Myntra Faces ED Heat, Amazon Buys AI Wearables, and Good Glamm Faces Total Sell-Off

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📰 India Retail Pulse

India‑UK FTA Signed: What Lies Ahead
A historic FTA signed on July 24 promises export-led growth in textiles, pharma, and consumer goods, though full benefits hinge on execution.
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BigBasket Turnover Declines in FY25 Amid Rising Quick‑Commerce Competition
BigBasket’s revenue slipped ~3% in FY25 as delivery-first platforms like Zepto and Blinkit gained share.
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Retail Leasing Drops 6% in Apr–Jun Across 8 Cities
Leasing volumes in malls and high streets contracted by ~6% YoY, signaling cautious footprint expansion among retailers.
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Lotte India Launches Pepero Biscuit, Targets ₹2,000 Crore Revenue
The South Korean snack maker enters biscuit-snack market hoping to scale to ₹2,000 crore with Gen‑Z–oriented flavors.
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Tata Consumer Products Posts 15% Q1 Profit Growth
Profit rose 15% YoY in Q1 FY26, chiefly driven by robust performance in tea, salt, and branded FMCG categories.
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Myntra Faces ₹1,654 Crore FDI Violation Complaint
Enforcement Directorate alleges Myntra circumvented multi-brand retail rules using a wholesale model—transaction size ₹1,654 crore.
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V‑Mart Q1 Profit Soars 177%, Revenue Grows 13%
V‑Mart recorded ₹34 crore net profit in Q1 FY26—a 177% YoY increase—on ₹885 crore revenue.
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Clovia CEO Pankaj Vermani on 'Disruption to Scale' Strategy
Video interview outlines Clovia’s plans for retail-tech investment and expansion into Tier II/III India.
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Quick‑Commerce Firms Monetize Pin‑Code Level Data
Brands are paying for granular consumer insights at the pin‑code level as platforms like Zepto and Blinkit scale data services.
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🌍 World Retail Headlines at a Glance

Titan Acquires Stake in Damas to Bolster Middle East Footprint
Titan steps up Gulf expansion by acquiring a controlling interest in UAE retailer Damas Jewellery.
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Aldo India Expands to Tier 2/3 Cities via AI & Athleisure
Aldo shifts drive to smaller cities with targeted AI‑based retail experiences and activewear launches.
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Chinese E‑Commerce Giants Continue Instant‑Retail Price War Despite Regulation Risks
Alibaba, JD.com, and Meituan are sustaining deep discounts to capture instant delivery dominance.
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Deckers Sales Surge on UGG and Hoka Demand
Deckers posts strong Q1 growth, led by double-digit increases in UGG and Hoka footwear segments.
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Global Luxury Market Slowing in 2025: Report
Forecasts predict flat-to-negative growth trends in personal luxury goods due to weak discretionary spend.
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Puma Slashes Full-Year Outlook Amid Weak Demand & Tariff Pressures
Puma expects low‑double‑digit sales decline and an operating loss, driven by U.S. tariffs and soft wholesale demand.
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Moncler Group Posts Flat H1 2025 Revenue, Profit Down 13%
Moncler delivered €1.23B in H1 revenue—up just 1% at constant currency—but profit declined as tourism waned.
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Vogue Club Membership Program Closes
Vogue’s exclusive membership offering is shut down as Condé Nast retools its consumer engagement model.
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Beyond Yoga Launches 'Seek Beyond' Platform with Issa Rae
The platform fuses fitness with mindfulness and identity, reflecting a broader brand repositioning.
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Amazon Acquires AI Wearables Startup Bee
Amazon adds Bee’s low-power speech transcription wearables to its smart device ecosystem.
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Sundar Pichai Joins Billionaire Club as Alphabet Shares Soar
Alphabet’s rally and AI performance push Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s net worth past $1B.
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🔥 Top Funding & IPO News in Indian Retail

Superk Raises ₹100 Crore; Investor Roster Expands with Shubman Gill
Value retail startup closes major funding led by Binny Bansal and Mithun Sacheti; cricket star Shubman Gill also joins as investor.
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Good Glamm Group Lenders Begin Brand Breakup & Sale Process
Lenders initiate asset breakup procedures and place surviving brands on the market after the holding company’s collapse.
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Yali Capital Raises $104M Debut Deep‑Tech Fund
The firm launches a $104 million fund to back early-stage ventures across AI, cleantech, biotech, and hardware innovation.
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Cashify Eyes Profitability in FY26 After Strong FY25 Revenue
Cashify anticipates profitability in FY26, backed by ₹1,150 crore revenue in FY25.
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👔 Key Retail Appointments

Ananth Kumaraswamy Appointed Co‑Head, L Catterton India
Former Unilever executive joins private equity firm to lead consumer investment strategies across India.
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Samina Virk Adds Global CMO Role to U.S. CEO Duties at Vestiaire Collective
Virk expands her role to drive global marketing strategy alongside U.S. operations at the luxury resale leader.
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🤖 Deep Dive: VCs Look to the Stars – Financial Astrology Goes Mainstream in India

Why It Matters

A wave of startups are fusing ancient astrology with modern fintech—and investors are buying in. Financial astrology apps now offer "cosmic" advice on stock picks, crypto, and wealth planning. While lacking scientific basis, these platforms are tapping into India’s massive spirituality economy—and turning a healthy profit. As regulatory scrutiny grows, the sector sits at the edge of both opportunity and controversy.

Key Insights & Trends

• Platforms like AstroTalk and Vaya offer AI-generated astrological forecasts for money decisions.

• Astrology-led platforms raised millions in seed funding in the last 12 months.

• India's growing finfluencer crackdown is pushing some into spiritual finance offerings.

• Astrology’s appeal is strongest among 18–35 year olds, especially in Tier 2/3 cities.

Market Size & Growth

• India’s overall spirituality and astrology market is pegged at $58–60 billion as of 2023.

• The digital astrology segment, still under 2% of the total, is expected to grow 30–35% CAGR over the next 5 years.

• AstroTalk posted ₹651 crore in revenue and ₹100 crore in net profit in FY24.

• Over 950+ astrology startups are operating in India today.

Growth Drivers

• Cultural trust in astrology combined with fintech fatigue and economic anxiety post-COVID.

• Mobile-first, vernacular-friendly platforms enable adoption in deeper Bharat.

• Low CAC and high engagement rates due to repeat consultation behavior.

• Influx of VC funding, especially from early-stage global and domestic funds.

Segment Snapshot

What It Means for Businesses

• Consumer brands can explore contextual, belief-driven marketing around astrology (e.g., zodiac-based product recs).

• Fintechs and brokers may need to proactively educate users to counter misinformation from pseudoscientific sources.

• VCs face a reputational dilemma: high returns vs ethical concerns around unregulated and unverifiable claims.

• Regulators like SEBI are expected to widen scrutiny and possibly issue clearer digital advisories.

Sources:

Bloomberg | Moneycontrol | Economic Times | Outlook Business | Indian Startup News | Moneycontrol – Vaya

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