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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  News in numbers | VC-backed start-ups raised $1.5 billion on 114 deals
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News in numbers | VC-backed start-ups raised $1.5 billion on 114 deals

Solar power tariff at record low, drops to Rs4.34 a unit; 35-second compulsory wait to book tickets on IRCTC website

China’s economic slowdown in the last two years comes as its government is trying to transition to an economy that is led by consumption and services rather than exports and investments. Photo: Bloomberg Premium
China’s economic slowdown in the last two years comes as its government is trying to transition to an economy that is led by consumption and services rather than exports and investments. Photo: Bloomberg

4.34 per unit

What is it? The price at which Finland-based Fortum Finnsurya Energy has bid to build a 70MW solar plant in Rajasthan under NTPC’s Bhadla Solar Park tender.

Why is it important? This is the lowest solar tariff in India, beating the recent bids by SBG Cleantech and Sun Edison at 4.63 per unit. Though such low tariffs raise concerns about the viability of these projects, the government says this has been possible “through transparent auctions with a ready provision of land, transmission and the like". Lower crude prices tend to be bad for solar energy firms, but India’s energy push is opening up opportunities for some of them.

Tell me more: State-owned NTPC conducted the reverse bidding for 420 MW solar projects to be set up at Bhadla’s Solar Park—Phase II on Monday.

35 seconds

What is it? The minimum time it will take to book a train ticket on IRCTC website.

Why is it important? The railway ticket booking website has deliberately kept the booking time to 35 seconds to prevent automated software from exploiting the system deprive genuine ticket seekers. The 35-second wait time was arrived at after considering that it takes at least 35 seconds to fill in the required information. This is expected to reduce complaints from individual users who end up not being able to book tickets online.

Tell me more: In 2014-15, 18.3 crore tickets were booked on the IRCTC website and 14.9 crore between April-December 2015.

6%

What is it? The rate at which print advertising is estimated to grow in 2016 in India, according to a report by media agency GroupM.

Why is it important? However, print’s share in ad spending is estimated to decrease from 32.4% to 29.7% in 2016. The share of digital and television advertising is expected to increase to 12.7% and 47.1%, respectively, this year. The growth in print sector is to be driven by auto, banking and finance and the government, besides regional advertising of telecom and consumer product brands in vernacular papers.

Tell me more: Total ad spending is estimated to grow 15.5% in 2016 to 57,486 crore. Digital spending is likely to grow the fastest at 47.5%, while growth rates of television and radio advertising are likely to slow down from 2015.

$1.5 billion

What is it? The amount venture capital-backed start-ups raised on 114 deals in the October-December quarter of 2015, according to a report by CB Insights and KPMG.

Why is it important? This is a decline of 46% in funding and 18% in the number of deals in the last quarter of 2015 compared to the previous quarter. In the third quarter of 2015, VC-backed start-ups raised $2.8 billion on 139 deals. An indicator that start-ups may not enjoy the same steady flow of VC money as in the previous quarters. India recently announced setting up a fund of funds with a $1.5 billion corpus to spend over four years.

Tell me more: At the global level too, there was a 30% drop in funding to $27.2 billion invested across 1,742 deals, marking the “lowest quarterly deal activity since Q1 2013".

6.9%

What is it? China’s economic growth rate in 2015.

Why is it important? It is the slowest in 25 years. A slowdown in China, which is the second largest economy and the second largest importer of goods and services, is bound to affect the global economy. Concerns over China’s slowdown and a slump in commodity prices have prompted the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cut its global economic growth forecast to 3.4% in 2016 from its October projection of 3.6%. It has kept China’s growth projection unchanged at 6.3% this year. China’s release of its weak economic growth prompted speculation that the government might announce some stimulus package, causing global stocks to rise.

Tell me more: China’s economic slowdown in the last two years comes as its government is trying to transition to an economy that is led by consumption and services rather than exports and investments.

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Published: 20 Jan 2016, 12:04 PM IST
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