Brands
Dyson enlists Deepika Padukone to promote hair care technologies
Mumbai: Dyson, the global technology company, has named Deepika Padukone as a Hair Care technologies brand ambassador. Through this partnership, Dyson aims to increase awareness around the importance of maintaining hair health, while continuing to drive relevance for Dyson’s technologically advanced styling tools.
Dyson has consistently invested in pioneering technology. Seven years ago, it revolutionised hair care with the launch of the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer – a machine which uses fast, controlled airflow and intelligent heat control to dry hair quickly, whilst keeping hair strong and healthy. Since then, Dyson has developed a range of styling tools engineered to provide superior styles for all hair types, limiting exposure to extreme heat damage. The performance of Dyson styling tools stems from over a decade of research – from the hair’s structure to airflow dynamics – while understanding the effect of thermal, mechanical and chemical damage.
Dyson India managing director Ankit Jain said, “We are pleased to partner with Deepika Padukone. Combining cutting-edge engineering and forward-thinking design, Dyson Hair Care technologies have and will continue to revolutionize the way we care for and style our hair. Our association with Deepika will further amplify conversations on versatile, healthy everyday styling suited for all hair types”.
Dyson Hair Care brand ambassador Deepika Padukone on her association said, “I’ve always believed that a hairstyle can make or break a look. Dyson’s commitment to innovation and focus on delivering advanced technology for healthier hair styling has always resonated with me and I truly believe that this association will inspire people to achieve superior hair styles while also caring for the health of their hair”.
Renowned for pushing boundaries and embodying elegance and sophistication, Deepika is known for her expression of individuality that she embraces in her craft. She is also a strong believer in making skin and hair care routines simpler, joyful and effective with high-performance products backed by science. This aligns seamlessly with Dyson’s vision for redefining the hair styling experience with innovative engineering for every hair type, creating superior styles while avoiding heat damage.
Research sits at Dyson’s core
Dyson’s approach to styling is rooted in advanced science and technology. To expand and accelerate research and technology development across the beauty portfolio, Dyson announced plans to launch 20 new beauty products in the next four years along with a recently committed half a billion GBP. This investment will create new lab spaces to both sharpen Dyson’s understanding of global hair types and damage, while also supporting the continued diversification of Dyson’s beauty technology. With the aim to seamlessly marry the world of science and technology with health and beauty, Dyson has introduced solutions meant for all hair types. The Hair Care range which includes the Dyson Corrale straightener, Dyson Supersonic hairdryer and Dyson Airwrap multi-styler, is the result of years of research and product development of Dyson hair engineers.
Across Dyson’s four technology campuses, 6,000 engineers and scientists have access to hundreds of laboratories. These spaces allow for rigorous testing of new ideas and technologies 24 hours a day.
Developing technology for all hair types remains a crucial focus for R&D teams at Dyson. To truly understand how all hair types behave, and continue to identify better, healthier ways to style, Dyson Engineers develop test rigs and employ state-of-the-art equipment. Machineries such as scanning electron microscopes, thermal cameras and airflow laser smoke machines help engineers better understand the impact of hair damage, global hair types and the effects of high-speed airflow.
Brands
Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
