(MENAFN- Live Mint)

From India witnessing continued foreign portfolio investment (FPI) outflows amid global economic uncertainties, Delhi enjoying a respite from pollution thanks to rains and reduced stubble burning, concerns over long commute times to Mumbai's newly inaugurated airport, to new research highlighting the carb overload in Indian diets-here's a roundup of this week's news in numbers.

External troubles

The Indian economy continues to feel the strain of global headwinds. Foreign portfolio investors have persisted in withdrawing from Indian equities, with ₹4,497 crore pulled out in the first nine days of October. This follows ₹23,885 crore worth of withdrawal in September and ₹34,993 crore in August.

Overall, India has seen FPI outflows in seven of the past 10 months, totalling nearly ₹2 trillion this year, reflecting sustained investor caution. Economists note that the sharp valuation premium of Indian equities compared to other emerging markets has become a key concern.

Also Read | Raging Trump, fleeing FPIs: Is rupee about to cross the 88-mark

Capital respite

Delhiites got some relief from pollution this week, thanks to extended monsoon showers and a decline in stubble burning in neighbouring agricultural states. The air quality index (AQI) dropped to 81 on 8 October, down from 120-130 at the start of the month, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board.

Farm fires, arguably a major contributor to Delhi's pollution, fell sharply across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh due to rains and tighter enforcement by authorities. Data from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) showed stubble burning cases dropped nearly 65% year-on-year between 15 September and 5 October, Mint reported.

Distance dilemma

Mumbai got its newest airport in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday, raising hopes of relief from the congestion at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the country's second-busiest airport. Phase 1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to become operational in December. Built under a public-private partnership (PPP) between the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group, the airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Also Read | Navi Mumbai Airport promises relief for Mumbai flyers-if they can reach i

However, its distance from key parts of Mumbai is raising concerns. Residents of densely populated western suburbs such as Borivli and Goregaon could face travel times of over two hours during evening rush hours, compared with roughly one hour to the current Mumbai airport, according to Google Maps estimates.

Numbers talk:

6.5%: The World Bank's latest GDP forecast for India for 2025-26, up from 6.3% in June. The multilateral organization has cited better-than-expected agricultural output and rural wage growth, and cuts to goods and services tax rates (GST) to keep the momentum in economic activity going.

60.9: India's services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for September, moderating from 62.9 in August. Even with the slight slowdown, the index stayed above 60 for the fourth consecutive month, reflecting continued business expansion and robust demand momentum.

₹24,634 crore: The value of four multi-tracking railway projects approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 7 October. Spanning 18 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh, these projects will add nearly 894 km to the Indian Railways network.

₹1,000 crore: The amount raised by Adani Enterprises from the corporate debt market on Tuesday, via a short-term bond issue, Mint reported. The issue included ₹300 crore for anchor investors and ₹700 crore for bidding. Funds were mobilised through privately placed bonds maturing on 24 March 2028.

$3-4 billion: The amount BP Plc could invest in India's oil and gas exploration & production in the coming three to four years, along with partners Reliance Industries and state-run ONGC, the company's India head, Kartikeya Dube, said in an interview with Mint .

Auto bump-up?

Automakers are counting on festival demand and last month's goods and services tax (GST) rate cuts to boost sales, after prospective buyers had delayed purchases in anticipation of the tax reductions. Early signs of a revival are already visible: vehicle registrations rose 5.2% year-on-year in September, driven by two-wheelers (6.5%) and passenger cars (5.8%), according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations.

Also Read | Festive demand, tax cut power auto sales in Septembe

An analysis of historical data by Mint shows the significance of the festival season for automakers. Sales during the months of Navratra and Diwali have grown 20-25% compared to the prior two months, in the last three years.

Carb overload

Indians get more than 62% of their daily calories from carbohydrates , mostly from low-quality refined sources such as white rice, milled grains, and added sugars, a study published in Nature Medicine found. Protein intake, meanwhile, accounts for only 12% of total calories-below the recommended threshold of 15%.

The study noted that individuals deriving over 56% of their calories from carbohydrates, regardless of grain type, face a 14-30% higher risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension, highlighting dietary imbalance as a growing public health concern in India.

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