge Fund, according to the bank. “ADB’s financing will improve access to safe and reliable water supply and better sanitation services across Chennai,” said ADB Country Director for India Mio Oka. “The project will also help strengthen the city’s resilience to climate change, improve public health and quality of life, and support a more efficient and financially sustainable urban water system.” ADB will help digitally transform water and sanitation services through real-time monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and improved customer responsiveness. The project will introduce advanced technologies to eliminate hazardous manual sewer inspections, make blockage detection faster and safer, enhance worker safety, and prepare distribution networks in at least two Greater Chennai zones for future investments, the bank said. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments. We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

ADB approves $230 million loan to modernise water supply and sanitation in Chennai
Europe
The Guardian

US residents angry at datacenters ‘being shoved down our throats’ are recalling officials

Advocacy groups and community members protest against datacenters outside the Texas capital in Austin in February. Photograph: Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman via Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenAdvocacy groups and community members protest against datacenters outside the Texas capital in Austin in February. Photograph: Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman via Getty ImagesDatacentersUS residents angry at datacenters ‘being shoved down our throats’ are recalling officialsPeople across the country are pushing for moratoriums, and electeds who approve projects are being punished Lenoxdatacenter.com went live in May, promoting what it called a “proposed advanced technology and data center campus” in Michigan. The site did not state who wanted to build the center. Lenox Township officials denied anyone had applied to build one. Emails obtained by residents through an open records request showed, however, that developers had contacted the township supervisor and deputy supervisor asking for their support to build a datacenter. The perceived secrecy surrounding the proposed datacenter prompted residents to pack public meetings that sometimes lasted more than four hours. They expressed outrage at officials in the Republican-led rural municipality 40 miles (64km) north of Detroit and submitted a petition seeking to recall four members of the Lenox board of trustees, which oversees township administration, zoning and municipal ordinances. “The community still has questions that aren’t being answered and the public deserves to have transparency,” a resident said at a June board meeting after the trustees did not extend a four-month moratorium on datacenter development. Like Lenox residents, people across the United States are increasingly pushing for moratoriums on new datacenters and trying to oust elected officials approving such projects. Supporters say the movement is encouraging, not only because it could slow an industry they argue will diminish their property values, strain water and energy resources and cause greater unemployment, but also because it features a phenomenon that is nearing extinction in American politics: unity among Republicans and Democrats. “It reflects the growing anxiety about AI writ large,” said Evan Sutton, a Seattle resident who works in strategic communications and has voluntarily helped datacenter opponents in 10 states, including California, Montana and Ohio. “People feel like this technology is being shoved down our throats.” The US has more than 4,400 datacenters, according to Data Center Map, and one center can consume as much electricity as 2,000 homes, according to a University of Michigan report. They also require water for cooling, and a typical datacenter uses 300,000 gallons of water each day (equivalent to the demands of about 1,000 households), but large datacenters can use an estimated 5m gallons of water each day, equivalent to the daily usage of a town with about 10,000 to 50,000 residents, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. That consumption can strain a local water supply – particularly in arid areas – and electric grid capacity, which means utilities then must invest in infrastructure upgrades and charge consumers more. The effects of datacenters are especially acute for people who live close to them. Neighbors often complain about constant humming from the facilities’ cooling systems, and air pollution. When companies try to build new ones, industry analysts say they frequently do so clandestinely without revealing which tech firm would use the facilities. Researchers found that among 31 Virginia localities with existing, approved or proposed datacenters, 80% had non-disclosure agreements with the companies behind the projects, the Virginia Mercury reported.

US residents angry at datacenters ‘being shoved down our throats’ are recalling officials
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Farmer protests force Gujarat to switch to market-value for transmission projects

Facing mounting protests from farmers over land used for electricity transmission infrastructure, the Gujarat government on Friday overhauled its compensation policy by linking payouts for land occupied by transmission towers and power lines to the prevailing market value instead of government-notified benchmark rates. Until now, compensation was calculated at 200 per cent of the “Jantri” value—the Gujarat government’s notified minimum valuation of land used for property registration and stamp duty purposes—which farmers argued was significantly lower than actual market prices in many parts of the state. Under the revised policy, compensation for land occupied by transmission towers will instead be calculated at 200 per cent of the prevailing market value, a move expected to substantially increase payouts in several districts. The decision comes after months of protests by farmers in districts including Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Aravalli and parts of Saurashtra, where landowners opposed the erection of high-voltage transmission towers, alleging inadequate compensation and damage to agricultural land. In a significant relief for farmers, the state has extended the revised compensation policy to ongoing transmission projects where compensation was assessed under the earlier framework but the projects are still under execution, allowing eligible landowners to avail of the enhanced compensation. The government has also expanded the area eligible for compensation. Earlier, payments were restricted to the actual footprint of the tower foundation. Going forward, an additional one metre on each side of the tower base will be included while calculating the compensable area. For instance, for a 765-kV transmission tower, the eligible area will increase from 625 square metres to 729 square metres. Another major change is the payment mechanism. Instead of disbursing compensation in three stages—40 per cent during foundation work, 40 per cent during tower erection and the remaining 20 per cent after stringing of transmission lines—the government will now pay the entire compensation upfront before work begins. To determine land values, the state will constitute a Market Rate Committee (MRC) comprising the district collector, representatives of affected farmers, authorised valuers nominated by landowners and representatives of transmission companies. The committee will determine the prevailing market value of land in a transparent manner. For the Right of Way (RoW) corridor under transmission lines, compensation will also be linked to the market value determined by the MRC. Farmers will receive compensation equivalent to 30% of the market value in rural areas, 45 per cent in municipal areas and 60% in metropolitan areas, replacing the earlier Jantri-linked formula. Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

Farmer protests force Gujarat to switch to market-value for transmission projects
Asia
The Hindu BusinessLine

Capgemini clarifies Bengaluru daycare was operated by external provider amid abuse probe

The alleged abuse took place in a creche for children of employees working at IT firm Capgemini in Bengaluru. File photo Capgemini on Friday clarified that the day-care facility at the centre of child abuse allegations at its Bengaluru campus was operated by external provider Little Scholars. In an updated statement, the company said, “The situation reported at the daycare facility in Bengaluru, operated by the external provider Little Scholars, is being treated with the utmost seriousness. Our first thoughts are with the children and their families. We are extending all our support to them.” The IT services company said it had temporarily closed the daycare facility on July 1 pending a review following media reports alleging abuse of children at the centre. It added that it was extending full cooperation to the authorities to clarify the facts. Capgemini also said it is providing support to affected families, including access to a helpline facility, dedicated counselling through its Employee Assistance Program, and flexible work-from-home options. The company highlighted that its daycare providers undergo rigorous due diligence and compliance checks. “These facilities support our employees, who entrust their children to these centres. This is an important part of our commitment to our team members.” The updated statement comes as Bengaluru Police continue to investigate the allegations. According to a media report by The Hindu, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh announced a review of all daycare centres, including those run by companies, to check for compliance with norms. He also said a special team led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) had been formed to probe the case. The FIR was registered following a call to the Child Helpline, and police have collected CCTV footage from the campus for analysis. The Hindu reported that HAL police have issued notices to five staff members of the daycare facility for questioning and sent video clips allegedly showing the abuse to the Forensic Science Laboratory for verification. According to media reports, an FIR was registered on June 29 against five caregivers under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Juvenile Justice Act. The complaint alleges that children at the daycare facility inside Capgemini’s Brookefield campus were subjected to physical and mental abuse. The allegations came to light after videos purportedly showing the incidents were circulated on WhatsApp and reported to the Child Helpline.

Capgemini clarifies Bengaluru daycare was operated by external provider amid abuse probe
Europe
BBC Business

'Start work at 11' - but will other bosses be as flexible over England's 1am match?

As World Cup fever builds ahead of Monday's middle-of-the-night match, businesses are scrambling to work out how they handle the day after. Employees who are hoping to stay up late for England's clash with Mexico - which is due to kick off at 01:00 BST - will want to know what their options are. While some industries such as manufacturing and retail will be less able to provide flexibility, others are offering bleary-eyed fans later starts so they can catch up on sleep. Joshua Elash, who runs London-based firm MT Finance Group, is allowing his staff to start work at 11:00. "It wasn't a dilemma at all. This was as close to a no-brainer as a business can get," he says. "Everybody at this company works in the office. We don't actually have a work from home policy here. "We're a finance company, so we think it's important and critical that everybody is in and communicating and working together in real time. "So yeah, under normal circumstances, all 125 of them would be here in the office at 08:45 or 09:00 Monday morning. But that certainly won't be the case this Monday." Joshua says he and other senior managers will be staying up to watch the game, and says if he fancies a lie-in it's only fair to extend that to the rest of the team. "It's good for morale," he says, adding it will be worth it even if Monday isn't a particularly productive day overall. On Thursday the government said pubs would be able to stay open until 05:00 on Monday. Employers are being urged to use their "common sense and understanding" and allow flexible working requests where they can.

'Start work at 11' - but will other bosses be as flexible over England's 1am match?
Europe
BBC Business

Tackle workplace sickness to unlock hidden growth, former John Lewis boss says

Image source, Getty ImagesByMitchell LabiakBusiness reporterPublished2 hours agoTackling unemployment linked to long-term illness will unlock economic growth that's "hiding in plain sight", former John Lewis chair Sir Charlie Mayfield has said. More than 250 of the UK's biggest employers, including British Airways, Tesco, Royal Mail, and several government departments, have signed up to his Get Britain Working taskforce. The group aims to prevent people dropping out of work due to ill-health and encourage those signed off to come back, with official figures showing the issue costs the UK £212bn a year. However, some employers have said previously that tax rises mean many firms cannot afford to invest, while others have warned against pushing ill people into work. The companies signed up will track sickness absence, return-to-work outcomes, and disability participation, which the government said would make workplace health performance visible for the first time. Many big UK businesses, including Sainsbury's, EDF Energy, and Currys, as well as 10 mayoral authorities, including London and Manchester, have agreed to take part. Sir Charlie told the BBC: "I can't tell you how many people I've met who said: 'I was signed off work for three months, or six months, and I never had any contact with my employer at all.' "That's not because the employer is a bad person. It's because we've got a situation at the minute where people don't talk to each other when they really need to." Sir Charlie's comments come as pressure grows on Andy Burnham, who is widely expected to take over as prime minister later this month, to reduce the UK's welfare bill to free up money elsewhere. According to government figures, total welfare spending in Great Britain is forecast to be 23.6% of the total amount the government spends in the 2025 to 2026 financial year. "Fixing these problems at the fundamental level, could make a really big contribution to getting this economy working better — for employers, for employees, for the taxpayer, for all of us." He added: "This is not a zero-sum game. It's not a question of employers win and employees lose and vice versa. Everybody can win."

Tackle workplace sickness to unlock hidden growth, former John Lewis boss says