Online Food Delivery Sees Rapid Growth, Yet Huge Scope Remains

New Delhi, May 4 (BNP): Online food delivery in India has witnessed strong growth in recent years but continues to account for a relatively small share of the overall food services industry, according to a recent report by Investec.

The report highlights that the segment currently represents about 11 percent of the total food services market, rising significantly from around 3 percent in 2018. This sharp increase reflects growing consumer preference for convenience, wider digital adoption, and expanding urban demand.

While the sector has emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments in the food services space, a large portion of the market still operates through offline channels, indicating considerable scope for further expansion.

Industry observers believe that continued growth in organised food services, along with increasing smartphone penetration and changing lifestyles, will further support the expansion of online food delivery platforms in the coming years.

Overall, the findings suggest that although the sector has made rapid progress, it still has substantial room for growth in the Indian market.

Strong Tax Receipts Help Government Surpass Revenue Targets

New Delhi, May 4 (BNP): The government has reported robust revenue collections across major tax categories, with several streams exceeding their respective Modified Revised Estimates (MRE) for the financial year ending March.

Stamp duty collections reached ₹9,119.72 crore, slightly surpassing expectations at 101 percent of the MRE. This indicates steady activity in property transactions and related sectors, contributing positively to the state’s revenue position.

Excise duty collections also showed notable strength, totaling ₹6,206 crore during the same period. This figure represents 103 percent of the MRE, reflecting improved compliance and consistent demand in excise-generating sectors.

Meanwhile, revenue from vehicle taxes stood at ₹3,245 crore, exceeding the targeted ₹3,200 crore and achieving 101 percent of the MRE. The increase suggests stable growth in vehicle registrations and related economic activity.

Overall, the performance across these categories underscores effective revenue mobilisation and a resilient economic environment, helping the government maintain fiscal stability while supporting ongoing development initiatives.

Rupee Weakens in Early Trade Amid West Asia Tensions and Elevated Oil Prices

Mumbai, May 4 (BNP): The Indian rupee opened on a weaker note on Monday, depreciating by 11 paise to 94.95 against the U.S. dollar in early trade, as ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia continued to weigh on investor sentiment.

Market participants remained cautious amid uncertainty in global markets, with risk appetite subdued due to the evolving situation in the region. Forex traders noted that sustained volatility in crude oil prices has added to the pressure on the domestic currency.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading near the $108 per barrel mark, keeping concerns alive for oil-importing nations like India. Elevated crude prices tend to widen the country’s trade deficit and increase demand for the U.S. dollar, thereby exerting downward pressure on the rupee.

Analysts also pointed out that the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against major global currencies further contributed to the rupee’s weakness. In addition, cautious positioning by foreign investors and fluctuations in global equity markets influenced currency movements during the early session.

Despite the initial decline, traders expect the rupee’s movement to remain range-bound through the day, with investors closely tracking crude oil trends, geopolitical developments, and global market cues for further direction.

Markets Surge at Open, Tracking Global Optimism and Easing Oil Prices

Mumbai, May 4(BNP): Indian benchmark equity indices opened the week on a strong note, rallying sharply in early trade on Monday amid easing crude oil prices and improved global market sentiment.

The BSE Sensex surged 657.80 points to reach 77,571.30, while the NSE Nifty 50 advanced 213.35 points to 24,215.10 during the opening session.

The upbeat momentum in domestic equities mirrored gains across Asian markets, which were trading higher following positive cues from global peers. Lower oil prices further boosted investor confidence, easing concerns around inflation and fiscal pressures for oil-importing economies like India.

Among the top performers on the Sensex was Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, which rallied around 4 percent. The surge came after the automaker reported record total sales of 2,39,646 units in April, marking a robust 33.29 percent year-on-year growth. The strong performance was driven primarily by rising demand for its small car segment, signaling a healthy start to the new financial year.

Market analysts attributed the rally to a combination of favorable macroeconomic indicators, stable foreign fund inflows, and optimism surrounding corporate earnings. The decline in crude oil prices has been particularly supportive, as it helps contain input costs and inflationary pressures.

Investors will continue to track global economic developments, corporate earnings announcements, and commodity price trends for further direction in the markets.

Art-E Mediatech Bags Creative Mandate For IndiaMART For The Second Time

Delhi, May 04: Art-e Mediatech, is creative media and MarTech agencies, has secured the full social media mandate for IndiaMART, India’s largest B2B online marketplace. This win marks the second time the agency has been entrusted with the brand’s creative responsibilities.

As part of the renewed mandate, Art-E Mediatech will drive the full social media strategy and content planning initiatives for IndiaMART. The partnership aims to further strengthen the digital presence of the company with its large base of buyers and sellers across India.

The focus remains on augmenting brand communication messaging and establishing a deeper connection with a digital-first audience. The continued collaboration with Art-E Mediatech is expected to play an important role in increasing its brand awareness, enhancing the brand image in the digital ecosystem and fostering greater customer engagement through impactful and insight-led campaigns.

Art-E Mediatech will continue to build on its understanding of the brand and the category, delivering integrated campaigns across platforms with a focus on engagement and performance.

Commenting on the continued association with Art-E Mediatech, Dinesh Gulati, Chief Operating Officer, IndiaMart, InterMESH Ltd, shared,

“Since inception, IndiaMART has been at the forefront of digital transformation for Indian MSMEs. We understand the power of a strong online presence and how it can truly change the way you connect, transact and grow. Our ongoing partnership with Art-e media will reflect this scale, trust, and everyday relevance, while also mirroring the real impact IndiaMART creates for millions of businesses across the country”.

Rohit Sakunia, Co-founder of Ar t-E Mediatech, shared:

“IndiaMART is the largest online B2B marketplace in India, empowering MSMEs, and helping them connect with buyers online. Winning the creative mandate underscores our expertise in delivering result-oriented communication strategies and our considerable understanding of the B2B ecosystem. We aim to combine creative storytelling with data-driven insights to further strengthen IndiaMART’s digital presence and engagement.”

With this mandate, both organisations aim to continue building impactful digital narratives and strengthening engagement in the B2B space.

 

Dubai real estate sales hit AED48B in April

Market shows more resilience as monthly sales transactions lift to almost 14,000

Dubai, UAE, May 4: The Dubai real estate market showed continued resilience in April, recording 13,977 sales transactions worth AED48 billion.

A market update issued today by fäm Properties showed that activity strengthened month-on-month, with sales volume rising 3.5% compared to March, while total sales value increased by 10.7%.

The strongest growth came in the commercial sector, including offices and shops, with 561 sales transactions valued at AED4 billion, up 33.9% YoY and 36.2% month-on-month.

Apartment sales were also up MoM by 6.5% to 11,377 transactions worth AED24.1 billion, while plot sales rose 34.7% MoM to 237 deals valued at AED6.6 billion. The average property price per sq ft was up by 16.1% YoY to AED1,840.

Data from DXBinteract revealed that primary sales again dominated in April, accounting for 10,563 sales transactions totalling AED35.8 billion, compared with 3,414 resales valued at AED12.2 billion.

“Last month’s performance reflects the market’s underlying strength, with steady demand across both residential and commercial segments,” said Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties. 

“Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, Dubai is benefiting from its reputation as a stable, transparent and well-regulated environment for investment. The continued dominance of primary sales also points to long-term confidence in the emirate’s growth and development pipeline.”

For the second month in succession, Dubai South was the best-performing area, with 1,171 sales transactions valued at AED2.7 billion, marking its sixth consecutive month in the top five.

TOP FIVE PERFORMING AREAS IN APRIL 2026

                                                            Transactions              Sales value

Dubai South                                        1,171                           AED2.7B

Jebel Ali First                                      887                              AED1.9B                   

Al Barsha South Fourth                      828                              AED1.0B

Wadi Al Safa 5                                   814                              AED1.4B

Dubai Islands                                      732                              AED2.8B       

The most expensive apartment sold in April was a luxury property at Aman Residences Tower 2 at Jumeirah Second which fetched AED171 million.

Other luxury apartments sold for AED122 million at Baccarat Residence T1 at Downtown Dubai and AED118 million at Building C at Marsa Dubai. The most expensive villa went for AED76 million at Eden Hills.

With properties worth more than AED5 million accounting for 11.81% of sales, 12.65% were between AED3-5 million, 17.54% between AED2-3 million, 34.7% between AED1-2 million and 23.3% were below AED1 million.

BEST-SELLING PROJECTS IN APRIL 2026

Primary market apartments

Primary market villas

Resale apartments

Resale villas