Category business

By:- Mr. Tushar Verma Executive Vice President, REHAU India & Sub Con on Year’s performance in the interior industry

When I reflect on 2025, I see a year where the Indian furniture and interiors business became more deliberate in how it grew. Design conversations did not stop, but they were increasingly supported by serious discussions around materials, performance, and execution. Categories like edgebands and decorative surfaces saw consistent traction, largely because customers and project partners began paying closer attention to finish quality, edge detailing, and how products perform over time, not only on day one. The element that stood out equally was the strength of collaboration across the ecosystem. Engagements with OEMs, architects, fabricators, and channel partners became far more focused on problem-solving and delivery. That shift helped improve site execution, reduce rework, and bring better predictability into projects. Decorative surfaces also grew as a business segment, with growing demand for restrained colours, tactile finishes as well as solutions that fit both residential & large-format commercial spaces. As the year closes, the industry feels stable alongside being better aligned and prepared to scale with clarity & discipline.

Precious metals came under pressure following yesterday’s aggressive sell off. Gold fell by more than 5%, while silver experienced more than double that volatility. The speed of the correction, as much as its magnitude, was the key element behind the intensity of the market reaction.

The move appears to have been driven by a combination of profit taking and the unwinding of leveraged positions. Silver was at the center of the action after the recent rapid surge, understandably prompting participants to lock in gains. A key aggravating factor was the increase in margin requirements last Friday, with an additional  5,000 per March contract. This amplified the downside move, turning the pullback into a negative feedback loop that each additional leg lower pushed more positions below maintenance thresholds, triggering further forced selling until fresh flows eventually absorbed the pressure.

Thin seasonal liquidity also played a meaningful role. At this time of year, market depth is typically thinner leaving pricing more fragile and more sensitive to flows. In such an environment, relatively modest positioning adjustments can translate into pronounced price moves in the absence of the usual market depth.

That said, context remains critical. Stepping back, both gold and silver have effectively retraced to levels seen just before the holiday period, barely a week ago. This does not necessarily imply the correction is over. However, this environment is clearly attractive for speculative flows, and importantly, the longer term fundamentals for precious metals remain intact.

Tactically, attention now shifts to key technical reference points. In silver, 70 – 71 per ounce range stands out as a support and monitoring area, even though prices at those levels would still sit meaningfully above the 50 day moving average, reflecting the speed of the prior rally. In gold, price action continues to show resilience around the 4,350 levels, which coincides with the upper boundary of the previous price channel. As volatility subsides and liquidation pressures ease, this pullback could ultimately prove to be a renewed opportunity rather than trend reversal in gold.

Mumbai, Dec 30: If beauty in 2025 had a headline, it would read: India flirted hard and swiped right on what worked.

This wasnʼt a year of blind loyalty or long-term commitment. It was the year of curious, confident experimentation. Consumers chased what was viral, sampled what was trending, and moved fast, but only the products that truly delivered earned repeat screen time in their routines.

Ingredient lists were scanned like subtitles. Reviews mattered. Reels influenced carts. And routines evolved in real time.

With a community of over 45 million beauty lovers across 19,000+ pincodes, Nykaaʼs Best of 2025 doesnʼt just decode what sold, it captures the beauty zeitgeist of India in 2025: what people flirted with, fell for, and folded into everyday life.

Because in 2025, beauty behaved less like a long marriage, and more like dating apps on a good day: fast, curious, trend-led, and brutally honest.

Some Categories Didnʼt Just Trend. They Went Monumental.

• The Pout Power: We sold 1,750 lipsticks every hour. Whether it was a swipe of the M.A.C MACximal Matte in Mehr or the cult-favorite Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, somewhere in India, a pout was being perfected every two seconds.
• Infrastructure for the Eyes: Stack all the kajals sold in 2025 and youʼd build 575 Burj Khalifas. Clearly, a sharp wing isnʼt a phase; itʼs infrastructure.
• Base Camp: The volume of foundation sold could paint 250 football fields. From the high-coverage NARS Natural Radiant Longwear to the “skin-first” Smashbox Halo Healthy Glow Tinted Moisturizer, India is committed to the base like never before.
• The Pink City: Blush sales hit such heights this year that if they were paint, Jaipur wouldnʼt need a refresh for the next century. (Yes, Kay Beautyʼs Velvet Crème Blush deserves a mention.)
• Reviews as the final word: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (Dry to Normal Skin with Niacinamide) won without breaking a sweat. With 1.3 lakh+ ratings and a stellar 4.5-star rating, it officially became Indiaʼs most-reviewed beauty product on Nykaa, proof that sometimes, the quiet classics win the loudest applause.
• Brand Topper: Dot G Key didnʼt just sit pretty on vanities this year, it lived rent-free in peopleʼs search histories. In fact, “Dot & Key Face Moisturiserˮ emerged as the fastest-growing beauty search keyword on Nykaa in 2025, clocking 63% growth. From ceramides to sunscreen, the brandʼs barrier-first, no-fuss philosophy struck a chord with a generation that wants skincare to work hard and feel good doing it. Cute packaging helped, but performance sealed the deal.

Some people shop. Some people commit.

A shopper from Nagpur placed Nykaaʼs single highest-value order of 2025, ₹4 lakhs in one go, 91 products, no browsing, no second thoughts.
Was it a wedding? A launch? A glow-up era? We donʼt know. But we do know the face was going to be camera-ready for anything.

Moral of the story? When India loves beauty, it loves it wholeheartedly.

Skin First, Always: The Barrier Era

In 2025, “glow” was the result, but “barrier health” was the requirement. Consumers stopped chasing miracles and started playing the long game with ceramides and peptides.

Forever Status: Icons like Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facewash proved they never go out of style. India is clearing the shelves at warp speed, with 19 cleansers finding a new bathroom mirror every single minute.

Moisture Mania: Nykaa sold 25 moisturisers a minute, making hydration the most consistent step in beauty routines. Neutrogena Hydro Boost and Cetaphil Moisturising Cream topped the charts in this category. So by the time you finish this paragraph, 50 more routines just got a hydration upgrade.

Serums: The Power Move

If moisturisers were the foundation, serums were the intentional “main character.”

The Glow-Getter: Minimalist 10% Vitamin C Serum For Face For Glowing Skin became the ultimate bright spot in Indiaʼs vanity, leading the charge for radiant, even-toned skin.

Ingredient Literacy: India memorized percentages like passwords. From The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% to targeted peptides, these were the go-to solutions for consumers who know their molecules from their marketing.

K-Beauty – From Discovery to Discipline: Not a Trend. A Habit.

2025 marked the year K-beauty completed its transition from curiosity to core routine.

Trust over Hype: Products like Beauty of Joseon Relief Sunscreen didnʼt just go viral, they stayed, were repurchased, and relied upon.

Lips as Self-Care: Glossy finishes, lip oils, nourishing balms, and creamy textures officially dethroned old-school mattes. Cult favourites like LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm became the sweet spot where self-care met self-expression, making lips the main character of the beauty routine.

The Glass Skin Standard: COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence remained a staple, aligning perfectly with Indiaʼs growing preference for barrier care and skin longevity. K-beauty wasnʼt being explored anymore. It was being trusted.

Fragrance: Building an Aura Wardrobe

India stopped looking for “the one” signature scent and started building wardrobes. 5 fragrances were sold every minute.
Main Character Energy: From the luxury of DIOR Sauvage to the sweet comfort of Plum Bodylovinʼ Vanilla Caramello EDP, scents became a daily personality trait.

Makeup, But Make It Intelligent: The Era of the Multitasker

Heavy glam took a backseat this year, not because makeup disappeared, but because it evolved. Consumers leaned into skin tints, breathable bases, and formulas that worked overtime. Makeup didnʼt want attention; it wanted performance.

Tint-Meets-Treatment: Products like Smashbox Halo Tinted Moisturizer and LʼOreal Paris Infallible 24H Tinted Serum led the movement.

Lips, but Smarter: Liquid lipsticks became the statement piece of 2025, long-wear, no-transfer formulas ruled the day. Standouts included LʼOreal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick and Nykaa Matte To Last! Transferproof Liquid Lipstick that color and performance can coexist effortlessly.

Enduring Icons: Meanwhile, classics like Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer reminded everyone that cult status isn’t a trend; it’s a legacy.
In 2025, makeup didnʼt shout. It showed up and did the job.

The Ritual Upgrade: Bath, Body & Hair

Body care moved from “functional hygiene” to “intentional ritual,” with Bath & Body Kits surging by 93%.

The Shower Scene: It wasn’t just a wash; it was a treatment with Chemist At Playʼs Exfoliating Body Wash (4% Lactic Acid) and the comforting Dove Relaxing Care

Shea Butter & Vanilla.

Scalp is the New Skin: Haircare got serious. Through the last year, over 1 crore rosemary-based products were sold. WishCare Hair Growth Serum moved at a rate of one unit every minute, proving India is officially over the “quick fix” and into the “thick fix.”

The Gloss Factor: LʼOréal Professionnel Absolut Repair and LʼOréal Paris Hyaluron Moisture shampoos kept the frizz at bay for 72 hours at a time.

Nykaa Now: For the “I Need It Yesterdayˮ Generation

Imagine this, youʼre halfway through packing for a holiday when you realize your face wash is bone dry. One shopper in Bangalore found herself in this exact “pre-flight panic.” Realizing she was flying to Delhi that same night, she didn’t think a restock was possible. She ordered her favorite cleanser via Nykaa Now while still at her office desk. The result? The package didn’t just meet her at home; it beat her there. Thatʼs not just delivery; thatʼs a travel hack.

When “Instant” Actually Means Instant:

The 6-Minute Flex: In Hyderabad, someone restocked their full barrier-repair kit, Minimalist 10% Vitamin C Serum and CeraVe Moisturizer, while a Bella Vita Perfume Set landed in Delhi… all in 6 minutes. Thatʼs faster than deciding what to watch on Netflix.

The “Everything Everywhere All At Once” Order: While most people use us for quick fixes, Chennai went for the “full vanity overhaul.” Our largest basket of the year featured 96 products in a single order, a makeup-heavy haul of Nykaa Cosmetics, Lakme and Neutrogena that proved our assortment is as deep as our delivery is fast.
Whether it’s one serum or ninety-six lipsticks, Nykaa Now is making sure the only thing you waited for in 2025 was your nails to dry.

The Big Picture: Smarter, Softer, More Intentional

Beauty in 2025 wasnʼt about chasing whatʼs next, it was about building routines that last. Beauty in 2025 wasnʼt about chasing whatʼs next, it was about moving fast, choosing smart, and switching without guilt.

Indian consumers explored freely, followed trends unapologetically, and built routines that evolved with them. From barrier-first skincare to intelligent makeup, indulgent body care and mood-led fragrances, beauty became deeply personal, and joyfully flexible.

And as always, Nykaa remained the space where curiosity met with credibility, trends met trust, and discovery happens at the speed of now. Shop these favourites on www.nykaa.com or at a Nykaa store near you.

As we move into 2026, luxury housing is increasingly being shaped by fundamentals such as quality of planning, environmental performance and hospitality-oriented, service-led living, all of which play a decisive role in long-term liveability and asset value. The sector is seeing a clear shift toward well-conceived, exclusive communities where strong design, open spaces and a serviced-residence mindset come together to elevate everyday living. At Central Park, our focus continues to be on these core pillars, creating thoughtfully managed environments that deliver enduring value for both residents and investors.

India, Dec 30:  India’s intercity bus segment has seen a significant structural transformation in 2025, moving from a largely festival-driven travel option to a consistent, high-frequency pillar of the country’s mobility ecosystem, according to data from IntrCity SmartBus.

The shift is particularly evident in winter travel trends, with advance bookings for the December–January period rising by nearly 33% year-on-year, and average booking lead times more than doubling to around 20 days. Winter now accounts for close to 55% of annual holiday planning, driven by clustered long weekends and a growing preference for longer, experience-led journeys.

Consumer expectations have also evolved, with reliability, safety, and air quality increasingly influencing booking decisions alongside price—especially during peak travel periods and disruptions across other transport modes.

Commenting on the trend, Manish Rathi, Co-founder & CEO, IntrCity SmartBus, said, “2025 marked a clear structural shift for intercity bus travel in India. Demand is no longer limited to peak festival dates; travellers are booking earlier, travelling more frequently, and prioritising reliability, safety, and overall experience, making intercity buses a core part of year-round mobility.”

As a result, intercity buses are increasingly absorbing time-sensitive and event-driven demand, signalling a transition towards an experience-based, high-frequency travel model with long-term implications for India’s transport infrastructure.

New Delhi, Dec 30:- Black Friday has officially emerged as India’s most powerful shopping moment, surpassing all traditional festivals to become the highest-order day of the year, according to new data released by GoKwik.

The e-commerce enablement platform on Tuesday launched GoKwik Wrapped 2025, its annual year-end review that combines large-scale consumer data with a personalised experience for shoppers across its network of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. The insights captures how Indians shopped in 2025 revealing sharp shifts in timing, geography, and buying behaviour.

According to GoKwik, Black Friday,  this year recorded the highest number of orders in the entire calendar year, overtaking legacy festival peaks such as Diwali and Dussehra. November also emerged as the strongest consumption month overall, driven by aggressive discounting, broader nationwide participation, and growing comfort with global retail events.

Shopping activity showed a distinctly Indian pattern. Peak orders were recorded at 10:00 PM, as post-dinner browsing converted into purchases, while a secondary spike appeared at 12:00 PM, coinciding with lunch breaks during the workday.

Geographically, demand was heavily concentrated in urban and peri-urban clusters.

Pincode 201301 in Noida emerged as the highest-ordering pincode of the year, contributing over INR 62 crore in total order value, underlining the growing dominance of the NCR region in India’s D2C economy.

Beyond shopping days and locations, GoKwik Wrapped 2025 also highlighted the scale and intensity of consumer engagement on its network.

The highest single order value in 2025 stood at INR 12,09,523, while the most loyal shopper placed an astonishing 4,201 orders in one year. Discount-led shopping remained central to purchase decisions, with BOGO (Buy One Get One) emerging as the most-used offer. In total, brands on the GoKwik platform extended INR 220 crore worth of discounts to consumers in 2025.

The dataset also surfaced several unusual behavioural markers. The first order of the year was placed just two seconds after midnight on January 1, while the longest valid shipping address spanned 515 characters, originating from Mumbai’s 400083 pincode.

At the consumer level, GoKwik Wrapped transforms this data into a shareable, personalised experience. Users logging in receive a dashboard that assigns them shopping personas based on category preferences and time-of-day behaviour, tracks total savings accumulated through offers, and awards a Top 1% badge to high-frequency shoppers who placed 50 or more orders during the year.

Commenting on the findings, Chirag Taneja, Co-founder and CEO, GoKwik, said,

“The  data reflects a fundamental shift in Indian consumer behaviour. The biggest signal of 2025 wasn’t just volume but  was behaviour. Black Friday overtaking festivals, late-night shopping becoming mainstream, and concentrated demand from regions like Noida shows how confident and digital-first the Indian shopper has become.”

GoKwik Wrapped 2025 is accessible via a shared link below , allowing users to log in and view their personalised year-in-review, blending individual shopping journeys with the larger story of how India shopped in 2025.

New Delhi,  Dec 30: Kundan Solar (Pali) Pvt. Ltd., a vertical of Kundan Green Energy, has announced an important milestone in its journey of renewable expansion by offering a 26% stake to Havells India Ltd. for the development of a 21.43 MW DC/15 MW AC captive solar project in Rajasthan. With this development, Kundan Green Energy moves closer to becoming a trusted partner for industries across India that are seeking dependable, clean, and affordable renewable power.

Mr. Udit Garg, Managing Director, Kundan Green Energy, said,

“This partnership reflects strong confidence in Kundan Green Energy’s capability to deliver scalable, high-quality renewable infrastructure. The 21.43 MW DC project strengthens our mission to support industries with reliable clean power, helping them reduce their carbon footprint, enhance energy security, and achieve long-term cost stability in their sustainability journey.

Havells’ team on this added,

 “Partnering with Kundan Green Energy aligns with our commitment to expanding clean and cost-efficient power for our plant operations. This project strengthens our long-term sustainability roadmap.”

A Special Purpose Vehicle  named Kundan Solar Pvt. Ltd., under the guidance of its parent company, Kundan Green Energy, to handle the design, development, installation, and long-term operation of the upcoming 21.43 MW DC /15 MW AC solar plant. With Havells joining as both a captive consumer and an equity partner, the project gains added significance and strengthens not only its technical foundation but also its credibility in India’s renewable energy market.

The total Investment of INR 72.5 crore for the project development will be infused in phases linked to key development milestones and is expected to be fully completed by 31st May 2026.

Kundan Green Energy, as the lead developer, will oversee every stage of the project, from regulatory coordination and site execution to day-to-day operations over the life of the plant. With a strong focus on consistent output and quality standards, the company aims to deliver dependable renewable power that supports industrial growth while promoting sustainability and cost stability.

By:–  Mr Neeraj Verma, CEO, Across Assist

“This year underscored the growing importance of VAS, not as an add-on, but as a critical component of customer experience and business success. As we close 2025, I am proud of how we have continued to redefine assurance as a product across travel, automotive and mobile & gadgets. This year was about turning challenges into opportunities and setting new benchmarks for customer-centric innovations. In 2026, we see AI playing a transformative role in shaping the VAS landscape, enabling smarter, more personalized and predictive assurance products. Our focus remains clear—to deliver seamless assurance products that empower businesses and delight customers globally.”

Anil Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta Ltd., has stressed the urgent need to scale up India’s mineral production by increasing output from existing mining assets, particularly in copper and gold.

“If the world wants to ramp up mineral production in the short term, there is only one way: maximise output from existing assets. New projects take 5 to 10 years to deliver,” Mr. Agarwal said in a social media post.

He highlighted India’s heavy import dependence, noting that the country imports nearly 99.9% of its gold and around 95% of its copper, despite the presence of domestic assets that remain under-producing or dormant, many of which are under government ownership.

At current global price levels, Mr. Agarwal argued that there is a strong case for encouraging private participation to accelerate production. “Take a plunge. It is the fastest way to achieve self-reliance,” he said, emphasising that boosting mineral output should be treated as a national priority.

Reviving production from existing assets, he noted, would require focused investment, technology deployment, and operational expertise. “All it needs is entrepreneurial energy, investment, and technology,” he said.

Referring to former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, he added, “It doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white as long as it catches mice,” underscoring the need for a practical, outcome-driven approach.

These remarks come amid growing attention on securing critical mineral supplies to support manufacturing, infrastructure, and energy transition requirements in India.