Amid rising nationalistic sentiment in the wake of Operation Sindoor, Indian travelers are increasingly canceling plans to visit Turkey and Azerbaijan. Online travel platform MakeMyTrip has reported a staggering 60% drop in bookings and a 250% spike in cancellations to both countries over the past week. The downturn follows widespread calls on social media for a travel boycott, citing the two nations' perceived support for Pakistan.

Accretion Pharmaceuticals Ltd has initiated its initial public offering (IPO), aiming to raise Rs 29.75 crore by issuing 29.46 lakh new equity shares. The price band for the offering has been set between Rs 96 and Rs 101 per share. The subscription window opened on May 15 and will remain active through May 16. As of 2 p.m. on the first day, the issue had been subscribed 59%, reflecting moderate initial investor interest. Upon successful completion, the company plans to list its shares on the NSE SME platform, targeting enhanced visibility and access to public capital markets.

The iconic Bollywood romantic drama Dhadkan, starring Shilpa Shetty, Suniel Shetty, and Akshay Kumar, is set to make a grand return to the silver screen after 25 years. Originally released in 2000, the film will be re-released on May 23, 2025, giving both long-time fans and younger audiences a chance to experience this classic love story again. Directed by Dharmesh Darshan, the movie captivated audiences with its emotional depth and gripping storyline.

Airbnb is intensifying its focus on India, leveraging the country's massive population of millennials and Gen Z to fuel growth. According to Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Nathan Blecharczyk, India represents a pivotal market for the global accommodation platform, particularly as younger generations seek unique travel experiences. Airbnb's strategic rollout of features such as Airbnb Experiences and its revamped mobile app is tailored to these demographics.

In a strategic move reflecting sustained confidence in India’s public sector banking sector, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has increased its shareholding in Bank of India (BoI) to 8.38% as of May 9, 2025. The country’s largest insurer gradually acquired an additional 2.026% stake in BoI over nearly four years, boosting its holding from 6.35%. The transaction underscores LIC’s broader investment strategy, which frequently emphasizes long-term positions in state-backed institutions.

Butterfly Gandhimathi Appliances Ltd has reported a remarkable turnaround for the January–March 2025 quarter, posting a standalone net profit of Rs. 9.03 crore, reversing a net loss of Rs. 19.76 crore in the same quarter last year. For the full financial year ending March 31, 2025, the Chennai-based domestic appliances manufacturer recorded a net profit of Rs. 32.53 crore, significantly higher than Rs. 7.38 crore in the previous year.

India’s wholesale inflation eased significantly to 0.85% in April, driven by a sharp decline in food, fuel, and manufactured product prices, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This marks a notable deceleration from March’s 2.05% and offers a positive signal for monetary policy easing. Retail inflation also dipped to a near six-year low of 3.16%, reinforcing expectations of another rate cut by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its upcoming June policy review.

Aditya Birla Capital, a leading non-deposit-taking non-banking financial company (NBFC), has announced a strong financial performance for the fourth quarter of FY25, with a consolidated profit of Rs 865 crore. This represents a 6% year-on-year growth, excluding one-time gains from the previous fiscal. The company also reported a growth in total income, alongside strategic moves, including a significant increase in its lending portfolio and a boost in assets under management (AUM).

In a strategic move to strengthen India's semiconductor ecosystem, the Union Cabinet has approved a joint venture between HCL and Foxconn to establish a semiconductor fabrication unit in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh. With a projected investment of Rs. 3,706 crore, the plant will focus on producing display driver chips used in mobile devices, automobiles, and laptops. The project is expected to generate 2,000 jobs and produce 20,000 wafers monthly. Meanwhile, Jain Irrigation Systems has swung back to profitability, reporting a net profit of Rs.

In a sharp critique of Bollywood’s internal dynamics, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has called out the industry’s top directors for perpetuating mediocrity by refusing to hold actors accountable for subpar performances. Speaking on a podcast, Agnihotri questioned the selective criticism aimed at filmmaker Sandeep Reddy Vanga for Animal, while lead actor Ranbir Kapoor received widespread acclaim.