Archive: July 3, 2026

Humpback Highway in Full Swing Along Australia’s Coral Coast _Press Release

The annual humpback whale migration is underway, with an estimated 45,000 humpback whales travelling along the Western Australian coastline each year, making it one of the largest whale migrations on Earth. The arrival of the season’s first humpback whales has signalled the return of one of nature’s greatest wildlife spectacles along Australia’s Coral Coast.

This week, Coral Bay Eco Tours celebrated its first humpback whale swim of the season, while Ningaloo Discovery recorded its first humpback whale sighting off Exmouth, confirming the migration has arrived at Ningaloo.

Between July and November, visitors have the rare opportunity to witness these magnificent marine mammals up close and, in some cases, even swim alongside them. Ningaloo Reef is the only destination in Western Australia offering guided humpback whale swim tours, providing a truly immersive wildlife experience in the crystal-clear waters of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed reef.

“Every humpback whale swim is unique, and in my opinion can be one of the most mutualistic interactions you can have in the water, said Ellie Farquhar, photographer for Coral Bay Eco Tours.

“They are such intelligent mammals, so every successful swim indicates their willingness to interact with us. This makes humpback whale swims feel like such a privilege”.

Tours commenced on 1 July in Coral Bay, with Exmouth operators preparing to begin their season in August. Adding to the excitement, humpback whale season overlaps with the tail end of

Ningaloo’s whale shark season, creating the possibility of encountering two of the region’s largest marine species during the same visit.

Ningaloo is also home to the renowned Ningaloo Big 5; whale sharks, humpback whales, manta rays, turtles and dugongs, making it one of the few places in the world where travellers can experience such an extraordinary diversity of marine megafauna in one destination.

“Few wildlife experiences compare to the moment you encounter a humpback whale in the wild,” said Kelly Leonard, Marketing C Tourism Development Manager at Australia’s Coral Coast.

“It’s one of those experiences that stays with you long after you’ve left the water. The overlap of humpback whale season with whale shark season makes this one of the most incredible times to experience Ningaloo and its iconic Big 5.”

For visitors who prefer to stay dry, whale watching cruises operate throughout the season from Exmouth, Coral Bay, Kalbarri and Geraldton, offering spectacular opportunities to witness breaching whales, tail slaps and playful calf behaviour from the comfort of a vessel.

With humpback whale season now underway and visitor demand expected to remain strong throughout winter and spring, travellers are encouraged to secure tours and accommodation well in advance.

Nifty Ends Above 24,270, Posts Weekly Gain on Positive Global Cues

July 3: India’s benchmark equity index, the Nifty, closed above the 24,270 mark at the end of the week’s trading session, registering a gain of around 1% for the week amid positive global market sentiment and sustained investor confidence.

The rally was supported by favourable international cues, improving risk appetite among investors, and buying interest across key sectors. Market participants also tracked global economic developments and expectations surrounding monetary policy, which contributed to the positive momentum.

Analysts noted that strong participation from domestic investors and selective buying in heavyweight stocks helped the benchmark index maintain its upward trajectory despite intermittent market volatility.

The week’s performance reflects continued resilience in the Indian equity market, with investors remaining optimistic about the country’s economic outlook and corporate earnings. Market experts expect global developments, domestic macroeconomic indicators, and quarterly earnings announcements to remain key drivers of market sentiment in the coming weeks.

Luxor Crayola Deepens Its Commitment to India’s Creative Learning Market at 17th Toy Biz International 2026

The brand strengthens retail and distribution partnerships while showcasing globally trusted creative learning innovations through interactive product experiences

New Delhi, July 03: Building on the successful launch of Crayola in India earlier this year, Luxor Crayola has announced its participation at Toy Biz International 2026, South Asia’s largest B2B toy trade exhibition organised by the 17th Toy Association of India (TAI). Scheduled from July 4 to 7 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the exhibition marks the next phase of the brand’s growth journey in India as it focuses on expanding its distribution network, strengthening retail partnerships and increasing access to its portfolio of globally trusted creative products across the country.

As one of the region’s most influential trade platforms for the toy and children’s products industry, Toy Biz International brings together leading manufacturers, distributors, retailers, institutional buyers, e-commerce players and sourcing professionals from India and overseas. For Luxor Crayola, the exhibition presents an opportunity to engage directly with the trade ecosystem, explore new business collaborations and reinforce its long-term commitment to growing the creative learning category in India.

The participation builds on the strategic partnership between Luxor and Crayola, which combines Crayola’s global leadership in children’s creative expression with Luxor’s extensive manufacturing expertise, nationwide distribution network and deep understanding of the Indian market. Together, the two brands are working to make globally trusted creativity and learning products more accessible to children, educators and families across the country.

At Toy Biz International, Luxor Crayola will present an immersive brand experience through a dedicated 77-square-metre booth strategically located to maximise visibility and engagement with trade visitors. Designed with a three-side open layout, the space will feature the brand’s latest creative learning solutions alongside interactive product experiences that allow visitors to experience the products beyond conventional displays.

A key highlight of the booth will be live demonstration zones showcasing some of Crayola’s most recognised innovations, including Scribble Scrubbies, Ultra-Clean Washable Markers and Color Wonder. Visitors will be able to experience how Scribble Scrubbies can be coloured, washed and customised repeatedly, how Ultra-Clean Washable Markers clean easily from most washable surfaces using just water, and how Color Wonder’s patented technology delivers a truly mess-free colouring experience by revealing colour only on specially designed Color Wonder paper.

These demonstrations are designed to give distributors, retailers and business partners a first-hand understanding of the products’ unique consumer proposition while highlighting the innovation, quality and functionality that have made Crayola a trusted global brand for generations.

Speaking about the participation, Pooja Jain Gupta, Managing Director, Luxor Writing Instruments Pvt. Ltd., said, “The response to Luxor Crayola since our launch in India has reinforced the growing demand for high-quality creative learning products that inspire imagination, confidence and self-expression. As we continue to expand our presence across the country, Toy Biz International provides an important platform to engage with retailers, distributors and business partners who share our vision of making creativity more accessible to children. We see this as an opportunity not only to showcase our portfolio but also to build long-term partnerships that will help us accelerate our growth and strengthen the creative learning ecosystem in India.”

The exhibition will also provide retailers, distributors, wholesalers, modern trade, e-commerce partners, institutional buyers and licensing partners an opportunity to explore Luxor Crayola’s expanding portfolio, interact with the team and discuss new opportunities for collaboration and business growth.

Guided by the belief that creativity is an essential life skill rather than simply a childhood activity, Luxor Crayola continues to invest in products that foster imagination, learning and self-expression. Its participation at Toy Biz International 2026 reflects the brand’s long-term commitment to expanding its footprint across India through stronger trade partnerships, wider market availability and continued innovation, while bringing world-class creative experiences to more children and families nationwide.

Housing Affordability Holds Firm Across Most Major Indian Cities: Report

July 3: Housing affordability remained largely unchanged across six of India’s eight major cities, indicating continued resilience in the residential real estate market despite evolving economic conditions, according to a recent industry report.

The report attributes the stable trend to steady income growth, relatively stable home loan rates, and balanced residential property prices in most urban markets. Together, these factors have helped preserve homebuying capacity for prospective buyers.

Although affordability moderated in two cities due to rising property prices and financing costs, the overall outlook for the housing sector remains positive. Demand continues to be driven primarily by end-users, supported by improving consumer sentiment and sustained interest in home ownership.

According to the report, stable affordability is expected to support continued growth in the residential real estate sector, with developers focusing on demand across both mid-income and premium housing segments.