Category: Business

New Delhi, July 6: India’s cooperative ecosystem is emerging as a strong pillar of inclusive development, playing a growing role in supporting rural livelihoods and broad-based economic participation, according to a recent report.

The report highlighted that cooperative institutions across agriculture, dairy, credit, fisheries, and small-scale enterprises are helping improve access to affordable finance, fair markets, and essential services. This has particularly benefited farmers, rural households, and self-help groups by strengthening income opportunities at the grassroots level.

It added that ongoing policy support, institutional reforms, and increasing digital adoption have improved transparency, efficiency, and outreach within the cooperative framework. These developments have enabled cooperatives to function more effectively as community-driven economic units.

Experts noted that the cooperative model continues to contribute to balanced regional development by reducing disparities between urban and rural economies. They said its expanding role in employment generation, skill development, and value-chain integration is helping position it as a key engine of inclusive growth in India’s development landscape.

July 6: Trade and tourism between India and New Zealand are witnessing strong growth ahead of the implementation of the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations.

Export volumes from India have increased in recent months, reflecting higher demand for Indian goods and services in overseas markets. At the same time, there has been a noticeable rise in visitor arrivals from India to New Zealand, driven by tourism, education, and business travel.

Officials from both countries said this upward trend signals growing confidence among businesses and travellers as economic ties continue to strengthen. They added that the upcoming FTA is expected to further reduce trade barriers, simplify customs procedures, and open new opportunities for exporters, investors, and service providers.

The agreement is also expected to boost cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, technology, education, and tourism, while improving market access for businesses on both sides.

Overall, the rising trade and travel activity highlights deepening economic engagement between India and New Zealand ahead of the formal rollout of the FTA.

Mumbai, July 6: Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty extended their gains for the fourth consecutive trading session, supported by strong buying interest in realty and auto stocks.

The markets opened on a positive note and maintained upward momentum through the session, with sectoral strength in real estate and automobile shares leading the rally. Broader market indices also traded firm, indicating healthy participation across segments.

Analysts said investor sentiment has improved due to sustained domestic inflows and optimism in select sectors. Realty stocks gained on expectations of steady demand and strong project pipelines, while auto stocks advanced on hopes of stable sales trends and improving rural demand outlook.

However, market experts cautioned that global cues, including movements in crude oil prices, inflation trends, and overseas market performance, could influence near-term volatility. They also noted that intermittent profit booking may emerge after the recent multi-session rally.

India, July 06: Global AI-first cloud communications platform Infobip launched PitchMate, a new AI-powered conversational agent that brings football fans closer to the action of the world’s biggest football tournament. Purpose-built for the global football audience, PitchMate joins the TGR Haas F1 Team RaceMate — Infobip’s AI fan engagement solution for the TGR Haas F1 Team — in demonstrating how conversational AI is transforming fan engagement across sports worldwide.

RaceMate, launched last April for this year’s motorsport season, is an AI agent on WhatsApp and Apple Messages for Business that puts TGR Haas F1 Team fans at the center of the action. It delivers real-time race data, personalized content, team radio highlights, trivia, and native multilingual support, turning passive viewers into active participants through natural, human-like conversations across every race weekend. Since its launch, RaceMate has reached users in more than 60 countries, achieving more than 40,000 messages exchanged within the platform. It has also seen a 26.8% return-user rate, with top fans returning more than 25 times and exchanging almost 300 messages with the AI agent.

Launched last June 11th, PitchMate is a personalized AI companion that brings the football tournament directly to fans on their preferred messaging channels, such as WhatsApp and RCS. Fans can choose their favorite team and receive a fully tailored experience: personalized schedules, fixtures, and match statistics through Match Central; quizzes and an AI gamification solution like Vocalize – where fans use their voice to match the soundwave and AI scores it in real-time – driving engagement through Fan Arena; and different options to set up game reminders, specific time zones and still challenge a friend via gamification through Back Office. With cross-session memory and optional matchday reminders, PitchMate builds a continuous engagement journey that keeps fans connected from the opening match to the final whistle.

“Fan expectations have shifted. They want personalized, real-time experiences on their terms — and if a team or league doesn’t deliver it, another entertainment option will. AI-powered conversational engagement is no longer a differentiator for sports properties; it’s becoming table stakes”, said independent industry analyst Jon Arnold, Principal at J Arnold & Associates.

“With RaceMate, we’ve shown how AI can transform a fan’s journey from watching a race to living it. Fans don’t just follow the action they are part of it. Now, with PitchMate we give fans a personalized AI companion that knows their team, keeps them updated in real time, and invites them to interact, and engage. This is the future of fan experiences — and it’s powered by Infobip”, said Krešo Žmak, Chief Innovation Officer at Infobip.

Both PitchMate and RaceMate are powered by the Infobip AgentOS platform, combining generative AI, conversational data intelligence, and omnichannel messaging capabilities, within a single orchestration layer. The same technology is available to any brand looking to deploy intelligent AI agents for customer engagement.

Gurugram, June 06: Stupa Sports, the leading global AI-powered sports technology and analytics firm, today announced a significant scaling up of its official data and technology partnership with the Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), with the introduction of its landmark Table Tennis Review (TTR) system for the upcoming seventh season of Butterly UTT, scheduled in Goa from July 09 to July 26, 2026, at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Taleigao. The tournament, one of India’s longest-running franchise leagues, will witness, for the first time, evidence-backed officiating decisions delivered in under 20 seconds by the revolutionary TTR– marking a major technological leap for professional table tennis.

Designed specifically for the speed and complexity of elite table tennis, TTR addresses six high-impact officiating scenarios: Serve Toss Height, Serve Toss Angle, Serve Toss Below Surface, Serve Toss Inside Surface, Serve Ball Hiding, and Table Edge calls. The system uses synchronised 14-15 high-speed cameras installed courtside to capture ball trajectory, serve mechanics, and table contact points from multiple angles. Stupa Sports’ AI engine reconstructs each contested moment in near real time, generating a precise, broadcast-ready visual output that is instantly accessible to match officials and seamlessly integrated into the live telecast – ensuring transparency, speed, and accuracy without disrupting match flow.

Stupa Sports has been Butterfly UTT’s official Data and Technology Partner since Season 3 (2019), playing a central role in building the league’s analytics backbone. In Season 4, the company introduced its AI-powered live statistics system, enabling real-time data capture and on-air broadcast graphics.

Since then, Stupa Sports has managed Butterfly UTT’s complete data ecosystem – including live scores, player and team databases, standings, match statistics, and advanced performance analytics. From launching Shot Speed Analytics in Season 5 in Chennai to delivering in-depth statistical reports for broadcast and editorial teams, Stupa Sports’ innovations have consistently enhanced fan engagement, commentator storytelling, and overall broadcast quality.

“TTR represents our commitment to bringing speed, precision, and fairness together through technology,” said Megha Gambhir, Founder & CEO, Stupa Sports. “Table tennis is one of the fastest sports in the world, and officiating decisions must keep pace with it. With TTR, we are combining advanced computer vision and AI to deliver reliable verdicts in under 20 seconds, setting a new benchmark not just for table tennis, but for sports review systems globally.”

“Innovation has always been at the heart of Butterly Ultimate Table Tennis. And our partnership with Stupa Sports since encapsulates that so well. The introduction of TTR in Season 7 is another significant step forward, reinforcing our commitment to fairness, transparency, and world-class production standards,” said Ekansh Gupta, CEO of Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis.

With TTR set to operate across all matches in Season 7, Butterfly Ultimate Table Tennis continues to position itself at the forefront of technological innovation in the sport. The launch not only strengthens officiating standards but also signals a broader evolution in how table tennis is analysed, broadcast, and experienced – both in India and on the global stage.

The partnership further consolidates Stupa Sports‘ expanding footprint within the sports ecosystem. Much like its recent landmark milestones – including the BWF certification of its AI-powered Instant Review System for all sanctioned badminton tournaments, its role as Data and Technology Partner for the Pickleball Champions League Asia Finals, the deployment of Stupa Cast for the Generali Hexagon Cup Padel tournament, and its provision of AI analytics for Major League Table Tennis and the Prime Volleyball League, along with its growing footprint in Oceania through agreements with Table Tennis Australia – this partnership reinforces Stupa‘s position as an Indian firm leading technology innovation across multiple sports and federations globally.

 Sales surge across all property segments as June takes Q2 deals to 38,157 worth AED110.2 billion

Dubai, UAE, July 06: The Dubai real estate market recorded a record number of rental contracts in June as property sales grew in value and volume month on month in another clear sign of growing confidence in the property sector.

A market analysis from fäm Properties today shows that 40,022 rental contracts were registered in June, making it the highest ever monthly total on record.

The volume of new contracts registered leapt 48.6% YoY to 19,245, while renewed contracts were up 28.5% YoY to 20,777, reflecting sustained demand across both new tenants and existing residents choosing to stay in Dubai.

Based on open data available from DXBinteract, June delivered 13,933 sales transactions valued at AED33.2 billion, a 35.5% MoM increase in volume and a 14.9% MoM rise in value.

This brought the total amount of sales transactions for Q2 to 38,157 deals worth AED110.2 billion, with an overall volume of 86,077 sales transactions worth AED286.2 billion for the first half of 2026.

“Buyers and tenants are showing a growing amount of confidence, and this is reflected in both rentals and sales, and across each of the property sectors,” said Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties.

“The consistent performance of Dubai South is what moves a location from emerging to established in buyers’ minds, and this is also a good sign for the market’s long-term direction.”

Month on month growth across each sector in June highlighted the market’s underlying strength and resilience as villa sales rose 46.5% MoM to 1,474 worth AED7.5 billion, with apartment sales climbing 32.3% MoM in volume to 11,605 worth AED17.8 billion.

In the commercial sector, including offices and shops, sales volumes climbed 42.7% MoM to 478 deals worth AED2.3 billion, while plot sales soared 68.3% in volume to 276 valued at AED5.4 billion.

Primary sales again dominated in June, with 10,398 transactions worth AED 21.6 billion compared with 3,535 valued at AED11.6 billion in the resale market.

For the fourth consecutive month, Dubai South ranked as the best-performing area in the emirate’s property sector, recording 2,869 transactions worth AED3.3 billion, an increase of 111% in volume and 106% in value MoM.

It was the eighth straight month in the top five for Dubai South, where growth has largely been driven by developer off-plan sales, reflecting genuine end-user and investor confidence in the government’s long-term development vision for this fully integrated, connected urban and business hub.

The most expensive apartment sold in June went for AED200 million at Bugatti Residences By Binghatti at Business Bay, while the most expensive villa fetched AED89 million at Eden Hills

With properties worth more than AED5 million accounting for 6.8% of sales, 8.3% were between AED3-5 million, 12.3% between AED2-3 million, 30.2% between AED1-2 million and 42.2% were below AED1 million.

TOP FIVE PERFORMING AREAS IN JUNE 2026

Transactions Sales value

Dubai South 2,869 AED3.3B

Jebel Ali First 1,153 AED1.4B

Al Barsha South Fourth 764 AED1.0B

Wadi Al Safa 5 526 AED815.3M

Al Thanya Fifth 497 AED1.4B

BEST-SELLING PROJECTS IN JUNE 2026

Primary market apartments

	Volume	Value AED	Median price AED
Azizi Venice 14 Building G	200	146.7M	655K
Azizi Venice 12 Building A	169	151.8M	710K
Azizi Arian	160	119.3M	603.5K
Azizi Venice 11	141	117.5M	655K
Azizi Venice 14 Building A	140	102.7M	630K

Primary market villas

Jebel Ali First	220	134.1M	605.6K
Dubai South	75	383.3M	4.9M
Verdana 4	40	57.7M	1.4M
Al Yelayiss 1	39	137.2M	3.0M
Verdana 5	34	49.8M	1.4M

Resale apartments

Creek Beach – Moor Building 4	50	109.1M	2.4M
Sobha Hartland – Crest Grande	24	67.7M	2.7M
Peninsula Four	21	41.9M	1.9M
Peninsula Three	20	35.2M	1.7M
Binghatti Apex	17	16.6M	1.0M

Resale villas

Damac Lagoons – Portofino	15	47.3M	2.6M
Mudon Al Ranim 4	13	49.6M	3.6M
Damac Lagoons – Malta 2	13	40.9M	2.5M
Damac Lagoons – Costa Brava 1	12	38.8M	3.0M
Damac Lagoons – Malta 1	11	36.9M	2.5M

 

Football fandom in India is extending well beyond the television screen, with consumers increasingly looking to wear their team colours, upgrade their gear, and even take to the field themselves. According to the latest search insights from Justdial Limited, India’s No. 1 local search engine, football-related searches witnessed notable growth across key categories in June 2026 compared to May 2026, highlighting growing enthusiasm for the sport among Indian consumers.

Among all categories, football jerseys witnessed the strongest growth, with searches rising 69% across India in June 2026 compared to May 2026. The trend was particularly pronounced across southern metros, with Chennai leading the country with a 73% increase, followed closely by Bengaluru (63%). Mumbai (58%) and Delhi (46%) also recorded substantial growth, indicating widespread consumer interest across major urban centres.

Beyond merchandise, the trend extended to equipment as well. Searches for football shoes grew 12% nationwide, suggesting that consumer interest wasn’t limited to fan gear alone but also encompassed products associated with playing the sport.

Searches for football coaching also registered an increase of 3% across India. While the national growth remained steady, certain cities stood out. Bengaluru recorded the highest increase at 33%, followed by Chennai (28%) and Mumbai (11%), highlighting stronger search activity for coaching services in these markets.

With football enjoying one of its biggest moments on the global sporting calendar, the sport continues to reinforce its place in India’s evolving sports landscape, resonating with an increasingly diverse and engaged audience.

APPENDIX

Football Jerseys

May 2026 vs June 2026

• Pan-India – 69% increase
• Chennai – 73% increase
• Bengaluru – 63% increase
• Mumbai – 58% increase
• Delhi – 46% increase

 Football Shoes

May 2026 vs June 2026

• Pan-India – 12% increase

Football Coaching
May 2026 vs June 2026

• Pan-India – 3% increase
• Bengaluru – 33% increase
• Chennai – 28% increase
• Mumbai – 11% increase

New Delhi, July 6: Gold prices remained steady in early trade on Monday, while silver edged lower as global investors adjusted their expectations of future interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve.

Market analysts said gold held firm due to cautious global sentiment and continued demand for safe-haven assets amid economic uncertainty. In contrast, silver witnessed mild pressure due to profit booking and shifting investor sentiment.

Traders noted that easing expectations of aggressive monetary tightening in the United States have influenced movement in precious metals, as investors reassess growth and inflation trends.

Experts added that upcoming economic data and comments from the Federal Reserve will play a key role in determining the next direction for bullion prices.

Overall, the precious metals market remains sensitive to global policy signals and macroeconomic developments.