Today’s market analysis on behalf of Samer Hasn Market Analyst and part of the Research Team at XS.com

11^th  August 2023

A few days after PayPal launched its cryptocurrency stablecoin (PYUSD), we started to see some criticism from lawmakers in Congress of the move from the payment processor.

Where we heard criticism from a member of the Financial Services Committee in the US House of Representatives, who expressed her fears about the inability to protect consumers and ensure financial stability, with the absence of a legal framework at the federal level to monitor and regulate this type of assets, especially with PayPal reaching more than 400 million users around the world.

Earlier this week, PayPal announced the launch of its own cryptocurrency using the Ethereum blockchain (ERC-20). While it was widely welcomed by the digital currency audience, but with some concerns about the possibility of banning and freezing crypto wallets, as stated in the guidelines announced by the company.

Also in the US, this week we saw talk of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) planning to appeal against a court decision in favor of Ripple Lab that ruled that sales of XRP tokens to retail customers were only in the form of securities, and therefore the company did not issue unregistered investment instruments. While this appeal, if filed, would prolong the years-long legal struggle between the authority and Ripple Lab and may constitute more obstacles to further adoption of cryptocurrency technology.

On the positive side, however, we have seen the cryptocurrency exchange, Gemini, relist XRP tokens on their platform while offering the ability to deposit and trade to their clients.

Also, in the cryptocurrency market, Binance has informed its clients about stop issuing futures contracts for Cardano (ADA) and Polygon (MATIC) coins, without providing further explanations on the reasons. This comes days after Bitstamp delisting of a number of cryptocurrencies, most notably Solana (SOL) and Polygon (MATIC), to comply with SEC publications about not to offer any cryptocurrencies that may be believed to be securities. Also, about two months ago we saw Robinhood delist a number of cryptocurrencies due to regulatory concerns following lawsuits against US arm Binance and Coinbase.

Today, the cryptocurrency markets are awaiting the SEC’s decision to approve or disapprove the launch of the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, the spot bitcoin ETF applied by Cathy Wood’s Ark Invest. As the deadline for the SEC’s decision is on August 13, while the decision is expected to be issued near the end of the day. On the other hand, lawmakers still have the ability to delay this decision for a period of up to 240 days.

The approval of the launch of this ETF, along with the many funds that have been applied for to be launched from major asset managers in the United States, would provide more recognition, especially from institutional investors and regulators, of the importance of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as a trustworthy investment asset.

Hafele Introduces New Classic 90 SC Architectural Sliding System

Sliding doors have increasingly transformed into essential elements of residential and commercial spaces due to their versatility, ease of use and countless application possibilities. It therefore has become a necessity, as a brand, to continuously develop and innovate in order to cater to the ever-changing lifestyle and technological demands for these fittings.

In sync with these demands, Hafele brings to you a new architectural sliding system, the Classic 90 SC (for wooden doors and wooden framed glass doors), that offers innovative functionality and ease of installation. This system is a single door sliding system that can handle heavier doors of up to 90kg and cover wider openings offering more robust designs. Integrated with double sided soft close technology, you get a smooth, impact-free closing experience with every slide. Closing dampers integrated into the rollers and a top hung system format increase the simplicity of this system and is thus easy and quick to install, thereby saving you time.

Virgin Australia Standardizes on New Relic to Enhance Online Services

India—August 10, 2023—New Relic (NYSE: NEWR), the all-in-one observability platform for every engineer, announced that Virgin Australia, a leading Australian airline, has deepened its partnership with New Relic to enhance the delivery of online services to its customers.

Virgin Australia understands the critical role online services play in delivering exceptional customer experiences. By using New Relic to establish a more proactive observability posture, Virgin Australia gains deep insights into its digital infrastructure, enabling faster troubleshooting and continuous improvement of its online and internal services. As part of Virgin Australia’s digital transformation, the New Relic observability platform has been deployed across mobile applications, websites, existing custom applications, and the airline’s new microservice platform to proactively monitor the availability of these critical services.

“New Relic has become an essential integrated toolset for Virgin Australia, providing unparalleled efficiency and observability at every level,” said Virgin Australia Head of Infrastructure and Support Simon Lawrence. “The real-time data, flexible query-based thresholding and smart deviation detection have substantially reduced noise and the time required to configure actionable alerting, allowing us to get on the front foot to proactively detect, respond, and resolve incidents.”

Implementations and benefits include:

●Reduction in resolution time: Through automatic correlation with underlying infrastructure, end-to-end traces, and code-level performance statistics, Virgin Australia has significantly reduced the time from detection to remediation.

●Reduction in critical system P1 and P2 alerts: New Relic Alert management is a key driver for detecting degradation in service performance and providing a single source of truth for support staff to identify issues quickly.

●Improving developer productivity: The entire development team can focus more on tasks that deliver value to customers, rather than manually monitoring logging and infrastructure tools.

● Lower investigation time: Using New Relic application performance monitoring (APM), engineering teams can get ahead of issues as soon as they arise to minimise any impact on the end-user experience.

●Improving business-level reporting: Engineering teams can use New Relic dashboards to proactively communicate the health of the digital business with company stakeholders.

Virgin Australia is also in the process of rolling out New Relic Log Management to further improve visibility across its entire stack.

“Virgin Australia is an iconic brand that prides itself on delivering the best customer experience in-flight and online,” said New Relic ANZ Regional Vice President Jason Leonidas. “New Relic is proud to have played a role in their transformation and we look forward to supporting the further rollout of New Relic as their systems and infrastructure evolves.”

The New Relic observability platform democratizes data beyond the typical backend users, making it available to groups such as customer service, support, product, sales, marketing, and business executives. Having this data front and center empowers organizations to effectively visualize the relationships among developers, operations, and customers with a curated business performance dashboard that gives teams an overview of how users are experiencing their applications. Knowing how customers use or abandon applications and services helps brands improve infrastructure and adjust strategy.

Striking 106% Surge in Female Applicants for Telecalling Executives reveals a data report released by WorkIndia

National, 10th August 2023: WorkIndia, India’s leading tech platform for blue-collar recruitment, has recently released a data report that showcases a remarkable 106% upsurge in female applicants for telecalling executive roles. This surge contributes significantly to the overall 84% increase in demand witnessed within the Tele-calling sector, signifying a notable transformation in the industry’s landscape.

The data analysis not only underlines the substantial increase in female applicants but also draws attention to the geographical distribution of this growth. Chennai leads the pack with an astounding 224% surge in demand for telecalling executives, followed closely by Bengaluru at 212%, and Mumbai at 202%. Additionally, other key cities like Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune have also witnessed noteworthy growth rates, solidifying the trend’s nationwide impact.

Furthermore, the report delves into the gender composition within the Tele-calling sector, revealing that the industry is predominantly driven by female candidates, constituting an impressive 58.4% of the total workforce. In contrast, male candidates make up the remaining 41.6% of the Tele-calling workforce.

The surge in demand for Tele-calling executives can be attributed to a multitude of factors. One significant factor is the rapid digitization of various industries, prompting heightened customer interaction and engagement through telephonic channels. The growth of e-commerce, online services, and remote work arrangements have amplified the necessity for skilled telecallers to effectively connect with customers.

Moreover, the telecalling sector plays a pivotal role in society by facilitating seamless communication between businesses and their clientele. In an era where personalized customer service holds immense value, telecallers serve as crucial touchpoints, adeptly addressing queries, providing assistance, and ensuring overall customer satisfaction. This underscores the sector’s pivotal role in nurturing robust customer relationships and driving business expansion.

Commenting on the report analysis, Nilesh Dungarwal, Co-founder and CEO, WorkIndia, expressed, ” At WorkIndia, we are committed to bridging the divide between job seekers and employers with utmost transparency and an efficient process. The notable surge in female applicants for tele-calling roles showcases the evolving workforce dynamics in India. This growth signifies not just the expanding demands of the industry, but also the increasing opportunities for women to excel in roles that require exceptional customer-centric skills.”

WorkIndia’s purpose of existence is to provide meaningful livelihoods to the 258Mn blue-collar workers of India. This 258Mn is the single largest segment in the entire world, which has not been disrupted by technology as yet. WorkIndia is the only platform in India that is technologically solving a massive pain point i.e. Fraudulent jobs for the 258M segment. Driven solely by technology, the platform has built a recruitment ecosystem that eliminates middlemen, and fraudulent jobs while providing job seekers with a platform they can trust when it comes to finding genuine job opportunities.

Home Credit India’s “The Indian Wallet Study 2023” shows 76% of Low-income consumers expect rise in Income levels and 64% look to boost Savings in the coming year

Hyderabad/New Delhi, 10th August 2023: Home Credit India (HCIN), a local arm of the leading global consumer finance provider, released the first edition of its second in-house annual consumer survey – The Indian Wallet Study 2023: Understanding Financial Behaviour & Well-Being of Consumers. The study concluded that consumer sentiments of the low-income population in the urban and semi-urban space is quite buoyant about the economy. As economy is growing, income level has increased for the 52% of the low-income urban consumers last year and 76% are expecting their income to increase in the coming year, with better saving for 64%. However, despite increase in income, consumers are highly cautious when it comes to non-essential spending, with 70% saying that such expenses have either not changed or even decreased in the last year.

The study is aimed to comprehensively understand financial habits and sentiments of consumers in the low-income strata within the urban & semi-urban cities. The Indian Wallet Study is an outcome of randomized survey of approx. 2200 people who have taken loan, are in the age group of 18-55 years with an annual income of Rs 2 Lakhs to Rs 5 Lakhs, residing across 17 cities including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Patna, Ranchi, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Kochi and Pune.

Speaking on launch of the new consumer study, Ashish Tiwari, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit India, said, “We have been keeping a finger on the pulse of consumers and have been publishing a very successful and sought after annual study “How India Borrows” which is focused about the borrowing behaviour. However, we did feel that we need to go extra mile to understand the relationship of money with consumers better. The Indian Wallet Study 2023 is the product of this thought that in post-Covid world, financial landscape and consumer behaviour has transformed and we need to look at understanding it for the next billion consumers – urban lower-middle class. The key insights of the first edition of the study, point at the positive consumer sentiments, spending & savings behaviour, Tier 1 cities becoming income hubs for low-income population and such consumers embracing digital payments well.”

According to the study, the national average of low-income working population is reported to be Rs 30,000 per month led by metro cities. Interestingly, looking at city-wise data, Tier-1 cities outperform metros with Hyderabad emerging as the most favorable for low-income group, with an average monthly income of Rs 42,000, (Rs 12K above national average), surpassing major metros – Delhi (Rs 30,000) and Mumbai (Rs 32,000). Tier 1 cities in South (Bangalore) and West (Pune & Ahmedabad) regions outshine and provide pay parity with respective metros including Chennai, and the financial capital, Mumbai.

On the savings front, the study reveals that nearly 60% of low-income consumers (led by Kolkata 75%, Jaipur 71%, and Bengaluru 68%), showcase a prudent financial behaviour by managing to save money after covering major monthly expenses, thereby, demonstrating a cash-ready approach even in the low- income segments. As for gender-wise savings, 60% men are saving compared to 52% of women and more so for Gen Z (62%) than Gen X (53%)

Another crucial aspect highlighted by the study is the coping mechanism for emergency or mandatory expenses (medical cost, kids emergency, house expense et al) among low-income consumers. About 70% of them meet their expenses by dipping into their savings. Notably, around 20% opt for financial institutions such as NBFCs, often utilizing this avenue to acquire new consumer durables or home appliances (31%). In contrast, the reliance on local money lenders is observed to be minimal, with less than 4% resorting to such sources for financial needs.

In terms of wallet share, the study reveals that Grocery (41%), Commute (17%) and Rent (11%) together account for the lion’s share of 70% of the total wallet, followed by electricity bills and cooking gas.

Local sight-seeing, eating outside and cinema are the major recreation or indulgence among the low-income urbanites. Consumers from Tier 2 cities are more inclined towards discretionary spending than Metros, such as outstation travel (32%), purchasing electronics (32%), and home appliances (16%).

When it comes to shopping habits (for apparels, consumer durables, groceries, medicines, or other consumables), low-income consumers (70%) prefer brick-and-mortar or offline experience; whereas when it comes to paying for the shopping bills or taking loan, the same consumers show affinity towards digital payments (50%+). This behaviour is seen across SECs and largely in Tier 1 & 2 cities, pointing towards a growing acceptance and adoption of digital payments: despite inclination towards traditional shopping.

The study also explored the contribution of members in the household expenses. In households with multiple earners, the chief wage earner (CWE) contributes to ~80% of the total household expenses, underlining their financial responsibility. On an average, earning male member contributes to 65% in running household. Among the women participants, 57% of the females are chief wage earner (CWE). In HHs with female contribution in expense, they contribute to 49% of the total household expense. Involvement of Gen X in running the household is higher than Gen Z – 74%, compared to 46% for Gen Z.

The Indian Wallet 2023 study also looked into the consumer’s vulnerability to financial fraud and found that over 60% consumers have heard about online fraud instances – 50% of consumers’ have received hoax calls/messages, 20% of these low-income consumers have been its victim, especially Gen Zs and consumers from North and East regions. Fewer people in South India have heard about financial frauds (45%) or received any such hoax calls (32%) or been a victim (16%). Low instances of these cases in South, make them comfortable in keeping sensitive financial information on smartphone, unlike other regions.

APM Terminals Pipavav consolidated net profit rises 14% to INR 678.26 million in Q1FY24 (INR 593.39 million Q1FY23)

Pipavav, India: APM Terminals Pipavav (Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd), one of the leading gateway ports in Western India reported 14% rise in consolidated net profit at INR 678.26 million for the first quarter ended on 30th June 2023, compared to INR 593.39 million in the corresponding period of last year.

Revenue from operations for the first quarter under consideration stood at INR 2,149.18 million as against INR 2,065.53 million in the corresponding period of last year. EBITDA for the quarter is at INR 1,058.42 million as against INR 1,116.43 million in Q1FY23. EBIDTA margin stood at 49.25% in Q1FY24 as against 54.05% in Q1FY23.

The container volume grew 7% to 199,000 TEUs; dry bulk volume fell 28% to 0.67 million MT; liquid volume grew 29% to 0.26 million MT and volume under Ro-Ro grew 118% to 14,000 units against 6,000 units in the corresponding period of last year. Container trains handled during the quarter rose 10.6% to 523 from 473 in Q1 FY23

India’s No.1 e-3 wheeler manufacturer, Mahindra, launches new e-Alfa Super rickshaw with Higher Range

Bangalore, August 10, 2023: India’s No.1* electric 3-wheeler company, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility (LMM), has launched the latest addition to its electric 3-wheeler line up – the Mahindra e-Alfa Super. This new e-rickshaw, along with the reliability of brand Mahindra, will continue to be the most viable self-employment option for driver partners with its higher range, best-in-class safety and comfort features.

One of the key highlights of the e-Alfa Super is its higher range of 95+ kilometres on a single charge, achieved through extensive driving validations by Mahindra, thereby enabling drivers to maximize their earnings. With its 140 Ah lead-acid battery, the e-Alfa Super delivers a certified range that is 20% higher than before. The motor generates 1.64 kW peak power, and 22 Nm torque, providing superlative performance.

Backed by the trust reposed by more than 50000 e-Alfa customers, the e-Alfa Super is designed to withstand rough daily usage. To enhance the ownership experience, Mahindra is also offering free accidental insurance worth ₹ 10 Lakh for the driver upon purchasing the vehicle, ensuring safety and security of its customers.

Suman Mishra, CEO, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility said, “In a world with rising demand for clean mobility, our e-Alfa Super rickshaw offers superior range and earning potential. This allows our driver partners to increase their entrepreneurial incomes and reduce environmental impact, while being supported with the trust and reliability of the Mahindra brand.”

The e-Alfa Super has a superior 18 A charger that comes with a 12-month warranty and provides faster charging times; allowing drivers to minimise downtime and maximise their productivity. Mahindra 3-wheeler EV customers, with the help of our charging partners, also have access to more than 10000 charging stations, nationwide.

Mahindra provides a one-year warranty on the vehicle, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Moreover, the battery is backed by an 18-month warranty, guaranteeing long-term reliability and customer satisfaction. There are more than 1150 Mahindra touchpoints, in India, through which the vehicle can be serviced.

The metal-bodied e-Alfa Super boasts best-in-class safety features, including an advanced braking system, and roof-mounted grab handles. It is priced at ₹ 1.61 Lakh, ex-showroom and is available depending on the local government’s approval for e-rickshaws in the particular State.

Genpact Integrates Generative AI into Enterprise 360 Intelligence Platform

New Delhi, August 10, 2023 – Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services firm focused on delivering outcomes that transform businesses, has incorporated generative AI capabilities into its proprietary Enterprise360 intelligence platform leveraged by clients worldwide.

Enterprise360 is Genpact’s cutting-edge platform for managing and transforming client operations. The platform brings together digital tools, standardized processes, and now the power of generative AI to help businesses identify and address operational issues and optimize performance. With access to replicable solutions and a wealth of data-driven insights, teams can expedite value delivery and drive transformative change, while leveraging actionable feedback and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

The integration of generative AI into Enterprise360 delivers several key benefits, including:

• Empowered problem solving: Teams can use generative AI to generate new ideas and solutions to help solve operational challenges, leading to more informed and effective decision-making.
• Faster adaptation to new business challenges: Generative AI helps teams identify new patterns and trends, enabling them to adapt to change more quickly.
• Accelerated value delivery and transformation: Generative AI helps teams identify the right next steps to take to achieve their goals, leading to faster value delivery and transformation.

“The integration of generative AI into Enterprise360 is a significant milestone for Genpact,” said Vidya Rao, Chief Information Officer, Genpact. “This new capability will help our clients drive even greater performance and transformation, and we are excited to see the impact it will have on their businesses. From design to operations, transformation to renewals, Genpact’s Enterprise360 offers comprehensive solutions that address the complete lifecycle of client requirements.”

Enterprise360 is used across Genpact’s global talent serving over 800 clients globally. Enterprise360 helps businesses digitize critical operating rituals and provides visibility into almost 500 metrics and more than 250 benchmarks.

With Enterprise360, all levels and teams within an organization can operate with one common language, facilitating seamless communication and collaboration among today’s hybrid and diverse workforce.