News Broadcasting
Manic Monday: Media scrips join Sensex free fall
MUMBAI: It was truly a Manic Monday for Dalal Street. For the second time in the indices’ history (the first being on 17 May, 2004), trading was suspended at the BSE this morning. The Sensex fell by a whopping 1111.70 points in the morning trade below 10,000 to settle at 9,826.91.
However, it recovered substantially to close at 10,482 down 457 points. The NSE Nifty, on the other hand, closed at 3081 down 166 points. Media stocks, like the predominant market sentiment, were on a downslide.
In order to avoid pandemonium in the market, Sebi chief M Damodaran asked people not to go by rumours but to take informed decisions. According to him, Sebi was in touch with the RBI and there were no liquidity problems.
Among the entertainment and media stocks, one company that managed to beat the heat on the bourses was Times Group company Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), which operates the Radio Mirchi brand. The company’s stocks opened at Rs 239.85 and closed higher at Rs 241.10, thus registering a marginal gain of 0.63 per cent.
The biggest loser today was Prannoy Roy’s NDTV Ltd. The stocks of NDTV opened at Rs 220 today and closed at Rs 190, weaker by 13.64 per cent. Mid-Day Multimedia, on the other hand, recorded a drop of 11.82 per cent and closed at Rs 61.15 (previous close Rs 69.35).
Pritish Nandy Communications shed 10.14 per cent to close at Rs 45.65 from its previous close of Rs 50.80. Hinduja TMT; which on Friday 19 May took the deepest plunge, going down by Rs 48.30 to close at Rs Rs 701.75; today dropped 3.10 per cent to close at Rs 680.
Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd and BAG Films both shed around eight per cent in today’s bloodbath. TV Today Network was weaker by 7.76 per cent to close at Rs 81.45 at the end of the day’s trade. K Sera Sera also lost 7.45 per cent and ended the day at Rs 36.05. Television Eighteen shed 5.18 per cent (down Rs 32.95 from yesterday closing at Rs 603.20).
Company
Last Traded Price
Previous close
Change
Per cent change
Adlabs Films
Rs 267.30
Rs 271.45
Rs -4.15
-1.53
BAG Films
Rs 9.63
Rs 10.54
Rs -0.91
-8.63
Balaji Telefilms
Rs 139.95
Rs 147.00
Rs -7.05
-4.80
Cinevistaas
Rs 21.45
Rs 22.55
Rs -1.10
-4.88
ENIL
Rs 241.10
Rs 239.60
Rs 1.50
0.63
ETC Networks
Rs 37.65
Rs 38.50
Rs -0.85
-2.21
Galaxy Ent
Rs 251.15
Rs 260.95
Rs -9.80
-3.76
Gemini Comm
Rs 420.00
Rs 433.30
Rs -13.30
-3.07
Hinduja TMT
Rs 680.00
Rs 701.75
Rs -21.75
-3.10
Jain Studios
Rs 27.60
Rs 29.00
Rs -1.40
-4.83
K Sera Sera
Rs 36.05
Rs 38.95
Rs -2.90
-7.45
Mid-Day Multimedia
Rs 61.15
Rs 69.35
Rs -8.20
-11.82
Mukta Arts
Rs 42.95
Rs 45.20
Rs -2.25
-4.98
NDTV Ltd
Rs 190.00
Rs 220.00
Rs -30.00
-13.64
Pritish Nandy
Rs 45.65
Rs 50.80
Rs -5.15
-10.14
Sahara One Media
Rs 324.00
Rs 354.00
Rs -30.00
-8.47
Saregama
Rs 241.65
Rs 254.05
Rs -12.40
-4.88
Sun TV
Rs 1159.55
Rs 1192.35
Rs -32.80
-2.75
TV Eighteen
Rs 603.20
Rs 636.15
Rs -32.95
5.18
TV Today
Rs 81.45
Rs 88.30
Rs -6.85
-7.76
UTV
Rs 176.00
Rs 183.55
Rs -7.55
-4.11
Zee Telefilms
Rs 228.20
Rs 229.60
Rs -1.40
-0.61
In the vicinity of the one – five per cent loss incurred by companies were the likes of Mukta Arts (-4.98 per cent), Cinevistaas (-4.88 per cent), Saregama (-4.88 per cent), Balaji Telefilms (-4.80 per cent), Jain Studios (-4.83 per cent), UTV (-4.11 per cent), Sun TV (-2.75 per cent), ETC Networks (-2.21 per cent), Adlabs Films (-1.53 per cent).
Media major Zee Telefilms had a relatively quiet day at the bourses, closing at Rs 228.20 down a minimal -0.61 per cent from yesterday’s last traded price of Rs 229.60. On the Nifty, meanwhile, Zee ended the day at Rs 227.40, down 1.22 per cent from yesterday’s close of Rs 230.20.
The big question on every market punter’s mind at the moment seems of course to be just how low will low go. When will the “market correction” bottom out is something no one seems to be able to hazard a guess on currently.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
