Ahmedabad: The charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is among the key factors most likely to influence voters in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, according to political observers.

Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7. Counting of votes will be held on June 4. Anti-incumbency, unemployment, inflation, education and healthcare facilities are some of the other important issues in the election, where the ruling BJP in Gujarat will attempt to retain all the 26 Lok Sabha seats it won in 2019.

Gujarat is among the states which will play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the elections to the Lower House of Parliament. In the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party won all the 26 seats in the state.

Here are some issues that will play a decisive role in the elections in Gujarat:

PM Narendra Modi’s charisma: The ruling BJP has a trump card in the form of the prime minister, who hails from Gujarat and was its chief minister from 2001 to 2014 before occupying the top post of the country. His sway over the followers in his home state is still intact.

Anti-incumbency: Observers feel that the opposition will try to take advantage of any anti-incumbency sentiment during the last 10 years of BJP rule at the Centre. They feel that “floating voters” who do not vote on the basis of ideology can be swayed by the opposition if they offer proper alternatives.

Inflation: Low and middle-income households are the worst-affected in terms of the effects of inflation. So this will be a decisive factor considering how the price rise has impacted the lives of people in the last 10 years. The opposition has been constantly targeting the Modi government over this issue.

Unemployment: This is another point that the opposition parties have been using to hit out at the Centre. Since this issue directly affects the lives of common people, this will be high on the mind of voters when they exercise their franchise. Lack of basic education and health facilities in remote areas: If school classrooms are constructed in remote rural areas, there is a dearth of teachers. The lack of primary health centres and doctors also adversely affects health services in rural pockets. Farmers’ issues: Issues like lack of adequate compensation for crop loss due to excess rains, non-availability of fertilisers and land acquisition for project development will also play a major role in affecting voter sentiment, the observers said.

Splits in key political parties Shiv Sena and NCP have made the battle for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra more interesting, besides the focus on traditional issues like unemployment and farmer suicides. Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13 and May 20. Counting of votes will be held on June 4.

The BJP-Shiv Sena won 41 of the 48 seats in the 2019 polls, but the Sena has split since and a vast majority of the Bal Thackeray-founded party is now allied with the BJP. The Nationalist Congress Party also split as well with Ajit Pawar joining the ruling alliance in the state, led by Eknath Shinde. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP emerged the top party with 23 seats, followed by the undivided Sena with 18. The undivided NCP had emerged victorious on four seats, the Congress one, while the AIMIM and an Independent accounted for the remaining two.

A total of 9.2 crore persons, including more than 50,000 centenarians, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, an increase of 34 lakh from 2019. Here is how the political landscape in various regions of Maharashtra looks like ahead of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

Konkan: The coastal region of the state includes Mumbai, the country’s commercial capital with six highly urbanised Lok Sabha seats, where issues include woes related to transportation, housing and jobs. The BJP-Sena had won 12 of the 13 seats in the region in 2019. While the Shiv Sena (UBT) could attract some sympathy post the split, other issues all parties will have to contend with are plans to construct a massive refinery and nuclear power plant in Ratnagiri area and a mega port in Vadhavan near Dahanu in Palghar.

Western Maharashtra: One of the most developed regions in the state, it is home to industrial cities with information technology hubs as well as sugar mills, ethanol plants and agri-rich rurban (land on the edge of a town or city, on which new housing and businesses are being built) pockets. The region receives ample rainfall but unequal distribution of water among various areas has been a traditional bone of contention. The split in the NCP, a strong contender in the region, and the Shiv Sena means the upcoming polls will ensure focus on candidates as much as party ideology due to fresh realignments. In the 209 polls, the BJP won five seats, while the Shiv Sena and the Sharad Pawar-founded Nationalist Congress Party won three each from this region.

North Maharashtra: This region is among the country’s top sources of grapes and onions, making it a hotbed for discontent in connection to changes in export-import policies for farm produce. Inadequate or unseasonal rainfall is another bugbear that can change the discourse. The region has a significant population of tribals and backward segments. In the 2019 polls, the BJP-Shiv Sena won all six seats in the region.
Marathwada: The region is infamous for lack of adequate rainfall, which has left it under-developed when compared to other parts of Maharashtra, leading to unemployment woes. Unseasonal rains and crop loss are annual phenomena, resulting in sharp surges of discontent among farmers. Apart from the industrial hub of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), the rest of the region is rural and lacks basic amenities. Speedy highway construction has boosted transportation. In 2019, the BJP won four Lok Sabha seats, followed by three for its ally Shiv Sena.

The Aurangabad seat was won by the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM. Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange hails from Marathwada and has a following in the region as was seen during many of his protests in the last few months. Vidarbha: Blessed with abundant natural resources and forests, the region in the eastern part of the state, however, has been in limelight for farmer suicides.

Left Wing Extremism is also a problem in some parts, mainly in Gadchiroli. There are also problems of human-wildlife conflicts in districts like Chandrapur, home to a sizable number of tigers. Soybean and cotton produce not fetching good returns could lead to agricultural distress in the region.

Moreover, several MP’s from the area were those who retained their seats, which means they may face anti-incumbency in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Of the 11 Lok Sabha seats in Vidarbha, the BJP won five, Shiv Sena three, while Congress and an Independent emerged victorious on one seat each in the last elections.

New Delhi: The BJP on Sunday accused AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal of orchestrating hoax calls to mislead voters across constituencies, including the New Delhi constituency, claiming that their were “cancelled” by the BJP. Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Parvesh Verma played an audio recording of one such call, in which a person was heard saying, “Your vote has been cut by the BJP. AAP will ensure you get your vote back,” and urged the receiver to support the Aam Aadmi Party.

“Hoax calls are being made to the public, saying that BJP will end all AAP schemes. This is a blatant lie,” he said.

He also wondered how “confidential voter data” was accessed by the party.

“Other than the Election Commission of India, this data is not provided to anyone. How did Kejriwal get the voters’ contact list? This must be inspected,” Verma said.

The BJP’s New Delhi candidate for the Assembly election also alleged the AAP of distributing Rs 500 wrapped in a calendar in the slum areas. He claimed three people were arrested in this regard.

There was no immediate reaction from the AAP on the allegations, nor from Delhi Police.
He said he has filed a complaint with the Election Commission and his party demands an investigation into the matter. BJP leader and party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, who was also present at the press conference, welcomed the US Supreme Court’s decision to extradite to India Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

“Under Modi’s leadership, the government remains committed to fighting terrorism. The decision to hand over Tahawwur Rana to India is a welcome one for all of us,” Trivedi said.

Trivedi accused the AAP and Congress of supporting activities that indirectly shield terrorism.

“Atishi’s parents were among those seeking a ‘shama yajna’ (forgiveness ritual) for Afzal Guru,” he alleged, referring to the mastermind of the 2001 Parliament attack.

Texas is emerging as the newest battleground in the fight for corporate America.

As the Texas Stock Exchange lands commitments for its first major corporate listings, New York Stock Exchange President Lynn Martin is pointing to the Lone Star State’s “pro-business environment” as a major reason companies continue to flock there.

Martin joined FOX Business’ Cheryl Casone on “Mornings with FOX Business” to discuss the growing competition in Texas and the strength of U.S. capital markets.

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The NYSE recently opened its NYSE Texas headquarters in Dallas, expanding its presence in a state where Martin said the exchange already has roughly 130 listed companies.

“We have about 130 listed companies with us, we’re extraordinarily excited about the opportunity in Texas as well as… The general pro-business environment that has really been created and fostered by Governor Abbott,” Martin said.

CALIFORNIA LOSES FORTUNE 500 CROWN TO TEXAS AS BILLIONAIRE TAX THREAT LOOMS

The expansion comes as the newly launched Texas Stock Exchange begins landing major corporate listing commitments, adding another player to a market long dominated by established exchanges. The development puts Texas at the center of a growing competition for public companies and capital.

Martin’s comments also come amid renewed momentum in U.S. capital markets, with more companies looking to tap public markets for funding.

“There’s a sense of optimism, there’s a sense of optimism that our markets are open. Our markets are incredibly strong, resilient, deep liquid, and there are more and more companies that are looking to tap the best form of capital, which is the form of capital that is available uniquely in our U.S. capital markets,” Martin said.

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For the NYSE, the push into Texas positions the exchange to capitalize on the state’s growing corporate footprint while competing directly in an increasingly crowded market.

Shares of Woori Financial Group Inc. climbed sharply in early U.S. trading Friday, rising $4.88, or 6.54%, to $79.38 as of 9:33 a.m. Eastern time, a move that stood in stark contrast to a steep selloff in the company’s home market of South Korea earlier the same day.

The gain in the New York-listed American depositary shares, which trade under the ticker WF, came even as South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index plunged 3.29% in Seoul trading, opening at 6,802.50 as a surge in global oil prices and renewed inflation fears triggered a broad risk-off move across Asian markets. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the two technology giants that carry outsized weight on the KOSPI, led that decline as investors reacted to rising energy costs, climbing global bond yields and escalating geopolitical tensions tied to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.

No specific company announcement had been identified as the driver behind Friday’s move in the U.S.-listed shares as of this writing. Trading volume in the ADR has historically been thin, averaging roughly 65,000 shares a day, which can make the stock more susceptible to outsized percentage swings on relatively modest dollar volume compared with more heavily traded U.S. financial stocks.

A strong earnings year for Woori

Whatever the immediate catalyst, the move comes against the backdrop of a notably strong year for Woori Financial Group’s underlying business. The company posted a 66% quarter-over-quarter surge in net income in the second quarter of 2026, according to financial data aggregated by stock analysis platforms, with record net operating revenue and strong growth in non-interest income. Woori’s common equity tier 1 capital ratio, a key measure of a bank’s financial cushion, reached 13.71% in the period, and the company’s board approved a historic 350 billion won share buyback program.

Woori’s non-bank businesses, which include insurance and securities operations built up through recent acquisitions, reportedly tripled their contribution to overall earnings during the quarter, a shift the company has pointed to as evidence of a more diversified and resilient earnings base heading into the back half of the year.

The company also reported reviewed first-half 2026 results with a clean audit opinion in mid-August, and it has continued to return capital to shareholders through its quarterly dividend program. Under South Korean regulatory changes tied to the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act, Woori set its third-quarter 2026 dividend record date for November 10, with an expected payment date of November 30.

Part of a broader rally in Korean bank stocks

Friday’s move continues a pattern that has defined South Korea’s major banking stocks for much of the past two years. Shares of the country’s largest financial groups — KB, Shinhan, Hana and Woori — have posted substantial gains on the KOSPI as part of a broader re-rating of previously undervalued Korean equities. That shift has been driven in large part by the government’s Corporate Value-up Program, an initiative aimed at closing the valuation gap between Korean companies and their international peers by encouraging higher dividend payouts, share buybacks and improved capital efficiency.

Woori, historically the smallest of Korea’s big four financial holding companies and previously the most discounted due in part to residual government ownership of its shares, has been highlighted by analysts as one of the more compelling value opportunities among the group. According to consensus estimates from 19 analysts tracked by financial data platforms, the average rating on Woori’s Korea-listed shares is “Strong Buy,” with a 12-month price target implying meaningful upside from recent levels.

Broader market context remains volatile

The divergence between Woori’s U.S.-listed shares and the broader Korean market Friday underscores just how turbulent trading conditions have become across Asian and global markets in recent days. Brent crude oil prices climbed above $108 a barrel, driven by escalating tensions tied to the Iran conflict, including reports of a possible strike on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline and continued attacks on vessels near strategic Gulf waterways. The Bank of Korea has separately warned that leveraged trading tied to artificial intelligence and semiconductor stocks could amplify volatility in the domestic market going forward.

South Korean investors are watching several intersecting risks closely: the trajectory of oil prices, movements in U.S. Treasury yields, the broader Iran conflict, and upcoming U.S. inflation data that could influence Federal Reserve policy. Any easing in geopolitical tensions could relieve pressure on the KOSPI, while a further spike in crude prices threatens to keep risk sentiment weak across the region.

Investors in Woori Financial Group’s U.S.-listed shares will likely be looking for confirmation of what drove Friday’s early gain as the trading session progresses, given that the move appeared disconnected from the day’s broader market narrative in Korea. Absent a specific corporate catalyst, some of the volatility may reflect the ADR’s relatively low trading volume combined with broader dislocations in currency and cross-border capital flows tied to the current bout of global market stress.

For now, Woori’s underlying fundamentals — record quarterly profit growth, an expanding non-bank business, a strengthened capital position and continued shareholder returns through dividends and buybacks — continue to support the bullish analyst consensus on the stock, even as the company’s home market grapples with a sharp bout of risk-off selling tied to energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty.

This article was written by

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Many leadership teams can recite their benefits package from memory, often listing things like subsidised food, wellbeing programmes and training budgets. On paper, these benefits look generous, and in many cases, they are, but the reality is often that most employees can’t use the benefits.

For example, in many workplaces, the canteen closes at 3pm which is perfect for employees who work traditional office hours, but it leaves those on the night shift often going without away. The same goes for lunchtime yoga sessions or mental health drop-ins that run throughout the day shift but aren’t accessible for employees who don’t work typical hours.

Employees can’t use these workplace benefits because there is a problem with how they have been designed and set up.

Offering a benefit is not the same as making it available

There is a meaningful difference between offering a benefit and making it practically available. For example, the subsidized canteen that shuts before the night shift arrives is, for that shift, not a subsidised canteen, it is just yet another inaccessible perk and the scale of this gap is often bigger than many leaders assume. The Office for National Statistics reported that in 2022, 4% of the UK workforce usually worked during the evening or night but not during the day, and a further 23% worked during both daytime and evening or nighttime hours. That is more than a quarter of working people whose hours fall at least partly outside the window most workplace services are built around.

So, when the leadership teams review the workplace benefits, the discussions should not be focused on “what do we offer?” but whether all employees can access it during their working hours, is it relevant to every site and is it realistically going to be used by the employees.

On-site provision is part of operational infrastructure

In shift-based environments, decent staff facilities are not a nice extra added on top of the operation, they are part of what keeps the operation running day to day and food and drink is the clearest example of this.In bus depots and industrial sites, drivers and engineers often start work before nearby shops open, and before any workplace catering is staffed. Breaks can also be short, and they are usually dictated by the timetable or the workload rather than by the clock. So, someone coming off a route at 5:40am with a 20-minute break doesn’t have the time or the option to go out and find something substantial to eat, which means they are limited to whatever is available on site.

Demand also changes depending on the shift times and an employee on the morning shift might reach for something different from an employee on the night shift. There is also a shift in demand between different sites within the same company as it all depends on the employee’s demographics. For provisions to be successful, they need to keep pace with the changing demands, which means reliable equipment and replenishment outside of office hours to ensure the machines don’t run out of stock.
There is a health aspect to consider as well, because the Health and Safety Executive recognises that shift work can affect health and safety and advises employers to assess and manage the risks that come with it.

The Society of Occupational Medicine also recommends that shift workers should have access to healthy, affordable food and drink throughout their shifts. That is not to say that a well-stocked staff area cures fatigue or delivers measurable health improvements on its own, but leaving people to work unsocial hours with no realistic access to food and drink is a choice and it is a poor one.

Replace assumptions with operational evidence

Vending machine operators, like Connect Vending, can use telemetry to analyse each individual site’s sales data to map out their usage and to highlight what time of day people rely on food and drink provisions the most. This sales data helps to inform restocking schedules and indicates when a machine may need servicing to prevent equipment downtime or from running out of stock.

An example of when this data has influenced the operational efficiency of a site comes from Connect Vending, who see this pattern regularly across the bus companies they work with. At one site, the consumption data showed a clear spike in sales at 1am as crews came off their final routes, which is hours after a traditional catering model would have closed and long before it would open again. If the provision had stopped at the end of the office day, that entire period of demand would have been missed, and those employees would have finished their shifts with nothing available to them.

Reviewing the data has also led to ranges and stocking schedules being changed at more than one site because what was being provided simply did not match when and how people were actually taking their breaks. None of this required a survey or a consultancy project, it just required looking at what the operation was already telling them.

A five-question audit for senior leaders

For any CEO or operations leader who wants a quick health check, five questions will highlight most of the gaps:

1. Which of our benefits become unavailable outside standard office hours?
   2. Which sites or shifts receive a different level of provision?
   3. Are our services designed around actual break patterns?
   4. What does our usage data reveal about unmet demand?
   5. Have employees on every shift, at every site, been asked what they need?

CIPD advises employers to make sure benefits are genuinely valued by employees and aligned with wider business and workforce objectives and there is no way to know what a night shift values without asking the night shift.
Conclusion

None of this means that every site needs identical facilities or that a small depot should mirror a head office. Differences are fine when they are deliberate and the real question for leaders is whether differences in location and working hours are unintentionally creating a poorer experience for parts of the workforce, which is usually the parts doing the least visible and least flexible work.

Getting this right also sends a signal to your employees because it shows that the business understands how its people work rather than just how the org chart says they do. Employees notice when their working patterns have been considered, and they notice just as quickly when they have not.