The BS Morning Show: Recent Episodes
Business Standard
The Business Standard Morning Show brings you some of the most important developments that are making the news, takes a deep dive into some of the more complex and nuanced issues, gets you one-on-one interviews with some of the most notable newsmakers in the country, and decodes a concept, trend or jargon for you
Innovative solutions by fintech companies are essential to the financial services sector, Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday. But in the same breath, the finance minister also said that they must ensure strict compliance with regulations. The FM’s statement came during her meeting with fintech leaders, which was called against the backdrop of RBI’s strict action against fintech giant Paytm. So, will the FM’s reassurance soothe the nerves of fintechs and ensure a sustainable path ahead? Clearly, fintech firms have to strike a delicate balance between growth and compliance. Moving on, a lot of people are currently trying to strike a balance between their earning and outgo. And for those living on rent, it’s a tightrope walk. Recent government data revealed that today our rent commitments occupy more of our budgets than what was the case ten, or even twenty years ago. Let us now turn our gaze towards the sky. The recent relaxation in space FDI norms by the government has provided a boost to related stocks in the defence and aerospace industry. As these shares remain upbeat, should you also join the rally or can valuations play spoilsport? And in this race to unravel the mysteries of space, companies and startups are increasingly taking help from Artificial Intelligence. In fact, AI is marking its presence in almost every sphere. But there are worries too. Like the effect of AI-generated fake videos on voters during elections. Against this backdrop, major tech companies have signed an AI accord in Munich committing to tackle deep fakes and AI generated content that could influence elections and misguide voters. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
India’s paint industry is on the cusp of a churn. Entry of three new players, which includes Aditya Birla Group, is set to intensify competition in the sector - where top five players have cornered 90% of the organised market. But exactly what is drawing big players to the paint industry? Stock of Asian Paints fell by over 5% on Monday after Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA downgraded it, saying that stiff competition may take a toll on the paint maker’s near-term growth and margin. Moving on, like India’s paints industry, its space sector too is painting a promising picture. The government recently amended the FDI rules, allowing up to 100 per cent investment through three categories. So will it make India a space superpower? After space, let us now see what is happening in the world of cryptocurrencies. World’s largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has jumped over 20% so far this year to 52,000 dollars. Its market value has also breached the 1 trillion dollar-mark for the first time since late 2021. However, the crypto community is abuzz with two questions: Has the market already adjusted itself to factor in the halving’s impact? And, where is the price headed in the next 3 - 6 months? Do you want to know more about Bitcoin ‘halving’? Well in our explainer segment, Shivam Tyagi breaks it down for you. What is this event all about? How does it work? Find everything about this event and more in this episode of the podcast.
Trade ministers from over 100 countries are set to meet in Abu Dhabi for the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation. The three-day meeting beginning today is likely to be stormy as India will oppose adoption of a China-led proposal on investment facilitation. But why is India opposed to this initiative? And why does it want the investment agenda kept out of WTO? India will also oppose the European Union’s proposed carbon tax on imports of steel, iron ore and cement at the upcoming WTO meeting. New Delhi believes that it would be akin to a new trade barrier. Moving on, Indian roads are witnessing a big change. More and more electric cars are rubbing shoulders with traditional ICE run vehicles. But there is more to it than meets the eye. A recent report has indicated that hybrid cars seem to be outpacing EVs in the race towards the future. Despite the steeper price tag and limited variants, hybrids are gaining traction among consumers. But why? Will this trend sustain? And will it push automakers to diverge from their EV goals? Let us now shift our focus to financial markets. While the markets consolidated with the benchmarks declining over 1 per cent initially in February, they have rallied around 4 per cent from their monthly lows since then. The Nifty, in fact, has registered a fresh life-time high in the second half of the current month. In our next report, find out the five key factors that could impact the market trajectory this week. Meanwhile, the United States has announced to impose another round of sanctions on Russia as the world marks the second anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. But ever wondered what economic sanctions are? And how do they work? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The Reserve Bank of India recently urged the private sector to step up and take over the responsibility of driving capital expenditure, thereby relieving the government. An article authored by a team led by RBI Deputy Governor Michael D Patra said, expectation of a fresh round of capex by the corporate sector is likely to fuel the next leg of growth. Will private capex be able to offset the slowing momentum of government capex in FY25? While the government is expected to pull back on capex in FY25 due to concerns about fiscal consolidation, economists believe it’s time for the private sector to pick up the ‘baton’. Speaking of investment, India’s Artificial Intelligence landscape is set for significant growth. SoftBank Group, known for its substantial investments in tech companies worldwide, has recently confirmed a strategic shift towards investing heavily in artificial intelligence. The Japanese investor has now set its attention on India’s expanding AI market. But what does this move signify? Amidst the global race to harness artificial intelligence, Softbank has also targeted expanding its investment portfolio with next-gen technologies. Meanwhile, in the equity markets, aluminium player Hindalco is taking its key subsidiary Novelis public in the US by likely selling a partial or complete stake in the company. As investors await key details of the IPO, what could the monetisation of Novelis mean for Hindalco and its investors? Moving on, the city of dreams Mumbai has recently unveiled its ‘digital twin’ called the Mumbai Megapolis Metaverse, at a tech event in Mumbai. The project offers an immersive experience of the city’s future where people can explore the proposed transformation of Mumbai by 2025. But what exactly is Mumbai Megapolis Metaverse? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The general election is round the corner, and internet users are increasingly facing the risk of misleading content online. They are often circulated with the intent to influence voters. But tech giant Meta has recently found a way to crack down on the problem. It will soon introduce a dedicated chatbot on Whatsapp to identify deepfakes. Meta’s collaboration with MCA includes partnerships with 11 independent fact-checking organisations that will help users to identify, review and verify potential misinformation on its platforms.Moving on, popping dietary supplement pills has become a routine for many around us. And they are flying off chemists’ shelves. The increasing demand for dietary supplements has prompted the centre to consider stricter regulations for the nutraceutical industry. The government wants nutraceuticals to be of the same standards as pharmaceuticals, citing concerns over their unsupervised usage. Find out if India requires tighter nutraceutical regulations? Meanwhile, the equity markets have been steadily edging higher over the past few days, with the Nifty50 index hitting a fresh all-time high recently. So, is it time to get cautious? How comfortable are analysts with the market valuations, and what should be your investment strategy in this backdrop? Recently, the Indian Highways Management Company advised highway users to buy FASTags from 32 authorised banks and not Paytm Payments Bank. The company is the toll-collecting arm of the state-owned National Highways Authority of India. But what if you own a FASTag by Paytm Payments Bank? Find out how you can deactivate that and buy a new one in this episode of the podcast.
The aviation landscape is rife with stories of turbulence. Amid news of mergers and acquisitions, the aviation industry also grapples with challenges like weather-induced delays and the collapse of major airlines. The close encounters on the runway are another escalating challenge the sector is facing, amid the rising number of operational aircraft in the skies. This was exemplified by a recent incident involving two Indigo planes narrowly avoiding collision at Delhi airport. What is leading to this recurrence and how can these incidents be minimised? Amid the increasing number of aircraft in Indian skies, it is essential to develop more airports equipped with sufficient passenger and aircraft handling facilities. This should be accompanied by a stringent regulatory framework to address the emerging challenges effectively.Moving on, the Union government recently served another blow to the online gaming industry. It rejected the self-regulatory organisation proposals of the industry associations. It argued that self-regulation proposals lacked neutrality. This comes at a time when online gaming firms are grappling with cost-cutting measures due to heavy taxation. As the air around online gaming remains uncertain, find out what’s next for the industry after SRO failure. Let us now move on to financial markets. Shares of Central Public Sector Enterprises have been on a roll in the past four months, with eight out of 11 Nifty CPSE stocks delivering over 55 per cent returns during the period.However, so far in February, the rally seems to be narrower with just one stock doing the heavy lifting. What does this mean for the future prospect? Does this signal caution or will the rally continue unabated? Moving on, Air Canada recently made headlines following a dispute over the ‘refund policy’ offered by its chatbot to a customer. Despite the airline’s argument that it should not be held liable for anything its chatbot says, the country’s Civil Resolution Tribunal upheld the validity of the bereavement travel offer. In this segment, find you through Air Canada’s bereavement policy and a context to the recent developments.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India quashed the non-transparent and much-debated electoral funding system involving Electoral Bonds. It sent shockwaves through India’s political landscape. Advocates of transparency argue that this move may expose all those engaged in this contentious form of political financing just before the General Elections. Find out what lies ahead after the electoral bond. According to an analysis, around 94 per cent of the total value of bonds purchased between March 2018 to October 2023 were in the denomination of 1 crore rupees. This shows that most electoral bonds were being purchased by corporates rather than individuals. Let’s now delve into the developments shaping India’s startup landscape. Indian startups are rekindling their IPO aspirations after a break – this time with a renewed emphasis on improving profitability before going public. Several of them also reported robust earnings in the December quarter. This has made people wonder if India’s listed startups are on the brink of a turnaround. Let us now move on to financial markets. Dalal Street has been betting on IT stocks, reflected in their sharp gains recently on bets of global monetary policy easing. But with the US Fed rate cut timeline remaining uncertain, can the IT segment still extend its strength and emerge as the dark horse in 2024? Moving on, the creator of ChatGPT, OpenAI introduced a new advancement in generative artificial intelligence — a tool capable of generating short-videos instantly based on written commands. OpenAI’s latest innovation Sora makes instant videos from written prompts. Find out what is Sora AI and potential impact in this episode of the podcast.
Top executives of Reliance Industries and Walt Disney have been in a huddle for a while now. Contours of a big deal are being thrashed out, and all the eyes are now on the final outcomes. If all goes as reported, Reliance will merge its media business with Walt Disney’s India business -- giving birth to the country’s largest media and entertainment business. And on the other hand, the conglomerate would also acquire Disney’s entire 30% stake in satellite TV provider Tata Play. But can Reliance replicate the success of Jio in the media industry too? Clearly, the Indian media and entertainment landscape is seeing quite a churn. But even if Reliance seals both the deals, it wouldn’t be a smooth sailing ahead. Let us now turn our gaze towards skies where turbulence is brewing for Indian airlines. The season of fog is long gone, but passengers are still facing flight delays. But why? Meanwhile, Dalal Street saw a tug-of-war between the bulls and the bears last week. Eventually the bulls had their way, as the market ended with weekly gains. Will this recovery be sustainable or is there more pain ahead? Money, whether earned from the stocks or after a hard day’s work in the office, keeps us going. But what drags us down are the calls and emails beyond the working hours. When we are with families or friends. Australia has now come out with a Bill that will put in place a “right to disconnect”. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Despite concerns about Paytm Payments Bank being a ‘red flag’, certain banks have reportedly shown interest in collaborating with it, subject to RBI approval. But, industry observers have questioned the sustainability of the payments bank if it is acquired by another entity, due to compliance issues. Moving on, the Indian electric passenger car market is witnessing price cuts by automakers. Tata Motors recently slashed the prices of two of its popular EV models by up to 1.2 lakh rupees. MG Motor India also joined in, reducing the Comet’s price by 1 lakh rupees. Additionally, it lowered the base price of its SUV ZS EV to 19.98 lakh rupees, from its previous price of 22.8 lakh rupees. Find out whether these price cuts could propel the electric car market forward. Let us now move on to financial markets. Shares of Life Insurance Corporation, which were once synonymous with worst market debutants, have had a dramatic turnaround. From lows of about 550 rupees a year ago, the shares are quoting above 1,000 rupees mark now. What has been driving this rally in LIC's stock? And will the momentum sustain? We have all experienced moments of crisis at some time in our lives. The world, too, has weathered its share of crises, ranging from wars and pandemics to economic turmoil and climate change. While many crises eventually come to an end, some seem to persist, shifting from one form to another. This ongoing state of crisis is referred to as ‘Permacrises’. This episode of the podcast explains the term that found its way to the Collins dictionary in 2022.
The tussle between the Centre and some opposition-ruled states over devolution of taxes recently came to fore when chief ministers of Kerala and Karnataka openly alleged discrimination. Karnataka leaders even went a step ahead and staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar after giving full-page advertisements in national dailies alleging loss of 1.8 trillion rupees. Some are calling it the “south tax movement”. These states have alleged that the Centre’s policies have shrunk their share of the divisible pool of taxes. So do states have a case against the Centre on fiscal transfers? And, what will this mean for the 16th Finance Commission? Clearly, the Centre has to strike a delicate balance on tax devolution. Meanwhile, it is trying hard to do a balancing act on another front. Production Linked Scheme has been keeping it busy. So far, it has turned out to be a mixed bag. While it has given expected results in some sectors, in others it is yet to take off. A recent review of the three-year-old scheme threw a contrasting picture. So how can India rejig the PLI scheme? A rejig in PLI would indeed help India realise its manufacturing dream. Moving on, market volatility with sharp swings between losses and gains has continued into the current month. While benchmark indices are flat so far in February, it has mostly been a one-way street for small-cap stocks that have taken it on their chin with sharp cuts. So will this downtrend continue going ahead? Very soon, India’s financial capital will be connected to Ahmedabad with bullet trains. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took to platform X to share an animated video explaining the special features of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad train corridor. Find out more about the key features of this project in this episode of the podcast.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit, came the announcement of what was hailed as a “big deal” by the US President Joe Biden. The India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor is also being billed as a challenge to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. So what does this deal mean for India and for other stakeholders? And how feasible is this project? The conflict between the West and Russia played out in a different way on a tennis court this week. And the result found its way in the annals of tennis history. Novak Djokovic drubbed Daniil Medvedev to lift the grand slam for a record 24th time, and equaled Margaret Court's record in the Open Era. And with that, he has reignited the old GOAT debate. What is this debate about? Is it finally settled? Is Djokovic indeed the Greatest? After the tennis court, let us shift our focus to India’s financial markets which are also seeing a history in making. Markets regulator Sebi has proposed to implement T+1 hour settlement cycle from March 2024 to settle trades in an hour of the transaction. So, what are the advantages of the proposed move? And is India ready to take the lead at having the shortest settlement cycle in the world? Meanwhile, in another first, Paytm launched a card sound box on September 4. It allows card transactions along with the UPI transactions. So, what is the Paytm Soundbox? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
G-20 summit is behind us now. Head of nations and most delegates have left for home. It is India's moment. It managed to pull out a surprise by bringing different factions on-board and thrashing out a joint communique. Russia is happy, and so are the US and its allies. Some say all is well if the end is well? But is it really the end? Or is the joint communique just the beginning of a long haul to a better planet? What next for India and the G-20? But is the absence of its name as an aggressor from the joint declaration a victory for Russia and its close ally China. What went behind the scene in the run up to the declaration? Listen to seasoned diplomat and former foreign secretary Shyam Saran on this. Just like India, its markets too are upbeat. It has been a good run for the markets in the last few weeks as the Nifty scaled up to hit the 20,000 mark for the first time ever. The run in the mid-and small caps thus far in 2023 has been sharper with the small cap index on the BSE rising nearly 33% as compared to 29% surge in the S&P BSE Midcap index and 10% rally in the S&P BSE Sensex. Is there more steam left in the markets, or is it time for you to take some money off the table after the Nifty hit the 20,000-mark milestone? Ajit Mishra, senior vice-president for technical research at Religare Broking shares what the technical charts suggest. Let us now turn our focus back to the G-20 theme. At the centre of this summit was the joint communique -- which is being hailed as a sign of India’s growing influence at the global stage. But what is this document? What does it consist of? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The decision of Saudi Arabia and Russia to extend voluntary oil production cuts through the end of this year pushed the crude prices close to 90 dollars a barrel. For India, it comes at a time when prices of food items are on fire, and monsoon rains are evasive. So will rising crude oil prices add to the woes of India? But certain items are out of bounds for inflation. They are luxury branded items. Brands, across the world, have long been a fan of celebrity endorsements. They add their unique touch to a brand’s overall narrative. And so when celebrities launch their own brands, especially in the west, they often add their names to it. There’s Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics, Serna William's 'S by Serena', Posh Spice’s namesake collection 'Victoria Bekham' … the list goes on. But this is not always the case with Indian celebrities. Even the biggest Indian celebrity powerhouses often skip their own names from their brand mastheads. Why is this the case? Why do Indian celebs not bank frequently on their own names? After luxury goods, let us turn our gaze to items of mass consumption. CPI and WPI numbers will be out in the next few days. In July, headline inflation had shot up to 7.44%. Globally, too, firm crude oil prices that had hit the 90 dollars a barrel mark can further aggravate inflation woes for India, which imports nearly 80 per cent of its oil requirement. So, how should you navigate the week ahead? What are the key Sensex and Nifty levels you need to keep a tab on? Moving on, India has successfully hosted the G-20 summit. One of the key outcomes of the meet was the unanimous decision to launch MAHARISHI. This is an acronym for Millets And Other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
General elections are drawing close. And so are assembly elections in five states. What if they are held together? The government has formed a panel to study the feasibility of simultaneous elections or “one nation one election”. It has been there in BJP’s 2014 and 2019 manifestos. But not all are in its favour. Congress has claimed the move will “sabotage democracy and the Constitution”. Find out why consensus is key for the one-nation one-election plan to become a reality. And it is not just the seasoned netas. Bollywood flicks too have been big crowd pullers. But somewhere around the pandemic, it lost its magic. People started shunning theatres, and instead turned to OTT platforms. But the Hindi cinema’s bad spell was broken by Shah Rukh Khan. Pathan brought people back to theaters, and they stuck around. A series of mega-budget hits followed in the next three months. With SRK set to return to the big screens with Jawan -- his second release this year --advanced bookings are already nearing record highs. So, is the Hindi Box office on a sustained recovery path? And how has SRK revived the Hindi films box office? Movie Magic has also cast a spell on some Dalal Street stocks, it seems. Shares of PVR Inox have surged over 25% in the last three months. And for Vodafone Idea too, it has mostly been a one-way street at the bourses in the last six months. Its stocks have zoomed around 46% as compared to a near 9% rise in the S&P BSE Sensex during this period. But, what's powering the rise in this counter, according to analysts, and is the up move here to stay? Moving on, late in August this year, the government came out with revised National Curriculum Framework. It makes the study of Indian languages an integral part of school education. And it also allows students to choose from a range of subjects across streams. What else has changed? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Delhi is all decked up to host world leaders. The final and most important leg of the G-20 summit under India’s presidency will be held on September 9 and 10th. During which a host of issues affecting the world will come up for discussion. And this summit comes at a time when the world is still nursing the fragile economy, and staring at increased challenges to globalisation. So what are the key things to look forward to from this event? Coming close on the heels of the Moon mission, a successful G-20 event will certainly boost India’s standing in the world. Meanwhile, the country is set to join another elite club. It is that of the select countries which make semiconductor memory chips. In a few days from now, a lesser-known player in the Indian tech fraternity, Sahasra Electronics, will start rolling out these sophisticated chips from its factory in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi district. So will it give the much-needed fillip to India’s semiconductor ambitions? Like the chips, metals too play a crucial role in the economy. The Nifty Metal index hit a fresh record high on September 4 as investors cheered the stimulus roll out in China. Back home, India’s solid growth story, backed by capex push, is keeping analysts bullish on the pack. However, as the global demand is yet to show green shoots, has the rally in metal stocks reached its peak? From metal stocks, let us turn our gaze towards the sky. The International Air Transport Association has blocked the airline code of two Indian airlines that are no longer in service. The Jet Airways that stopped functioning in April 2019 and the Go First that discontinued its operations in May this year lost their airline codes which are 9W and G8. But what are these airline codes? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
India’s gross tax revenue has registered a mere 3% growth in the first quarter of the ongoing financial year. It was 22% during the same period of the previous financial year. The corporation tax has registered a contraction of 14%, and excise duty collection too has dipped. And with the elections drawing close, there are chances that revenue expenditure may see a spike. So is there a reason to worry? Weathering challenges, India continues to march towards prosperity. But it is also paying a price for this. A recent report claimed that air pollution cuts the lives of Delhiites short by about 12 years. PM2.5 level in 2021 was found to be 25 times the WHO recommended level. And the air turns worse during the winter season, which is just around the corner. So how should India fix address this elephant in the room? Notwithstanding concerns around pollution, there is no stopping global growth. A continued surge in global crude oil prices has sent stocks of oil marketing companies in a downtrend recently. The upcoming election season is also keeping Dalal Street worried. So what should investors do? Moving on, the future of Google is here. The company recently announced that it was opening its artificial intelligence-powered search as an experimental feature in India. Called Search Generative Experience or SGE, it adds a layer of generative AI-powered experiences on Google Search. So what is it and how does it work?
With elections drawing close, inflation is once again taking the centre-stage in the realm of politics. The government has taken a host of measures to ensure that it doesn’t derail the ruling party’s prospects. Export curbs have been imposed on several food items like onion, rice and wheat. Price of domestic LPG cylinders was slashed by Rs 200. And more steps are likely in the store. So has inflation become a political imperative? Apart from inflation, there is another pressing issue which is keeping the government busy. It’s the G-20 summit. Heads of nations from most of these countries will congregate in Delhi this week for the crucial meeting. So how is the national capital gearing up for this mega event? Interestingly, New Delhi’s civic body has also deployed at least 30 people who will keep monkeys at bay from crucial spots during the G-20. Clearly, the government is not leaving any stone unturned to make the event a success. Moving on, the benchmark equity indices were met with fresh global worries last month, which stemmed their strong rally to some extent. But the midcap and small-cap segments managed to hold ground, maintaining a sharp lead over large-cap returns. So what is sustaining this outperformance and how should investors approach these segments? Adani stocks resumed their rally on Friday a day after a new report revived the memories of January 24 Hindenburg Research report. The fresh set of allegations was made by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Find out about this organisation and more in this episode of th epodcast.
Over seven months after the Hindenburg Research report alleged stock manipulation by the Adani Group, a report released on August 31st went a step ahead and laid bare the alleged trail of money and the names of the people involved. And at the stock markets, it was almost a repeat of January 24, as most group shares ended in red. So, what are the new allegations? Like the Adani Group, some Indian airlines too are going through turbulence. While they have come out from pandemic-led slowdown, ratcheting up operations is becoming difficult for them. A large number of aircraft are either grounded, or going through inspections. And most of them are facing issues with Pratt and Whitney engines. So are Pratt & Whitney engines pulling India’s airlines down? Air travel penetration in India is still “very low” at only “0.1 trips per capita compared to 0.5 trips per capita in China”. Moving on, shares of agro-chemical companies have skid up to 34% so far this year amid higher inventory and adverse weather conditions. With the occurrence of El-Nino like weather conditions last month, is the sector set for tough times ahead? How should investors navigate the agro-chemical space during these turbulent times? Four stocks involved in the Moon mission reportedly added about Rs 2,000 cr in market cap last week. Meanwhile, a week after landing, the pictures of Vikram lander were released by ISRO. The two components of the mission, the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, are busy carrying out scientific experiments on the lunar soil.
Since the BJP-led government came to power nine years ago, its repeated message to ministries and bureaucrats has been to coordinate better and work as one unit. To ensure this, it launched the Gati Shakti National Master Plan in October, 2021. With Gati Shakti close to completing two years, find out how this ambitious scheme is transforming India’s infrastructure landscape. This report will also take you through the challenges and the potential risks of data leaks and cybersecurity issues along the way Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently said that building infrastructure and attracting investments will be key focus areas for India over the next 25 years to make it a developed country. But not all goes as planned. Gross foreign direct investment flows into India fell 16% in the financial year 2023 for the first time in a decade. And in the first quarter of the ongoing financial year, FDI declined 34%. So is declining foreign investments a cause for worry? Foreign investors, meanwhile, have turned net sellers and pulled out over Rs 2,000 cr from the Indian equities in the first week of August, after five months of sustained buying. The key reason was Fitch downgrading the credit rating for the US. Moving on, low-cost airline SpiceJet has been mired in legal battles between former promoter Kalanathi Maran and aircraft lessors due to non-payment of dues. The airline also has a negative net worth of Rs 3,026 cr. Yet, its stock has surged 20% in 3 months as it was back in the black in the June quarter, with a net profit of Rs 205 cr. So, should investors buy into the momentum? Or is it safe to stay on the sidelines? While SpiceJet battles turbulence, India’s space programme is off to a flying start. After a successful landing on the Moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation is set to send a spacecraft to study the Sun. Aditya-L1 will be launched on the 2nd of September from Sriharikota. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The succession plan of India’s largest conglomerate Reliance Industries has now been cast in stone. During the company’s annual general meeting on August 28, it was announced that Akash, Isha and Anant will soon be inducted at RIL board as non-executive directors. Even as their father Mukesh Ambani will remain at the helm for another five years. A host of other plans were announced at the annual meeting of the oil-to-telecom conglomerate. So what did Reliance AGM tell us about its future? With over $150 billion worth of investment over the past decade, Reliance clearly is eyeing for the Moon. Moving on, the earth’s natural satellite was in the news recently. ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 landed at the Moon’s far side on August 23, catapulting India in the league of select four nations which have reached there. Scientists of ISRO were hailed for this feat. But what about DRDO, which develops defence technologies, and products needed by armed forces. Off late, it has been criticised for delayed projects. But the government has now decided to revamp this premier research agency. So can DRDO replicate ISRO’s success? DRDO may return to its glory days if all goes well. Meanwhile, it seems, destiny smiled at good old movie theatres which were struggling to attract people for a while now. Bumper set of movie releases have propelled shares of PVR-Inox 13% higher in the past one month. However, will the rally sustain going forward? What should be your investment strategy? Movie theaters and the entertainment industry, meanwhile, are trying hard to adapt to new challenges. Like all other companies do when faced with tough times. Some of them are now resorting to new ways to cut costs. Like quite cutting or quite hiring. But what are these terms? Listen to this episode of the podcast foer answers.
How safe is this car? Consumers are increasingly posing this question to showroom managers while scanning a new brand. While looks definitely matter, safety features too are becoming an integral part of the overall package. India recently launched its own vehicle safety norm which will be voluntary and will come into effect starting October 1. It will be called Bharat NCAP. Bharat NCAP will indeed pave the road for our safety. Meanwhile, India is also making inroads into some uncharted territories. Its lunar exploration mission Chandrayaan-3 landed on the far side of the Moon on August 23. And its Vikram lander is hard at work now, drilling the surface of the Moon. And the sound can be heard in the chambers of India Inc too. Eleven private sector players had helped ISRO in the historic mission. And the sector is now finally expecting this mission to turn its fortune around. So will it happen? And how did India Inc. help Chandrayaan 3? Moving on, Reliance Industries stock ended in the red on Monday as the company’s 46th annual general meeting, or AGM, failed to enthuse the markets. Did the announcements lack firepower that the street expected, or are most of the positives already baked into the stock price? What were the hits and misses? Returning to the earlier theme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Saturday that the point where the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down would be named Shiv Shakti Point. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Brics is set to onboard six new nations -- including two major oil producers Saudi Arabia and the UAE. China -- a key player in the block and biggest oil importer -- is said to have cited the threat of a new Cold War as one of the reasons for this expansion. And experts believe that the expansion may have both economic and political ramifications. So where does India stand in all this? How will this development affect it? And, what will be its effect on global trade and geo-economics? Nature, meanwhile, is slowly crafting a different sort of world order which is not very pleasant, and doesn’t understand boundaries. Effects of climate change are more visible now than ever before. Hundreds of families were recently forced to evacuate after their houses in hill station Joshimath developed cracks. Hundreds of homes and hotels in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have collapsed in landslides in the last two months. Clearly the fragile Himalayan foothills are paying the price of unbridled constructions. Shimla too has turned into a concrete jungle. So is the queen of hills heading the Joshimath way? After the hills, let us see what is happening in financial markets. India’s key benchmark indices – the Sensex and the Nifty -- ended lower for the fifth straight week, as investors remained wary of cues from the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium over the weekend. Find out the three key events that are likely to provide direction to the markets in the week ahead. Interestingly, Goldman Sachs recently said India will overtake the US to become the world’s second largest economy by 2075. Moving on, it was Goldman Sachs which had coined the term Bric, whose summit recently ended in Johannesburg. But exactly what is Brics? Listen to this episode of the podcast for more.
18-year-old Chennai youth R Praggnanandhaa gave a tough time to five-time chess world champion Magnus Carlsen before losing the world championship on Thursday evening. But even in his defeat, the runner-up of the 2023 FIDE World Cup announced India’s rise as a chess powerhouse on the global stage. India now has 81 chess grandmasters. So what is behind India’s chess revolution? A little government push may also go a long way in supporting the game. Moving on, the government recently levied a 40% tax on the export of onions to protect the consumers from the price shocks. But this move has put the already struggling farmers in a tight spot. Farmers across Maharashtra were seen protesting against the levy and the government has decided to procure onions at a matching price which the exports receive. But will these measures be enough to solve the problems for both the farmers and consumers? Renewed inflationary concerns and El-Nino linked weather conditions have once again put consumer stocks under the spotlight. In the past one month, the Nifty FMCG index has declined 3% as against 1% fall in the Nifty50 benchmark. Going ahead, will rising inflation further distress the FMCG players? What should be your trading strategy? Uneven rains may indeed spell more trouble for FMCG firms. Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in south India again over the sharing of Cauvery river water. The Supreme Court has assured Tamil Nadu that it would constitute a bench to hear the state’s plea for the release of its share of river water. But what is this dispute all about? Listen to this episoce of the podcast for answers.
India is on the Moon. On Wednesday evening, it made history by becoming the first country to land near the south pole of the Moon. And fourth to make a soft landing on earth’s only natural satellite. Trace the trajectory of India’s space mission and tell where all it is heading to. Electric two-wheeler maker Ola Electric too is eyeing for the Moon. Its CEO Bhavish Aggarwal recently told Business Standard that legacy two-wheeler companies should shut down the production of internal combustion engine scooters. So is Bhavish right in predicting the end of the ICE age scooters? Two-wheeler exports have dipped by over 17% in FY23. The reason? It was due to a rise in global inflation and the weakening of economies and currencies in key export markets. Indian currency too breached the 83 mark recently after over 10 months. The culprits remain rising US bond yields and the dollar. While the rupee is expected to remain weak in the face of current global headwinds, is D-Street factoring this in? The government, meanwhile, said that the fluctuation in currency rate is not exclusive to the Indian currency. And that the RBI’s inflation control measure will factor in this volatility. In another development, the government recently launched India's own cars safety assessment system, called Bharat NCAP. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Yet another student died by suicide in Rajasthan’s Kota last week, taking the total number of youngsters who took their lives in the IIT coaching hub to 20 this year. The state government has ordered a detailed inquiry, and the city’s civic body has told hostels to install anti-suicide devices on ceiling fans. But what is driving students to take such an extreme step? Is it the coaching industry? Or our education system? Family support can indeed work wonders for youngsters, who are over-burdened with expectations to excel. Talking of family, the over two-year old dispute between Murgappa family members came to an end recently. The group said that the families have reached an agreement to resolve the matter, though the details were not made public. So has this dispute cast a shadow on Murugappa Group? Murugappa Group stocks jumped up to 6% after the news on the settlement was made public. Meanwhile, yields on 10-year bonds surged to a multi-month high of 7.25% on August 17, rising nearly 150 basis points in 1 month. Globally, the 10-year US treasury yields have jumped to 17-month high. As inflation outlook remains bleak amid flaring vegetable prices, will the pain in the bond markets deepen? And how should investors invest in this market? After the markets, let us talk about a lighter subject. English is a living language. Each year, Oxford, Cambridge and Macmillan get heavier due to additions of fresh words. But many words which may not make it to the official dictionaries, have become a daily definer of political, economic, and socio-cultural phenomena, practices and trends. Here are five such key terms that have shaped our conversations lately. Listen to this podcast.
Rising incidents of cyber frauds have been making headlines for a while now. And efforts to curb them have not yielded the desired result. But the government, it seems, is now trying hard to rein in those indulging in such activity. It has put a ban on bulk sales of mobile SIM cards and has mandated registration and “indisputable verification” of SIM dealers. Another government move which has evoked a lot of curiosity is the proposed criminal laws reforms. The government recently introduced three new Bills in Parliament. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill are likely to replace the existing Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Evidence Act. So are India’s criminal laws changing for the better? Let us now turn our gaze to markets. The countdown for the oil to telecom giant Reliance Industries’ annual general meeting has begun with Dalal Street eyeing the conglomerate’s key growth plans and product announcements on August 28. Jio Financial Services, especially, will be in the spotlight after its much-awaited listing. Even with the lower valuation, Jio Financial Services is the third-largest non-banking financial company in India -- after Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv. More details about this new company are likely to emerge during the upcoming AGM. Devil, as they say, is in the details. So is the demon. Scientists recently claimed to have found a “demon particle” while plunging into the depths of atoms. They were trying to find this elusive particle for over 60 years now. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The latest macro markers are out. India’s retail inflation rate has risen to a 15-month high at 7.4% in July -- much beyond the RBI’s comfort zone. Industrial growth has come down to a three-month low of 3.7% in June. And the country’s goods exports have declined for the sixth month running in July. So in today’s first segment, Debarghya Sanyal probes if Indian economy is facing fresh signs of trouble? The government, meanwhile, is taking steps to bring down inflation. It is importing tomatoes from Nepal, releasing onions from the buffer stock and has placed big import orders for tur dal. Apart from taming inflation, the government is also moving fast to ensure electric vehicle adoption. It recently approved rolling out of 10,000 electric buses across 169 cities in India. But is this mega order enough to meet the growing demands of cities? India’s EV project should hit the fast lane soon. Moving on, fresh uptick in consumer prices and global cues have thrown a spanner in the ongoing rally in equities. So, which factors is Dalal Street now eyeing, that could move the needle on equities over the next few months? Moody’s, meanwhile, affirmed a ‘BAA3’ rating on India. It said high GDP growth will contribute to gradually rising income levels and overall economic resilience of the country. But it flagged debt burden and curtailment of political dissent. Speaking of politics, the Opposition held a protest in Parliament recently accusing the government of weaponising Parliamentary privilege. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
He devoted his life to eradicate manual scavenging. Built over 10,000 toilets so that millions have access to clean sanitation. And it was no coincidence that the last thing that Bindeshwar Pathak did before breathing his last was to hoist a national flag. He died aged 80 on Independence Day, leaving behind a rich legacy. But over 21% of rural families in India still don’t have access to any kind of toilet facility. This was revealed by the National Statistical Office in March this year. And it is the women who suffer the most. An analysis of government data reveals that a yawning gender gap still haunts the country. So what is holding Indian women back? The gender gap is more prominent in rural areas. Speaking of villages, a good monsoon and improvement in kharif sowing has led to a rise in tractor sales. Stocks of tractor makers have been on an uptrend over the last few weeks. However, as the south-west monsoon looks to retreat, and a spell of dry weather in some parts threatens to hit crops, will the stocks be able to hold onto the gains? Indian financial market meanwhile is no longer what some experts used to call "outpost" of developed markets. They now remain resilient despite sharp corrections across the globe. Rise of domestic investors is one of the reasons. Meanwhile, during his 10th Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will be a developed country by 2047. But what exactly is a developed country? And where does India stand? Listen to this episode of the podcast for a reality check and more.
Welcome to a very special episode of the Business Standard Morning Show. Today, you are sharing your 500th morning cuppa with us! For 500 episodes, you have inspired us to ask the tough questions, on the latest in Indian economy, business, tech and markets. And for 500 episodes, we have toiled to bring you complex answers, simplified and fresh out of the toaster. It has not been easy, as we transitioned out of a pandemic and reacquainted ourselves with the new normal. Our team of writers, editors and the production crew have been burning the midnight oil, trying to bring you a show which pairs perfectly with your morning copy of the Business Standard. And today, we will be taking you behind the scenes, to meet the people who make possible our daily Morning Show. We’ll reveal the making of our daily news line-ups and also get you reacquainted with each of our news segments. But before all that we begin our show with the In Focus segment. ‘In Focus’ leads with the most pressing issues in the world of financial news. From policy changes to tech breakthroughs, our first segment puts the spotlight on news and views you must know before you begin your day. For instance, today take a look at the mounting challenges auditors appear to be facing. The latest example is Deloitte resigning as auditor of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, on August 13. Deloitte’s resignation reportedly came weeks after it raised concerns over transactions flagged in a report on the Adani Group by US-based short seller Hindenburg Research. Earlier in June, Deloitte had also resigned as the statutory auditor of Byju’s, raising concerns over the edtech’s delay in filing its financial statements. This brings us to a larger question: Has the auditors’ job become more difficult? Why are auditors quitting their roles at high-profile companies? At the Morning Show, we like to begin with the main course first. But that’s because we have something special right after. From In Focus, we move to our ‘Specials’ segment where we read between the lines, go beyond the numbers, and step back to bring you the larger picture. We ask the tough questions, our experts deliver the straight answers. And today, we’ll take a deeper look at the tragic passing of national award-winning art director Nitin Desai. Desai had appealed against the National Company Law Tribunal’s order to initiate corporate insolvency and resolution process against his firm. The appeal was dismissed by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on August 1. The next day Desai was found hanging in his studio in Karjat. On August 4, his wife – Naina – registered an FIR at the Khalapur police station, alleging an abetment of suicide case. So, did a bad loan recovery process push Nitin Desai to suicide? No business news is complete without a look at the markets. It’s the toast to your tea and butter to our bread. And so every day our markets team makes it a point to get you the freshest insights into stocks and options you should be watching out for. Today, we tell you about defence-related stocks. They have been on fire in the last few months as the indigenisation theme gathered momentum, and companies bagged equipment orders. Are all the positives priced in? What factors are likely to drive the next leg of the rally in these counters? And should you keep the powder dry in case they correct from these levels? Now, usually, right after the market wrap, we bring you the decoded segment, breaking down and explaining the key terms and trends dominating the headlines lately. But today, to mark this special cup of morning tea, we bring you an exclusive peek into what’s going on behind the scenes, and in the newsroom, every day. What’s it like to produce a morning news show, you ask? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
After welcoming Air India fliers for over 77 years, the iconic Maharaja with handlebar moustache is set to take a back seat. The airline, which recently landed in Tata Group’s hangar, is in the process of a complete makeover. Last week, the aviation giant unveiled a new brand identity and new aircraft livery. So, what does this rebranding mean for Air India’s ambitious journey ahead? Will it help the airline? Air India’s makeover may help it soar higher. But, a recent government report revealed that a host of big infrastructure projects are yet to take off. Some of them are delayed by more than a decade. In our next segment, Thareek Ahmed speaks to experts to find out the reason for this delay. And if there is some problem with India’s tendering process. Let us turn our focus to financial markets now. Benchmark indices fell by over 300 points on Friday as investors assessed RBI’s hawkish tone on inflation, softer-than-expected US inflation data, and sizzling crude oil prices. Going forward, as India releases July inflation figures this week, will it spell more trouble for equities or is it already factored in? While Indian markets and economy remained on a firm footing, neighbouring China, it seems, is heading for some tough time. In July, China’s consumer price index fell by 0.3 per cent, showing that it has slipped in deflation. Most of us have heard the term “inflation”. But what does deflation mean? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The Reserve Bank of India kept the policy rates and stance unchanged on August 10th, despite a rate hike by the US central bank last month and the recent jump in food inflation. The RBI’s monetary policy committee unanimously decided to keep the repo rate at 6.5 per cent for the third straight meeting. And it increased its FY24 CPI inflation forecast to 5.4 per cent, from 5.1 per cent earlier. The MPC also increased its second quarter retail price inflation projection beyond its comfort zone of 6 per cent. Find out how long the RBI’s wait and watch posture will continue. Soaring inflation is not good news for the government which is heading into election in a few months from now. Opposition will latch on to the issue of price rise to attack it. Meanwhile, the government is also facing opposition heat over a bill which the Parliament passed recently. The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is now headed to the President’s desk. It is being alleged that this bill will dilute the autonomy of the one of most premier institutes of the country. Government, meanwhile, contests it, saying it will bring more transparency in IIMs. So what is this bill all about? And will it really dilute IIM’s autonomy? In March this year, at least 12 students of IIM-Indore were offered an annual package of 1.14 crore rupees. Well, soaring inflation will not be a worry for them. But it is for others. Domestic markets fell up to 0.4 per cent in Thursday’s trade after the RBI revised inflation projection for FY24 amid sharp rise in food prices. The introduction of incremental cash reserve ratio, too, kept sentiments in check. With inflation projection above the comfort zone, will delay in rate cut hopes keep bears in control for the near-term? Stocks of some domestic electronic manufacturing firms have been on the rise since the government announced the move to restrict import of laptops, tablets and personal computers. But the move has also invited criticism with experts alleging that it was the return of the license raj. But ever wondered what exactly is license raj? And why do people dread it? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma is set to become the largest shareholder in the company he founded in 2010. Sharma’s stake is set to rise to over 19% once he purchases a 10% stake in the company from an arm of Chinese fintech giant Ant Financial. It will also make One97 Communications -- which operates under Paytm brand name-- into a majorly Indian-owned company. Earlier company was majorly owned by Chinese firms. Find out what Vijay Shekhar Sharmlarger might be up to. Shares of Paytm soared over 11% to 887 rupees on Monday after the buyback announcement was made. But it was still trading well below the IPO price of 2,150 rupees. Meanwhile, in another interesting development, the Rajasthan government carved out 17 new districts and three new divisions. The state will now have 50 districts. But what is the rationale behind this move? Do smaller administrative units mean better governance? After the western state of Rajasthan, let us shift our focus to engineering major Larsen and Toubro. It has announced a buyback for about 33.3 million shares. L&T will purchase the shares of the company from its shareholders at a maximum price of 3,000 rupees per share. However, as India sees a pickup in capex, should investors tender their shares? L&T has left, or is leaving, a mark in almost every part of the country, including in Jammu and Kashmir where it is building a hydroelectric power station on the Marusudar River -- a tributary of Chenab. The Government claims that the state is on a path of development, and that it has returned to normalcy since the abrogation of special status of the state. To do it, the government made Article 370 “inoperative” even though it still exists in the Constitution. But what is this article? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations in India. The revamping will take place under the modernisation program called Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. But what changes will this redevelopment bring about, and what does transforming 508 railway stations mean for Indian Railways? Thareek Ahmed explains. Are railway station experiences going to be identical to that of airport check-ins? Well, that’s the ambitious goal. But it’s sometime away. What’s more pressing is the advent of AI and its impact on the world of entertainment. In the US, Hollywood writers’ strike touched 100-days today, where the Writers Guild of America is fighting to restrict the use of Artificial Intelligence in scriptwriting. On the other end of the spectrum, Netflix is offering a salary of whopping 7.4 crore rupees for a Product Manager role on Machine Learning Platform. Ayush Mishra finds out how AI is disrupting the entertainment world. Experts believe that the increase in content generation and advancements in the entertainment industry around the world will propel the expansion of Artificial Intelligence in the years to come. Back to the markets, the Q1 earnings season has nearly come to a wrap wherein pockets like IT expectedly led the underperformance while oil marketing companies continued to see a rebound. In our next report, Harshita Singh chalks out the granular details on the sectors that remained in the spotlight. On August 3, the Centre announced that it is putting imports of laptops and computers, including tablets, under a licensing regime with “immediate effect”. Later on August 5, it announced that the rule will come into effect on November 1. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said that the restrictions are being imposed to promote domestic manufacturing and curtail imports of these goods from countries like China and Korea. According to experts, this is the Centre’s effort in the direction of import substitution. But what is import substitution? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Most of the corporate results for the first quarter of Financial Year 2024 are out now. The combined net profit of 983 companies -- that the Business Standard analysed -- has soared by over 64% year-on-year. Impressive isn't it? But a closer examination suggests that all is not well. Most of the incremental growth was led by a bunch of companies. And the revenue growth rose by just 7% in the first quarter year-on-year. In today’s first segment, find out if India Inc’s recovery is lopsided. Early bird results from the pharma sector are not impressive either. Sun Pharmaceutical has reported about 2% year-on-year drop in consolidated net profit in the first quarter of FY24. Meanwhile, in the realm of pharmaceuticals, biosimilar products have emerged as potential game-changers. They hold promise for millions of people suffering from serious ailments, especially for the poor. Recently civil society groups urged the government to revise India’s biosimilar guidelines so that quality drugs are available at affordable prices. Even as efforts are on to put a check on the rising cost of healthcare, there’s no stopping the soaring oil prices. They have been on an upward trend for six straight weeks and are now hovering at four-month highs amid supply cuts. Other commodities like gold and silver, too, have been firm. So, what is next for oil and precious metals? Will the strength sustain? After oil, let us move on to a subject which rarely makes news. That is solid-state physics. At the fag-end of July, a group of South Korean scientists claimed they had developed a lead-based compound which displayed superconducting properties at room temperature and normal pressure conditions. The claims led to unprecedented excitement in the scientific community. But what is a room-temperature superconductor? And why is this claim making news? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Laptops, tablets and personal computers have joined the list of products that need a license to enter India. While the government did not cite any reason for last week’s surprise move, experts believe it was done to nudge companies to make in India. And it came days after the PLI scheme for hardware failed to find any taker. So in today’s first segment, Bhaswar Kumar explores the likely impact of curbs imposed on laptop imports. Another government move that has been in the news for a while is the tabling of the data protection bill in Parliament. The revised draft comes with some changes, and it retains some provisions which privacy experts had red-flagged. So what are the key takeaways in the new avatar of the long-awaited data protection bill? Are there any gaps? Data protection is a common thread that runs through both the government moves -- the tabling of data protection bill and import curbs on laptop and personal computers. While global players are apparently not happy, there has been a euphoric rally on the bourses in shares of local manufacturers of related items. But, analysts advise investors to wait and watch before jumping the gun. Stocks of most online gaming companies, meanwhile, are still reeling under the shock due to the government's move to levy 28% GST on face value of the bets. But most of us are still trying to get head around the taxations in the sector? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
The GST Council has finally given some relief to the Indian e-gaming industry. While the government will continue levying 28% GST on the face value, the tax will now be levied only at the entry level. So, has the Indian gaming industry just received a new lease of life? What would this imply for the industry’s future? Artificial intelligence, meanwhile, is revolutionising online gaming too. Improved user experience, interesting environments and more complex challenges are taking the games to the next level. Clearly AI is here to stay. The Indian IT sector is deploying it too. But, what is the nature of Indian IT’s embrace of AI? And, how is the industry approaching the sector? Most IT stocks were in the red on Thursday as key benchmark indices fell for the third consecutive day. Global markets too are shaken after the US’ credit rating downgrade by Fitch Ratings. So, when will the Street recover from this blow? And how long will the rebound take? Puneet Wadhwa answers in our next report After stocks, let us see what is happening in the corridors of Parliament. It passed a bill on Wednesday allowing the private sector to mine six out of 12 atomic minerals, including lithium. Minerals, it seems, are the new oil. A race is on to find and tap mineral mines across the world to fuel electric vehicle production. The country also recently joined the Minerals Security Partnership, a US-led alliance of 13 developed countries. But what is this alliance all about? What is its purpose? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Finally, there is a piece of good news for troubled ed-tech startup Byju’s. Manipal Group chairman Ranjan Pai is in talks to invest in Byju’s-owned Aakash. Byju Raveendran -- who holds a 30% stake in Aakash -- is expected to partially offload his stake to Pai and use the money to repay a big loan. In today’s first segment, Debarghya Sanyal asks if Manipal’s entry will help Byju’s? Online education, pioneered by the likes of Byju’s, has opened a host of avenues for students. Learning doesn’t stop now, whether it’s a pandemic or heavy rains. Speaking of rains, India’s official weather forecaster has said that rains will “most probably be on the negative side of the normal, meaning in the range of 94-99% of the long-period average or LPA. It comes at a time when prices of vegetables are seeing a spike. Tomato has been selling for over 150 rupees a kg for a while now. So will below normal August rains hit food inflation? The fight against inflation is going on across the globe. The US Fed recently jacked up interest rates for an 11th time since March 2022. Back home, Indian equity markets are trading range-bound since the past few weeks. What are the next triggers for the market and how should investors trade during these times? Other Asian markets too crashed on Wednesday after Fitch downgraded US Sovereign rating from AAA to AA+. Meanwhile, on another front, Vistara airline is preparing to merge its staff into Air India. The Tata Group is looking to merge its two full-service carriers. It has also announced plans to merge low-cost carriers, Air India Express and Air Asia. But ever wondered what is the difference between a low-cost carrier and a full-service carrier? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Maruti Suzuki India is set to acquire parent Suzuki Motor’s manufacturing facility in Gujarat. India’s largest carmaker plans to wind up the deal to purchase its contract manufacturing partner, Suzuki Motor Gujarat, by March 31st next year. But why is Maruti Suzuki buying its parent’s unit in Gujarat? Is there more to it than what meets the eye? Sales of passenger cars breached the two-million mark in the first half of the ongoing calendar year for the first time. New launches by Maruti, Hyundai, Tatas and Mahindra and Mahindra are selling like hot cakes. Indians are loosening their purse strings like never before. And like the cars, demands of residential properties are also outstripping supply. No wonder the prices are shooting through the roof. Properties in parts of Dubai have become more affordable than in the suburbs of Mumbai. But why so? Rising property prices have, off late, turned real estate into an attractive investment option. Let us now turn the gaze on financial markets. Tata Motors was the first Indian-listed company to issue differential voting rights or DVR shares in 2008. Now after 15 years, the auto giant has brought the curtains down on this fundraising instrument. So, is this the end for DVRs in India? Tata Group, meanwhile, is also exploring manufacturing its own chipsets. India has rolled out an attractive PLI scheme to make the country a semiconductor manufacturing hub. But what is a semiconductor? Listen to this episode of the podcast for all the answers.
The government is considering a production-linked incentive scheme for the chemicals and petrochemicals sector. The aim is to transform India into a prominent manufacturing hub for these crucial products. But does this sector really need a PLI boost? Industry experts usually hail PLIs. And they believe that it will work wonders for the chemicals and petrochem sector too, and boost its export. Meanwhile, exports of agricultural and processed food products shot up by 9% in Financial Year 2023. It was driven by a spike in shipment of rice, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. But the government recently banned the export of non-Basmati white rice. This latest ban comes just over a year after a similar ban was imposed on the export of wheat. While the move may help the government keep inflation in check, it may hit the famers hard. But why so? IMF, meanwhile, has urged India to reverse the export ban. Moving on, monthly flows by foreign investors into equities slowed in July. From over 52,000-crore rupee worth of equity buying in June, FPIs have purchased equities worth only 33,600-crore rupee so far this month. Is this a sign of buying fatigue? And will the pace of flow into equities slow even more as the market valuation becomes stretched? Political stability is one of key things that FIIs look for before investing money in any country. A stable government means continuation of policies. The BJP-led government at the Centre, meanwhile, is gearing up for a floor test. A no-confidence motion was recently moved against it by the Opposition. But what exactly is a no-confidence motion? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Mahindra & Mahindra has picked up a 3.53% stake in RBL Bank. And in an exchange filing, the company has said that it was open to acquiring as much as 9.9% stake in the private lender. And M&M isn’t alone in its ambitions in the lending space. Other large Indian business houses - like the Aditya Birla Group and Anil Ambani’s Reliance Capital - had shown interest in the past. But they cannot do it as rules in India don’t allow large corporates to set up a bank. Find out why are Indian corporates keen on entering the banking space. His banking aspirations may be keeping Anand Mahindra busy, but the social media savvy industrialist took time out to laud the recently inaugurated Bharat Mandapam at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan complex. Hailed as a symbol of emerging India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the new International Exhibition-cum Convention Centre is all set to host the G20 summit in September. So what makes Bharat Mandapam significant? After opening the complex, PM Modi claimed that India will become the third largest economy of the world in this third term. The US, on its part, has been grappling with high inflation. Last week, the Federal Reserve hiked rate by 25 bps, taking the benchmark borrowing costs to the highest level in over 22 years. But the commentary did not provide the kind of clarity markets were looking for on the rate hike trajectory. So, will this lead to near-term consolidation in Indian equities? FPIs, it looks like, are on a buying spree these days. They pumped in 47,148 crore rupees in Indian equities in June, most in this year, as their belief in the country’s growth story remained intact. And it is not just the FPIs. Countries too are reposing faith. At the recent G20 meet held in Goa, 19 nations joined India as initiating members of Global Biofuels Alliance. And this alliance is getting support beyond G20 too. But what exactly is the Global Biofuels Alliance? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
A record 74 million people filed income tax returns in assessment year 2022-23. But around 70% reported no tax liability. And a year before, 69.4 million people had filed income tax returns, but close to 73% reported no tax liability. So why do so few Indians pay tax? It is not just India. People around the world want to save money on taxes. Elon Musk recently slammed US President Joe Biden’s call for more taxes on super-wealthy Americans. Moving on, Musk is on a different mission these days. Twitter, as we know it, seems to be nearing its end. The blue bird’s been shooed away. Tweets will now be called “X”s, and Musk’s obsession with the letter ‘X’ has now been cemented into a new brand logo. But will the X Factor help revive the social-media giant? After Twitter, let us move on to another US giant. BlackRock is re-entering India. This time it has joined forces with Jio Financial Services to foray into India’s asset management sector. With an initial investment of 300 million dollars, the joint venture aims to deliver tech-enabled access to affordable, innovative investment solutions for investors in India. So, how is the market perceiving the development? And will it be a game changer for the sector? As an investor, should you stay away from AMC stocks till there is more clarity on the JV’s business plans? Analysts, meanwhile, have been bullish on stocks of the electric vehicle sector for a while now. The sector is seeing rapid growth. Elon Musk recently expressed his interest in opening EV battery cell gigafactories in India. And Tata Group too is planning a gigafactory in the United Kingdom. But what is a gigafactory? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Cigarettes-to-hotels conglomerate ITC has decided to hive off its hotels business into a separate entity. ITC management has kept 40% ownership with itself, and 60% will go to existing shareholders. So what does the demerger of the hotels business mean for the new entity? And what does it mean for the diversified conglomerate? Also, how will the move affect investors? FMCG majors like ITC had a tough time last year when Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. Prices of commodities like crude, sunflower oil and palm oil had soared. But there was a blessing in disguise too. Post western sanctions, India latched on to discounted Russian crude. But, off late, the discount has shrunk. And with Russian crude breaching the G7 price cap of $60 per barrel, there is a risk of Moscow’s oil losing its sheen for Indian refiners. So, are the days of discounted Russian crude over for India? While on one hand, India opened its door for discounted Russian crude, it imposed an 11% import duty on cotton. Domestic prices of cotton have surged over 70%. Domestic exports have crashed to a 19-year-low as several mills faced cash crunch. And stocks of textile companies have displayed a mixed trend so far this year. So, will the situation improve going ahead? Or should investors stay wary of the textile sector? Staying with the markets theme, stocks of tobacco giant ITC rebounded about 2 per cent on Wednesday after three days of losing streak. Investors, it seems, have finally seen some positives in the company’s decision to demerge the hospitality business. Reliance too did something similar a few days ago when it demerged its financial arm. But what is a demerger? And why do companies do it? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Indian IT major Infosys has significantly lowered its revenue growth guidance for the current fiscal – to a range of 1 - 3.5%, from the earlier projection of 4 - 7%. The outlook of IT bellwether Infosys also reflects broader trends within the industry. Find out what Infosys guidance say about Indian IT’s future. Analysts believe, decision-making delays, lower volumes and cuts in discretionary spending could be some of the uncertainties that made Infosys lower its growth guidance. Uncertainties, meanwhile, have also crept into Indian kitchens as tomato prices have shot through the roof. On July 24, the daily average retail price of tomato was 117 rupees, as against 36 rupees a month ago, as per data from the Consumer Ministry. The government has called this sharp rise in tomato prices ‘seasonal’ and ‘temporary’ in nature. But there is more to the price rise than being just a cyclical phenomenon. Find out the story behind the sudden spike in tomato prices. Investors have been warming up to auto stocks with the index surging over 27 per cent this fiscal. A number of stocks from this sector have passed milestones. Will the rally last, or is it time for you to jump off the auto bandwagon? While eight stocks under the Nifty Auto have hit their 52-week highs, analysts believe investors should hold on, as there is more steam left in auto and auto ancillaries stocks. Meanwhile, the Law Commission of India is working on reviewing the Uniform Civil Code. This has brought back the debate on how the Hindu Undivided Family will be treated in the case of UCC. But, what is Hindu Undivided Family? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
India’s most valued company - Reliance Industries - has a big consumer base, a deep pocket and cutting-edge technology at its disposal. So, in October last year, when it announced to demerge and list its financial services business as a separate entity, not many were surprised. And last week, we finally saw the birth of Jio Financial Services. But should the existing players in the sector worry? Given Reliance’s past, it may well pull up a surprise in the lending business too. Meanwhile, in another surprise of sorts, Shamika Ravi, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, recently questioned the quality of economic data collected in the country. Her statement has triggered a debate around what Ravi called "archaic" sampling methods. So what are the arguments in the debate, and do India’s surveys really need a revamp? Shares of Reliance soared over 8% after the company announced the date for the demerger, before starting the downward spiral. The benchmark indices too have declined nearly 2% in two days as investors booked profit following a sharp 15% rally from March lows. However, as Indian markets continue to sit on considerable gains, is it time to take the money off the table completely? Or should one buy the dips and hike allocation to equities? Explore the near-term market strategy in our next segment. And it is not just the markets. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer too is giving some nail-biting moments. Just a 30-minute drive from Dalal Street, at PVR Icon Phoenix Palladium IMAX, a ticket for the movie was sold at a record Rs 2,450. But why so? How is IMAX different from others? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term will come to an end in a few months from now. His rise, and that of the BJP’s, made us believe that the era of multi-party coalitions was over. But last week, Congress and 25 other political parties announced a new coalition to take on BJP in the 2024 general elections. BJP went a step ahead and gathered over 35 political parties to consolidate an anti-Congress bloc. So is the era of political alliances back? Navigating the political corridors will indeed be tough for parties as polls draw close. Meanwhile, techies in India too are facing a challenging time. Over 150,000 people were hit by tech layoffs in 2022. And another 10,000 techies have lost their jobs so far this year. So is there an end in sight for tech layoffs? Prospects of IT firms appear bright going ahead. The NSE Nifty IT Index too has gained 18% from an April low. Moving on, India has dropped the requirement for RT-PCR based testing of a random 2% subset of international travellers. Covid-19 related worries are almost over. This has also led to a rebound for the prospects of healthcare companies, which is getting reflected in their share prices. So, how should investors position their strategy for this space? The stock of PVR-INOX, meanwhile, was trading close to all-time high on Thursday. The firm hopes that slashed popcorn prices and two Hollywood releases will bring the audience back to theatres. Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ is one of them. The movie starring Cillian Murphy in the role of Julius Robert Oppenheimer is one of the most anticipated movies of this year. The film is based on the life of American physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, also known as the father of the atomic bomb. But who was this man? Listen to this episoe of the podcast for answers.
India pulled out 135 million people out of multidimensional poverty in five years between 2015-16 to 2019-21. NITI Aayog said this in its recent report. The portion of the poor in the country has now come down to 14.9%, from 24.8% earlier. So what does this dip in poverty mean for the country’s economy? But these government schemes - which have lifted millions out of poverty - come at a cost. They put extra burden on the exchequer, forcing the government to look for ways to replenish it. Privatisation of state-owned assets was one of the avenues through which it would have raised capital. But barring Air India, the country hasn’t seen any major sale of any state-owned asset. So why has the government’s privatisation drive stalled? Let us turn our gaze to markets now. Gold jewellery retailers have been able to post strong sales in the recent quarter even as the overall consumer sentiment remains on the back foot. As gold prices are expected to continue facing volatility ahead, will the shares sustain their strength at the bourses? Sensex, meanwhile, touched 67,000 mark on Tuesday, before settling a tad lower. Markets’ fear of a weak monsoon due to the El-Nino effect, it appears, have been washed away for now. But rains also spell misery for our cities, like what is happening in Delhi. Civic bodies are yet again struggling to restore normalcy. But is there a way out? The answer may be yes. Several countries are developing sponge cities now. But what are they? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
UPI will soon go live in France. And if talks succeed, Indonesia too will join the growing list of countries which have on-boarded India’s payment system. So does this latest linkage with France suggest that UPI’s international journey has taken flight? And how indeed can UPI replicate its success overseas? And it is not just the UPI. India’s space odyssey too has caught the world’s fancy. And if all goes well with the Chandrayaan-3 mission, India will join a club of three other countries that have managed a soft landing on the Moon. This mission will also give a fillip to the country’s space start-up sector. So what does Chandrayaan- 3 mean for private sector players? Like the space start-ups, investors too are reaching for the sky. But amid the ongoing euphoria, there is fear lurking too. Nippon India and Tata Mutual Fund houses have stopped taking lumpsum investment in their small-cap schemes from July onwards. So, why are some mutual funds finding the going tough as regards the small-caps? Is it just the sharp rally in this segment, or are valuations, too, a concern? Will more mutual funds follow suit? And what should investors do? Bulls, meanwhile, continued to maintain their hold on Dalal Street. On Monday, key indices touched yet another high. But, amid the ongoing party, stocks of online gaming firms cut a sad figure. After the 28% GST, talks of TCS have put the companies in a spot. But what is TCS? And how is it different from TDS? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
India’s weather forecaster has cautioned people against visiting hill stations. From Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand, rains have brought several cities to a standstill, and turned their hills and roads treacherous. The situation is no different in the cities of northern plains. Parts of Delhi are submerged under Yamuna water. But is it nature which is wreaking this havoc? Or are we also responsible? And did Centre’s Amrut scheme - which was launched about eight years ago to improve civic amenities in 500 cities - achieve its goal? Meanwhile, it’s raining bad news for the online gaming industry in India. Last week, the GST council announced a decision to levy 28% GST on full face value of online gaming, leaving the sunrise sector in a shock. And now, revenue secretary Sanjay Malhotra has said that TCS can be imposed on the payment service providers for online gaming. So is online gaming headed for another shock? Experts believe that 28% GST will have an “irreversible impact” on $2.5 billion worth of investments in the gaming industry. Moving on to markets, the June quarter earnings of Indian IT majors were muted in line with the lowered expectations. However, healthy deal wins despite the overall macro weakness lifted the IT shares. So, has the Street already factored in the likely weakness and will the shares extend the recent strength? Key benchmark indices and stocks of online gaming firms moved in opposite directions late last week. While markets touched a new high, the shares of most gaming firms crashed after the GST council levied a 28% tax on the face value of online gaming. This move caught the gaming industry off the guard. It had appealed to the Centre to levy the tax on gross gaming revenue, and not on the face value or the total value. But what is gross gaming revenue? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in France for a two-day visit. Apart from attending Bastille Day military parade as a guest of honour, he is expected to seal some crucial deals too. Purchase of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets is likely to be one of them. What else is on the table? And what does Modi’s visit mean for India-France ties? Back home, rivers in north India are in a spate. Most of them are flowing close to the danger mark, inundating low-lying areas and leaving thousands homeless. Parts of the national capital are also submerged in Yamuna water. So are we failing to manage the river systems? It is not just the rivers. Rains are also, in a way, fuelling the vegetable prices. Retail inflation has reversed the downward march and has jumped to 4.8% in June. And amid the fresh talks of interest rate hikes, gold prices have corrected about 7% in two months. It had touched lifetime highs in May. But is there more downside to this correction? Or should one start accumulating gold at current levels? Benchmark indices, meanwhile, have been soaring high for a while now. And some defence-related stocks are shooting through the roof. Stock of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders has more than doubled this year. And it hit a record high on Thursday amid news that India may sign an agreement with France to build more submarines. The country has built a fleet of submarines under Project 75. And it now plans to build a fleet of advanced subs under Project 75 (India).
Taiwan’s Foxconn has pulled out of its pact with Vedanta to build India’s first semiconductor plant in Gujarat. The deal -- which was announced about ten months ago -- was on shaky ground as both the firms had no chip-making experience. And the joint venture was struggling to find a technology partner. So what does it mean for India’s ambitious chip-making plan? A broken deal should not chip away at India’s ambition to become a global semiconductor player. Meanwhile, an about-turn by the country’s telecom regulator has taken many by surprise. Last week, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India came out with a consultation paper, seeking suggestions on regulating over-the-top-players like WhatsApp and Telegram. It comes three years after the regulator had spoken against creating such a regulatory framework. So why has TRAI changed its stance on OTT regulations? OTT players and the regulator should find a common ground, which will be in the interest of both. Moving on, benchmark indices have been shooting through the roof for a while now. In fact, markets saw positive movement in the entire first half of the calendar year 2023. But, some sectors like oil and gas, metal, and power underperformed the indices. So, why did stocks in these segments lagg behind? And will they regain momentum in the second half of 2023? After the markets, let us turn our gaze to a rather sensitive subject: The India-Pakistan relations. Last week, New Delhi decided to boycott proceedings started by Islamabad at the Permanent Court of Arbitration against two hydropower projects in Kashmir. India said that a neutral expert was already examining the issue and the Indus Water Treaty prohibits parallel proceedings. But what exactly is the Indus Water Treaty? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The rivalry between two US giants, Google and Amazon, is finding echoes in Indian courts now. On July 14th, the Supreme Court will hear the cross-pleas of Google and the Competition Commission of India or CCI. Google -- which was slapped with a fine of over Rs 1,300 crore for its alleged anti-competitive practices a few months ago -- has accused CCI of “protecting” Amazon’s interests. So what is this allegation about? And why is Google attacking the CCI? India’s wearables industry too is coming of age. And the country is likely to become the world’s largest market for wearables by the end of 2023. It comes at a time when markets like North America and China are going through a difficult phase and signs of saturation have begun to emerge. But Apple still leads the global wearables market with a 20 per cent market share, followed by South Korea’s Samsung and China’s Xiaomi. Indian manufacturer Noise is at fourth spot. With stiff competition at the top, can India become a global wearables powerhouse? Moving on to markets, a buying spree of foreign institutional investors have unleashed the bulls onto Dalal Street in the past few weeks. At a time when markets trade near record high levels, will foreign investors continue to remain bullish on Indian equities? That apart, can new FPI disclosure norms by Sebi impact flows in the near-term? And it is not just the benchmark indices. The Indian space agency too is aiming for the moon. Almost four years after its attempt to land a spacecraft on the moon’s surface failed, ISRO is ready for another shot at the moon with Chandrayaan-3. What is this mission? And why do we need it? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Are you sure that your personal information, like the details of Aadhaar and PAN cards are not in the wrong hands? And are you sure that they will never be misused? Until now, such safety was hard to guarantee. But an attempt is being made to address this, and much more. The government is planning to regulate the processing of personal information through a law. The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill got the Union Cabinet’s nod last week, and it is likely to be tabled in the upcoming Parliament session. So how different this draft is from the earlier one? And what are the major hits and misses? Twitter too had a brush with hackers early this year. Email addresses of over 235 million Twitter users were put in public by an online hacking forum. That was about six months ago. Twitter is now facing another big challenge. It has a new rival, and this time it comes from the stable of mighty Meta. Threads was launched in 100 countries last week. And 10 million people joined it within the first seven hours of the launch. So is Threads the real threat to Twitter? Back home, India Inc. will begin the June quarter earnings season from Wednesday, 12th of July. The Street expects most sectors to report an in-line set of earnings, thanks to easing commodity costs and overall improvement in macros. The weak demand environment, however, is likely to keep the overall numbers in check. Find out the likely winners and laggards of the June quarter. Let us turn our gaze to Mint Street now. The RBI’s inter-departmental group last week said that the Indian rupee has the potential to become an “internationalised” currency. This comes at a time when several countries are scrambling to find an alternative to the US dollar in international transactions in the light of sanctions on Russia for the war in Ukraine. But what does the “internationalisation” of the rupee mean? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know.
Vegetable prices have increased considerably in several states. Tomatoes are selling at over 120 rupees a kg in Delhi and some other big cities. Supply disruption caused by rains in producing regions is one of the key reasons for this inflation in vegetables prices. And it comes when India’s central bank, RBI, had just started to breathe easy on the inflation front. So, will this development complicate RBI’s job? And, will it have any impact on its future rate actions? Car prices too have shot up considerably in the last few years. But that has hardly cast any shadow over the sales. New models are hitting the roads almost every month. Maruti Suzuki recently unveiled its priciest car till date. A rebadged version of the Toyota Innova HyCross MPV, Maruti’s Invicto will come in the range of 24 to 28 lakhs. This vehicle is a result of the collaboration between Maruti Suzuki and Toyota. So is Maruti becoming too dependent on Toyota? Buoyed by the launch of Invicto, the shares of Maruti Suzuki India crossed Rs 10,000 milestone for the first time ever this week. Moving on, the mergers of HDFC twins and then the IDFC twins have put a spotlight on NBFC space, especially the banking segment. This has intensified competition in the financial sector of the country. Will the state-owned banks also come together to ward off the heat? And how should investors approach the pack? After the markets, let us now turn our gaze to snow-capped mountains of Kashmir. Just about 15-km from Srinagar, in the town of Pampore, purple crocus flower fields will be a dazzling sight in a few months from now. Its yield, called Kashmiri saffron, is famous for its distinct aroma and quality. But why is Kashmir’s saffron so special? And expensive too? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
One of the hallmarks of reform is that it reduces, or even eliminates long queues. Goods and services tax or GST - which marked six years of its birth on July 1 - cut the serpentine queues of trucks at check posts dotting the country’s state borders. After the inevitable teething troubles, GST has put in place a well-oiled tax ecosystem. In June, GST revenue collection stood at Rs 1.61 lakh crore. With this the monthly GST collection has been over Rs 1.4 lakh crore for 15th month running. So can it be called a good and simple tax now? Or there is more to be done? In April, when GST collections had touched an all-time high of Rs 1.87 lakh crore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a great news for the economy. Meanwhile, in another good news, Google recently announced to set up its global fintech operation centre at GIFT City in Gujarat. CEO of the Internet giant Sundar Pichai told this to PM Modi during his recent US visit. So what does it mean for the GIFT City and also for the country? Meanwhile, India took a big leap in global trading this week on July 3rd when popular SGX Nifty - which has been re-branded as GIFT NIFTY - started trading at GIFT City. Moving on, stock prices of mid- and small-cap companies have inched up sharply during 2023 as investors turned to their favourite go-to destination to make a quick buck amid improving market sentiment. However, the sharp run up is now making analysts cautious on these two segments. Business Standard's Puneet Wadhwa talks to market experts to decode the road ahead for the broader markets. The stock of InterGlobe Aviation - which runs the country’s largest airline IndiGo - has rallied 55% in the last one year. And its market capitalisation topped the 1 trillion-rupee mark last week. But not all airlines are soaring so high. Go First was recently grounded. And its lessors had moved to take back the possession of the aircraft given on lease. The Cape Town Convention guarantees this. But their requests were put on hold as India has not ratified the treaty yet. This episode of the podcast tells about this global treaty and more.
Mukesh Ambani’s 2016 foray into telecom had upended dynamics of the sector. A brutal price war unleashed with the introduction of Reliance Jio had pushed carriers like Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone India against the wall. Today, Jio is India’s largest telco with a wireless subscriber base of about 430 million, while Airtel is a distant second with about 370 million. Vodafone Idea is struggling to stay afloat. And now, Jio has announced the launch of Jio Bharat, an entry-level, 4G-enabled phone priced at 999 rupees. Will this new phone disrupt the market again? India’s political landscape cuts a somewhat similar picture. BJP has won two successive general elections and it still holds sway. Opposition parties, meanwhile, are trying hard to stitch an alliance to challenge Narendra Modi’s juggernaut. But will they be able to do so? Just days after several opposition leaders gathered in Patna to show unity ahead of next year’s general elections, there was a vertical split in a key camp. Ajit Pawar walked out of NCP and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government. So has Ajit Pawar’s switch dented the opposition unity? It is not just political activities. The weather in Mumbai too has become intense. The weatherman has issued an orange alert for rains in the city. Meanwhile, the 2023 summer has turned out disappointing for cooling product makers as unseasonal rains soiled expectations of bumper sales. This has also been reflected at the bourses, so what should investors do now? Benchmark indices continued to extend gains on Tuesday by scaling fresh all-time highs. After markets, let us now shift focus to the government’s monetization plan. The National Land Monetisation Corporation gears up to auction its first property in September. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more about this firm and why we needed it.
Tata Consultancy Services or TCS -- as we know it – has been hit by a job scam. It has fired six employees after it was found that they received favours from staffing firms to recruit temporary employees. Six staffing firms too have been banned for the alleged wrongdoing, which Chairman N Chandrasekaran described as painful. So exactly what happened at India’s top IT company? And what can be done to prevent its recurrence? India’s IT bellwether, in the meantime, is busy giving final touches to its Q1FY24 results. And some reports suggest that it may announce share buyback too with its financial numbers in a few days from now. Moving on, the decades-old debate around implementation of Uniform Civil Code has resurfaced. The BJP-led government has been advocating uniformity in laws governing divorce, succession, inheritance and adoption. It was one of its major poll promises too. So now, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a strong pitch for it and the 22nd law commission is seeking views on it, we ask if India is ready for a UCC? Unperturbed by political discourse, the country’s benchmark indices are charting growth stories. The Sensex and Nifty have scaled new highs on the back of strong FII flows. In the last one month, the Sensex has surged over 2,000 points and breached the 65,000 mark on Monday, July 3. The Nifty50, on the other hand, has hit the 19,300 mark for the first time ever. So, how sustainable is this rally? Which sectors and stocks still offer some headroom? Puneet Wadhwa spoke with U R Bhat, co-founder and director, Alphaniti Fintech to know his views On Tuesday, the markets will look at global cues for direction. Some profit booking due to the sharp run up cannot be ruled out. Meanwhile, with Elon Musk at the helm, Twitter has become an interesting space to watch. In a social media post, Musk said last week that Twitter has applied temporary reading limits to address “extreme levels” of data scraping. But what is data scraping? Lets find out in this episode of the podcast.
Byju’s has been in the news for a while now. Its co-founder and CEO Byju Raveendran is busy fighting battles on several fronts -- from trying to come out with its financial statement on time to winning the faith of investors and employees. The leadership claims it has understood its mistakes and is rectifying them. But is Byju’s really ready to turn a new leaf? Clearly it will be a while before Byju’s comes out from this stormy weather. If it does at all. Meanwhile, the hills of our country too are reeling under rough weather. Rains have triggered landslides, and several parts are cut off -- leaving hundreds of tourists stranded. Over the years, monsoon tourism has gained popularity in the country. But concerns are also being raised about its impact on the fragile ecosystems of Indian hills. So is monsoon tourism bad for the country’s hills? Meanwhile, Indian equities are on cloud nine. The benchmark indices closed the first half of CY23 at record high levels. However, as we enter the second half of the year, the risks, too, are piling up. Here's a low down of factors which may dent the market sentiment. After the markets, let us turn our gaze to the corridors of politics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently made a pitch for the Uniform Civil Code, just a week after 22nd Law Commission invited the views of the public and religious organisations on it. But ever wondered what is Uniform Civil Code? Listen to this episode of the podcast for more.
The Ministry of Finance on Wednesday extended the deadline for the implementation of a new rule that mandated 20 per cent tax collected at source on foreign remittances. The increase in the TCS rate from 5 per cent, which was set to kick in on July 1, would now be effective from October 1. More importantly, the ministry added that overseas spending using credit and debit cards as well as remittances under the liberalised remittance scheme, up to Rs 7 lakh would not attract TCS. But, how will this new TCS regime affect you? The long-speculated merger of India’s largest lender HDFC Bank and mortgage entity HDFC Ltd is finalised. HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh had said that the boards of HDFC twins are going ahead with the merger effectively on July 1. In Today’s Special, we discuss the implications that the merger is going to have on the two entities and how it will affect the banking sector. Both the HDFC boards will meet on June 30, which would also be the last board meeting of mortgage entity HDFC Ltd, and its shares will go off-market effective July 13. Meanwhile, market action in the first half of the calendar year 2023 was triggered by moderation in domestic inflation, steady interest rates, return of foreign investors and some support from domestic institutions. Against this backdrop, benchmark indices notched fresh lifetime highs during these first six months of 2023. So, which sectors emerged as the top leaders and top laggards in H1CY23? And will the momentum continue in H2CY23 as well? Below the boundless blue expanses lies the centuries-old wreckage of RMS Titanic surrounded by mesmerising oceanic flora and fauna – this is what the tourists travelling in OceanGate’s Titan submersible must have been looking forward to. While the expedition met with a catastrophic end, it has brought to light how wreck-diving is developing as a popular segment of the global underwater tourism market. Listen to this episode of the podcast and take a deep dive to understand what is wreck-diving.
The proposed merger of Air India and Vistara has flown into rough weather. It has attracted the glare of antitrust regulator CCI -- which has asked Air India to explain why this merger should not be probed. It comes mere months after Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines filed a merger application with the antitrust body in April, saying the amalgamation of the two airlines will not lead to any change in the competitive landscape of India. So in today’s first segment Bhaswar Kumar tries to find out why the CCI is now raising questions about the proposed merger, which was announced in late 2022? And it is not just the big birds. Indian skies are also increasingly getting swarmed by drones. They are out for delivery. They are employed in security. And now, they are mapping land parcels in rural areas to help clearly define land rights. The recently launched government scheme Svamitva will provide exact coordinates for accurate map making with the help of drones. Meanwhile, markets too have been flying high for the last few months with the Sensex and the Nifty hitting their fresh 52-week peak levels. Is there more steam left in the markets, or is it time for you to take some money off the table? Puneet Wadhwa spoke with Ajit Mishra, senior vice-president for technical research at Religare Broking on what the charts suggest. India’s financial markets, meanwhile, will lose a gem early next month as the shares of HDFC will delist on July 13. This mortgage institution -- which helped over one crore Indians realize their dream of owning a home in the last 45 years - is now merging with HDFC Bank. So how has this journey been so far? And how did these two Indian giants come into being? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Go First has secured lenders’ approval for interim funding of 450 crore rupees. With this, the grounded airline -- which has filed for bankruptcy -- may come to the runway again. But will it finally take off from the runway? Go First’s return to the sky will indeed be good news for consumers, as the aviation market is left with only two big players: Air India and Indigo. From the sky, let us shift focus to the depth of seas -- which has become a favourite destination for adventure-seeking tourists. But the recent implosion of Titan submersible has highlighted the other aspect of adventure tourism: the risks attached to it. So will the Titan sub disaster sink risk tourism? Dealing in stocks -- with its unexpected movements -- can also be as thrilling as bungee jumping. Amid the ongoing bull rally, micro-cap stocks have been the flavour. With a sharp surge of 15% this year, the Nifty MicroCap index has sharply outperformed the Nifty50, midcap and smallcap indices. Find out the reason behind this rally, and if these stocks are worth your money A lot of investors it seems are over the moon as Sensex is hovering close to all-time high. Talking of the moon, the United States is planning to send humans again to the lunar surface by 2025. And, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US, India joined the Artemis program -- which is aimed at another moon landing after the Apollo missions. So what are the Artemis Accords and what do they mean for India’s space exploration ambitions? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
After a late onset, monsoon seems to be finally making good time. It has covered almost 80% of the country -- arriving in Delhi and Mumbai at the same time. While the rains are again giving the civic bodies a tough time, the policy makers are a relieved lot. But how long will this relief last? Has monsoon solved this year’s food inflation problem? Last weekend, when the monsoon clouds were progressing towards Delhi, neighbouring Russia was grappling with a different kind of march towards its capital Moscow. It was that of heavily armed Russian mercenaries led by former Vladimir Putin ally Yevgeny Prighozhin? While the march was cut short and Prighozhin was forced to leave the country, the development has certainly exposed chinks in Putin’s regime. Find out about the controversial Wagner leader and how he came into prominence in Russia. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, has described this rebellion as another crack in the Russian façade. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has dealt a big blow to the world economy. India too has been feeling the heat. In FY 23, IPO filings declined nearly 54%. But, this week, it seems, investors will be spoilt for choice as seven IPOs are set to hit the markets. The push comes amid a broad-based market revival. But, as global uncertainties keep secondary markets volatile, will this momentum in the primary market sustain? Asset managers, meanwhile, are racing to develop artificial intelligence solutions that can help their clients get more returns. People are talking about AI’s application in almost every field. AI, it seems, now has baggage of expectations to carry. And a new term has been coined to explain this. It is AI hype. Today we explain what ‘AI hype’ is?
Byju’s juggernaut has come to a grinding halt. Just over a fortnight after it missed its interest payment on the 1.2 billion-dollar loan and took the lender to a court, its auditor has quit. Deloitte -- which was vetting Byju’s book for the last six years -- cited a long delay in its financial statement for the year ended March 31, 2022 as the reason for quitting. So in today’s first segment, Thareek Ahmed tries to answer if the country’s most valued ed-tech company will be able to revive its fortune. Notwithstanding Byju’s troubles, India’s ed-tech market is expected to grow to $10 billion by 2025. India is the second largest market for e-learning after the United States. Moving on, ties between India and the US entered a new phase last week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the country as a state guest. A clutch of agreements were signed during the period. Bhaswar Kumar takes a look at three key developments in the fields of semiconductor, space and jet engines. And he asks experts if these deals will take the relations between the two nations to a new high? The United States has also emerged as the top destination for Indian IT exports. Select IT stocks have gained 10-26% so far in 2023 on hopes that a pause in policy tightening in the US may lead to a revival in IT spending. However, latest earnings from Accenture suggest that a recovery is still not in sight. So, are IT companies staring at tough days ahead? Let us shift our focus back to the subject of PM Modi’s recent US visit. Giving new wings to the India-US ties, American jet engine manufacturer General Electric and India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited have signed a pact to produce combat aircraft engines for the Indian Air Force. The agreement paves the way for the potential joint manufacturing of GE’s famous F414 engines in India. But ever wondered what exactly a jet engine is? And does it work? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
A recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has rekindled hopes of electric vehicle maker’s entry into the Indian market. And in Musk’s own words, the Texas-based company will be in India “as soon as humanly possible”. We focus on the EV components and battery space, and try to gauge whether or not Tesla’s entry into India will give a fillip to its nascent ecosystem in these sectors. Tesla’s China sales, meanwhile, have tripled in the last three years. But given the ongoing changes in policies and the talented pool of techies, India can become a good alternative. And a lot of these gold-standard techies come out from the country’s IITs. But, it seems, older IITs still hold an edge over the ones set up recently. A CAG report has indicated that the newer IITs are falling behind their counterparts in terms of performance and overall quality. So how can newer IITs catch up to Bombay and Madras counterparts? After this interesting analysis of the country’s premier institutions, let us turn our gaze to its financial markets. Shares of select public sector undertaking companies have registered an impressive rally in the last one year. So then, are there any PSU pockets worth your money? The government, meanwhile, may meet its disinvestment target for the current financial year even without selling any fresh stake in PSU, if its plans for IDBI Bank and Concor go through. But right now, all eyes are on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit. On Wednesday evening, he presented a bunch of gifts to US president Joe Biden and First Lady Jilly Biden. And one of them caught everyone’s attention. It was a 7.5-carat lab-grown green diamond. We all have heard of blood diamonds, but what is this green diamond? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
India overtook the United Kingdom to become world’s fifth largest economy last year. And it is projected to grow at a rate of over 6% in the coming decade. So like others, Indian airlines too are racing to tap the demand from growing ranks of middle-class consumers. The country’s largest airline Indigo has inked a pact to purchase 500 planes this week. It has pipped Air India to set the new record for the biggest single-purchase agreement in history. So, what does this order mean for IndiGo and its future strategy? And what does it mean for the Indian civil aviation market? After these two back-to-back historic aircraft deals, the challenge for Indian aviation is that it is staring at a duopoly now. Meanwhile, another sector critical for the economy is facing its own set of challenges. Parties in several states rode to power by promising cheap or free electricity. At least 27 states and union territories are now providing subsidised electricity to consumers. But it comes at a cost. Some of it is being borne by the industries in the form of cross subsidy. So is free power for households hurting industry? Free or subsidised electricity has hit the discoms too, and affected their ability to pay power generators on time. Moving on, global markets have staged a smart recovery this calendar year, outperforming Indian stock markets by a wide margin. However, given sputtering economic recovery in China, and recession fears lingering around the US economy, how should investors approach global markets? Staying with the theme of markets, we all know what Nifty is. The Nifty 50 and Bank Nifty indices are most-tracked by traders and are barometers for market sentiment. Starting July 3, market participants will hear another term more often. That is Gift Nifty. Sounds interesting, but what is it? Let's understand it and delve deeper in this episode of the podcast.
The average daily sales of electric-two wheelers slipped into slow lane in June, as the withdrawal of subsidies and the resultant jump in prices apparently forced customers to slam brake on the electric-2 wheeler purchase. So what is the road ahead? Can electric two-wheelers survive without subsidies in India? Indeed, the fledgling electric two-wheeler segment needs a little push from the government to take off. Its increased adoption will also help the government meet its green goals. Moving on, India’s residential real estate market is on a fast lane now, after a sluggish period marked by pandemic. People are loosening their purse strings like never before to purchase luxury homes. But wait. It is not only Mumbai’s beach facing areas which are costing a fortune. IT hub Gurgaon too is on the fire. A recent hike in circle rates too pushed the rates of luxury properties in Gurugram. Let us now shift our gaze to the financial markets. Shares of micro-finance lenders have surged up to 45% over the last six months, even as the benchmark indices added just 2%. We find out the reason behind this rise, and if the current rally will sustain. Powel is widely believed to reiterate his views before the US panel, which he expressed in post-Fed meeting press briefings. People in the US are breathing easy now as inflation has dropped by half from last year’s peak. Back home too, people heaved a sigh of relief for a different reason. WhatsApp has introduced a new feature which can address the menace of unwanted calls. What is it? And how can it save us from spammers? Listen to this episode of the podcast for more.
Cyclone Biparjoy has weakened. But not before wreaking havoc in Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan. While there was no loss of life reported, normal life has been hit hard. Biparjoy has dealt a big blow to the coastal economy. With the frequency and intensity of such cyclones increasing, what are the larger economic implications? But the good part is that Biparjoy has given a short relief from scorching heat in parts of northern India. Moving on, JioCinema, it seems, is slowly turning up the heat on its rivals – like Netflix and Amazon Prime. And the modus operandi is the same old tried and tested formula: start with freebies. Jio Cinema streamed the 2023 IPL free of charge. Soon it had over 10 million subscribers. So what does Jio Cinema’s rise mean for the other players? Let us turn our gaze to financial markets now. With the Sensex and Nifty trading near their respective 52-week highs, are the markets set for a correction? And, what should be your strategy in this backdrop? Are there any sectors and stocks that are still worthy of investment at the current levels? Puneet Wadhwa spoke with market pundits on how they see the markets shaping up over the next few months, and the stocks and sectors that you can still bet on. Defense stocks, meanwhile, will be in the focus for the next few days as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the United States. And even before the start of his visit, India has approved the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones from Washington. As heavy as an African elephant, this drone has earned the reputation of being a silent killer. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
After hitting sky-high levels on busy routes, airfares have reportedly come down considerably in the last few days. Thanks to government intervention, which had on June 5 asked airlines to “self-monitor” the ticket prices. The prices had skyrocketed in May after the grounding of embattled GoFirst airline. But, is that the only reason airfares shot up in recent weeks? And, does that surge point to a regulatory failure? GoFirst too plans to take to the skies again by the end of this month. Hope that will further bring down the airfares. Moving on, India’s tutoring industry is already soaring high. It is no more a fledgling sector. Kota, Delhi, Prayagraj, Chennai, … the list of coaching hubs seems never ending. But where do we stand? How big is India’s tutoring industry? And how does it compare to the world? No wonder, India’s ed-tech sector has done so well in the last few years. Meanwhile, it seems, the country’s financial markets are not performing that well. Equity investment has delivered negligible returns over the past year. It was close to one per cent. And 2023 has so far proved to be a subdued year as investors track the trajectory of global monetary policy. But other asset classes like bank FDs are offering as much as over 9% interest in some cases. Against this backdrop, is it time to turn towards FDs over the near term? Weather on Dalal Street and beyond has suddenly turned pleasant. It is all due to cyclone Biparjoy -- which made landfall in Gujarat last week, leaving a trail of destruction at ground zero. But thanks to the personnel of the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF, the loss of lives was minimal. Thousands were evacuated on time. But what is NDRF? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
The Centre’s production-linked incentive, or PLI scheme, which seeks to incentivise manufacturing in India by providing fiscal stimulus, seems to have run into problems. The government is reportedly planning to hold a first-of-its-kind meeting later in June, to address implementation issues being faced by producers under the scheme. Moreover, government sources have indicated that out of the 14 sectors under the scheme, the ones where progress has been sluggish may see a course correction. So, what changes does the PLI scheme need and why? The detailed analysis and subsequent course correction for the six ‘sluggish sectors’ under the PLI scheme would help in better utilisation of fund allocation over the next two to three years. While India Inc is striving to strengthen its industrial base, a significant number of Indian millionaires have been relocating abroad of late. Though the Indian economy is growing at a faster rate and creating more high net worth individuals, the private wealth migration is a matter of concern. So, why are the HNIs leaving India? Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve’s surprise hawkish pause of interest rate hike spoiled investors’ sentiment back home, on Thursday. Domestic benchmark indices slipped up to 0.5% after the US Fed projected two more rate hikes this year. Amid the rising interest rate scenario in global economies, will domestic equities face pressure in the near-term? How should investors navigate this volatility? The Centre recently announced that it will come up with guidelines for ‘dark patterns’ on the internet in the next two months. The ministry of corporate affairs and ASCI met with various stakeholders including Google, Meta and Amazon to discuss these manipulative practices. But what are these ‘dark patterns’? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Media baron Subhash Chandra’s rise wasn’t meteoric. It was slow, and carefully crafted. From being a school dropout, he went on to set up India’s first private satellite TV channel -- the Zee TV, which reportedly reaches out to 1.3 billion people. Now 72, Chandra has seen many ups and downs. But, it seems, a lot of things are stacked up against him now. Sebi has barred Chandra and his son Punit Goenka from holding the position of a director or key managerial personnel in any listed company. So, is this the end of the road for Subhash Chandra? Apart from Subhash Chandra, another news which caught people’s attention this week was of alleged data theft from the government's CoWIN platform. The Centre, meanwhile, has trashed the reports. Minister of State for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar has tweeted that the data being shared seemed to be from an earlier breach. But, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team has still been told to submit a report on the matter. Amid concerns that the leaked data could be used for identity theft, phishing emails, scams, and even extortion calls, Bhaswar Kumar spoke to experts to understand where the problem lies and how it can be fixed. Clearly the regulator has its task cut out. And it will not be easy with the swift rise of AI. Meanwhile, markets regulator Sebi has proposed tweaks to the total expense ratio structure-- which is expected to increase cost burden for asset managers. So how can the proposed changes impact stocks of AMCs? Sebi wants uniformity and transparency by bringing all additional expenses within the TER. Moving on, we are now a step closer to the world of spatial computing -- where the physical world fuses with the digital. Tech giant Apple recently unveiled Apple Vision Pro headset which uses spatial computing. But what is this new technology everyone is talking about? Listen to this episode of the podcast for the answers.
Generative artificial intelligence has become the watchword across the world. Big firms in countries like the US and China have been investing billions of dollars annually in the AI space. And the generative AI fever has India’s tech start-ups in its grip too. But even with a big government push, can India catch up in the AI tech-development race? The next few months will be both interesting and crucial, as generative AI takes shape. Moving on, the prices of petrol and diesel are still on fire. Petrol was selling over 110 rupee a litre in Mumbai this week. This is despite low crude prices and a good showing by the Indian oil marketing companies in the recent quarter. So why are Indian oil companies not reducing their prices? Taking cognizance of oil marketing companies’ Q4 profits -- which surged between 50% and over 150%-- the government has hinted that they may reduce retail prices. But will OMCs accept the government’s suggestion? How will it impact their earnings? And what should be the investors’ strategy? Stock market is a means to create wealth for millions in the country. But sharing wealth can be as gratifying as creating it. Maybe even more. Nikhil Kamath, the co-founder of Zerodha -- which is India’s biggest stock brokerage in terms of volume of trade -- has been in the news recently for joining ‘The Giving Pledge’ and promising to donate 50% of his wealth. But what exactly is ‘The Giving Pledge’? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
The genie is out of the bottle now. And it is getting bigger. Since the benefits outweigh the risks, big corporations may not be interested in putting it back. But globally, the chorus for regulating generative artificial intelligence is getting louder by the day. Trade body NASSCOM too recently came out with a set of guidelines for regulating generative AI in India, which is now home to world’s largest population, and is quickly becoming one of the biggest consumer markets for this emerging tech. But, will these regulatory guidelines be enough? The debate around generative AI has also thrown up questions around data privacy. With the recent massive hack on the AIIMS servers this question has now assumed an urgency. Tushar Verma sheds light on one of the prevalent misuses of our data. Which is the phenomenon of spamming - the scores of unwanted calls and messages that you get daily. So do financial services providers have a licence to spam? Hope efforts being put by the government and the private sector end up decluttering our message boxes. Let us now turn our gaze to another pressing issue the country is facing. The specter of El-Nino. The first 12 days of this monsoon season has seen nearly 60% less than normal rains. So will El-Nino-linked weather conditions push the inflation in food and fuel higher? And will this fear add to woes of the Indian stocks market in the near-term? Staying with the topic of weather, cyclone Biparjoy is expected to make a landfall at the Indian coastline in Gujarat on June 15. It has been categorised as a “very severe cyclonic storm". But how are cyclones categorised? Let's understand in this episode of the podcast.
Byju’s -- India’s most valued start-up -- is in the news, yet again. It has defaulted on payment of $40 million to lenders in the US, and is reportedly effecting another round of lay-offs. US-based asset manager BlackRock too has slashed its valuation by 62%. Things clearly are not looking good, but is there a way out of this debt crisis for Byju’s? On the other hand Byju’s has introduced generative artificial intelligence in its learning modules to provide students with personalised learning experiences. Worldwide companies are increasingly taking the help of technology to enhance services. Tech giant Apple too has taken another technological leap with its augmented reality headset, called Apple Vision Pro. This device seems to have taken the tech world by storm. So how will this much-anticipated headset change the user experience? Looks like Apple has put in a lot of thought into making the new headset. Even people with prescription glasses can use it, as Apple has partnered with German opticals manufacturer Zeiss to create magnetic lenses that connect to the inside of the headset. Moving on, India’s stock market, recently, reclaimed its position as the world’s fifth largest market. Over the years, equity trading has seen many changes. One man who saw all these changes is Kisan R Choksey, the chairman-founder of KR Choksey Shares and Securities. In our next segment, Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa talks to Kisanbhai, as he is fondly called, to understand what has been his investing mantra over the years? In the first half of 2020, stock markets plummeted across the globe due to the onset of pandemic. The virus also disrupted supply chain, pushing prices of essential commodities. That bad phase is behind us, but prices haven’t come down. Economist Isabella called it “sellers’ inflation.
The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee decided to keep the benchmark lending rates unchanged for the second consecutive meeting. While Governor Shaktikanta Das appeared bullish on growth and also lowered inflation projections marginally, he remained cautious about external factors that could affect both inflation and GDP growth going forward. So will the pause by RBI lead to a pivot? Governor Shaktikanta Das recently acknowledged the role played by banks in supporting the economy and maintaining resilience. But he also sounded a note of caution, and asked public sector banks to further strengthen governance. It comes at a time when the financial health of government-run banks has improved remarkably. So is there reason to worry? And are public sector banks under pressure? Most bank stocks, meanwhile, fell on Thursday. Equity markets too nursed losses even as the RBI kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.5%. Going ahead, analysts see two key factors moving the markets in the near-term. What are these triggers, and what should be investors’ strategy? Staying with the markets theme, the shares of computer chip designer Nvidia have skyrocketed in the last one year, pushing the company’s valuation beyond one trillion-dollar mark. With it, Nvidia has joined the league of tech giants like Apple, Amazon and Microsoft. Nvidia is the largest GPU manufacturer in the world. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
India’s passenger vehicle segment is facing a strange situation. While big and swanky cars are zooming out of the showrooms, the smaller ones, it seems, are piling up with wholesale dealers. Inventory levels have soared to 45 days -- up from around 39 days in March. So what does it mean for the car market in India? While small cars are struggling to hit the fast lane in terms of sales, sale of two-wheelers, meanwhile, saw a good growth of 9% in May due to the wedding season and improved rural incomes. Moving on, the education ministry has come out with the National Institute Ranking Framework, 2023. And IIT Madras is at the top again -- for the fifth year running. But how does IIT Madras continue to beat the rest? And why have the newer IITs seen a fall in their rankings? Interestingly, IIT Madras is also mulling developing a driverless car by 2025. Well then, from the country’s premier institutes, let’s turn our gaze to the largest conglomerate. Shares of oil-to-telecom major Reliance Industries have underperformed benchmark indices in the past one year. Foreign portfolio investors, too, have trimmed their holdings in the stock over the past few quarters. So what has led to this steep fall in the conglomerate’s shares? And will the Dalal Street’s big boy reverse its downtrend? Moving on to our last segment, today we are decoding two interesting terms that were recently coined by world leaders. G7 countries have stressed their desire to “de-risk,” and not “de-couple,” from the Chinese economy. But what do these two terms mean and how are they different? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
The government came out with the National Electricity Plan last week. It says that India’s power generation capacity will touch 900 gigawatts by the end of this decade -- in line with the rising demand. But it also wants a rejig in the country’s energy mix. The plan is to cut the share of coal-based power and let renewable energy sources fill that gap. But, given that the base load might still depend on coal, is the goal too ambitious? Unseasonal rains, meanwhile, have kept a tab on electricity demand this summer. But, it seems, the airfares are on fire this season. On some routes, the fare is now 10 times higher than what it was a few days ago. So should the government intervene to bring down the prices of airline tickets? After the skyrocketing airfares, let us turn our gaze to markets. Indian equity markets are still not a top buy for Morgan Stanley, who prefer Japan, Korea and Taiwan more in the Asian region. Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with JONATHAN GARNER, Morgan Stanley’s Asia Equity Strategist on the sidelines of Morgan Stanley India Investment Forum in Mumbai to understand the rationale for this, and where does India exactly lie on their preference list. In its recent June report too, Morgan Stanley retained the equal-weight stance on Indian equity markets. After the financial markets, let us now dive into the realms of the dictionary. How many of you know the spelling of ‘psammophile’ (pronounced Sam uh file)? Well, 14-year-old Dev Shah, who won the United States’ prestigious National Spelling Bee championship last week, knew it. It was the winning word for him. A host of Indian-origin students have won this award in the past too. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
On June 4th, two days after a three-train crash resulted in 275 deaths and 1,175 injuries in Odisha’s Balasore district, the Ministry of Railways recommended an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the incident. A railways official also said that the Ministry of Home Affairs was already assisting the Railways in the probe and preliminary findings indicated a signalling error. While we wait for more answers, let us analyse how the Railways has performed when it comes to ensuring the safety of its passengers. How is it managing critical areas like signalling and maintenance? And which zones are lagging behind? Safety concerns of the Indian Railway need to be addressed urgently, especially at a time when the national transporter is seeing a significant adoption of technology. However, the railways are not the only sector in India that is set for a technological leap. As PM Narendra Modi prepares to leave for his first state visit to the US in 15 years, India is set to elevate its strategic technology partnership with the US in defence, energy and space. Among various agreements, all eyes will be on the GE Jet Engines pact. So, what are all on the agenda for Modi-Biden to meet? And what should we expect from this? Meanwhile, equity markets in India continue to face volatility as fears of a global slowdown have kept investors on the edge offsetting hopes of ease in the monetary tightening cycle. So, should investors play it safe and stick to defensive themes amid current uncertainty? On June 4, as the restoration efforts at the scene of the Balasore train accident were being evaluated, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that the change in electronic interlocking was to blame for the tragedy. It resulted in the death of more than 275 passengers. Find out the crucial role that Electronic Interlocking Systems plays in railway safety in this episode of the podcast.
India has reopened the window for applying to its ambitious chip-making plan after the three aspirants failed to qualify for the financial incentives. And it has also tweaked the old scheme -- extending incentives for wafers of all sizes. So what forced the government to tweak its semiconductor policy? And, how can India's chip making dream be realised? While India’s chip making plan is still waiting in the wings, its bid to become a phone exporting country has finally taken off. Driven by Apple’s bumper shipments, India’s overall smartphone exports crossed the 40,000-crore-rupee mark for the first time in FY 23. Meanwhile, the iPhone maker’s first two stores in India have grossed sales of about 50 crores in less than 45 days of their opening. In India, this is a record as far as sales for any electronics store are concerned. So, has Tim Cook’s India bet paid off? And what are the challenges ahead as Apple's competitor Samsung also plans to open its own stores here? Over 6 to 7000 fans had thronged the opening of Apple’s retail stores in Delhi and Mumbai. Tim Cook was overwhelmed with the reception he got in the country. Moving on, let us turn our gaze to Mint Street. The RBI’s monetary policy committee will meet between June 6th and 8th this week. While investors expect the central bank to hold the repo rate for a second straight meeting at 6.5%, it would be RBI governor Shaktikanta Das' commentary that would trigger the next directional move in the markets. Will the governor's address help markets move out of the consolidation phase? And how do rate sensitive sectors look on the charts ahead of the policy? Well, in these times of high-frequency trading, a millisecond can make a lot of difference. Information travels at the speed of light now. Thanks to the Internet. And do you know that for most big corporates, data centres play a crucial role. They are also called Internet exchange points - or colloquially “carrier hotels” where the internet lives. Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Indian banks are on a roll. The cumulative profit of government banks has soared 57% in FY 23 from the last fiscal to breach the one trillion-rupee mark. And the net profit of private lenders shot up by 23% YoY. The bad loan burden -- which had kept them down for nearly a decade - too has lightened. But, amid all this, the regulator is advising caution. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has warned banks against hiding stress and pointed to gaps in governance at certain banks. So, why is the Governor worried? While Indian banks are on a roll, the startups, it seems, have run out of steam. Their run of bad luck -- which started in the second half of 2022 -- still continues. Funding for domestic startups fell 75% YoY in the first quarter of calendar year 2023. So why are foreign investors circumspect? And what can startups do to convince them to loosen the purse string and release the dry powder? The shares of several new age companies, which include startups like Zomato and Paytm are, it seems, on a recovery path. They have gained 10-34% so far in 2023. Moving on, the Q4 earnings season has wrapped with no major surprises for investors. But as the outlook for some pockets, especially non-banks, remains weak, will India Inc. continue to grapple with an earnings downgrade ahead? After the markets, let us turn our focus to the banking sector – which was the theme of our first story. Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has cautioned banks against aggressive growth strategies and the evergreening of loans. But what exactly is this evergreening of loans? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Indian economy grew by 6.1% in the final quarter of financial year 2023 -- nudging the overall growth rate to breach the 7 per cent mark. But what led to this surprise buoyancy in the GDP numbers during the March quarter? And what are the key factors which made this possible? A positive consumer sentiment is indeed a good news for players in the FMCG sector -- where margin is thin, and competition stiff. And a player with deep pockets is continuously heating up the competition. Reliance Retail is now consolidating its business-to-business vertical. A few months after starting a price war in the grocery B2B space with large discounts, JioMart is now trying to improve margins. It fired over 1,000 workers in May and has plans to lay off many more soon. So what does the company plan to achieve? And, how will it shape its future? Now that we’ve looked at what’s happening at the country’s largest conglomerate, let’s see how the new age companies are performing. Their operational performance remained positive in the March quarter. The stocks, too, have shown recovery from their lows. So should investors add these to their portfolios? The key benchmark indices wilted under selling pressure on the last day of May, as traders chose to take home some gains after the four-day rally. Moving on, a WTO panel has ruled that India’s import duties on some information and technology products are inconsistent with global trade norms. India is now mulling approaching the WTO’s appellate body against this ruling. But ever wondered what is WTO? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
IPL 2023 finally came to an end on May 29, with the Chennai Super Kings clinching its fifth win. The latest edition was remarkable for several records broken and milestones established on field. But off the field too, the massive viewership numbers for IPL 2023 seems to have given its OTT broadcaster — Jio Cinema — a big push in its race for a place among the leaders of India’s OTT-space. But, is the Reliance-owned streaming platform ready to take on giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime? JioCinema didn’t break new ground with its free IPL streaming. But its entry will make a big dent on the ARPUs of other OTT platforms – just like it did for the telecom players in 2016 and 2017. On the other side of the globe, the world’s fourth largest economy meanwhile is facing a technical recession. Germany, recorded a 0.3% contraction in GDP in the first quarter of this year. Among various reasons, a prime trigger is the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war that has disrupted the supply of natural gas. Germany is also one of the prime destinations for India’s exports. So, will the Indian economy take a hit because of the recession in Deutschland? So, the good news is, recession in Germany alone will not significantly impact India’s merchandise exports. Back in India, shares of Gautam Adani’s conglomerate are clawing back from an epic rout, after a Supreme Court panel found no evidence of regulatory failure or market manipulation in stock prices. Can the billionaire now convince investors and lenders to infuse fresh capital in the Group? Besides, how does the road ahead looks like for group stocks? Summer is here. Notwithstanding some rain relief in Northern India, the country is reeling under scorching heat. Meanwhile, a heat dome phenomenon has been reportedly occurring in the United States since the past month. The unique weather condition is also common in north-western India and some parts of China and Bangladesh during the summers. So, what is a heat dome? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
It had hit a boundary on the very first ball. The Indian Premier League (IPL) became the country’s first unicorn in 2008 -- the year it was formed. And in its 15th year, just before the beginning of this year’s season, it became a decacorn, with its business value crossing the $10 billion mark. IPL has indeed brought unprecedented windfall to cricket. Its huge popularity has brought lucrative media and sponsorship deals over the years. So in today’s first story we explore if the IPL has become what Super Bowl is in the USA? Did unwanted messages irk you while you were enjoying the nail- biting IPL match? And do you also get annoying calls? Then you are not the only one who is complaining about it. An increased number of people are reporting about such unwanted calls and messages. And the government is working to address it. Last week, it asked retailers not to insist on phone numbers of customers. So what are the regulations around sharing of phone numbers? Which authority monitors it? And finally, how will the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Bill protect your data? Talking about data, Meta was slapped with a record $1.3 billion privacy fine last week. The reason? It was accused of transferring data to the US agencies. Moving on, the US leaders reached a tentative deal to raise the government’s 31.4 trillion dollar debt ceiling for two years. This measure brought a relief rally in equity markets across the globe on Monday, May 29. Going ahead, will this uptrend sustain or fizzle out soon? Moreover, will the expanded US debt limit make emerging markets a favourable bet? It is not just lifting of the debt ceiling. The US took another big decision last week which may also have far reaching consequences. The country’s Food and Drug Administration finally gave a nod to Elon Musk’s brain-implant startup Neuralink to go ahead with the first human clinical study. The company plans to use its microchips to treat conditions such as paralysis. Listen to this episode of the podcast for more.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building on Sunday, May 28 - two days after completing nine years in office and just months before he faces general elections. So as the seat of power shifts from the iconic Parliament building to the new one a couple of blocks away, Tushar Verma offers a peek into exactly how it was built. Who built it? And why was it needed? From the seat of power for the world’s largest democracy, let us turn our gaze to the world’s highest peak. But it is no longer lonely out there. During the season, Mount Everest is brimming with climbers brushing past each other to reach the summit. The peak is also a pillar for Nepal’s economy. So if you are also planning to hit the mountain trail, Thareek Ahmed’s report will for sure come handy. It tells how much money and time you will need, apart from a sound health, to climb Everest. This is the month when weather is clear in the Himalayas for climbers trying to reach Everest peak. Moving on, this time, the month of May has proved to be volatile for the Indian equity markets. So how long will the range-bound movement continue amid volatility? Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Nilesh Shah, Group President & MD, Kotak Mahindra AMC on how he sees the markets playing out over the next few weeks and his interpretation of the recent Sebi norms for the mutual fund industry. February saw one of the sharpest market capitalisation declines in the history of Indian stock markets. While markets have recovered from the shock delivered by Hindenburg Research, Adani group stocks haven’t. One of the main allegations leveled by the short seller against the Adani group was that it indulged in price rigging. But what is it? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed nine years in office. Between bowing down at the steps of Parliament to stepping into a new Parliament building, these nine years were marked with several challenges-- including the once-in-a-century pandemic. But how do we judge the performance of any government? One of the ways is to find out how the predecessor performed. We analyse how the governments led by Narendra Modi and Manmohan Singh performed on select economic and social indicators across applicable periods. What may also go down as one of the hallmarks of the Modi government is its proposed privacy law. The reworked Digital Personal Data Protection Bill is likely to be tabled in the Monsoon session of Parliament. Meanwhile, in Europe, Facebook owner Meta Platforms has been slapped with a record $1.3 billion fine for failing to protect users’ personal information from the US security services. It has been told to stop transferring users’ data to the US. So how will this action by the European Union privacy regulator influence India’s plans to regulate big techs? Meta, meanwhile, has started the third and last round of layoffs. Several top Indian executives have also found their names in the list. Moving on, India’s largest insurance company, Life Insurance Corporation, had hit the bourses a year ago. But the stock proved to be a wealth destroyer for investors, crashing nearly 40% during the period. The management had to deal with the decline in the value of its investments in Adani group, along with higher tax rate on insurance premium above five lakh rupees. Going ahead, what does the road look like for LIC stock? Will it finally reward its investors or should you stay on the sidelines? From Dalal Street, let us shift focus to the corridors of the newly-built Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the building this Sunday, on May 28. He will also install a historic sceptre from Tamil Nadu next to the Lok Sabha Speaker’s seat. It is called Sengol. Listen to thjs episode of the podcast for answers.
After the Galwan Valley clash about three year ago, ties between India and China had hit a new low in decades. But trade between the two countries touched an all-time high last year. In our first story, we talk about how trade between India and China is shaping up amid strained ties. Chinese suppliers of Apple have reportedly been given preliminary clearance to form joint ventures with Indian companies. China’s popular fashion brand, Shein, is also re-entering the country. So are Chinese firms back in business in India? Opposition parties, meanwhile, accuse the government of giving opaque statements on the border situation with China. Talking of politics, Congress recently swept the Karnataka polls. While people hailed Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders for the victory, those working tirelessly behind the scene remained behind the scenes. They prepare election strategies and play a vital role in any party’s victory. Like Prashant Kishore is credited with BJP’s rise. And Sunil Kanugolu for Congress’ recent win. But how do these poll strategists help parties? One of the BJP’s poll plank has been its ‘Make in India’ drive. And it is showing results too. India’s domestic defence production soared past 1 trillion rupees in FY 23. And share of defence companies have surged up to 160 per cent in the past one year, as against a 14 per cent jump in the S&P BSE Sensex. With India’s indigenisation theme gaining momentum, will this dream run continue in related-stocks or a correction is likely in the near-term? Soft drinks industry too is gung-ho. It is raising a toast to a good season of sales -- thanks to the rising temperature. But should you be wary of opening those bottles and cans full of sweet drinks. Or think twice before relishing your favourite ice cream or even cookies? WHO believes so. But why? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The Supreme Court has granted Sebi time till August 14th to complete its probe into the allegations of stock price manipulation by the Adani group. So how is the Sebi probe likely to proceed and what will be the challenges along the way? Looks like the stocks of Adani group companies are back on the track. After hitting a rough patch, they now seem to be on the onward journey. Well, Delhi metro just completed 20 years of its journey. For millions of people of the national capital and its satellite towns, it has become a lifeline of sorts. But, of late, it has been in the news for a different reason: indecency in public places. Cops in civil clothes will now travel with you to ensure that it doesn’t happen. So how will it change your travelling experience? Metro is also shielding travelers from this scorching heat. Temperature in Delhi has been hovering above 46 degrees Celsius for a while now. But crude oil-linked companies are keeping their cool. Due to easing commodity costs, they have reported strong March quarter results. And related-stocks have gained up to 84 per cent in the past one year, as against a 14 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. But will this rally continue? Instead of a prized asset, 2000-rupee note has suddenly turned into a liability. While people like us can easily exchange it, those dealing in Hawala transactions are in a soup. But what is a Hawala? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The 2000-rupee note has had quite a journey. It came into being seven years ago, with Narendra Modi's out-of-the-blue demonetisation move in 2016. And now, this ‘pink note’ is set to sail off into the sunset. On that note, we have a special show for you today. We talk about the myriad possible impacts of the RBI’s move to strip the 2000-rupee currency of its status as a legal tender. We start by explaining how you should exchange these notes. We take you through the best possible ways as well as the challenges you might face in the process. But what about the move’s impact on our economy? Will it affect borrowing rates for the government and the companies? What do experts have to say? The RBI move was also expected to boost liquidity in the banking system. The sentiment, however, didn't reflect on the bourses as most banking shares remained weak on Monday. So why didn't investors cheer the move? And what's the road ahead for bank stocks? And now to the central question: why did RBI decide to do away with the 2000 rupee note? In RBI governor Shaktikanta Das’s words, the step was taken under the central bank’s ‘clean note policy’. But what is this policy? We decoded it for you in this episode of the podcast.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been trying to drive on to Indian roads for some years now. But, he has been hitting a speed bump of import duties. India, now the world’s third-largest vehicle market, refused to agree on Tesla Inc’s request to lower the import duty on cars, which can be as high as 100 per cent. While the government insisted Tesla to make in India, the electric carmaker wanted to test the market first with imports. With automaker changing its approach recently, the deadlock may not last long. Tesla is now open to manufacture in India. Does this mean you could soon get behind the wheel of a Tesla? What challenges will Tesla have to overcome before that can happen? If the latest rounds of negotiations work out, a proposed Tesla Model 2 could be your next all-electric ride. Moving on, last week the Finance Ministry had announced the inclusion of international credit card transactions under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Now it will attract a 20% tax collected at source, or TCS from July this year. Amendment of the Foreign Exchange Management (Current Account Transaction) Rules has raised concerns from several quarters that have been sending money abroad. Finf out how the 20% TCS on foreign remittances will affect you. The revision of Liberalised Remittance Scheme last week was aimed at prudent foreign exchange management and prevent by-passing of the LRS limits in international transactions. Meanwhile, equity markets in India witnessed downbeat sentiment last week as concerns over a looming US debt default made investors jittery. As Q4 earnings now come to a wrap, will equities shrug off the volatility and stage a turnaround in the near term? The ongoing US debt ceiling concerns and worries about higher interest rates for a longer period and a looming recession are going to keep investors on tenterhooks this week. India and the UK, on the other hand, are back on the negotiating table to thrash out contours of Free Trade Agreement. But a tussle is brewing between the whisky makers of both the nations. It is over ‘angel’s share’. What is it? And why whisky makers are sparring over it? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
What’s in focus today is India’s economy. India’s goods exports fell by over 12% in April 2023 -- reflecting the slowing demand in the inflation-hit foreign countries. The industrial output grew just a tad above 1% in March, which was slowest in five months. Inflation numbers meanwhile offered some breather. So what do these three crucial parameters of India’s macroeconomic growth tell about its growth story? The world economy went into a tailspin when the pandemic struck. And countries are still paying the price. But WHO recently said that it is no longer a global health emergency. Sohini Das recently caught up with prominent epidemiologist K Srinath Reddy to find out where we stand now. And what is the road ahead? While every aspect of our lives was impacted by the pandemic, Indian markets somehow remained immune to the virus. Over the years, the Nifty IT has closely mirrored moves in the NASDAQ index. Calendar year 2023 so far, however, has proved to be different with both these indices performing differently. So, is the correlation between the two indices ending? If you are someone who uses credit cards for international transactions, we have news for you. From July 1st, your credit card transactions abroad will get costlier. Not only will you have to pay a 20% TCS on each of these transactions, but you will also have to limit the spending to under $250,000 in a financial year. This episode of the podcast breaks it down for you.
In our first story today, we take a peek at the road ahead for India’s electronics exports. In 2018, during the peak of the US-China trade war, Washington had imposed a 25% tariff on a slew of Chinese electronics products. While the move riled China, its smaller competitors rejoiced. They saw an opportunity. Since then, nations like Vietnam, Malaysia and Mexico, have seen a surge in their exports to the US. India, however, seems to have lagged behind. So how can it catch up in the US-electronics exports race? Twitter is all the rage right now. Like it has always been. And it has been rife with controversies since Elon Musk took over. He had fired almost 50% of the workforce including its CEO Parag Agarwal. He also privatized Twitter. And now, Musk has appointed Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO. So will she tick the right buttons and restore sanity at Twitter? While the Twitter saga will continue, let us see what is exciting the investors in India. The real estate sector has been on investor's radar. Institutional investment in the sector jumped 37% to 1.65 billion dollars during January-March quarter, driven by higher inflow in office and housing properties. The related stocks, too, have given a stupendous return during this period. So will the sector and the stocks continue to remain a favorable bet going ahead? While Indian markets are looking up, European stocks meanwhile stumbled yesterday on May 17. Wall Street banks and asset managers are on the edge. But why? Believe it or not, the United States of America is staring at a default. Its leaders, including President Joe Biden, are holding meetings to avert it by raising the debt ceiling. But what is a debt ceiling? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
A war of words has erupted between Go First and aircraft lessors -- who want their planes back from the cash-strapped airline. While the Aviation Working Group, which represents the lessors, has put India on a watch list, the Wadia group-owned airline has termed it as an attempt to influence an ongoing case in NCLAT, where lessors have challenged NCLT moratorium on the airline’s assets. The moratorium bars lessors from recovering their aircraft. So how will this tussle between Go First and lessors impact the Indian aviation sector? Boeing, meanwhile, has said that Indian airlines are likely to require over 2,200 aircraft in the next 20 years, and the Go First episode can't knock the growth trajectory of India’s civil aviation market off course. Moving on, one of the largest conglomerates of the country, Larsen and Toubro, has been flying high for decades now - leaving behind a trail of development projects and much more. Recently it has seen a change of guard. So where is L&T headed from here? Despite a lower-than- estimated Q4FY23 earnings, several top brokerages like Jefferies and Nuvama have retained their positive views on L&T stock. Moving on, at 6,480 crore rupees, net inflow into equity mutual funds hit their lowest level since November last year. The flows declined even as debt funds saw inflows of over 1 trillion rupees. So, what caused this sharp drop in equity mutual fund inflows? And what is the road ahead? Once a favourite investment option, debt mutual funds seem to have lost their charm after the government withdrew long-term tax benefits it used to enjoy. But, as they say, where there is a will there's a way. High net worth individuals are now turning to private credit funds. So what are they? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Doug McMillon, the chief executive officer of the biggest retail company of the world, Walmart, was in India recently. During this time, in a conversation with Business Standard, he indicated that the retail giant’s aspiration for multi-brand retail might be a thing of the past. What then is Walmart’s future Indian strategy? Like the retail giant Walmart, WhatsApp too has been eyeing the large Indian market. In a matter of few years, it has become part of daily lives of over 480 million people in India. But, scammers also came along. And despite all the checks and regulations in place, an increasing number of people are falling prey to their tricks. People now are also reporting unsolicited calls from unknown international numbers. Why is it so? And what are WhatsApp and Indian regulators doing to make this platform safe? During his interaction with Business Standard, the Walmart CEO said that both Flipkart and PhonePe will eventually go for IPOs and the call on timing will be taken by independent boards. The company is waiting for that right moment. Meanwhile, according to a report, over 50 companies are expected to raise a combined 76,190 crore rupees via IPOs in FY24. But primary market activity has remained muted so far in 2023 with weaker-than-expected participation by retail investors. So, what’s keeping retail investors away from IPOs? And will the trend change in the days to come? Go First has also been planning to raise money from the primary market since 2015. But the airline is now grounded, and its owners have filed for voluntary insolvency. This has left aircraft lessors in a fix and they too have approached NCLAT for relief. But what are aircraft lessors? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Dust over the campaign trails in Karnataka has settled now. Loudspeakers have fallen silent and EVMs are back in store rooms. Over three crore voters have elected 224 MLAs, and the suspense over the results is now over. So what next for Karnataka? Both the BJP and Congress had made a host of promises for the state’s young population. While the BJP had vowed 10 lakh new jobs, the Congress had announced a monthly allowance to unemployed graduates and diploma holders. But why is a large section of Indian youth not landing jobs despite degrees and diplomas? Recently the central government has also told the Parliament that the number of students going abroad for higher education has jumped by 68% in 2022. Why then are so many Indian students flying abroad for higher degrees? Moving on, while the overall market has remained volatile so far this year, the midcap and smallcap pockets are emerging as winners, outperforming the large caps. Find out the reasons supporting their upward movement and whether the strength will sustain ahead. The stock markets of neighbouring Pakistan, meanwhile, crashed and its rupee fell to a record low after the arrest of opposition leader Imran Khan last week. While the country’s Supreme Court later termed the arrest illegal, and a high court granted him bail, the country remains on the edge. The cricketer-turned-politician was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case. But what is this controversy all about? Listen to the podcast for answers.
Your food order on Swiggy will now cost two-rupee more in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. But why? Because the food and grocery delivery company has started levying a platform fee on every order -- no matter what the cart value is. And it comes days after the company laid-off 380 employees and shut down its meat delivery business. So what is behind the new platform fee? And what does it say about the unit economics of India’s online food aggregator platforms? And, what does this mean for foodies going ahead? In this technology-driven world, a tiny component is running the show. From the phone you use to order food from Swiggy or Zomato, to your smart TV and car, to satellites in the sky, semiconductor chips are everywhere. And most of them are made in the tiny islands of Taiwan. But recent supply chain disruption forced the nation’s semiconductor industry to look for alternatives. They are exploring safe destinations to move their manufacturing facilities. But they haven’t turned to India so far. Why is it so? And what should India do to make it an attractive destination for chip makers? Did you know that gold is also used in some semiconductors to provide contact pads. Moving on, all that glitters is not gold, as it could be silver too. The white metal has seen a strong performance this year in line with gold, given the recessionary risks in the West and elevated inflation. So, will the precious metal continue its up run and should you add it to your portfolio? Meanwhile, the World Bank has recently unveiled a new methodology and improved safeguards for assessing the business climate in up to 180 countries. The Bretton Woods institution will now be helmed by an Indian-origin businessman. Ajay Banga’s name was suggested by American president Joe Biden. But ever wondered what is the World Bank? What does it do? Listen to this podcast for the answers.
Artificial intelligence appears all set to shake the tech world. Old jobs will go, and new ones will come up. A recent World Economic Forum report claimed that over 14 million jobs will disappear due to the adoption of new technologies like AI in the next five years. India too cannot remain unaffected. So is the Indian youth ready for this churn in the IT sector? Is the industry ready? Indian cricket too, it seems, is going through a churn. Virat Kohli’s on-field spat with Gautam Gambhir has caught everyone’s attention. But this is not a one-off incident. Indian Premier League matches are increasingly witnessing on-field aggressions; like what we see on the football grounds. So is cricket then going the football way? Moving on to markets, foreign portfolio investors have bought equities worth over 10,800 crore rupees in just four trading sessions of May. With this, they have turned net buyers for three straight months. With a pause in global monetary policy in sight, especially after the US’s Fed interest rate decision on Wednesday, will emerging markets see higher inflows? And where is India placed on FPIs radar? Key benchmark indices soared on Thursday, both in India and in other parts of Asia too after the US Fed’s quarter-point rate hike. Moving on, beaches of Panaji are decked up, and are brimming with activities even in this hot weather. The city is hosting foreign ministers of countries which form Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or SCO. But, what exactly is SCO? Why is India a member? And what is its significance? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Low-cost carrier Go First has run out of runway. Its entire fleet is grounded, and the company is at the doors of the bankruptcy court. The sudden development has not just shocked the flyers, but the regulator too which is now scrambling for answers. But why did the airline come to a grinding halt? And what does it mean for the flyers and for the aviation industry? But, it looks like electric vehicles have hit a smooth runway, and are ready to take off in India. The competition is heating up too. So far, Tata Motors has been the leader. But others are catching up too. After Pune, Mahindra and Mahindra is going to set up its second manufacturing plant in Telangana. It plans to sell more than two lakh EVs by FY27. But, can it catch up with Tata? While EV race hots up in India, the one in the sky is left with one less competitor. Go First says that it could no longer continue to meet financial obligations. With the developments still unfolding, how should investors approach the listed aviation stocks? Staying with the theme of markets, regulator Sebi has given nod to Tata Play’s proposed public issue. The Tata group firm has taken the confidential filing route for its IPO as it wants to keep the draft red herring prospectus to be under the wraps for a while. But what exactly is confidential IPO filing? We decode it for you in this episode of the podcast.
India’s largest household goods maker, HUL, believes that rural slowdown is finally bottoming out. But the largest car maker of the country, Maruti Suzuki, has sounded a note of caution saying it has witnessed a decline in bookings in April. The reason? Elevated inflation and weakening consumer sentiments in rural areas due to uncertainty around monsoon. So as the companies with rural presence are coming out with results for last quarter of FY 23, what do they suggest about rural demand? Is it finally reviving? And what do they tell us about the state of our economy? Inflation has hit consumer spending across various sectors, from FMCG to automobile. The electric vehicle segment, however, has had an additional challenge. The government recently slapped a fine and deregistered two key players - Hero Electric and Okinawa Autotech - from its ambitious subsidy scheme to promote electric vehicles. The two companies were accused of misappropriating subsidies under the FAME-2 scheme. Ola Electric too was found involved, but it has accepted the violation and will reimburse the subsidy. So what went wrong with the FAME scheme? And it is not just the electric automobile sector. Quick-service-restaurant companies too, it seems, have hit rough weather. Higher raw material costs and subdued demand patterns have dented their near-term margin prospects. However, with their stocks seeing steep correction over the past six months, is there more downside in the offing? Or should investors use this decline as a buying opportunity for the long-term? After restaurants, let us shift our focus to the healthcare sector. Did you know that India still imports most of its high-end medical devices like MRI and CT scanners? And due to their high cost, the prices of health diagnosis and treatment is also high. But that may change soon. The government recently approved the National Medical Devices Policy, 2023. But what exactly is it? And how will the country benefit from it? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
BYJU’s is in the news again. The Enforcement Directorate has carried out searches at three premises linked to it in Bengaluru. The agency later claimed to have found some “incriminating” documents related to its probe into alleged foreign exchange violations done by the edtech major. The company is now facing greater regulatory scrutiny than it has ever before. So, is this the end of the road for BYJU’S? Or is it just another bump in its eventful journey? Notwithstanding the ongoing woes, BYJU’S still rules the online learning space -- which grew rapidly during the pandemic when most educational institutions were shut. The period was a game-changer for the online media streaming industry too, as theatres were shut during most part of 2020. Millions subscribed to Netflix and Amazon Prime. But, it seems, the industry is staring at yet another disruption. Why? Because Reliance is turning up the heat in this sector too. After live streaming FIFA World Cup and IPL matches, JioCinema has signed a deal with HBO to stream popular western TV shows and movies. So is JioCinema the new ‘star’ of OTT? The sugar in your coffee or tea, which you relish while binge watching OTT films, has become dearer off late. It is because uneven weather conditions are choking global supplies and increasing demand for this commodity. But some are happy. Rising prices of sugar have sweetened related-stocks. So will the scenario remain the same in the coming months as well? Should investors use this opportunity to accumulate sugar stocks in their portfolio? Meanwhile, Punjab’s industrial city Ludhiana was struck by a tragedy on Sunday morning. In one of its densely-populated localities, 11 people died in quick succession after coming in contact with a poisonous gas, which -- in most likelihood -- emanated from manholes dotting a covered gutter. Four others are fighting for their lives in hospitals as we speak. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more about the incident, and also about the likely cause.
India is planning to take on China through its Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. This is what Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said during her visit to the US last month. The government had rolled out the ambitious scheme in 2020 with an outlay of about ₹2 lakh crore to make India a manufacturing powerhouse. But in the last fiscal year, it disbursed only 2,874 crore rupees, or only about 1.4 per cent of the total outlay. So should it be a cause of worry? Maybe not. As the government has big plans ahead. So has the scheme been able to meet its projected goals? What are some of the challenges? But is PLI enough to lift the prospects of the country? What about productivity? What if a large number of company workers are turning up exhausted at its doors? A 2019 report had claimed that on an average Indians spent close to two hours in daily office commute. And after the pandemic break, people have again hit the streets. While some cities offer comfortable and affordable mobility, others don’t. A recent report titled ‘Ease of Moving Index 2022’ offered some insight into it. Mumbai Metro, meanwhile, has given a big relief to the residents of the country’s financial capital. Moving on, the action of global central banks has been the key anchor for markets since last year. And, as inflation begins to cool off across the globe, market watchers have raised bets in favour of an end to the monetary tightening. In this backdrop, will the US Fed chief Jerome Powell deliver interest rate action on expected lines this week? Or will his dot plot outlook stoke fresh concerns? From markets, let us turn our focus to the corridors of politics. Rahul Gandhi recently got a respite from Patna High Court which stayed proceedings in a lower court in connection with a defamation case filed against him for his alleged remark on the “Modi” surname. Gandhi had submitted that since he has already been convicted by a Surat court, he cannot be tried again in the same case. In legal terms, the court’s decision is on the lines of the doctrine of double jeopardy. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Maruti, it seems, is on a roll. It announced a sharp jump of 43% in its profit in the fourth quarter of FY23, despite tight competition and an increased tilt towards the SUV segment -- where it was a late comer. India's biggest carmaker has also announced plans to set up a new factory to expand its annual capacity by 1 million units. So, what is keeping the carmaker in the fast lane? And what lies in the details of its latest result? Like Maruti, Vedanta too owes its success to India’s economic liberalisation of the 1990s. The company -- then known as Sterlite Industries-- had acquired bankrupt Hindustan Zinc Limited and BALCO from the government during its journey to become a global oil-to-metals conglomerate. But, it appears, all is not well with the company for a while now. Questions are being raised about its debts. The group’s chairman Anil Agarwal, however, recently brushed aside the concerns, saying the group has a comfortable liquidity position. And that it will generate $9 billion profit in FY24. So is Vedanta out of the woods? The month of May has, traditionally, been negative for global markets where fund managers and investors, usually, sell and go away to enjoy their summer break. Indian markets, however, have proven this mostly wrong in the past 10 years. Will this year be any different? Find out from analysts what lies ahead for the markets. Indian telecom companies, meanwhile, are likely to report moderation in Q4 earnings. Lack of a significant tariff hike is one of the reasons. Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea recently approached TRAI alleging that Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel were engaged in predatory pricing with their 5G offers. Well this is not the first time that such an accusation has been made in the sector. But what exactly is predatory pricing? We explain it in this episode of the podcast.
Maruti, it seems, is on a roll. It announced a sharp jump of 43% in its profit in the fourth quarter of FY23, despite tight competition and an increased tilt towards the SUV segment -- where it was a late comer. India's biggest carmaker has also announced plans to set up a new factory to expand its annual capacity by 1 million units. So, what is keeping the carmaker in the fast lane? And what lies in the details of its latest result? Like Maruti, Vedanta too owes its success to India’s economic liberalisation of the 1990s. The company -- then known as Sterlite Industries-- had acquired bankrupt Hindustan Zinc Limited and BALCO from the government during its journey to become a global oil-to-metals conglomerate. But, it appears, all is not well with the company for a while now. Questions are being raised about its debts. The group’s chairman Anil Agarwal, however, recently brushed aside the concerns, saying the group has a comfortable liquidity position. And that it will generate $9 billion profit in FY24. So is Vedanta out of the woods? The month of May has, traditionally, been negative for global markets where fund managers and investors, usually, sell and go away to enjoy their summer break. Indian markets, however, have proven this mostly wrong in the past 10 years. Will this year be any different? Find out from analysts what lies ahead for the markets. Indian telecom companies, meanwhile, are likely to report moderation in Q4 earnings. Lack of a significant tariff hike is one of the reasons. Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea recently approached TRAI alleging that Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel were engaged in predatory pricing with their 5G offers. Well this is not the first time that such an accusation has been made in the sector. But what exactly is predatory pricing? We explain it in this episode of the podcast.
Shunned by the West, Russian crude oil has been fulfilling India’s growing needs since its invasion of Ukraine. From one per cent, the share of discounted Russian crude has shot up to around 40% of total imports. But with sanctions catching up, the purchases of Russian crude are likely to plateau. So, is the honeymoon phase of Russia-India oil trade coming to an end? India will indeed have to strike a difficult balance in the days to come as both -- Russia and the US -- are its strategic partners. Speaking of the US, one of its largest chip makers, Micron Technology, is planning to set up a plant in India. And for its CEO, Kanpur-born Sanjay Mehrotra, it is a homecoming of sorts. Now 64, Mehrotra had left for the US when he was just 18. Moving on, rising air passenger traffic and higher hotel occupancies suggest the travel industry is on a stable road to recovery. So as consumers ready for the summer holiday season, is it time to look at travel related stocks? Outward remittances under the liberalised remittance scheme (LRS) of RBI touched all-time high in FY23. The central bank has proposed some changes in the scheme. In this episode of the podcast, we explain exactly what is LRS and what are the proposed changes.
With Reliance Jio making a disruptive entry into the telecom sector, 2017 and 2018 saw Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea Cellular raise allegations of predatory pricing. But the CCI had rejected the allegation against Jio. And, by the time Airtel and Vodafone-Idea received some relief, it was too late. Jio had grabbed its targeted market share. Now, as the 5G services are being rolled out, the old allegations are again doing the rounds. So, why are Indian telcos pointing fingers at each other? Meanwhile, for cricket fans all over the world, Monday was an occasion for both celebration and nostalgia. It was Sachin Tendulkar’s 50th birthday. While the legend left the 22-yard about a decade ago, he continues to rule hearts, and screens even today. While most sportspersons have short shelf-life post retirement, Tendulkar still endorses 15 brands. We flip through old Pepsi ads and brush the dust off our Action shoes to see how brand Sachin still rules. Big brands like Dhoni and Kohli are sweating it out in the ongoing season of IPL, and their fans are flooding the stadiums to see them in action despite the searing summer heat. Meanwhile, heat is playing havoc off the field too. Power demand has already touched a record high of 216 gigawatts this month. And analysts project this will rise further. So, will this provide a fillip to shares of power distribution companies? Or are the positives already priced in by the markets? The heat is on in space as well. The private sector is rapidly increasing its space exploration efforts, and is tasting both success and failures. One of the space vehicles designed by Elon Musk-led space exploration company, SpaceX exploded soon after take off last week. But the engineers and scientists hailed it as an achievement. In today’s episode of the podcast we tell you more about this space vehicle.
High attrition rate has been dragging down the profitability of Indian IT companies for the last few quarters. While their efforts to arrest the attrition rate have started showing some results, the recent Q4 numbers of three top IT companies showed that it was still hovering around 20%. So, how are the Indian IT companies dealing with high attrition rates? For some IT companies, the attrition rates had shot up to 30% during the pandemic due to increased demand for digitisation. Meanwhile, Covid cases were on the rise till Saturday. The number of fresh cases reported in the seven days ending Saturday was the highest recorded in India in the eight months. This implies that India has just witnessed a Covid wave of sorts. While there may be early signs that the situation is improving, can the country afford to shrug it off? Moving on, FMCG major ITC has swiftly extended its bull run on the bourses this year as risks of cigarette taxes remain at bay. So, after doubling investors’ wealth in the last two years, does the stock’s rally have more legs? Good Q4 results are taking the heat off the financial markets which has been reeling under pressure for a while now. But there is no let-up outside the plush offices of Dalal Street. Just an hour’s drive from Bombay Stock Exchange, at least 14 people lost their lives due to heatstroke last week. They were attending a government function in Navi Mumbai. Several parts of the country are in the grip of unforgiving heat wave now. This episode of the podcast explains what a heatwave is and more.
India is set to overtake China to become the most populous country in the world by the middle of 2023. This is what the latest report released by the United Nations Population Fund has to say. And with close to 50 per cent of its population below the age of 25, India has a time-bound opportunity to benefit from the demographic dividend. But, if India doesn't play its cards right, the youth bulge could also turn into a demographic challenge. So, which direction are India’s socio-economic indicators pointing to? Dividend or disaster? And, what can India do to ensure that it is the former? Health of its citizens is indeed the most essential factor without which growth of any country cannot be ensured. Staying with the theme, health drink Bournvita was at the centre of a row recently when a social media influencer alleged that its daily consumption could be harmful. While the post was taken down later, it ignited a debate around health foods. Moving on, though fear of higher interest rates triggered bitcoin to break below 30,000 US dollars in the recent days, so far this year, the crypto-asset has surged over 70%, beating equity market returns as well as gold. So what is driving investors towards this riskier-asset? And will this uptrend sustain in the near-term? Russian crude oil exports, meanwhile, are back above the levels seen before its Ukraine invasion. Moving on, the world is staring at yet another crisis. This time in Africa. Sudan’s capital Khartoum is in the grip of a fierce fighting between military and the paramilitary forces. Hundreds are reported killed, and thousands have fled the capital. Several Indians too are stuck there. This episode of the podcast tells more about the situation in Sudan.
Hundreds of Apple loyalists -- some of them from Rajasthan and distant Madhya Pradesh -- erupted in joy when Tim Cook flung open the doors of Apple’s store in Delhi’s upmarket Saket on Thursday morning. And just two days ago, Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex was also witness to similar sparks of enthusiasm, where Apple CEO opened the first retail store of the company. For Apple, this is another, very visible, example of the bet it has placed on India, not just as a manufacturing base but also as a market. But can Apple replicate its China success in India? Apple Inc was also keen on buying IPL media rights for a five-year cycle beginning 2023. But the Californian tech giant had pulled out of the auction along with Amazon and Alphabet last year. Moving on, if you have been following the latest season of IPL, Rinku Singh’s last-over heroics in the match between KKR and Gujarat Titans on April 9, is sure to have taken your breath away. With this stellar performance, Singh found himself in a long line of IPL players who, while not billed at the top in the annual auction, proved to be the most valued performers for their teams. So, are undercard IPL players the real MVPs of the game? And are their price tags lighter than their value? Temperatures, meanwhile, are rising. Not just in IPL stadiums, but off the fields too. And the soaring mercury is also driving the sales of air conditioners, coolers and other similar products. So is it time to buy consumer appliance stocks? India has had several types of investment instruments which attracted people with the promise of good returns. Chit funds are one of them. But they have also been in the news for wrong reasons. West Bengal’s chit fund scam is one such example. And so is the recent one in Andhra Pradesh. But exactly what is a chit fund? Listen to this episode of the podcast for the answers.
Quick-commerce platform Blinkit claimed on Wednesday that most of its stores in NCR have reopened. The Zomato-owned company was grappling with a crisis of sorts for the last few days, as hundreds of its delivery partners were on a strike, and stores shut. They were protesting against the company’s new payout structure, claiming that it would cut their monthly earnings by half. The company, which is struggling to cut losses, has refused to budge. So is the Blinkit’s business model sustainable? These delivery partners will have to weather another big challenge in the days to come. The rising mercury, which soars to 48 degrees Celsius or more in the months of May and June. The Indian Meteorological Department recently issued heatwave alerts in central and north-eastern parts of India. This comes after a bout of unseasonal rains. Farmers had to delay the harvest to protect their produce. So, what does this erratic weather conditions say about India’s climate? Meanwhile, with the rollout of 5G services, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel can no longer engage in a price war in the mobile broadband segment. The growth in the segment has also slowed down with most of the 2G to 4G/5G upgradation behind us. So where will the next leg of growth of telecom companies come from? And should investors add related stocks to their portfolio? The year 1991 was a turning point in India’s economy, and for the markets too. The economy was thrown open for foreign companies. But a group of industrialists was anxious, and wanted a level-playing field. This group was later dubbed as the Bombay Club. The fabled club was in the news again recently after the death of industrialist Keshub Mahindra -- who was said to be a part of it. So what was this club? This episode of the podcast answers all.
The State Bank of India recently filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking clarifications on the latter’s verdict in relation to identifying fraudulent accounts. The apex court had earlier said that a borrower must be heard before the account is declared fraudulent. It said that doing so is in line with natural justice. Now, the bank has come out with certain suggestions in regards to the plea. So, why is the SBI not completely on board with the SC’s verdict? What does the lender’s plea say? And, what does all of this tell us about the Indian banking sector? Who wants to live in their offices? Nobody, right? Well, almost nobody. Turns out, in western urban hubs like New York, London, and Chicago, some office spaces that have fallen out of use are now being turned into luxury apartments and condominiums. While the trend isn’t new, it has picked up post-pandemic. But will it find any takers in India? Will Indian offices also turn into apartments? As a new technology wave disrupts the logistics sector, related stocks have sharply corrected over the past six months. With this rapid change, analysts argued that traditional logistic players should evolve from their old methods and invest in advanced technologies. Find out how new-age tech startups could disturb listed logistic players. The Overseas Citizenship of India or OCI has again come into the limelight after the Centre cancelled the OCI status of American-Kannada language actor Chetan Kumar last week. But what is this OCI status? Listen to this episode of the podcast for an explaination.
Keshub Mahindra, the former chairman of Mahindra & Mahindra, passed away last week at the age of 99 years. Under his stewardship, Mahindra & Mahindra Group diversified in automobile, IT, real estate and several other sectors. But his illustrious career was also marked by a rough patch. Keshub Mahindra was sentenced to two years in jail in his 80s. The reason? He was the non-executive chairman of Union Carbide India when a gas leak from its Bhopal plant left thousands dead in 1984. But should a non-executive chairman-- who is not privy to the company’s day-to-day affairs -- be held responsible for any lapse? Let us now shift focus to a piece of good news. Apple, the maker of iPhones and Macbooks, is set to open its first ever stores in India. They will be in Mumbai and New Delhi. However, there is a catch. Apple has signed a non-compete clause which means that up to 22 competing brands cannot open their stores in the vicinity. Non-compete clauses are regularly used by brands to advance their business. But, are they good for consumers? And what are the compliance challenges? Shares of IT bellwether Infosys crashed 9% on Monday, after the company lowered its revenue growth guidance for FY24, given the uncertain global demand environment. As IT shares remain on a slippery slope, at least in the near-term, can they trigger the next leg of market correction, or are they a contrarian bet from a 12-24 month horizon? Let's try to find answers to these questions. The government, meanwhile, is working on the Digital India Bill which will replace the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. According to reports, it will introduce changes to the “safe harbour” provision. The government has been of the opinion that social media companies should not get a free pass when it comes to content moderation. But what is a safe harbour? We decode it for you in this episode of the podcast.
Business Standard hosted a ‘Tech Talk’ conference on Friday on the theme of Artificial Intelligence and Business. During the event, Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar -- who was also the chief guest at the event -- spoke in detail about how AI is being used in governance and its future. Later, a panel comprising industry leaders from Dell, IBM, TCS, Salesforce, SAP and Myelin Foundry too shared their thoughts on how AI is being integrated into their products and services. Find out how India is using AI to bridge the gap between the have and have-nots. A recent study has found that Artificial Intelligence is better than humans at assessing heart ultrasounds -- which is the main test of overall cardiac health. Speaking of fitness, preventive and supplementary medicines, which come under the broad umbrella of nutraceuticals, are increasingly making inroads in the country. And so are health influencers advising them. But what is the regulatory framework around them? The markets, meanwhile, have been stuck in a range since the past few weeks with the Sensex oscillating between 57,000 and 61,000 levels. Can it break out of this range anytime soon? How should you approach the markets as the March 2023 quarter earnings season begins? Puneet Wadhwa spoke with Ajit Mishra, vice-president for technical research at Religare Broking on what the technical charts suggest. Stocks of FMCG companies, like HUL and Nestle, fell last week after private weather forecaster Skymet predicted below normal monsoon due to EL Nino conditions. Although India’s official weatherman calmed the nerves with a forecast of normal monsoon, the fear of EL Nino still looms large. But what is this phenomenon? We decode it for you in this episode of the podcast and more.
In 1976 classic ‘Manthan’, veteran playwright and Kannada actor Girish Karnad brought alive the character of Verghese Kurien -- a Kerala-born engineer who orchestrated the ‘White Revolution’ from Gujarat. 47 years on, while Karnad is no more, a row has flared up in his home state. Amul’s reported entry into Karnataka has taken a political hue. The country’s largest cooperative is being pitted against home-grown milk brand Nandini amid a rising pitch for upcoming state election. So why is Amul facing a backlash in the southern state? While Amul is facing some backlash in Karnataka, there seems to be no opposition to dating apps anywhere. It cuts across all identities. And its reach is no more limited to Tier 1 cities now. With the increased penetration of the Internet, people in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities too are using these apps to find friends and partners. Home-grown dating apps which also offer content in regional languages, are helping them. So what strategies are Indian dating apps using to achieve this? Moving on to markets, private lender HDFC Bank is set to start the banking sector’s Q4 earnings this Saturday. Analysts expect the banking pack to drive India Inc.’s earnings growth for three quarter in a row. Lets explore how the numbers may look like, and which stocks should be on investors’ radar. From Dalal Street, let us shift focus to political galleries. Opposition Congress has alleged that the government is buying a new spyware called Cognyte -- which is billed as an alternative to Pegasus -- to snoop on opposition leaders and journalists. But what is this software? This episode of the podcast decodes it and more.
Not only farmers, senior officials sitting in RBI headquarters too hold their breath when weathermen come out with monsoon predictions in April. Relationship between rain and key economic indicators is well established. So last week, when private weather forecaster Skymet painted a grim picture of the monsoon, shares of HUL, Nestle and Tata Consumers tumbled. But soon, India’s official weather forecaster, IMD, too came out with its prediction, saying the monsoon will be normal. So what does this forecast mean for the country’s economy? Most experts, meanwhile, agree that Q4 will end on a good note. A good monsoon played a key role in it. And another round of good monsoon will pave the way for another impressive earning season. Speaking of the private sector, the country has seen several urban centres metamorphose into the favoured destination for companies over the years. Like Bengaluru and NCR. Ahmedabad seems to be the latest in the line. From industrial giants to start-ups, all are rushing to establish a base in the city. So is Gujarat's financial capital emerging as the next corporate hub of India? Erratic crude oil prices too affect the margins of companies just like the monsoon. Paint companies are eyeing margin recovery from Q4 onwards after being beaten down for several months, but volatility in crude has returned to haunt them. So is it time to buy stocks of paint companies? Global crude oil prices had soared to 120 dollars a barrel last year when Russia invaded Ukraine. A somewhat similar situation seems to be building up in the Pacific Ocean now. China recently concluded a three-day military exercise around Taiwan. There were simulated attacks on Taiwan, the encirclement of the island and its “sealing off”. This is not the first time tensions between the two nations have escalated. There is a long history to it. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
India added 200 more tigers in the last four years. With this, the total number of big cats prowling its forests has soared past 3,000. Tourists too are foraging these forests to get a glimpse of these elusive animals, contributing to the economy. And the tiger conservation efforts have also given rise to an entire economic ecosystem. So with India’s tiger conservation initiative marking 50 years, Bhaswar Kumar and I explore exactly how large the tiger economy is. Over 80,000 tigers were killed in India before a ban on its hunting was imposed. And later, in 1973, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched the Project Tiger to save the animal. Fast forward to now, the world is staring at digital disruption due to advanced artificial intelligence. OpenAI’s ChatGPT has taken the world by a storm. It is clearing competitive exams with flying colours and writing impressive programs and articles. While some say it will create fresh jobs, others are worrying about the threat to their livelihood. So will artificial-intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGpt take away jobs? Even as the Reserve Bank of India’s recent policy action was a “pause” in the rate hike cycle, it has proved to be a “pivot” for the real estate sector. Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa spoke to analysts to understand the road ahead for the sector, and find out stocks that could be worth investors’ money. While ripples in the stock market affect investors, those in the space have the potential to change the course of humanity. Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO in short, is an international network of laboratories that detect the ripples in space-time. The world has four such labs. And now, India too has sanctioned one such ambitious observatory. But exactly what does it observe? And why is it important for India? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
The government has approved the Indian Space Policy 2023 that seeks to institutionalise the private sector participation in the space sector. With a stable policy in place, more private players are expected to enter this huge market -- whose global value is pegged at 447-billion-dollar. So what does the road ahead look like? The government recently notified another set of rules: this time for the online gaming industry. It was long awaited. The new rules prohibit betting in online gaming while opting for a self-regulatory model for games involving real money. But, how effective will these rules be? And will it add red tape to the Indian online gaming industry? Sticky inflation, firm crude oil prices and likelihood of a sub-par monsoon back home are unnerving the markets. So should investors choose to play it safe and stick to the large-caps? Listen to analysts on what they think is the ideal investment strategy. Several start-ups have put fund raising from the primary market on a hold due to prevailing uncertainty. Some of them have taken different routes to raise capital. Convertible note is one of them. App-based instant grocery delivery start-up Dunzo recently secured funding of $75 million through it. But what is a convertible note? Listen to this episode of the podcast for the answers.
India’s daily glass of milk has been getting costlier. And according to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, it is likely to remain high going into the summer. The government, meanwhile, is also mulling importing some dairy products. So why is the world’s largest milk producing country struggling to meet the demand? And it is not just the prices of dairy products. Home rents too are shooting through the roof. For techies in Bangalore, landing a job has become easier than finding a house to live in. Rents in the country’s technology hub have almost doubled in the last one year. Mumbai, Pune and Delhi have also seen a jump in rents. So what does it tell us about the Indian economy? And will it nudge people into buying homes? Meanwhile, Indian IT services companies, most of which are headquartered in Bangalore, are set to kick-start the Q4 earnings season from Wednesday. As the global macro makeup remains volatile, how will the sector perform in the March quarter? Markets heaved a sigh of relief when RBI hit the pause button on rate hike. While announcing the decision, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said, “It’s a pause and not a pivot”. What do these two terms mean? Listen to this episode of the podcast for the answer and more.
While most central banks -- including the US Fed -- are still increasing interest rates to control inflation, the Reserve Bank of India has lifted its foot off the pedal. Its Monetary Policy Committee has kept the policy rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent after six consecutive hikes. The panel also lowered the projection for inflation in FY24 and moderately raised the growth outlook. So, did the pause come too soon? And, how will the economy fare in the coming six months? During the MPC meeting, the RBI governor also cautioned that the prices of milk are likely to remain high during the coming summer. Milk prices have risen by 12-15% in the last 15 months. Meanwhile, a dairy product was in the news recently for a very different reason. The country’s food safety regulator had to withdraw a directive to use the Hindi word ‘dahi’ on curd packets, after protests in the south. And it comes amid the ongoing discussions on the front-of-the-pack labelling (FOPL) norms. The government wants to regulate processed food products to prevent them from unbalancing diets. Meanwhile, market analysts are not impressed with the Reserve Bank of India’s surprise rate hike pause. They believe that it maybe a temporary pause rather than an end to the tightening cycle. In our next report, Nikita Vashisht and Puneet Wadhwa explore what the RBI’s move means for the markets, and what should be investors’ strategy? The Centre recently told Lok Sabha that it will constitute the 16th Finance Commission this year. It will give its recommendations for five years starting April 1, 2026. But what is a Finance Commission? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
Unseasonal rains slammed the break on the mercury’s upward march, and brought cheers to the people. But this weather wasn’t pleasant for farmers as they helplessly watched rains ruin their standing wheat crop. Government too confirmed the worst fear this week that about 8-10 per cent of the wheat crop has been damaged in key producing states of north and central India. And about 80% of the new crop that has reached procurement centres is subpar. So how serious is the situation? High inflation and low returns have nudged people to look beyond the traditional investment options like fixed deposits. The number of retail investors in India has risen at a breakneck speed in the last two years. Experts also credit discount brokerages for this. Find out how these brokerages have changed the trading game in India. India Inc, meanwhile, will kick-start the January-March quarter (Q4FY23) earnings season from next week. Analysts believe that a fall in commodity costs, pick-up in credit growth, and easing supply snags are likely to help India Inc’s margins. So what should investors expect from Q4FY23 results? Staying with the markets theme, the shares of automotive engineering firm KPIT Technologies nosedived last Monday after JPMorgan initiated coverage with an underweight rating. You would have heard analysts saying that they are overweight or underweight on any stock. But exactly what do they mean? Listen to this podcast for more.
The OPEC+ cartel took everyone by surprise with the announcement to cut oil production by more than a million barrels a day. And on Monday, international oil prices recorded the biggest daily rise in nearly one year, stoking inflation fears. Brent oil futures soared to 82.11 dollars per barrel by Tuesday afternoon. So will Indian consumers take a hit? And what about inflation? With its economy reviving, our neighbor China is expected to import a record amount of crude oil this year. The country’s leadership, it appears, is also taking a lenient approach to businesses now. Chinese billionaire Jack Ma recently visited the country after almost a year. And a day later, he announced the corporate break-up of his e-commerce empire Alibaba, which was at the receiving end of Chinese authorities in the last two years. So, what’s happening at Alibaba? Back home in India, the energy sector is staring at a big change. More than a dozen gas pipelines that form a national grid have come under a unified tariff structure. And talks to implement the Kirit Parikh Panel’s pricing mechanism are also on. So, where does the industry stand now and what is the outlook for related stocks? Meanwhile, tech giant Apple is also expecting to usher in a new era. It is planning to launch its first mixed-reality headset -- which it sees as the start of a post-iPhone age. But what is this Apple’s mixed reality headset? This episode of the podcast brings you the answer and more.
On Monday, India recorded 3,600 new Covid cases. This is the biggest jump in a day in the last six months. While the overall recovery rate is high, the rise in new cases is a cause of concern. Is Indian staring at another Covid wave in the coming days? What can be done about it? Covid isn’t the only thing that is worrying policymakers these days. High inflation has been a problem for the Reserve Bank of India and India's economic planners for some time. Central banks usually try to battle high inflation by raising the repo rate, but recently a former deputy governor of the RBI had an unconventional suggestion. Viral Acharya wants India's largest conglomerates dismantled to bring inflation under control. Should India follow his advice? Bhaswar Kumar spoke to two experts to find out. The Centre and states are upping the ante against the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases across the country. Equity markets, however, have, so far, been resilient to the developments. But is it too early for investors to lower their guard? Or are there concerns that investors need to be mindful of? Recently, Isro successfully conducted a landing experiment for a reusable launch vehicle or RLV at its Chitradurga facility. The RLV is expected to cut the costs of space missions significantly. But what is an RLV? Let's find out in this episode of the podcast.
If you’re an Android user, which you most likely are, given Google mobile OS’ dominance in India, March-end 2023 saw developments that are likely to affect your smartphone experience. On March 29, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal upheld the Rs 1,338-crore fine imposed on Google by the Competition Commission of India or CCI. However, while holding that the CCI investigation did not violate the principles of natural justice, the tribunal set aside certain directions issued by the competition watchdog. So, how exactly will this affect you, the user? The final match of the first ever Women’s Premier League or WPL concluded in India on Sunday, March 26. The finals, held in Mumbai, saw a footfall of 35,000 with not a seat empty. This, perhaps, shows the growing popularity of the WPL. So, what next for WPL? And, how did the maiden season truly fare? From buoyancy in WPL, we now talk about the stock markets where buoyancy is still a pipe dream. Markets delivered negative returns in FY23, a first in three financial years. Global growth outlook is worsening due to the recent banking crisis in the US and Europe. And, even as the erratic weather conditions in India delay rural recovery amid worsening inflation, the outlook for FY24 remains uncertain. This report lists key factors that would sway the markets in FY24. Donald Trump became the first former president of the United States to face criminal charges. A grand jury in New York voted to indict him. But why has he been charged? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a string of changes in taxation in this year’s Budget. These are set to come into effect from tomorrow. Not only has the default tax regime been changed, taxation of mutual funds and market-linked debentures have also been altered. So, should you make any changes to your financial planning? Even as India’s global clout grows, market experts point out that while several Indian firms have a formidable presence in international markets, there seems to be a lack of truly global brands originating in India. Is this true? If so, what will it take for India to create a global brand? Cash holdings with mutual fund managers hit their highest level in nearly 10 months during February. This came as market sentiment remained sluggish amid higher interest rates and the global banking crisis. Listen to the factors that hint at a market rebound and where mutual fund managers could bottom fish. Even as mutual fund managers wait to bottom fish, NPCI’s move on interchange fees has left people worried. NPCI’s decision to levy 1.1 per cent interchange fees on UPI-wallet payments has led to a lot of speculation on social media. People are worried that this will make their transactions costlier. But is it true? Listen to this episode of the podcast to understand it and more.
The Supreme Court on March 27 said borrowers should be allowed to be heard before banks declare their accounts as “fraudulent”. The Reserve Bank of India or RBI had issued a master circular in 2016, allowing banks to classify accounts of wilful defaulters as fraudulent. This circular was challenged in the Telangana High Court, which held in 2020 that borrowers would be heard before any such classification. The State Bank of India and RBI moved the Supreme Court against this order. Now, the Bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli has upheld the Telangana High Court’s judgment. So, why did the RBI fail to convince the apex court in this regard? And, what does the verdict mean for borrowers? People planning to take loans and those already in debt are facing the pinch of rising interest rates. At a time when countries across the globe are trying to rein in inflation, banks are drastically increasing the cost of borrowings. At such times, what should borrowers do? Should they wait or should they go ahead and borrow? Also, will interest rates fall in the coming months? Amid the rising interest rates and inflation, stock market analysts are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Domestic markets are set to end this financial year (FY23) with negative returns as global central banks tightened monetary policies, squeezing liquidity from the system, in order to tame inflation. As we approach FY24, analysts flag the rising interest rates and higher inflation as major headwinds for equities in the near term. However, they said that favourable macros could turn fortunes in favour of them. As the stock markets remain subdued, an alternative investment option could be municipal bonds. Of late, the interest around municipal bonds has been surging. Recently, the central government identified several cities with good ratings in this bond market. Reports have suggested that Chennai could launch its own municipal bonds in 2023 itself. So, what are municipal bonds? This episode of the podcast brings you the answer and more.
Accenture on March 23 announced plans to trim its workforce by 19,000. According to reports, this may lead to around 7,000 job cuts in India. And, with the IT major cutting estimates for its ongoing financial year, analysts expect the fourth quarter numbers, associated guidance, and hiring by big Indian IT firms to be on pessimistic lines. Even the global banking crisis could have a domino effect on the IT sector. Against this backdrop, are the Accenture layoffs a sign of tough times for Indian IT? Even amid the tech layoffs, we see another sector — the confectionery industry — which is on an expansion spree in India. The confectionary market has been lately attracting investments from major manufacturers. Mondelez International, US confectionery manufacturer Mars and Reliance Retail have expressed their intention to expand in the space through investments and acquisitions. So, why is the Indian confectionery market attracting billions? The runaway rally in Indian equities seen in FY21 and FY22 came to a grinding halt in FY23, as most global central banks tightened their monetary policies in order to fight the galloping inflation. Analysts, however, feel there is some hope for investors in FY24 as monetary tightening seems to be yielding results. Find out how analysts expect markets to play out in FY24. Since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse, regulators and governments across the globe have sprung into action to prevent a contagion in the banking sector. In India, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has asked banks to stay alert and take stress tests. So, what are bank stress tests? This episode of the podcast brings you the answer and more.
Even as the 5G roll out continues across India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 22 unveiled India’s 6G mission and an official testbed project that will enable research into these next-generation network technologies. The government has already appointed an apex council to oversee its Bharat 6G project, which has the potential to turn the second-largest global telecom market — with 1.2 billion telecom users — into a rule maker from a rule taker. So, what are the major challenges that will have to be overcome for the mission to succeed? Even as Turkey and Syria still reel from the devastation caused by the February 6 earthquakes, north-western India has also faced no less than 10 significant earthquakes and aftershocks. The most recent one, which originated in India’s western neighbourhood, was a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan. Experts link the increase in earthquake activity to the movement of tectonic plates in the Himalayan region. They have, in fact, warned of stronger jolts. But is India ready for a major earthquake? From an earthquake analysis, here’s some news that could give a jolt to the mutual fund industry. Last week, the Centre amended the mutual fund rules in the Finance Bill, 2023, removing long-term capital gains tax and indexation benefits. Experts now fear that this may trigger an outflow of funds from an industry, which is still in a nascent stage. Our next report explains the implications of the move, and how it may change investment options for investors. The Wagner Group, in a recent warning to Russia, said the Ukrainian army is preparing a major attack to cut off Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. The group’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that this attack could take place around late March. So, what is the Wagner Group? This episode of the podcast brings you the answer and more.
After being persuaded by the Swiss authorities, UBS Group AG will pay over $3.2 billion to buy its troubled rival, Credit Suisse Group AG. The rescue deal, which is backed by a significant Swiss guarantee and expected to close by end-2023, will see UBS absorb up to $5.4 billion in losses. The deal is part of a broader effort to avoid further turmoil in the global banking system, which started with the collapse of two regional US banks earlier in March. The US will be making a coordinated effort to stop the banking crisis from spreading globally. So, will Indian banks be affected by this turmoil? DLF, one of India’s largest real estate developers, sold almost a billion dollars worth of flats in a span of three days. These flats were part of a residential project in Gurugram. This comes at a time when home-buying affordability measures declined in 2022. So, what does real estate tell us about the Indian economy? UBS’ buyout of troubled Credit Suisse seems to have calmed investor’s nerves. As they now focus on the outcome of the two-day US Fed meet on rates, Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Harsha Upadhyaya, President & CIO – Equity, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management, on his interpretation of the developments, and whether it is a good time to start buying stocks from a long-term perspective. In Pakistan, it is illegal for a public official to keep anything without reporting it to the Toshakhana. In August 2022, members of the ruling coalition alleged that former Pak PM Imran Khan had not disclosed to the Toshakhana information about gifts given to him and the proceeds from their alleged sale. So what is Toshakhana, and this case against Imran Khan? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Rajesh Gopinathan’s decision to step down as chief executive officer or CEO of Tata Consultancy Services or TCS has surprised analysts. However, they are not too worried regarding continuity of operations of the firm. So, with the board naming another company veteran K Kritivasan as his successor, what does Gopinathan’s exit mean for TCS? The government is set to make a crucial change through the Finance Bill 2023 with regard to the provisions of angel tax. The tax will now be applicable even when shares are issued to non-resident investors. Experts believe this may not be very conducive to India’s image as a destination of foreign investment. Markets have been on a roller-coaster ride last week, amid developments with regard to select US banks and Credit Suisse in Europe. Puneet Wadhwa caught up with JIM ROGERS, chairman of Rogers Holdings, for his views on the developments and his investing strategies in this backdrop. Like the global banking sector, the Indian stock markets have remained subdued, with the market cap-to-GDP ratio falling to a three-year low.India’s market cap-to-GDP ratio fell below 100% for the first time in three years as correction in stock prices over the last few months eroded the aggregate m-cap of all the BSE-listed companies. However, despite the correction, India remains richly valued. In this episode of the podcast, find out what an m-cap-to-GDP ratio is, and how investors should read it.
How many rural households in India have piped water connections for drinking in their household? How many of them have exclusive access to a toilet, and what are rural households using as their primary source of energy for cooking? The recent report by National Statistical Office has the answers to these socio-economic indicators. Find out what the critical indicators say about the state of rural India. Not all rural indicators paint a rosy picture. But the average Indian continues to be optimistic about economic growth and is looking forward to splurging more. That’s what the latest data on the Index of Consumer Sentiments hints at. The index has been steadily improving since the beginning of 2023. However, this improvement is not significant in rural India. Find out the reasons behind improving consumer sentiments and the causes of rural-urban divide. Turning to the markets, the banking turmoil in the West has left domestic equities turbulent. The likely trend ahead could be even more volatile, so what should investors’ strategy be in the current market? A recent report by the Financial Action Task Force, or FATF, has once again triggered a political face-off between the ruling and the opposition, bringing back the focus on the murky nexus of politics and art. While Union Minister Anurag Thakur’s recent dig at Congress about an alleged case of illicit proceeds is doing the rounds on social media, let’s find out what is FATF in this episode of the podcast.
For the coming financial year, Economic Survey 2023 has predicted a sustained increase in private capex. The survey also quoted an Axis Bank report, which showed that India Inc’s capex increased to Rs 3.3 trillion in the first half of the current financial year. This is a significant increase from Rs 2.6 trillion in the same period last year. Amid this recovery, CII President Sanjiv Bajaj had recently said that a pause by the RBI in interest rate hikes may spur private investment. So, what do experts think about this prescription? And, what other measures could boost private capex? Three Indian movies were part of the final nominations for the 95th Oscar awards. When the Oscar was announced, The Elephant Whisperers won the award in the documentary short film category, and Naattu Nattu in the original song category. Though individual Indians have won Oscars before, this is the first time that an Indian production is winning the coveted award. So, what does this year’s Oscar success mean for the Indian film Industry? Despite FY23’s divestment timeline being missed after the proposed stake sale in Hindustan Zinc turned uncertain, the Nifty Public Sector Enterprises index hit an all-time high last week. So, will the delayed divestment target take a toll on investor sentiment or will PSU stocks continue their out-performance? On March 10, Silicon Valley Bank or SVB in the US collapsed due to a bank run triggered by falling bond values of the bank as well as slowdown in the tech industry. So, what is a bank run? Lets find out the answer and more in this episode of the podcast. ,
The February inflation saw a dip from the January numbers. But the Indian economy is not out of the woods yet when it comes to inflation. All eyes are on the Reserve Bank of India or RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting next month. Will the RBI opt for another rate hike? One of the biggest fast-moving consumer goods or FMCG companies in India, HUL, is all set to welcome its new chief executive officer and managing director this year. Rohit Jawa will replace Sanjiv Mehta, who commanded the company for a decade in the role of CEO and is now set to retire. The FMCG sector in India has been embroiled by weakening rural demand. The latest inflation data is another obstacle. So, what are the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the new CEO? The mandatory three-year lock-in period for YES Bank shares ended this Monday, with many retail investors choosing to exit the lender. But is it wise to book profits in the bank, right now, when it is steadily working towards profitability? Silicon Valley Bank’s or SVB’s collapse has had a ripple effect not only in the tech industry but also in the banking sector with New York-based Signature Bank being the latest bank to fail. This has spread the fear of contagion risk in the industry. But what is contagion risk? Let's find out in this episode of the podcast.
The collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank or SVB is the biggest US bank failure since 2008, which may make it look like a repeat of the Lehman Brothers collapse that triggered the 2008 global financial crisis. Banks across the globe may already be feeling the heat of SVB’s failure. So, what domino effects will the Indian banking system see? While a number of Indian tech start-ups have reportedly been affected by the crisis, what are the chances of a broader contagion reaching our shores? $700 million investment, 100,000 jobs. These are the ambitious numbers that Apple has lined up for India. Moreover, the tech giant has also changed its internal structure to focus exclusively on the country. Certainly, the iPhone maker is highly buoyant of its growth prospects in the country as it plans to shift away from China. So, why is Apple so upbeat about India? Over two months into 2023, the equity markets continue to remain subdued. The US Federal Reserve and the Reserve Bank of India or RBI also remain data dependent in their resolve to tighten the policy rates further. Against this backdrop, should investors shift their focus from equities to debt? To protect investors’ money during events such as the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, governments and central banks across the world have a provision of deposit insurance, which protects your deposits. So, how does deposit insurance work when a bank collapses? Lets find out in this episode of the podcast.
Kishore Biyani took decades to build his empire. Brick by brick, with a lot of patience. Starting from a humble family-owned textile shop, he went on to lay the foundation of a massive empire of retail stores like Pantaloons, Big Bazaar, Easyday, and FBB. But, the ground beneath his feet is slipping fast now. Three of his Future Group companies are going through corporate insolvency resolution process. So what led to his downfall? Biyani, who is 61 now, will certainly try to script a comeback. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee is also trying to make a comeback after depreciating by around 10 per cent last year. And it is also going places now. It is taking baby steps towards becoming an international currency like the dollar. So is the Indian rupee headed for internationalisation? Moving on to markets, this week is set to keep Dalal Street investors busy with retail inflation data in India and the US. This comes in the run-up to the US Fed policy outcome. So, how will these key events dictate market trajectory going ahead? Just a few minutes’ drive away from the busy Dalal Street, one can spot hundreds of colourful fishing boats dotting Mumbai’s shoreline. And had it not been for the litter, it would have been perfect for your instagram feed. Alas, not just our coastlines, but our deep seas too are increasingly getting polluted. Rampant shipping and litter are wreaking havoc. But a new treaty offers some hope. We explain this High Seas Treaty in this episode of the podcast and more.
Regulatory net continues to tighten around cryptocurrencies in India. The government has now brought the trading of cryptocurrencies and digital assets under the ambit of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Last year, it had introduced a 30% income tax on gains made from it. So, will the recent move sound a death knell for the industry? Or is this a sign that the government is willing to give regulation a try, instead of outright banning cryptos? And how will it impact investors? Bringing cryptocurrencies under the regulatory umbrella may be followed by another regulatory change -- this time from Sebi. The markets regulator is mulling on allowing permanent capital vehicles or PCVs in India. Unlike regular private equity and venture capital funds, which have a limited life cycle, PCV can last in perpetuity. Famous investment house Berkshire Hathaway is one of its examples. So why does India not have its own Warren Buffet? And how will the investment scenario change if PCVs are allowed? India’s march towards becoming an economic superpower comes with a cost: a rapid rise in electricity consumption. In February, the country’s power consumption rose over 9% year on year. And analysts believe that as the country comes under the grip of summer, rising power demand will fire up related stocks over the long-term. While they expect solar-powered companies to benefit from rising temperatures, lack of rainfall may put hydro-power and thermal-power companies at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, in neighbouring Pakistan, cities are erupting in protests due to prolonged power outages. February’s retail inflation has soared past 31%, and the Pakistani rupee has devalued by 30% during 2022. The country is staring at a sovereign default. But what is a sovereign default? We explain it in this episode of the odcast and more.
Indian economy grew at a weaker-than-expected 4.4% in Q3 of the current financial year. Slowdown in consumer demand was one of the reasons. While the government says that the Q3 GDP numbers will be revised upwards, experts point out that rural economic growth is still slow. So, what does the data say? Also, what do select high-frequency indicators suggest about consumption and do they back up the recent GDP data? A good monsoon, meanwhile, may revive rural consumption. If only El Nino doesn’t play a spoilsport. Let us move on to a subject which has kept most investors on the edge for a while now. The Adani-Hindenburg saga continues to add new chapters. At a time when investors are trying to reduce their exposure to the Adani group, a Florida-based asset management firm has bought in almost $2 billion worth of stakes. It’s the GQG Partners led by its co-founder Rajiv Jain. So why is GQG gung ho on Adani? It is not only the Adani stocks that are gathering steam. Indian equities have also shown a smart rebound in March with benchmark indices rising 1.5%. Are all the negatives priced in, and is the worst over? Take a look at the risks that investors need to be mindful of. After the financial markets, let us see how technology is evolving, and integrating. Connecting your Android phone to a computer or a laptop has always been a difficult task. But Microsoft’s Your Phone app had made it possible. And now, the company has launched an advanced version called Microsoft Phone Link app. It will also help you connect the computer with the iPhone. Find out more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Once considered too big to fail, Ruia brothers owned Essar Group had to sell its flagship assets in India to stay afloat. It scraped through the crisis and finally became debt-free in November last year. One of the key assets that the Ruia brothers had to let go was their loss-making steel business. Now, three years after selling the Essar Steel, the group has been making a quiet foray into the steel business again. So can Essar regain the lost ground? Speaking of steel, here is an interesting fact that Union minister Piyush Goyal recently pointed out. He said Korea and Japan will buy steel from their domestic market even if it costs them a hundred dollars more for every ton due to their nationalist spirit. But they will not buy from an Indian supplier. At the same time, due to the free trade agreement, two Korean car companies -- Kia Motors and Hyundai -- have been costing India billions of dollars in trade deficit as they continue to import indiscriminately. So have we benefitted from FTAs? China, on Sunday, set a 5% growth target for 2023, lowest in more than 25 years as it swiftly reopens its economy from Covid-19 restrictions. This could help the Indian metal industry. So should investors bet on the stocks? TCS, the country’s second largest company by market capitalisation, recently tried to allay fears of job loss around generative artificial intelligence. The company which employs over 600,000 people said that the platforms like ChatGPT will create an “AI co-worker” and not replace jobs. But what exactly is generative artificial intelligence everyone is talking about? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has cast a shadow over the G20 event too. The absence of a joint communique after two high-level ministerial events attests to the presence of this elephant in the room. India, meanwhile, has remained persistent in its appeal for a multilateral approach to tackling global socio-economic issues. So, what are the major takeaways from the G20 meets so far? With no end in sight to the Russia-Ukraine war, western economies are trying hard to avert a recession. India too is facing the consequences. FDI equity inflow into the country has dropped by 15% in April-December FY23. So what is going wrong with India’s FDI story? And what is the road ahead? But the multiple headwinds have failed to deter the domestic mutual funds, whose faith in Indian equity markets remained intact all through fiscal 2022-23. Their inflows have crossed the Rs 1.5-trillion mark for a second straight financial year. But will they be able to strike a hat-trick? Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has claimed that India is “dangerously close” to the Hindu rate of growth due to subdued private sector investment, high-interest rates and slowing global growth. But what exactly is a Hindu rate of growth? We decode it for you in this episode of the podcast.
It's been a month since US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research came out with a damning report on the Adani Group. Ever since, the group's stocks have behaved erratically, keeping investors and regulators on edge. On Thursday, the Supreme Court formed a panel to review regulatory mechanisms and protect the investors' interests. The apex court also told Sebi to complete its probe within two months. What next in this saga now? So, will the Supreme Court's action in the Adani-Hindenburg saga stem the bleeding in the capital markets? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, India received a piece of positive news from government corridors recently. This was in the form of the Periodic Labour Force Survey report. It presented a positive outlook for employment in the country. Even the unemployment rate is on a steady decline. But what does the fine print say, and what does this report tell us? Unemployment rate in urban areas had shot up to 20% during the pandemic. So the 4.1% figure indeed suggests a good recovery. Moving on, several Indian drug makers have recently come in the line of fire from the US FDA, which has stepped up its regulatory site inspections after a Covid-19 lull. Cipla too faced the US regulator's ire. What does this mean for the company and its stock? Over the last year, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has roiled the world economy and financial markets. And adding fuel to the ongoing conflict, Moscow recently suspended a nuclear arms treaty with the United States. So what is this New Start Treaty all about? Find out more in this episode of the podcast.
It's been a month since US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research came out with a damning report on the Adani Group. Ever since, the group's stocks have behaved erratically, keeping investors and regulators on edge. On Thursday, the Supreme Court formed a panel to review regulatory mechanisms and protect the investors' interests. The apex court also told Sebi to complete its probe within two months. What next in this saga now? So, will the Supreme Court's action in the Adani-Hindenburg saga stem the bleeding in the capital markets? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, India received a piece of positive news from government corridors recently. This was in the form of the Periodic Labour Force Survey report. It presented a positive outlook for employment in the country. Even the unemployment rate is on a steady decline. But what does the fine print say, and what does this report tell us? The unemployment rate in urban areas had shot up to 20% during the pandemic. So the 4.1% figure indeed suggests a good recovery. Moving on, several Indian drug makers have recently come in the line of fire from the US FDA, which has stepped up its regulatory site inspections after a Covid-19 lull. Cipla too faced the US regulator's ire. What does this mean for the company and its stock? Over the last year, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has roiled the world economy and financial markets. And adding fuel to the ongoing conflict, Moscow recently suspended a nuclear arms treaty with the United States. So what is this New Start Treaty all about? Listen to this podcast to know more.
Home-grown Reliance Jio has positioned itself as the world’s second strongest telecom brand. Last year, it was fifth in the pecking order. So what explains this rise? And how does Jio’s brand stack up against Airtel’s amid the 5G rollout? As Jio and Airtel have set the ball rolling on 5G, the national cyber security coordinator has asked firms to increase their investment in cybersecurity. Rising Internet penetration will indeed have its own set of challenges. Microsoft India head Terence Gomes recently told Business Standard that the country will need 1.5 million cybersecurity experts by 2025. He said that the digital explosion has opened more “attack entry points”. So will cybersecurity drive large-scale job creation in India? And what are the challenges ahead? A recent NASSCOM report also pointed out that despite having the largest IT talent pool in the world, India lacks skilled cyber security professionals. Moving on, the weatherman has forecast a hotter-than-usual period between March-May across most parts of the country this year. At the bourses, summer-related stocks have begun to gather steam. So, should you jump on the bandwagon? Bajaj Finserv on Wednesday said that Sebi has given it the license for starting its mutual fund business. The financial services company will offer a range of mutual fund products both in the active and passive segments. But what is a passive fund and how different is it from active funds? Listen to this podcast to know more.
As expected, the GDP growth slowed down to 4.4% in the third quarter of Financial Year 2023. While releasing the figures, the government said that the GDP is estimated to grow at 7.0 per cent during 2022-23, against 9.1 per cent in 2021-22. What else do the government figures say? And what do they mean? What led to this slowdown? And what the road ahead looks like? Ashima Goyal, one of the members of the RBI’s rate setting panel, recently told Business Standard that a further tightening could bring down the GDP growth to 5%. Another MPC member, Jayanth Verma, also had a similar view. Moving on, pandemic catapulted online transactions to a new high. But, with it, cases of online frauds have also hit a new peak. Cybercriminals are now using various ways to cheat people. One of them is through fake websites. Co-founder of Mumbai-based audio company Boat recently took to Twitter to request customers to buy products from the original website -- and not from fake ones selling counterfeit products. So how big is the fake website problem? Moving on to stock markets, as cotton prices soften 41% from last year’s high, analysts foresee silver lining emerging for the sector. That apart, they expect improved capacity utilisations, lowering of domestic cotton premium over international prices, and demand rebound to benefit the overall sector. Meanwhile, in a good news for the industry, the government is planning to table The Jan Vishwas Bill in the second phase of the Budget session of the Parliament. The bill seeks to decriminalise 183 offences across 42 central Acts to ensure ease of doing business. We tell more about this proposed amendment in this episode of the podcast.
Gautam Adani may not be the only highly-leveraged Indian industrialist in trouble. While it is not facing a Hindenburg-like storm, Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Resources Ltd too has significant debt on its books. And, one of Agarwal’s recent attempts to reduce the debt burden has met with opposition from the Indian government itself. So, is Vedanta in trouble? While metals-mogul Agarwal’s plan to trim down debt may have run into rough weather, airlines in India are clearly looking at a clear sky. After navigating pandemic turbulence, they have started reporting profits now. Orders of over 1,000 new aircraft have also been placed and the airlines are now scrambling to ramp up staffing. But will we be able to find enough pilots to fly the expanding fleet? What are the challenges involved? The number of operational airports in the country has risen from 74 to 140 in the last eight years. From sky traffic, let us now shift focus to the roads. Road and transport ministry saw a 36% jump in the Budget 2023 allocation, kindling hope that related-stocks would witness a good growth in the long-term. Experts said that the strong order book and healthy NHAI pipeline bodes well for road-construction players. Shares of Adani group companies recently tumbled after global index provider MSCI reduced the weightage of its four firms. But, it later postponed the decision to its May review -- giving some respite to the conglomerate. Key index providers like MSCI, FTSE, and Nifty undergo quarterly, or semi-annual rejig of their indices. This is called index rebalancing. We tell more about this in this episode of the podcast.
Indian-American business executive Ajay Banga has been nominated by the US President Joe Biden to lead the World Bank. With the US by his side, his appointment is nothing but a formality. 63-year-old Banga’s nomination comes at a time when the World Bank is embarking on a series of major reforms to better respond to climate change and to challenges being faced by developing countries. So what are the challenges awaiting Banga at the World Bank? It’s not just the Bretton Woods institution. The list of global corporations being helmed by Indian-origin CEOs has never been so extensive. Microsoft, Adobe, Alphabet, IBM, Novartis and Barclays are some of the behemoths which are being run by people whose roots can be traced back to India. So what explains the rise of Indian-born executives in global businesses? The growing number of Indian faces in global corporations attests to the country’s growth story. India is indeed a shining star in the global economy. But, it seems, FIIs are not impressed. They have been dumping the Indian stocks for the last two months. What’s making them nervous? And will the trend reverse? Take a deep dive into how FIIs are viewing India as an investment destination. Staying with the theme of financial markets, Sebi has given its go ahead to the NSE to set up a Social Stock Exchange as a separate segment. But what will this new exchange do? Which firms will be listed on it? Find out in this episode of the podcast.
Global slowdown, it seems, is now casting a shadow over engineering college campuses in India. It’s no longer just a textbook subject. For millions of engineering students and pass outs, it’s a grim reality now. After years of aggressive hiring, major IT firms are now giving a miss to campuses. Those hired are also in a limbo, as their on-boarding has been delayed. New Wipro recruits were recently taken aback when the IT major asked them to settle for a 3.5-lakh rupee package instead of 6.5-lakh rupee offered to them initially. So is the IT dream of Indian youngsters turning sour? The Russian attack on Ukraine -- which plunged the world into economic slowdown -- completes one year today. The UN has said that the 8,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine is just a “tip of the iceberg”, as the war-ravaged nation continues to count its dead amid no sign of truce. The world too is paying a heavy price as several major economies are staring at recession. India too couldn’t remain unaffected. So, how did the war affect India’s economy and foreign policy? India’s aviation sector, meanwhile, is on the cusp of a change as airlines are planning to induct a record number of aircraft. Air India recently placed an order for 470 aircraft. IndiGo is to take deliveries of around 500 planes, and Go First and Akasa Air have orders for up to 72 aircraft. Analysts believe that these increased capacities will support the world’s third largest and the fastest growing aviation market in the world. But, are these triggers enough to give wings to related shares? Or are there risks that the markets are not factoring in? Indian companies with larger greenhouse gas footprints will soon have to pay a new tax on their products in several developed countries. It is called the carbon border tax. India recently wrote to the WTO to register its objections, calling it discriminatory and protectionist. But what exactly is the carbon border tax? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Bike-taxis have hit yet another roadblock. This time in Delhi. The Delhi Transport Department on Monday became the latest state government body to put a stop to bike taxi services. But why are state governments disallowing these two-wheeler cab services? German retailer METRO AG’s cash & carry business is set to hit the fast lane in India. The company had introduced the cash-and-carry business format in the country back in 2013. But the pivotal moment came two months ago, when Reliance Industries acquired the Indian business. Now, with India’s largest conglomerate in the saddle, what does Metro's future look like? Business Standard’s Nivedita Mookerji caught up with Arvind Mediratta, Managing Director & CEO of the company’s India unit. Global and domestic developments have kept the market sentiment in check so far this calendar year. The returns from benchmark Sensex and Nifty have been nearly negligible. So, what should investors do? Is it a time to remain a fence-sitter, or is there any investment strategy that one can adopt in this range-bound market? Here's a highlighting of the top sectors and stocks recommended by analysts. Like equities and mutual funds, savings made under EPF scheme also offer good returns due to over 8% interest rate. An amended made in 2014 and ratified by the Supreme Court in November last year has made it even more attractive. Raghav Aggarwal’s report reveals how
At a time when global tech giants like Google, Microsoft and Meta are on a firing spree, Indian IT major TCS has said that it will not hand out pink slips to its workers. Rather, it has announced to hire from the talented pool -- which has been laid off by Indian start-ups and US tech companies. So why is TCS bucking the trend? TCS has certainly set the bar high. Its decisions have provided plenty of food for thought to other companies. Speaking of food, ancient Ayurveda believed that cure of most ailments can be found in our kitchens. And a healthy diet keeps all the ailments at the bay. But are we eating healthy? Do we get all our essential nutrients from staple grains like wheat and rice? Or do we need the forgotten superfoods like millets which have been making a comeback off late? And what are the challenges that these coarse grains are facing to become a viable alternative to wheat and rice? Let us turn our focus back to the issue of hiring in IT firms. The IT index has been an outperformer so far in calendar year 2023 even as IT companies have been treading cautiously on hiring fresh talent. So, what is driving the stock performance and should you buy any given the overall macro set up? An equity research report by Jefferies recently said that Adani group’s consolidated net debt is at ₹2 trillion and it has relatively “low refinancing needs” in the near term. The report comes after some banks showed reluctance in refinancing the debts of the apple-to-airport group. But what exactly is debt refinancing? And how is it different from debt restructuring? We decode it for you in this episode of the podcast.
India’s goods exports fell by 6.6% year-on-year in January. It was the third decline in the past four months. But the country’s trade deficit touched a 12-month low of 17. 7 billion dollars in January -- which was a relief from last year’s July figure of 30 billion dollars. Imports also dipped and contributed to the narrowing of the trade gap. So is this fall in trade deficit a cause for cheer? It is not just cross-border trade that is taking a hit due to the global slowdown. World over, companies are also scrambling to maintain their profitability. They are laying off employees to stay afloat. Last week, Disney announced its plan to fire 7,000 employees as the conglomerate restructured the organisation. In India, Disney+ Hotstar has lost the IPL digital rights along with 3.8 million subscribers. So, is Disney+ Hotstar in trouble here? If so, what is the way out? Moving on to the financial markets, the new budget proposal to tax income on high value insurance policies has raised concerns for insurers, evident from their weakness on the bourses. So, how long may the pain continue for the stocks and can they bear fruit in the long run? Meanwhile, on global indices, stocks of small artificial intelligence groups have soared in the last few months. Thanks to the hype surrounding Open AI’s ChatGPT. No one took artificial intelligence so seriously before the ChatGPT happened. It is now inspiring a host of other chatbot innovations. One such chatbot will now help Indians address their Aadhaar-related queries. This episode of the podcast explains how.
American President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have hailed Air India’s multi-billion-dollar aircraft deal with Boeing and Airbus. The Boeing deal was welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Biden as a “shining example of mutually beneficial cooperation”. So, why has one deal brought all these leaders together and what does it mean for India's civil aviation market? India’s airlines aren’t the only ones giving wings to India’s ambition. A major find in the hills of Jammu and Kashmir has also ignited the country’s hope to become a key player in the electric vehicle ecosystem. The government on February 10 announced that it has found a stash of 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in the hill state’s Reasi district. But there are many a slip between the cup and the lip. Will this lithium reserves make India an EV power? Turning our focus back to aviation, Aero India Show, which seeks to display India’s growth in aerospace and defence capabilities, has put the spotlight on related stocks. Analysts say the event would improve the sector’s long-term growth prospects as investments worth Rs 75,000 crore are expected. But, are the stocks worth adding to your portfolio given tepid budgetary allocation? Two grey fighter jets, which have come from Utah, United States to take part in the Aero India show are attracting a lot of attention. They are arguably the world’s most advanced fifth-generation fighters. Fighter jets have come a long way since the first world war -- when pilots used to take down enemy planes with rifles and grenades. Now we have supersonic jets equipped with guided missiles and radar-evading stealth technology. But how did the jets evolve? And what is a fifth generation fighter jet? Lets find out in thos episode of the podcast.
Anchor link: Consumer inflation soared to 6.52% in January after staying within the RBI’s tolerance band for three months running. The sharp jump not just betrayed the pain that the consumers have been going through, but also justified the RBI stand which has refused to lift the foot off the rate hike pedal. So is retail inflation going to haunt us? Or is this just a blip? The ongoing Adani fiasco is another burning issue which is keeping the central bank busy these days. Sebi too is on its toes. The government on Tuesday agreed to the Supreme Court’s suggestion to form a panel to look into existing investor protection regime against the backdrop of rout in Adani group shares. So what can this panel do to ensure that investors don’t lose their wealth to another such meltdown. Meanwhile, new-age technology stocks have been on investors’ radar for a while. Shares of Nykaa, Paytm, and PB Fintech have surged up to 17% in a month. However, these companies reported a mixed set of results during the third quarter earnings, keeping analysts cautious over the sustenance of this strength. After the financial markets, let us move on to a debate raging around various models of pension schemes for government servants. Andhra Pradesh recently proposed a pension scheme claiming that it combines benefits of both old and new pension regimes. According to a report, it has also caught the attention of the central government. In this episode of the podcast, we tell more about this new Guaranteed Pension Scheme.
Hundreds of freshers were reportedly shown the door at Wipro and Infosys recently after they failed to clear tests at the end of their training period. At the same time, the wait for final year engineering students seems to be getting longer, as major IT firms have not visited the campuses yet. So are freshers and students staring at a tough year ahead? The government, meanwhile, has announced to fill a hundred thousand central government vacancies in the next one year. In the last four years, over three hundred thousand people landed jobs in various central government ministries and departments. What does this mean? Is this increase in government size a good thing? Besides unemployment, inflation has been a cause of worry for the government. It rose to 6.52% in January, bringing the key indices down. Markets have been under pressure for the last few sessions. How long will this continue? Are any counters worth your money at the current levels, and is the worst over for Adani group stocks? Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Gaurav Ratnaparkhi, head of technical research at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas on what technical charts indicate for Adani group stocks, the key levels he is tracking for the frontline indices and his investment strategy. On Tuesday, the markets are likely to remain range-bound amid lack of any major triggers. Stock-specific action, however, will continue. Moving on, an altogether different kind of action is going on in Bengaluru sky. With the slogan “Make in India for the World” at the centre stage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Aero India 2023 in the city on 13th February. The five-day event will host a slew of aerospace and defence companies. This episode of the podcast decodes what Aero India is and more.
In yet another blow to the Adani Group, MSCI has changed its weightings for some of the conglomerate’s stocks. The global index provider has cut its determined free float for four group companies, including flagship firm Adani Enterprises. Adani’s troubles, brought on by allegations of fraud, have also led to doubts about India’s growth story, which is being driven by investments in infrastructure. So, will the storm set off by Hindenburg Research hit the country’s ambitious infra plans? A 33% hike in capital expenditure outlay for FY24 attests to the government’s commitment towards building better roads, highways, ports and other critical infrastructure. And from the proposed Rs 10 lakh crore capex budget, railways got the lion’s share. But despite the good budgetary allocations in the past, the national transporter’s operating ratio is still hovering close to 100. So how best can the railways allocate its budgetary outlay? Meanwhile, for corporate India, the pace of earnings growth continued to slow down in the December quarter as high interest rates increased the costs. Besides, persistent weakness in the rural economy, coupled with plateauing urban discretionary spends, ate into the profitability. Find out the key risks that India Inc may see in upcoming quarters. The rout in Adani group stocks -- which began January 25th after the release of a Wall Street short seller’s report -- was halted for a brief two-day period last week. It coincided with the conglomerate’s move to release pledged shares worth $1.11 billion in its three companies about nine months ahead of the maturity. It instilled some confidence in the investors, before another news dented it. But what is pledging of stocks? Listen to this podcast for more.
India appears set to overtake Germany and Japan to become the world’s third largest economy by the end of this decade. It is the world’s fastest growing major economy right now. But this rapid growth is not without a cost. India is the world’s third largest oil importer too. Oil is fuelling the growth but denting the exchequer. The government is now planning to almost double the crude oil refining capacity. But what are the challenges? Windfall tax has also eaten into the profit of Reliance Industries. Meanwhile, India’s biggest company by market valuation has recently put in place a succession plan. India’s corporate empires are in the midst of transition. The Aditya Birla Group too has initiated a succession plan. Ananya Birla and Aryaman Birla, the two children of Kumar Mangalam Birla were recently inducted in the boards of group companies. So who are these new Birlas? Meanwhile, stocks of Adani group are on a roller coaster ride since the release of Hindenburg report. Puneet Wadhwa caught up with market guru Mark Mobius, founder, Mobius Capital Partners LLP to know his views on the developments and on the Indian equity markets. The brief rally in Adani Group stocks came to a halt on Thursday after index provider MSCI said that it will review free float status of the group’s listed companies. So what is a free float or public float, as it is also known. We find out in this episode of the podcast.
The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee has hiked repo rate by 25 basis points. A Business Standard poll had also forecast the 25 basis point hike about three days ago. So with inflation coming under the RBI’s comfort zone, will the central bank hit the pause button on further rate hikes? Inflation in air fare, meanwhile, was way higher than the overall inflation till a few months ago - especially during the festivals in October and November. It has come down now. But did you know that the iconic aircraft which made air travel affordable for most of us is slowly but certainly flying into dusk, after over five decades of successful operation. The last aircraft of the revolutionary Boeing 747 series rolled out of the Boeing factory last week. The company has decided to halt its production. Listen to the legacy left behind by Boeing 747 - also called ‘Queen of the Skies”. Shifting the focus back to the rate hike, the RBI move has weakened the sovereign bonds. The central bank’s status quo on its policy stance, with no signal that it will take the foot off the pedal, has dampened the market’s spirit. So, what is in store for bond markets going ahead after the RBI’s policy outcome and the budget’s market borrowing estimate for FY24? Meanwhile, the race for clean energy is on. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation or ONGC is now planning to come up with a geothermal map of India. We know about nuclear, solar, hydro-electric and wind energies. But what exactly is geothermal energy? This episode of the podcast explains it for you.
After the Hindenburg Research’s critical report on Adani group, global credit rating agencies have started to recalibrate their stance on the conglomerate’s assets. Contracts awarded to its group companies are also under the scanner. So will the dark clouds hovering over the group grow darker in the days ahead? Or 60-year-old Gautam Adani -- who was the world’s third richest man until a few days ago -- will be able to overcome this crisis? Adani group stocks made a comeback on Tuesday. Adani port -- which is about to declare its Q3 results-- also surged over 8% in the early trade. The conglomerate operates India’s largest private port in Gujarat’s Mundra. India has 13 big ports now. But despite all the progress, big ships continue to evade Indian ports. Why is that so? Why do big ships not dock at Indian harbours? And does it have any impact on trade? Equity markets, meanwhile, have remained range-bound, with the NSE Nifty index down nearly 2 per cent. Amidst this volatility, defensive pockets like Nifty FMCG and IT indices have outperformed frontline indices. Analysts, therefore, suggest investors to rotate from high beta stocks to select defensive plays due to an uncertain roadmap ahead. After the financial markets, let us move on to a tragedy which has struck part of Turkey and neighbouring Syria. At least 5,000 people have lost their lives after three devastating earthquakes shook the region which sits on a well-known fault line, the Anatolia tectonic block. But what is a fault line? Let us understand it in this episode of the podcast and more.
The Central government has finally given its nod to convert Vodafone Idea’s interest dues into equity. But about 16 months of delay has cost the already struggling firm dearly. In the September quarter, the telco lost six million subscribers. So, will the government’s lifeline be enough to pull the country’s third largest telecom company from the quicksand of debt? Another debt-ridden and struggling entity was offered a fresh lease of life last year. On 27th of January 2022, salt-to-software conglomerate Tata Group took over the operations of Air India -- which was on the verge of flying into obscurity. And now, as the takeover marks one year, how is the airline performing? Has it turned the corner? And what are the challenges ahead? Moving on to markets, the crisis engulfing Adani Group led to a panic sell-off in bank stocks. Investors dumped shares of the pack as they are worried about debt repayment by the group. And this comes despite the RBI’s assurance that the Indian financial sector was “stable” and “resilient”. Find out why analysts think it may be a good time to start buying the dip. Rout in Adani stocks spoiled the financial markets’ party, which welcomed the provisions in the government's annual budget. In the budget speech, Financial Minister Nirmala Seetharaman had also announced a research and development grant for one IIT, aiming to encourage domestic production of lab-grown-diamonds. The government hopes to reduce import dependency and increase employability. So, what are lab-grown diamonds? We decode it for you in this episode of the podcast.
Believe it or not. The super-rich too care about the annual Union budget. Like the common man, the run-up to the budget is hard on the rich too due to the annual calls for imposing more taxes on them. This year’s budget may have been a mixed bag for the high-net-worth individuals, otherwise known as the super-rich. Why is that the case? Bhaswar Kumar’s report answers that question Allotment of 10 trillion rupees for capital expenditure in 2023-24 was one of the key highlights of this Union budget. This was 37% more than the revised estimate for 2022-23. But what does the fine print tell us? Meanwhile, last week was quite eventful for the domestic markets. Frontline indices weathered a storm that ravaged the Adani Group stocks. Economic survey’s growth projection for 2023-24 and reforms announced in the Union budget saved the day for it. The dovish stance by the US Federal Reserve also worked in its favour. This week, after the US Fed carved the path of a smaller rate hike, analysts expect the Reserve Bank of India to walk the similar path. Financial markets, GDP, per capita income -- there are several ways to gauge the health of a country’s economy. But, of late, economists and financial institutions have also been exploring unconventional ways to arrive at conclusions. Night light data is one of such metrics. We explain it in this episode of the podcast and more.
Adani Group continues to bleed. On Wednesday evening, it pulled the plug on its ambitious FPO. On Thursday, its stocks hit the lower circuit, again. In the Parliament, opposition parties are demanding a JPC or a Supreme Court- monitored probe in the Adani- Hindenburg saga. So what next for Adani Group? How will it bounce back? But this is not the first time a research firm has gone all guns blazing against a corporate house. It happened in the past too. So, how will this Adani- Hindenburg battle unfold? Does history give us some lessons? A please-all budget -- which delivered what the industry and the markets wanted -- has failed to lift the spirit of the indices, especially that of Nifty. Rout in Adani group-led shares continued on Thursday. And it has impacted Nifty as well, which ended flat. So will the Budget announcements ease out investors’ worries any time soon? Coining catchy terms and acronyms has been one of the hallmarks of the Narendra Modi-led central government. This year’s budget speech too was peppered with terms which caught everyone’s fancy -- like ‘Amrit Kaal’ and ‘MISHTI’. In this episode of the podcast, we explain some of them for you.
This year’s Union budget brought all the key ingredients together. It was pro-growth as the government committed 10-lakh crore rupees to capital expenditure -- which is 33% more than the last budget. It was pro-middle class as the income tax rebate limit was raised to seven lakh rupees. Government borrowing plans were close to the market’s expectation -- which may offer it a good runway. Industry too welcomed it amid good news on pharmaceutical and automobile sectors. In today’s budget special, we spoke to experts and economists to gauge the likely impact of this budget on each of these segments. Find out how it may impact the common man. There is one part in the budget speech which everyone is interested in: the announcement on personal income tax. So when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman finally reached that point, she said, “Now, I come to what everyone is waiting for.” And her next announcement on tax rebates made millions jump on their seats. Experts share the likely impact of the budget on the lives of common man. With dark clouds of recession hanging over the global economy, India Inc. leaders had raised their concerns and handed over their wish list to the finance minister during pre-budget consultations. Now that the budget has been tabled, were all their demands met? And what will be its impact on India Inc? Two key benchmark indices -- BSE and NSE -- moved in opposite directions on the budget day. While BSE soared over 150 points, NSE fell. What has the Budget 2023 done for the markets? Are the investors a happy lot? Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Shankar Sharma, founder, GQuant Investech to know his views on the budget proposals and his investing strategy in this backdrop. Anchor link: In the budget statement, the government provides a detailed account of its revenue and expenditure. The total size of the 2023-24 Budget is Rs 45.03 trillion, which is 7.5% more than the previous one. But have you ever wondered where the govt gets its revenues from and where it spends it? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
The annual Economic Survey released Tuesday was positive about the ‘India story’. It projected the economy to grow 6.5 per cent in 2023-24. The Survey also said that a strong domestic economy will provide some immunity from the global slowdown. So what does the Economic Survey tell us about growth? But the good projections of the Economic Survey failed to cheer up the Indian financial markets as benchmark indices ended flat on Tuesday. All eyes were on Adani Group’s FPO, which was fully subscribed on Tuesday -- thanks to non-institutional investors. But, it seems, trouble for the conglomerate is far from over. The rout which started with the release of a scathing report by Hindenburg Research last week has shaved off 16 per cent of its market value. According to reports, banks are now wary of giving fresh loans to the company. So what lessons does it offer to regulators? What can they do to avoid a recurrence of such a fiasco? The Union Budget is being presented at a time when the global economy is slowing. So, will the government bite the bullet and stick to fiscal prudence? Which sectors are likely to be accorded priority? Puneet Wadhwa spoke to leading market experts and economists to understand what they expect from the Finance Minister this time. This Budget will give an account of where the money is expected to come from and where the government plans to spend it. But the annual financial statement, as the Budget is called, is also full of complex terms. Let's understand them better in this episode of the podcast.
The BJP-led central government will table its last full budget in the Parliament tomorrow. A lot is at stake, both for the government and for the industry too. Outside the corridors of power, people are also curious. Hit hard by inflation, they also expect some relief. And it is not just the personal tax rationalisation. They want more. Business Standard hits the street to find out what people want from the government. FMCG sector too is pinning its hopes on the budget. The segment has been hit hard by the pandemic. Over two years on, some green shoots are visible in rural demand. But what will it take to sustain it? And what do the consumer goods companies expect from this budget? Business Standard’s Sharleen Dsouza caught up with Soumya Mohanty -- the Managing Director & Chief Client Officer of Kantar’s South Asia, Insights Division. Investors community is also keeping the fingers crossed. While hopes are high for a budget that will fire growth engines, debt market investors are worried about the government’s borrowing plans for the next financial year. Find out about the expectations of the bond markets, and what should be your strategy for fixed income securities. Indian markets ended in green on Monday after three days of losing streak triggered by Hindenburg Research’s report on Adani group. The US-based firm has said it held short positions in Adani Group companies through US bonds and derivative instruments. But, what is short-selling? And how do traders use this market strategy to maximise gains? Find out in this segment of the podcast.
The King is back! That is how moviegoers have reacted to ‘Pathaan’, the spy-thriller that marks the return of Shah Rukh Khan to the big screen after over four years. Released on the 25th of January, the film got off to a roaring start, reportedly recording advance sales higher than Disney's Brahmastra and on par with all-time hits ‘Baahubali 2’ and ‘KGF: Chapter 2’. So, what is behind this blockbuster opening? After movies, let us shift focus to the world of academia. The percentage of women applicants for JEE- Mains entrance examination hit a record of 30% this year. It may translate into more women in jobs in related fields in the future. But the representation of women in assemblies, in the Parliament and in several other social spheres is still low. So will a jump in women enrolment in higher education change this skewed equation in the long run? Frontline indices saw the biggest selloff in a month on Wednesday as pre-budget nervousness gripped Dalal Street. Monthly F&O expiry added to this nervousness. So as we begin the new February series, how should investors position themselves ahead of the Union Budget? Markets regulator Sebi’s Rs 625 cr disgorgement order against NSE was quashed last week by the Securities Appellate Tribunal. Two former CEOs of the country’s largest bourse were also given relief by the tribunal which set aside disgorgement of their 25% salary in the co-location scam. In this segment of the podcast, we explain what a disgorgement order is and more.
The Securities and Appellate Tribunal or SAT has set aside the Sebi’s 625-crore rupee disgorgement order against NSE in the alleged colocation scam case, saying that it was “patently erroneous”. The tribunal also slammed the markets regulator for not conducting its own probe and, instead, asking the bourse to probe the allegations against itself. SAT also observed that Sebi’s decision to disgorge 25% of the salaries of two former NSE CEOs was erroneous and set it aside. So, does SAT’s order change the whole course of the case? Sebi is also busy drafting guidelines for financial influencers, who, off late, have been giving tough time to the markets regulator. Meanwhile, the central government has also come out with a set of guidelines governing social media endorsements. Under it, the influencers will now have to mandatorily disclose all material benefits they receive in exchange for promoting a product or service. There is also a provision for a six-month and a fine or both for violations. So what impact will it have on the influencer industry? Moving on, equity markets have remained muted for most part of January amid pre-budget volatility. As we enter the last leg, how will the market trajectory play out in the run up to the Union Budget and in the following days? We look at the past trends to bring you the answer. Last Friday, over two lakh depositors heaved a sigh of relief when Bombay High Court set aside Yes Bank’s decision to write off additional tier-1 or AT-1 bonds. In this episode of the podcast, we tell you more about these high-yielding but unsecured bonds.
The year gone by has proven to be an inflection point for Digital India. From Big Tech to the government, India’s digitisation drive has received, or is poised to receive, a fillip in both innovation and regulation. 5G rolled out a red carpet of promises. And despite crypto’s epic fail, Web 3.0 has emerged as THE watchword in tech innovation, with both start-ups and big techs flocking to the metaverse. How big was the year 2022 then, for tech in India? And what new frontiers can 2023 conquer? The Fifa World Cup in Qatar is over, and Messi's Argentina team has taken home the trophy, but the questions about the fate of migrant workers still linger. The World Cup and the attendant media coverage focused on the deplorable conditions migrant workers find themselves in, especially in countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council or GCC. It also begs the question: Why are more and more Indians flocking to GCC countries despite reports of human rights violations? To protect Indian workers, the Emigration Act of 1983 was passed and it required Indians travelling to some countries for work to get an emigration clearance. Passports which carried the Emigration Check Not Required or ECNR stamp weren't required to seek such a clearance. Since, 2007, only those passport holders that carry an Emigration Check Required need to get such a clearance. All other passports are deemed to be ECNR passports. From the worries of migrant workers let us move to the worries to market watchers. It has been a choppy fortnight for the markets amid a resurgence of Covid-related fears. How do technical chartists see markets play out in 2023? Which sectors and stocks hold promise in the year ahead? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Gaurav Ratnaparkhi, head of technical research at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, on the key levels he is tracking for the frontline indices and the stocks that are a ‘must-have’ in your portfolio. Last week, we had news from China about the new SARS- CoV-2 variant BF. 7 and how quickly it is spreading in the region. There are few cases reported in India of the new variant leading to a slight surge in the cases of Covid-19. While, experts say there are no serious concerns for India, this podcast decodes the new Covid-19 variant BF.7 and more.
2022 was a year of reckoning for Indian startups. They were forced to re-evaluate their business models. For them the winter arrived early, as venture capitalists started tightening their purse strings. New unicorns halved and mass layoffs followed. Now, with 2022 coming to an end, the projections for next year are not very optimistic either. So how did this year change Indian start-ups? And, how have the year’s challenges prepared them for 2023? The horizon for Indian startups may not be that bright. But things are certainly looking up for India’s toy manufacturers. Import of toys has come down by 70% in the last three years while the export is up by 60%. The government is now mulling a production-linked scheme to give a fillip to the sector. So will a PLI scheme help the country’s toy manufacturing sector? Moving on to financial markets, the recent Sebi order that capped exposure to foreign stocks has hit several schemes hard. PPFAS Mutual Fund’s flagship scheme has an exposure of nearly Rs 28,000 crore to such stocks. How is the fund house dealing with this? How do they see 2023 play out for the equity markets, and what are their top bets? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Neil Parikh, CEO of PPFAS Mutual Fund on his views on these issues and a lot more. Meanwhile, India is all set to play the host to next special negotiation round of IPEF in February 2023. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity or IPEF is a trade partnership whose foundations were laid just a few months ago by the US. But why was it formed? And what does it aim to achieve? Listen to this podcast for the answers.
After three years of aggressive buying, foreign portfolio investors slammed brakes in 2022 and withdrew 1.21 trillion rupees from the Indian stock markets. The sellout was more aggressive in the first half. Overall, the market is on course to witness the highest-ever FPI outflows in any calendar year. So, why have FPIs turned negative on India in 2022? The effect of US Fed rate hikes has been far and wide. Not just the FPIs, but companies across most sectors have turned circumspect -- fearing a slowdown in demand. Co-working giant WeWork is also feeling the heat, as the tech industry is tightening the purse strings. Amid all this, the company is striving to gain a good foothold in big Indian cities. To know more about the plans, Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta caught up with Karan Virwani, who is the founder and CEO of WeWork India. Moving to markets, the recent fall in global fertiliser and natural gas prices are likely to bring respite to fertiliser companies. However, analysts caution that the Russian export duty on fertiliser may have a trickle down impact on the Indian industry. The year 2022 was hard on financial markets across the world. And now, towards the fag end of this year, as the Christmas is approaching, investors are still clinging to some hope. This time from Santa. Markets usually rally on the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new year. This phase is called the Santa Claus rally. This episode of the podcast decodes it for you and more.
The Sebi board has approved the gradual phasing out of buybacks through the stock exchange route. It has also chalked out governance mechanisms for addressing lapses at market infrastructure institutions, like stock exchanges. So, how will these developments affect shareholders? The changes in the governance norms are going to be beneficial for retail investors and increase the transparency of markets. Meanwhile, Business Standard’s BFSI Insight Summit, which returns to in-person mode this year, was kicked off on Wednesday with a keynote fireside chat with the Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, moderated by consulting editor Tamal Bandhopadhyay. Turning to the markets now, animal fodder prices have continued to increase this year. It has impacted not just households that depend on cattle rearing but also dairy firms. The high fodder inflation has pushed the input costs for dairy firms. In a bid to bring down these costs, dairy companies have increased product prices several times this year. But the benefits don’t seem to accrue. The big question facing the dairy sector now is: When will these benefits start kicking in? The interoperability of IoT devices has long been limited to the same brands. But that’s going to change soon. The Connectivity Standard Alliance, in consultation with tech majors like Apple, Google, Samsung and Ikea, has introduced Matter – a common standard for the interoperability of IoT devices. Let’s understand how it’s going to address this pain point in this episode of the podcast.
In its meeting on Saturday, the GST Council approved the decriminalisation of certain offenses and clarified the tax provisions on a number of items, including sport utility vehicles. However, the Council ran out of time and about half its agenda, including setting up a GST Appellate Tribunal, was left undiscussed. So, what were the key decisions taken at the meeting and what’s going to be their impact? No tax increase on any item was announced at GST Council meeting last week. That’s welcome news for the masses. But the men at the helm of affairs in government are apparently unhappy with the long vacations of Indian courts. The justice and law minister of India Kiren Rijiju recently said that the vacation period of Indian courts is an inconvenience to the people. The law minister’s remark on the functioning of the judiciary has opened up a debate if Indians, in general, take plenty of leaves? Moving on to the markets, despite firm revenue growth in Q1, Dublin-based Accenture Plc left analysts unimpressed as it pegged the next quarter’s revenue growth below projections. The company also sounded cautious about client spending. So does this signal more trouble for Indian IT companies ahead? The government recently cleared the ‘environmental release’ of a genetically modified variety of mustard. The move has triggered a debate around it. It has been challenged in the Supreme Court too. Environmental activists and several groups representing farmers are bent against GM crops. But exactly are they? And why is so much debate going around them? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know it all.
Reliance Consumer Products — the fast-moving consumer goods arm and a fully owned subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures — launched its consumer goods brand, Independence, in Gujarat, on Thursday. The launch puts the company in direct competition with Adani Wilmar, Tata Consumer and ITC, who also have a portfolio of staples and processed food. It is among the latest business verticals that had the Ambanis enter Adani’s turf and vice versa. Is FMCG then the new battlefield between the Ambanis and the Adanis? While the big boys of India Inc are preparing for a long play in the FMCG market, ed-tech startup Byju’s has landed in troubled waters. Creditors of India’s most-valued unicorn are pressuring it to sell off its US assets to repay loans. At the same time, Byju’s harsh working environment has also come to light. Find out if Byju’s is still facing the growing pains of a start-up or is it spiralling downhill. Moving to the markets, global equities were startled last week after the US Fed and European Central Bank warned of a long, painful period of higher interest rates. They also cautioned investors against economic slowdown. This comes just a week after the Reserve Bank of India expressed concerns about the sticky core inflation back home. Given this, will the markets witness extended correction this week? Or will they bounce back? From the market outlook, let us move to the outlook for Indians living in the US. Indian nationals in the US and applying for the Permanent Resident Card, commonly referred to as the ‘Green Card’, have been facing long waiting periods – often decades long! But now, there is a silver lining on the horizon in the form of the EAGLE Act. What is the EAGLE Act and how can it help? Let's decodes it and more in this episode of the podcast.
The board of One 97 Communications Ltd, the parent of digital payments provider Paytm, has approved a share buyback proposal. The decision comes less than 13 months after Paytm’s disastrous listing. Against this backdrop, how will the buyback affect the company’s fortunes and investors? And, what are the concerns surrounding the decision? Buyback, obviously, failed to lift the spirit of investors as Paytm stock fell 3%. Moving on, retail inflation in India has finally come under the comfort zone of RBI. But the central bank’s relief may be short lived, as global fertilizer prices continue to remain high. So will it affect India’s food inflation in the long run? Moving on, the cement industry has been one of the worst impacted this year with monumental declines in profits amid record-high energy prices and subdued demand. But, as price hikes make a comeback, will the industry see a turnaround? As the world is increasingly turning green, cement producing companies are finding themselves in a tight spot. Holcim had sold Ambuja and ACC to focus on green portfolios. Meanwhile, scientists in the US on Tuesday announced a big breakthrough. They claimed to have found the key to tame the unruly power of nuclear fusion-- which fuels the sun. But what is a nuclear fusion? How the latest discovery may help us fight climate change? We explain it in this podcast.
The government on Thursday said that adopting new farming technologies, like genetically modified crops, was key to ensure food security for the country, and also to cut the import bill. It also said that extensive studies conducted on genetically modified mustard variant DMH-11 has provided evidence that it is safe for cultivation, food and feed use. So is it time for India to adopt genetically modified crops at a large scale to increase agricultural production? India is set to overtake China as the world’s most populated nation and it needs to ramp up its agriculture production. Adoption of GM crops may help the nation ensure food security for all. Meanwhile, the neighbouring country is also ramping up tests and health infra as Covid is spreading again. What does it mean for India? Should it be a cause for worry for us? Moving on to markets, new-age stocks had a nightmarish 2022. While Paytm's shares have crashed over 70% from their issue price, those of Nykaa have tumbled nearly 85%. These companies have now announced buyback and bonus issues, likely to support their crumbling stock prices. But analysts feel 2023 may bring more pain for some of these stocks. Recent assembly elections in two states failed to stir any wave in the markets. But it did help AAP qualify for the national party status. So, what is it to be a national party in India? And what are the benefits of becoming one? Also, can a party lose their status as a national party and be demoted? This podcast has all the answers.
Union Budget 2023-24 will be the last full-year Budget ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The finance minister is expected to lead India on the growth path while keeping the fiscal deficit and inflation in check. The macro-economic concerns will be the subject of much debate and discussion. Meanwhile, there have also been calls from the industry to extend tax benefits to the common man. It’s this, more personal part of the Budget exercise, that we focus on today and answer how your taxes and investments are likely to be affected. The expected rationalisation of income tax rates in the Union Budget next year will mean you will have more disposable income to invest and spend. But how safe is your money in bank accounts? In one of the biggest incidents of cyber theft from an individual in the national capital, the director of a security services firm lost half a crore last week. The attack is only the latest in an increasing number of cyber-scams aimed at your bank accounts. How then can you protect your bank accounts from such cybercriminals? It has been a choppy 2022 for the stock markets amid a host of headwinds. Will the year ahead belong to the Bulls, or will the Bears reign supreme? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Abhiram Eleswarapu, CEO and head of India equities at BNP Paribas on how he thinks equity markets will play out in 2023, and his sector preferences in this backdrop Today, the markets will take cues from their global peers. Among stocks, Paytm will be keenly watched as the company’s board is scheduled to meet later today and discuss a buyback proposal. If the board approves the buyback, Paytm will become the 51st company to announce a stock repurchase agreement in 2022. But what is a share buyback, and why does a company undertake it? Listen to this podcast to understand.
On Wednesday, the RBI monetary policy committee announced its fifth consecutive rate hike this year. RBI also lowered the GDP growth forecast for the current financial year. According to the RBI governor, persistent and sticky core inflation remains a cause of concern. Do these concerns make more rate hikes likely in the future? What do they mean for the economy and individual borrowers? In its December-February forecast, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that North and Northwest India might experience a warmer winter this time. While this could give some respite from the intense cold of North India, it could harm the standing rabi crops if the temperature rise is unusual and abnormal. How does a warm winter affect farm output? The December monetary policy of the Reserve Bank of India didn't cheer market bulls yesterday. Despite a repo rate hike on expected lines, equity markets edged lower as the governor rang alarm bells over sticky core inflation. Analysts also said the policy leaves doors open for more rate hikes. So, is it time to opt for fixed-income securities instead of equities? While markets may not be too worried about recession or inflation, there is something that you should be concerned about. And that is saving. Or saving to save taxes. Some experts might suggest you invest in fixed-income securities, there are others who may ask you to also look at Equity Linked Savings Schemes to save on taxes. What exactly are Equity Linked Savings Schemes? Listen to this podcast to find answers to all these questions.
The winter session of Parliament begins today, and will end on the 29th of December. The session comes after a leadership change in the Congress and the emergence of a new political alignment in Bihar, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. Politics aside, how is the winter session likely to impact the citizens? What does it mean for their data privacy? What’s in store for investors? While the government proceeds with its ambitious plans to introduce 16 new bills during 17 sittings of the Winter Session, the IITs are back in news for some delectable packages from potential recruiters this placement season. Besides the core catchment of IT and tech companies, trading firms, data management companies and investment banks have shown an increased interest in the placement events across the major IITs this year. But what does this imply for the new batch of IIT graduates, and for the larger employment trends in the IT-sector? It has been a nervous few weeks for the markets as global central banks gear up to battle fears of an economic slowdown and a possible recession. Have the markets fully priced in the possibility of a recession, or it the worst yet to come? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa spoke to Jitendra Gohil, director, global investment management, wealth management, India at Credit Suisse on his assessment of how the markets are likely to play out over the next few months. You might need access to a loan for various reasons. A credit card can come in handy for small purchases on credit. And if you are carrying one, it is crucial that you have a good credit score because the easy availability of personal, consumer and other types of loans, along with access to credit cards, is contingent on this. But, what exactly is the concept of credit score? Let’s find out in this episode of the podcast.
Electric vehicles will play a major role in India’s emissions reduction goal. But, the heart of an EV, its battery, is mostly imported. For India to become a major EV player, it will have to master battery making. Given the capital intensive nature of the sector, Indian firms will have to grab a share of the global battery demand pie to turn a profit. So, can Indian industry succeed in this ambitious venture? Indian EV sector may be off to a good start. But, banks have clearly missed the bus. In RBI deputy governor T Rabi Shankar’s words, they failed to scale-up the UPI in early days, and the opportunity was grabbed by the non-banks. Two of them – PhonePe and Google Pay – now rule the space with about 82% market share. And, it seems, their free run will continue as the 30% market cap mandate will not come into force for another two years. So what does it mean for new players like WhatsApp? Moving on, after a sharp rally over the past couple of months, equity markets are in a bit of a consolidation mood. The next triggers for the markets are the RBI’s policy outcome and the results of Gujarat polls. Both of which will be revealed this week. Let's take stock of what all is priced-in by investors, and how different outcomes sway markets. Staying on with markets, SEBI had introduced participatory notes in the year 2000 so that the foreign investors too have a slice of India's growing stock markets pie. But in 2007, when it thought of regulating it, the markets crashed like ninepins. The regulator shelved the plan, but not the unease. Meanwhile, foreign investment through this instrument continues to swell. So what is a P-note and what are SEBI’s concerns around it? WListen to this podcast to know more.
Cars and high-end phones are selling like hot cakes. But the demand for motorcycles and entry-level mobile phones is on decline. While big screen TVs and luxury apparel flew off the shelves in cities, rural demand for FMCG products saw a negligible jump in October -- a month which brings good fortune. So, what do the divergent fortunes of these industries say about consumption in India and its economy? As India Inc. recovers from the scars of pandemic, there is another big threat which refuses to go away. Government institutions too are vulnerable to it. Last month, a cyberattack brought the services at AIIMS, Delhi to a standstill. So why is India vulnerable to such attacks? And what can be done to tackle this threat? Experts are also calling for a comprehensive review of cybersecurity guidelines. Moving on, equity markets have started the last month of 2022 at record high levels as renewed buying by FIIs, and hopes of moderation in rate hikes boosted sentiment. With the US Fed chief striking a dovish tone last week, all eyes are on the RBI this week. Delve into what the markets expect from the central bank, and what other key factors will guide the trading week After the markets, let us see how India is trying to find ways to meet its rising electricity demand. The government recently said that it is exploring building small modular reactors. But what are they? Listen to this podcast to know more.
After two years of subdued festivities, markets once again teemed with keen shoppers last October. Diwali was celebrated with usual pre-pandemic fervour. And sales figures, which are coming out now, clearly attest to it -- like auto sales jumped by 48%. The prime festival month saw 18.3% growth in total non-food credit offtake. Retail loans -- driven by robust housing and vehicle loans demand -- saw an impressive 20% jump. So what explains this surge in personal loans? Domestic air traffic also rose by 10% in October, as 11.4 million people thronged airports across the country. Meanwhile, the entry of the mighty Tata Group is making waves in the aviation sector, which is staring at consolidation now. India’s second largest airline, Vistara, will soon fly into history. It is being merged with Tata-owned Air India. But, apart from the opportunities, what challenges will this merger pose given the distinct work cultures of the two airlines? Will it be a smooth ride for Air India? We caught up with three experts to bring you the answers. After going through the roof, the price of jet fuel is coming down now -- giving breather to airlines. But it is not easy sailing for the common man. Price of natural gas is still breaking the back. A government-appointed panel of Kirit Parikh has given a set of recommendations to reform the natural gas pricing regime. It wants to do away with the existing norms where prices are fixed in tandem with global markets. It may give some succour to us, but how will these reforms affect companies in the sector. We find out in our next report. Meanwhile, in another piece of good news, researchers in China’s Yunnan University have finally achieved a breakthrough in developing a rice variety, which does not need to be planted every year. Once grown, it can be harvested for next eight seasons in four years. This podcast has more on it.
India’s digital rupee is making its retail debut today. Soon, people like you and me will be able to use this digital currency for daily transactions. Now, if you already use digital wallets and UPI, you may ask, how will e-rupee be any different? Meanwhile, in another milestone for India, the third version of semi-high speed Vande Bharat train chugged off from the stable of Integral Coach Factory recently. The government is now keen on starting its export too. And it also plans to roll-out over 300 more of these trains in near future. But one of the main brains behind this sophisticated train, Sudhanshu Mani, is a reclusive man. Business Standard caught up with him to learn more about his journey Let us move on to markets now. The rally in public sector banks, after their impressive September quarter performance, may soon fizzle out. While the outlook for the sector remains optimistic, analysts say the Street has priced in all the positives. With over 70% rally in the Nifty PSU Bank index, in just 5 months, should investors turn to their private peers for better returns? Markets regulator Sebi recently told RBI that some non-bank lenders were ever-greening loans by using alternative investment funds. But what exactly is this fund? Listen to this podcast to find out
When asked about the logic behind NDTV’s takeover, Gautam Adani is reported to have said that he wants to build a global news brand. Asia’s richest man is also planning to roll out a super app soon. He is also raising over 2.5 billion dollars through an FPO to fund his green and digital ambitions. A cursory look at announcements made by Adani in the last 15 days clearly points towards one trend -- that he is trying to significantly expand his conglomerate. But why is Adani pursuing such a strategy, especially when large, diversified conglomerates continue to be seen as dinosaurs in the West? Notwithstanding lay-offs in the tech sector, employment by listed companies in India touched an all-time high of 10-million in 2021-22. It was a 9.3% jump from the previous year’s numbers. But a look at the rural-urban divide suggests that the pick-up is uneven. Participation of women in the workforce also continues to remain low. So what is behind this uneven pick-up in job creation? From high valuations to moderation in growth, analysts say risks are emerging for Indian equities, and investors need to be careful in their approach. But are the risks too strong for India? Will our markets be able to tide over this uncertain short-term phase? Meanwhile, a threat much bigger than the one being faced by the financial markets is uniting the world. And diving too. Every year, leaders from over 200 nations come under the roof. For over a fortnight, they share ideas and indulge in heated debates to find a solution to one big threat: the rising temperature of our globe. And most discussions boil down to one thing. How much the developed nations will contribute towards the climate fund. But what exactly is this fund? And how does it help in fighting climate change? Find answers to these questions in this podcast.
In the run-up to the upcoming Union Budget, finance ministers of some states -- mostly ruled by opposition parties -- have demanded a 10 percentage point jump in their share of revenue from GST collections. From the current 50%, they want it to be increased to 60%. So what is behind this demand? And what will be its impact if implemented? India’s robust GST collections clearly point towards one thing. That its economy is growing at a good pace. Global companies too are increasingly seeing India as an attractive investment destination. A series of developments in China over the last three decades, including the gradual increase in labour costs, have prompted companies to look for alternative destinations. And the recent lockdowns and protests are giving fresh impetus to China-Plus-One policy. So will India be able to reap the benefits of its demographic dividend? And, will it score over its Southeast Asian rivals? Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors returned to Dalal Street after over two months, pumping over 31,000 crore rupees into domestic stocks till November 25th. Domestic investors have also moved past inflation and rate-hike worries, which is enabling benchmark Sensex and Nifty indices to continue to scale fresh highs. This bullish momentum has spread to the broader markets, too. But, will it sustain? Last week, billionaire Gautam Adani said that his flagship company will raise capital worth 20,000 crore rupees via FPO. FPO, or follow-on public offer, is one of the many means through which corporates finance their expansion plans, or pare debt. In today’s podcast, we explain what is a FPO, and if investors should subscribe to it?
During the first half of this fiscal, foreign direct investment equity inflows fell by 14%. While the total FDI -- which includes equity inflows -- also saw a contraction of 9%. So what led to this fall and what could be its impact on the Indian economy? There has been an uptick in FDI in the Indian automobile sector over the years. It is expected to become the world’s third largest by 2026. Back home, people are thronging the showrooms to drive home new cars. The sales of passenger vehicles shot up 29% last month. Meanwhile, a parallel industry of second-hand cars is also thriving. And it is becoming increasingly organised. The market for second-hand cars is expected to double in the next five years. Is the used car then the new “new” for Indian auto-buyers? Easing chip shortage also helped auto sales touch the 1 million-mark in Q2. However, as demand entered a slow lane amid weak exports in October, and the end of the festive season, the rally in auto shares lost its steam. Will this trend continue? Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar last week said that the next generation of devices and products, like India Stack, are being architected and designed in India. But ever wondered what exactly is India Stack? In this episode of the podcast, we offer an insight into this platform and how will it help India achieve its ambitious digital transformation.
The Australian Parliament on Tuesday gave its assent to a free trade agreement with India, and simultaneously amended the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement. The pact will double trade between the two nations. While the amendments to the double taxation treaty will help Indian IT firms save millions of dollars every year. We explain what India’s first free trade deal with a major Western economy means and how it will benefit the country’s foreign trade In another big development, India on Monday came out with a framework to address the menace of fake online reviews on e-commerce websites. Now websites like Amazon and Flipkart and food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy will have to make sure that the reviews on their platform are not fake or misleading. Here's an insight into this initiative which is being touted as the world’s first In another first, India released its long-term low-carbon emission development strategy at the recently-concluded United Nations Climate Conference. As the focus on green energy takes centre stage, is it time to add stocks from this space to your portfolio? From the financial markets, let us shift our focus to politics. States governed by opposition parties are constantly in the news for their brushes with governors. In Kerala, the state government is planning a bill to remove governor Arif Mohammed Khan as the Chancellor of state-run universities. Kerala’s LDF government has been alleging that the governor is a political appointee. But what does the Constitution say about the governor? And what is his role? This podcast breaks it down for you
In the run up to the last full budget before the ruling BJP faces the general elections in 2024, India’s leading business leaders and representatives from industry bodies have given a set of suggestions to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. One of the key demands is the rationalisation of personal income tax rates. So why is India Inc. so keen on relieving the little guy’s pockets? India is also one of the world’s fastest-growing streaming video markets. Over 80 over-the-top or OTT platforms are jostling for viewers’ attention here. But as they say, content is the king. While several big budget shows like Marco Polo failed to make a mark, some budget shows like ‘Panchayat’ and ‘Delhi Crime’ won the audience’s heart. So what makes some stories click instantly with viewers? And how can the Indian OTT platforms achieve consistency of content? Netflix had pulled out of Russia in protest against its invasion of Ukraine in April this year. Ukraine, on its part, is still giving a tough time to the invading army. It recently forced Russia to retreat from the crucial Kherson region. The chances of this deadlock giving way to some kind of truce is offering some hope to the world financial markets. Recent corrections in crude oil prices and soft inflation data in the US are also giving Wall Street more space to breathe. So global equity markets are now looking to make up for their underperformance of the past few months. But analysts caution that rally in the Indian markets could take a backseat in the remaining part of 2022. A country’s demography is closely linked to its economy. If used efficiently, it can be a key factor in driving its growth. If not, it can be a burden on its resources. The world population breached the eight-billion-mark last week. And India is set to take over China as the world's most populous country in a few months from now. Let us find out how India’s share in the world population has changed since 1950 in this podcast.
A by-product of the financial crisis of the 1990s, pension reform had the backing of both the BJP and the Congress -- the two main political parties of the country. While NDA implemented it in early 2000, Congress gave it statutory support after coming to power later. But now, it seems, Congress and some other parties want to turn the clock back. Four states under their rule have already switched to the old pension scheme. And the parties are using it as a political tool to gain power in other states too. While this may prove to be good politics, is it good economics? Politics, it seems, also came into play at the recently-concluded climate summit in Egypt. It relegated the realistic climate goals to the back seat, and put several developing countries like India in a tight spot. So will India gain from the newly-established ‘Loss and Damage’ fund? Back home, India has decided to remove export duty on steel, and steel making raw material. It was levied six months ago in a bid to bring down inflation. While industry has welcomed the move, analysts do not see any benefit in the near term. What is making experts cautious on the move, and how will stocks of related companies be impacted? The government, meanwhile, came out with a revised version of the personal data protection Bill last week. Its introduction for consultations in the public sphere comes at a critical juncture in India’s journey to become a digital economy. While the finer points of the Bill are being debated, there are key terms used in it that should be known by us all. Today, let us examine four such key terms in this podcast.
For thousands of Twitter employees, the realisation has finally sunk in. The company will never be the same again. Over 3,500 workers have been sacked and hundreds of others have made the tough choice of quitting the social media organisation. Within a few days, the firm has lost a major chunk of its workforce. It looks like the chaos introduced by Elon Musk is finally taking a toll on the company. We break down the happenings since Musk entered the Twitter headquarters. A venture firm in the US has launched a tailor-made programme for those who are being laid-off by tech companies like Meta and Twitter. The firm will give $100,000 to every startup idea. Several reports suggest that more startups have been founded by techies than MBA graduates. While another report revealed that there has been a 3.4 % dip in applications for management studies across 57 countries, including India. So, is the lure of management degrees waning? Moving on to financial markets, frontline BSE Sensex and Nifty indices came within a striking distance of hitting fresh life-time highs last week, but fell short owing to selling pressure at higher levels. With no triggers on the domestic front, will markets enter a long-drawn consolidation phase? We delve into the market mood. The chorus to regulate cryptocurrency has grown louder since the collapse of FTX. A bill to regulate it is likely to be tabled in Parliament soon. The government has also weighed the option of appointing its capital markets regulator to oversee cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, the investors of FTX have little hope left from the ongoing liquidation process as the exchange’s entire valuation has now been wiped out. So who are the biggest losers? Let's find out in this episode of the podcast.
Till September this year, financial creditors have recovered about 33% of their claims in 553 corporate insolvency processes that ended up getting resolved. So is it a sign that India’s insolvency process turned a corner? India is turning the corner in defence equipment manufacturing too. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that the country’s defence exports have shot up eight times since 2014. While defence minister Rajnath Singh has now set an ambitious target -- to attain another three-fold jump in defence exports from FY 22 numbers. And the early signs are good. In January, India signed a deal to arm the Philippines with BrahMos cruise missiles, in what was New Delhi's largest-ever weapons sale abroad. And recently, an Indian private sector company clinched an Armenian contract to supply advanced artillery guns. So have we finally laid the ghost of Bofors to rest? Experts told Business Standard that indigenisation is boosting defence stocks, but cautioned on possible consolidation in the near-term. Meanwhile, equity markets now appear to have moved past worries of rate hikes. This is reflected by the Sensex and Nifty indices hovering near their all-time highs. So as markets look to pick-up pace, is it time to restructure your portfolio and add high beta stocks? Stock markets certainly come under the game of skill category where people with experience have a better chance of making money than the rookies. A debate around game of skill and game of chance has been raging for a while now. This episode of the podcast tells more.
“We have to think of the worst and do our best...”. Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das had said this in September while asking banks to raise capital. Das underscored that such a step was needed to fund the demand for loans, which has been growing at a healthy clip. And today, Governor Das is holding a meeting with the chiefs of public sector banks and select private lenders. Gauging the sustainability of the robust credit growth seen by the sector and examining the slow growth in deposits will be on the agenda. Against this backdrop, let us understand why deposit growth has become a cause for concern Just like the lenders, the technology sector too is weighing its options. After Twitter and Meta Platform, tech giant Amazon is planning to lay-off a big chunk of its workforce. Reports claim that it would fire close to 10,000 employees, the largest job cut in its history. Meanwhile, bloodbath in start-ups has been on for a while now as the funding taps run dry. So what all led to this situation? And what is the road ahead? The fear of recession is indeed forcing global tech giants to tighten their purse strings. But, financial markets back home look unperturbed by it. So is it a good time to allocate more to equities? Or should you look at debt products as interest rates are likely to head north? What does S NAREN, executive director and chief investment officer at ICICI Prudential AMC, think of the developments? Puneet Wadhwa caught up with him to understand his investment mantra Stocks of two companies plummeted on Wall Street recently. And thhe firms lost billions of dollars in market capitalization. The reason was Twitter’s move to sell its coveted blue check badge for $8. Aerospace company Lockheed Martin and pharma giant Eli Lilly and Company fell prey to impersonators. But what exactly is blue check and how did it come into being? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
If not in seconds, the $16 billion wealth of former FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried was gone in hours. FTX, the world’s second biggest crypto exchange, has gone bankrupt. Over 10 lakh crypto investors cannot withdraw their money now. This bust has triggered another round of sell offs on other exchanges. Bitcoin plummeted another 12% in the last five days, after shedding over 70% this past year. So is it the beginning of the end of Crypto? Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discussed cryptocurrency regulations when they met last week in Delhi. Meanwhile, the waiting periods for US visas are expected to ease by mid-2023, a senior US embassy official recently said. That’s cold comfort for many Indians who are facing a waiting period of up to 900 days for appointments. So what has been the impact of the particularly long queue for US visas? Moving on to markets, shares of companies within the ambit of the digital theme have succumbed to the turmoil in the global tech industry as recession fears continue to rise. So, what do experts recommend against this backdrop? The government, meanwhile, approved the framework for sovereign green bonds last week. It is likely to hit the markets soon. India is steadily moving towards meeting its ambitious green target. So is most of the world. But a few companies and even nations are posing a threat to the world’s march towards a green future. They are not cutting emissions, but the corners. This practice is called ‘greenwashing’. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Facebook parent Meta Platform’s unsettling move to expel 13% of its workforce comes with a generous severance package. It comes as a breather in this season of harsh layoffs in the US. Back home in India, even as the festive season hurtles through bleak layoffs, companies like Byjus and Unacademy have also offered sturdy exit packages. New age Indian companies, it appears, may be ruthless with severance but are liberal with the severance packages. So what are the driving factors behind it? Like the severance packages, a car with good safety features comes handy when we are in a tight spot. And a few companies like Tata and Mahindra have realized it. They have chosen safety over mileage. Government too is getting serious about it, as over one lakh fifty thousand people lose their lives on Indian roads every year. So what does it cost to make a car with good NCAP ratings? Mahindra & Mahindra on Friday reported a 46% jump in its standalone profit in the September quarter. Meanwhile, the key benchmark indices are now within a striking distance of touching fresh life-time highs after Friday’s sharp rally. Our next report delves into the factors that can lead the benchmarks to new summits in the near term. A strong password is essential to keep all your online data safe, including your hard earned money from stocks. But with increasing cyberattacks and data breaches you need two-factor authentication to save your hard earned money. It adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts. Let’s understand what it is and how it helps keep you safe online in this episode of the podcast.
In a few days from now, India will take over the presidency of G20. The country, which is being seen as a “bright spot in the dark horizon”, will hold the chair for one year starting December 1. In IMF MD Kristalina Georgieva’s words, as G20 lead, India will leave a mark on the world for years to come. But for India, the presidency is coming at a turbulent time. The ongoing war in Europe is posing a threat to the global economy -- which is already in dire straits. And visible signs of climate change are posing a threat to humanity. But this may also be an opportunity for India. Let us find out how Experts claim that India’s informal economy has shrunk close to 20% from 50% a few years ago. Thanks to digitisation. It offers a host of lessons to the world, especially to the developing economies whose voice India wants to raise during the G20 presidency. Meanwhile, India is taking another big leap. It is rolling out 5G network after successful auctions. And the government recently claimed that this fifth generation technology is indigenous. Our next report offers an insight Several tech companies across the globe have witnessed a steep sell-off, as global recession fears looms large. In domestic markets, shares of new-age tech companies like Nykaa, Paytm, and Zomato have fallen up to 68% from their listing prices. Since the companies continue to struggle with profitability, should investors keep these stocks on radar after the recent-sell off? Staying with the theme of financial markets, most of us know how to purchase shares. But what if you want to transfer their ownership. This episode of the podcast tells how to do it and more.
Indian banking sector has reasons to cheer. Commercial banks have clocked a combined profit of almost 60,000 crore rupees in the second quarter of this financial year. It was a 59 per cent jump from the year-ago period. And it was also the highest profit recorded by Indian banks in any quarter. There is optimism surrounding this sector? What are the reasons for this? And are there headwinds ahead? It is not just banking. India’s aviation sector too is looking up. It is one of the fastest growing in the world. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will soon be manufacturing large passenger aircraft. It seems that the country’s aerospace industry could be on the cusp of a paradigm shift. So, will the dream of a Made-in-India passenger plane really take off? The September quarter corporate earnings season is near its end with select pockets firmly outshining the weak global outlook, while others lagging behind. So how did India Inc. fare in Q2FY23 and what is the trajectory for the remaining two quarters of the fiscal year? Can economies grow without disturbing the environment? Leaders of over 150 countries are currently camping in Sharm el Sheikh -- trying to find a way to strike the delicate balance. The world is becoming warmer, and attempts are being made to keep it below 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of the century. The outcome of the COP27 summit may well determine the future course of humanity. But what is COP27? Listen to this episode of the podcast to find out more.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) slapped a fine of $1.3 million on Kim Kardashian last month. The reason. The reality TV star was promoting crypto security on Instagram without disclosing that she was paid for it. In Australia, there is a five-year jail term for financial influencers who operate without a licence. But in India, where the number of finfluencers and their followers are rapidly rising, their promotional activities seem to fall in a grey area. So far, the country’s financial regulators have not carved out any specific norms that finfluencers should stick to. Our next report offers insight into it The Karnataka High Court recently asked the government to come up with regulatory measures to keep a tab on Instagram influencers. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday upheld the 103th amendment to the Constitution, which paved the way for 10% reservation for people of economically weaker sections. A Constitution bench in a 3-2 verdict said that reservation on economic basis does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution. So what will be the likely impact of this judgement? Moving on to financial markets, the recent earnings report card of various public sector banks saw profitability improving better-than-expected due to broad-based credit growth. While this does make a case for further re-rating of the sector, data suggests PSU Banks are trading 25% higher than their historical average. Does this make them investment worthy at current levels? Key financial sector regulators like SEBI, RBI, IRDAI, IFSCA and PFRDA recently came together to allow an interoperable regulatory sandbox. It will help them launch hybrid products and services which may need overseeing by more than one regulator. But what exactly is a regulatory sandbox? This episode of the podcast explains it in details.
For hundreds of people who worked at Twitter as recently as Friday, the bitter reality will take a while to sink in. But for Elon Musk, it made perfect business sense. He had dropped hints on mass lay-offs soon after taking over the San Francisco-based company. But the planet’s richest man is facing backlash for unceremoniously expelling so many people. So is Musk setting a new trend where owners can brush aside the HR rulebook and write their own edicts? The mystery of missing $12 billion from India-China bilateral trade is as engrossing as the ongoing developments at Twitter. China said that its trade with India touched $103 billion in the first nine months of 2022. But India says that it is $91 billion. So who is right? Moving on, financial markets displayed tremendous resilience and ended with steady gains last week even as global central bankers raised rates. In the week ahead, markets will focus on the last leg of Q2 results and macro-economic data for further cues on direction. Financial markets respond positively to free trade agreements. Australia recently said that the free trade agreement with India has been tabled in its parliament, and is likely to be passed soon. But what is a free trade agreement? Listen to this episode of the podcast to find out.
Winter is no more pleasant in north India. One after another, fields of Punjab, Haryana and western UP are erupting in fire, and turning pitch-black. Smoke and ashes emanating from them are engulfing the entire Delhi and surrounding region. For over two months, farmers continue to set paddy straw on fire with impunity -- unperturbed by government warnings and schemes. On Wednesday, Punjab recorded over 3,600 incidents of farm fires. And the next day, Delhi’s AQI reached hazardous levels. Punjab’s share in farm fires is maximum this time. So why has the government failed in reining in the stubble burning in the state? The impact of air pollution is as devastating on our economy as it is on our health. According to a study, it costs Indian businesses around Rs 7 lakh crore every year. Moving on, a haze of uncertainty has enveloped the global economy. No one knows what lies next. So how can banks brace themselves amidst global concerns about a possible recession in 2023? Are fintechs making banks less relevant? And is the dominance of public sector banks healthy? My colleague. Manojit Saha, and I spoke with Professor Douglas Diamond, who won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Economics, for the answers. . The Nobel was awarded to Diamond along with long time collaborator, Philip Dybvig, and former Federal Reserve chair, Ben Bernanke for having “significantly improved our understanding of the role of banks in the economy, particularly during financial crises”. Rising interest rate and liquidity withdrawal continue to put pressure on global equity markets. And after the Russia-Ukraine war, fresh geo-political tensions are seen brewing in some other regions too. So, will these global worries affect markets globally? And are they a bigger worry than central bank policy action? The Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy committee held an off-cycle meeting on Thursday. It was called to discuss the unrelenting inflation and give a response to the government on it. In in this episode of the podcast we tell you why the RBI is writing to the government over inflation.
The numbers for the first half of the current financial year are with us now. And they suggest that the Indian economy did quite well despite rough global weather and lingering pandemic shock. Fiscal deficit is under control. GST revenue collection is breaking records. And the sale of automobiles is in the fast lane now. But, will it sustain in the next half of the financial year? World over policymakers have been grappling with one question. Can there be economic growth without fueling global warming? Melting icebergs, extreme heat waves and frequent flooding are no more the tip of the iceberg. The world is now warmer by 1 degree Celsius since 1900. A new UN report, which came out just days ahead of the COP27 meet, has warned that governments’ plans to cut emissions would not be enough to avoid catastrophic global warming. So what do the new report’s findings mean for the climate change threats India faces? And what will be its agenda at the COP27 meeting? Several opinion makers believe that 5G connectivity can reduce costs, energy consumption and emissions too. Meanwhile, the launch of 5G services in India is set to gain full steam in the next few months. As telecom players pick up pilot launches in select cities, is it time to add these stocks to your portfolio? The government has decided to offer the use of indigenous 5G testbed free of cost to recognised start-ups and MSMEs till January next year. It will help start-ups and small enterprises validate their products. Let us find out more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently said that over-the-top or OTT communication services, like Whatsapp and Telegram, will fall under the ambit of the draft telecom bill. But, at the same time, the minister also said that the regulation will be “light-touch”. So, does this mean India has figured out how to regulate such apps? The government also wants to introduce transparency in judicial appointments. It claims that appointments and transfers in the judiciary have been opaque. But the Supreme Court too has been holding its ground, saying that scrapping the collegium system will compromise its independence. After the corridors of courts, let us shift our focus to the realm of financial markets. Four firms are looking to raise over Rs 4,000 crore this week via IPOs. Among them, DCX Systems, and Bikaji Foods International are already seeing increased investors’ interest in the grey market. But is the grey market buzz worth it? Which one of these IPOs deserve your money? Companies go to the primary market to borrow funds, which they use for expansion and other activities. And in this process, new securities are created. But ever wondered how new cryptocurrencies are generated. We answer this in this episode of the podcast.
Elon Musk finally entered the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco Thursday last week. He was wearing a beaming smile and holding a heavy porcelain sink. And just hours later, he closed the deal to purchase the social media giant. With this, he lived up to his reputation of pulling off difficult feats and crazy stunts. But there is always a method to Musk’s madness. What is it? And how Twitter will transform under Musk in the days to come? In December last year, Elon Musk had said that metaverse was more like a marketing buzzword than a reality. But Mark Zuckerberg is trying hard to prove it otherwise. He is doubling down on his efforts to take metaverse or web 3 to the next level, despite investors’ pessimism. But it is not just Zuckerberg, metaverse is now getting many takers. People are buying land in it, and big brands like Nike have also jumped into this virtual world. So where does metaverse stand now? And how it may change your shopping experience? Wall Street is still not very keen on Zuckerberg’s metaverse project. Reality Labs, the unit working on metaverse plans, has just reported a quarterly loss of $3.67 billion. But Zuckerberg seems unfazed. Back home in India, markets stayed in green last week as investors cheered the new Samvat 2079. Frontline indices Nifty50 and the S&P Sensex added over a per cent each. This week, interest rate decisions by the US Federal Reserve, and the Bank of England, along with global macro numbers will affect market trends. Can putting the images of deities on legal tenders help India attain “economic prosperity”? Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal believes so. He recently appealed to the government to start this practice with new currency notes. Not everyone agrees with him, of course. Both the Congress and the BJP have expressed their disagreement with this view. Even as political parties continue with the slugfest, we try to answer a different question. What visuals can the government use on currency notes? We find out in this episode of the podcast.
On Tuesday, just a day after Diwali, as most of us were busy greeting each other, making video and audio calls to relatives and sharing photos, WhatsApp went down. And not just the private affairs, businesses too took a hit. Millions spent anxious two hours, till the instant messaging app came alive. But this longest-ever glitch in WhatsApp forced us to introspect. And ask one question. Is it time to think of WhatsApp as a public service? Indian firms are going full pedal to develop indigenous messaging apps. But a local answer to WhatsApp appears to be a distant dream. Meanwhile, the country is also trying to become independent in edible oil production. And for this, biotech regulator GEAC has recommended environmental release of genetically-modified mustard. But not all are happy with this decision. So what are the concerns around GM crops? If you are flying above north India during winter, a glance from an airplane window often throws a pleasant sight. Vast swathes of fields are covered in mustard crops hanging low due to yellow flowers. Moving on, India’s aviation sector seems to have left the pandemic turbulence behind. Airlines nearly doubled their fares on key metro routes, even as they incurred lower fuel costs. These tailwinds, analysts say, may boost their earnings in the second half of this fiscal. But, are these stocks still worth your money amid rising competition? It is not just the skies. The traffic in the space is increasing too. India is also increasingly marking its presence up there. Last Sunday, the country’s largest rocket placed 36 satellites in space. The successful launch of OneWeb India-1 mission was a big milestone for the country and the ISRO. Let us find out more about it in this episode of the podcast.
This holiday-truncated week ushered in Samvat 2079. Investors across the country are hoping that the new year will bring good tidings with it, and will take the market to a new height. But fingers are also crossed due to ongoing global uncertainty. Meanwhile, the focus for the week ahead will remain on the ongoing earnings season, global cues and FII flows. We help you prepare better for the trading week ahead, and will also tell how analysts see the markets shaping up this year. Movement of a cricket ball can also be as tricky and nerve-wracking as that of any stock. About 10,000-km away from the financial capital Mumbai, the air is thick with excitement. Seven stadiums of Australia are hosting the ICC T20 World Cup. And in one of them, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, India defeated Pakistan by four wickets on Sunday evening -- giving fans of the Rohit Sharma-led side a perfect Diwali gift. But what else makes this event different, and will it prove to be better than the previous ones? Back home, Diwali marked the beginning of Vikram Samvat 2079. How will this year be? How will global slowdown affect India? And when will steps taken by the RBI to rein-in inflation start showing results? Business Standard's Indivjal Dhasmana caught up with Rakesh Mohan, the president of the Centre for Social and Economic Progress and also a part-time member of the economic advisory council of the prime minister and a former RBI deputy governor. The prices of essential commodities would have been much more had it not been for the good monsoon. It is withdrawing now. The low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal may lead to cyclonic storms. Excess rains wreak havoc at times, triggering floods and landslides. Such calamities need government intervention, which in turn, taps into the disaster relief funds. Lets find out more about it in this episode of the podcast.
India is showcasing its metal at the ongoing Defence Expo in Gandhinagar. It is the first such event where only made-in-India equipment are on display. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event by highlighting that India has achieved Rs 13,000 crore defence exports in FY22. While this is heartening, exactly how self-sufficient have we become in our defence production? For example, imported Bofors guns played a crucial role in India’s victory over Pakistan at Kargil about 23 years ago. Have we found an Indian replacement for such weapons? India’s growth story is also being written by individuals. Zerodha co-founders Nithin Kamath and Nikhil Kamath increased their donation by 300% in FY 2021-2022 --becoming the ninth-largest individual givers in India. Business Standard’s Raghav Aggarwal caught up with one of the brothers, Nikhil Kamath, to talk about the future of fintech and funding in India. interview SEBI has indeed made the investment ecosystem much safer, as pointed out by Kamath. He also believes that the next few years may be difficult just like Samvat 2078 when equity markets battled a host of headwinds, like tighter monetary policy and Russia-Ukraine war. And, as we enter Samvat 2079, we take a step back to delve into what went wrong in Samvat 2078 since last Diwali. The year gone by was not easy on the aviation sector either. It is slowly trying to recover from the pandemic turbulence now. And there is an alliance of airlines which has been trying to cut the hassle in air travel. Formed in 1997, Star Alliance has been providing seamless connectivity to fliers. It just celebrated its 25 years in existence. This episode of the podcast has more on it.
Just over three months after a helicopter went down into Arabian sea near Bombay High leaving four dead, another chopper carrying pilgrims crashed into the hills in Uttarakhand killing seven on-board. Weather was adverse in both the cases and pilots were also new to the machines. These two mishaps and some recent emergency landings -- including the one involving UP CM Yogi Adityanath in June -- raise one question? Is India’s civil helicopter landscape being regulated efficiently? And what will be its future like as the government ramps up the infrastructure to give a leg up to the sector? The government with the help of private players is trying to make helicopter rides affordable for everyone. But such a ride still remains a distant dream for a large section of the population. Two back-to-back reports from prominent international organisations have put figures to India’s successes and shortcomings in its fight against poverty. A World Bank report said that the pandemic pushed 56 million Indians into poverty. While a UNDP report said that 415 million Indians were taken out of poverty between 2005-06 and 2019-20 -- a period of 15 years till the pandemic struck. Get an insight into India’s prolonged struggle against poverty and its by-products like malnutrition. India’s ability to rein-in poverty will determine its economic growth and a better per capita GDP. Moving on, equity markets across the globe underwent a roller-coaster ride in the Samvat 2078. And as we enter Samvat 2079, analysts believe that the domestic market’s outperformance against global peers will sustain as fundamentals and profitability of Indian corporate improves. We guide you through what top brokerages are betting on this Samvat and the way ahead for markets. From markets lets move on to banking. To ensure financial inclusion, banks are opening specialised branches for delivering digital banking products and services. These paperless branches are being called digital banking units. Lets know more about it in episode of the podcast.
The RBI’s state of economy report says that the inflation might have hit the peak and it could start to lose steam from here. But the same report cautions that the fight against inflation will be “dogged and prolonged”. The opinion on the future course of rate action has also put the experts in warring camps. Some believe that the RBI should breathe easy, while others are advising against it. So, amid the divided house, we try to find if the worst of inflation is behind us? But once in a festive mood, people hardly care about prices. Most wait for festival season to loosen the purse strings. And no one knows it better than the corporate world. Online sellers start offering heavy discounts and make the most of this season. One of them, E-commerce unicorn Meesho, clocked a 68% jump in sales during a five-day festive season sale. Business Standard’s Surjaeet Das Gupta caught up with Utkrishta Kumar, Meesho’s business CXO, to know more about the record sales and also about the company’s future plans. The Jewellery sector too is gearing up for Dhanteras and Diwali. It is expecting to benefit from pent-up demand as festive fervor kicks in. So, is it time to add stocks of jewellery retailers to your portfolio? A recent survey by Bank of America Corp. suggested market capitulation before a rally in stocks by the first half of next year. But what is market capitulation? Listen to our next podcast to know.
Wheat exports from India shot up by 116% in the first five months of the current financial year, thanks to aggressive buying by private players who offered lucrative prices to farmers. Meanwhile, India’s own stocks of the food grain saw a decline, and procurement fell by 57 per cent. The wheat stocks with the Food Corporation of India stand at a six-year low now, slightly above the minimum prescribed buffer. So what is the likely road ahead? Will India turn into a net wheat importer now, just months after promising to feed the world? Almost all the countries of the world are scrambling for ways to prop-up their economies. Central banks are raising rates to suck liquidity and bring down the soaring inflation. And banks too are passing on the rates. Amid all this, where should you park your hard-earned money? Given the volatility, one should tread cautiously on Dalal Street. Though there have been stock-specific wealth creators, the overall scenario wasn’t that good this year. Andrew Holland, CEO, Avendus Capital Public Markets Alternate Strategies spoke to Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa on the opportunities and pitfalls investors should be mindful of in Samvat 2079. Thanks to the Gift City, which has come up in Ahmedabad, Indians can now invest in international stocks too. And, through this special zone, India is also trying to become a global hub for aircraft leasing. But why do most airlines prefer leasing aircraft rather than buying them? And what kind of leasing options do they have? Find out in this episode of the podcast.
Consumer inflation accelerated to five-month high in September to touch 7.41%. And at 8.6%, the inflation in food items was at a 22-month high last month. So as the retail inflation stayed above the upper limit of 2-6% band for the third straight quarter, all eyes are on RBI now. We ask what can the central bank do to calm the prices Imported inflation due to the war is also adding fuel to already high retail prices. The effect of war and global slowdown has reached Indian shores too. It has also derailed India’s start-up juggernaut. The country had added a record 44 unicorns in 2021. And in the July-September quarter, just two start-ups made it to the coveted unicorn list. Venture funding data from two separate sources indicates that Indian start-ups are in the middle of a harsh funding winter. While the global situation is not good, the slowdown is more pronounced in India. Despite a bleak global background, top IT giants including TCS, HCL Technologies and Infosys have wrapped up their September quarter earnings that broadly came in line with the Street’s expectations. So, what do the Q2 results indicate for the IT sector amid growing fears of recession? Pandemic disrupted economic activities across the world, throwing shocking growth numbers. India’s GDP growth too fell in the negative zone in 2020. But, next year, when there was a slight rebound in economic activities, the growth numbers again threw a surprise. But the sudden jump in GDP growth was due to the previous year’s low base. This episodeb of the podcast tells more about it.
The National Payments Corporation of India's international unit has signed a string of deals over the past two years with foreign companies and central banks to internationalise India's homegrown digital payments system, UPI. Most of these deals will help Indians travelling abroad to pay using UPI, while Nepal has adopted UPI as a domestic payment system. Some other agreements relate to cross-border payments. This raises the question. Can the UPI payment system become a global service? As UPI tries to find a foothold worldwide, back in India, another service is trying to scale up. Airtel and Reliance Jio launched the much-awaited 5G services in select cities. The rollout has not been as fast as expected, and most users can't experience the service yet. A concerned government even summoned the top telcos, smartphone makers and other infra providers to understand the reasons for the slow rollout. Even as the 5G rollout is hobbled, there is no such worry for the world of realty stocks. After withstanding the pandemic-wrought downtrend, the sun shines brightly upon the realty sector on the back of strong affordability, upbeat demand, and manageable inventory levels. But will the rate-sensitive sector face a challenge because of rising interest rates, or will it brave through the rate hike storm? Realty stocks may be sensitive to rate hikes, while telecom stocks may reflect the difficulties in expanding 5G services. And what about equity funds? How should you select one? What should you keep in mind? This episode of the podcast answers the question and more.
Mukesh Ambani appears all set to join the ranks of super-rich who have family offices in Singapore. The Asia’s top and world’s third biggest financial centre will give wings to Ambani’s ambitions and help him widen his overseas investment options. We try to explore the likely reasons behind this widely reported move. Tip of the global wealth pyramid became a bit more crowded last year, as the world grappled with pandemic. The number of global “ultra-high net worth” individuals rose by 46,000 to a record 218,200. Meanwhile, in India, as the memories of horror perpetrated by Covid-19 started to diminish, a news shocked everyone. Over 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines expired last month. What led to this wastage? Pandemic accelerated the demand for digital transformation, giving a booster shot to the Indian IT sector. The second quarter earnings season is set to begin today with results from IT major TCS. With IT stocks having succumbed to fears of a global slowdown this year, here’s a report on what experts are anticipating from top Indian IT majors in the September quarter Winter is likely to be more challenging for IT firms as the falling global demands may have a bearing on their earnings. Meanwhile, the weather may not be pleasant for Delhi and NCR residents either. Chill spells misery for them. Farm fires dot the region, turning the air foul. Last week, as the air pollution soared, authorities had to impose the Graded Response Action Plan or GRAP to deal with it. This episode of the podcast tells more about it.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das last week said that the central bank was assuming the Indian crude basket’s price to be 100 dollars per barrel in the second half of FY23, down from around 104 dollars per barrel in the first half. This estimate underpins the central bank’s growth and inflation projections. Which is why the recent decision by the OPEC+ to impose larger-than-expected output cuts in a bid to spur a recovery in crude prices could become a cause for concern. Against that backdrop, we delve into the possible impact on India. After the oil, let us shift our focus to the pharmaceutical industry. The World Health Organization has issued a global alert over four cough syrups made by an Indian pharma company, saying that they could be linked to the death of 66 children in The Gambia. It has also triggered a probe from the Indian government. We ask who all are responsible for the quality checks of Indian pharma exports. Moving on to markets, retailers ended the nine-day Navratri festival season with a bang. Sales of consumer goods were the highest in 2-3 years this time, as consumers indulged in out-of-home purchases despite price hikes. The surprisingly steady sales, despite inflation, have turned analysts bullish on the sector as they see the festive season adding more sheen to related stocks. Take a deep dive into the sector’s prospects, and lists stocks that are on analysts’ radar In a bid to cut down on environmental waste and save consumers from buying different chargers for different devices, the European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of legislation to standardise the charging port on electronic items. It selected USB Type-C, better known as USB-C, as the standard port. But why did it choose USB-C as the standard port? What makes it the gold standard of charging ports? This episode of the podcast tries to answer.
The world economy is increasingly paying the price of the war in Ukraine, which has entered the seventh month now. Although the west is bearing the maximum brunt, Asian economies cannot remain untouched for long. The slowdown effect has reached the Indian shores too. Its merchandise exports contracted 3.5% in September due to a fall in demand for Indian goods in the advanced economies. So have Indian exports hit a significant rough patch? Made in India cars, meanwhile, became a bearer of glad tiding in these trying times. India’s passenger vehicle exports jumped 26% in the April-June quarter. And in this, Maruti Suzuki led from the front. It has emerged as the country's biggest passenger car exporter. 40 years since the first Maruti-800 rolled out from its factory, the company has come a long way. It made dreams affordable. Small cars reached tier 2 and three cities due to it. But did the champion of small cars miss the boat when it comes to the premium segment? And if yes, what is it doing to catch up? Maruti may soon make up lost ground. Moving on, several hospital players are on an expansion spree as things are getting better for them after the post Covid lull. So, will the ongoing aggressive expansion cycle help the sector achieve sustainable growth ahead? With the nations around the world pledging to cut emissions, the glare on automobiles is increasing. New vehicles coming after BS VI norms implementation are quieter and less polluting. But there is some difference between the lab emission test and those done on the road. It is called Real Driving Emissions. Let us find out more about it in this episode of the podcast.
US technology giant Oracle has been accused of bribing government officials in India, Turkey and UAE to grab business contracts. Charged with violating America’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the company is paying $23 million as penalties to settle the case. In 2012 too, Oracle was accused of bribing Indian officials, and had to settle the matter in the US. Walmart and Cognizant too have faced similar allegations. While multinationals are held accountable and pay for such violations in the US, does the same happen in India? Meanwhile, US multinationals Amazon and Walmart -- which owns Flipkart -- are up for a stiff competition. Reliance JioMart is upping its game, trying hard to catch up with the two giants. Ahead of festival season, it is offering a one-stop-solution for all shopping needs, from electronics and consumer durables to fashion, lifestyle and grocery. This ambitious digital push raises a crucial question. Can Reliance repeat its brick-and-mortar success in e-commerce? Stock of Reliance Retail has soared over 200% in the last five years, in tune with its growth during the period. Meanwhile, fears of a global recession have weighed heavily on domestic IT stocks this year. As investors remain bearish on these counters due to concerns that the US and European clients may slash their IT budgets, do the sector valuations make them a contrarian bet? After the IT stocks, let us shift our focus to the government’s plan to make India self-reliant. Mobile manufacturers recently assured the government that they will install NavIC -- a homegrown navigation system developed by ISRO – in new 5G devices starting January 1, 2025. NavIC is India’s alternative to GPS. Let us find out more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Former Ranbaxy promoters Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh were sent to jail for six months by the Supreme Court -- which also ordered an audit of the Fortis-IIH deal. This is not the first time the brothers have been in the news for a wrong reason. This latest development is one more chapter in the long drawn-out story of their downfall. In today’s segment, we offer a peek into the journey of the Singh brothers. The draft Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2022 -- which seeks to replace a 1940 law -- claims to set several things right in the pharma sector. It may also avert a Ranbaxy like scandal too. Meanwhile, another draft bill put out by the government this week seeks to address problems in the telecom sector. The draft Indian Telecommunications 2022 bill, which once framed into Act, may have far reaching effects on OTT communication services like WhatsApp, spectrum allocations and several other fields. Meanwhile, gold prices have been spiraling southwards after it peaked in March this year, as global central banks joined hands to raise interest rates to tame inflationary pressures. With the US Federal Reserve lifting its policy rate by 75 basis points for the third consecutive time, analysts believe that the yellow metal will continue to face pressure in the near-term as well. Thanks to the internet, we will get the factory and services data of the UK and Euro zone within seconds of their release. But have you ever noticed the difference between download and upload speeds? A simple speed test will tell you that the upload speed is usually lower than the download. Let us find out why in this episode of the podcast.
World Health Organization chief has finally struck an optimistic note, saying that the world has never been better placed to end the Covid-19. Going a step further, US President Joe Biden has written an obituary of the pandemic, by claiming that it is over. But are we really seeing the end of the pandemic which has so far claimed over 6.5 million lives globally. Should we lower our guard and shelve the masks? Our northern neighbour China is holding steadfast to its zero Covid strategy of strict lockdowns and mass testing. Erratic lockdowns have frustrated its citizens and businesses alike, forcing manufacturers to explore alternatives. One beneficiary has been India where Apple is expanding iPhone making capacity. What does it mean for the US giant and for India? Pandemic has also introduced chaos in the global equity markets. Fears of uncertain inflation and growth trajectory are keeping markets volatile. So, should investors look inwards and invest in Indian markets, or is the nervousness across global equities a good time to diversify into international markets? The US Fed is unlikely to breathe easy till the historically-high inflation is brought under control. It wants to pull-off a return to “Goldilocks” while steering clear of recession. But what exactly is the Goldilocks scenario? We explain in this episode of the podcast.
The price of Brent crude oil fell by another 2% on Monday. From $124 in March, it has come down below $90 now. And it has been below the psychological $100 mark for almost a month now. And add it with the cheap oil imports from Russia, the retail prices of fuel should have come down now by now. But it’s not. Find out why. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited is a leading oil and gas producer in India. The government has been trying to sell its stake in the Mumbai-headquartered firm for years. But the disinvestment is on hold now. The plan to privatise Pawan Hans and Central Electronics has also run into rough weather. And, about 18 months after the budget announcement, there is little progress towards privatisation of two state-owned banks. Barring Air India, the government has made little progress on the disinvestment front. But why? Our next report offers a peek into the government’s disinvestment drive and tells why it is in the slow lane? Let us move on to markets now. Logistics stocks traded mixed on Monday after the government announced national logistics policy over the weekend. The new policy aims to integrate and develop a technologically- enabled logistics ecosystem in the country. While some analysts expect logistic stocks to reap benefits from the new policy in the medium-to-long term, others remain cautious from a near-term There are several indicators to gauge the might of a country -- like the size of its economy or that of its financial markets. Travel freedom enjoyed by its citizens is also one such measure which reveals a lot about a country’s standing in the world. Every year, London-based immigration consultancy ‘Henley & Partners’ comes out with a ranking of 199 passports. It is called the Henley Passport Index. Find out more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Air India has unveiled a five-year transformation plan that is expected to triple its domestic market share and close the gap with IndiGo -- which currently accounts for a lion’s share of the passenger pie. The aim is to put the airline “on a path of sustained growth, profitability and market leadership”. So, can Air India become the ‘Maharaja’ of Indian skies again? After the ‘Maharaja’ of Indian skies, let us move on to the king of grass courts who claimed a record 8 Wimbledon titles. Roger Federer has decided to quit tennis after quite a successful career spanning over 24 years. From an angry kid who slammed his rackets on ground after losses to a tennis star who never lost his cool even during the nerve-wrecking matches with his arch rival Rafael Nadal, his tennis journey was phenomenal. Federer not just clinched 20 grand slams on the courts, but also a litany of brand endorsements. Here's a peek into the financial side of the tennis legend. Let us move on to markets now. Increasing expectations that the Federal Reserve could throw the US economy into a recession continue to weigh heavy on the export-facing IT sector. As the US central bank continues to paddle on monetary tightening, will the underperformance of IT shares continue? In the realm of business, it’s the profit which shapes most of the narratives. But, last week, something unusual happened in the US, which caught everyone’s attention. A billionaire announced to donate his company which he had founded about 50 years ago. And the reason? He wants to fight climate change. According to reports, an article in Forbes which added Yvon Chouinard to its list of the world’s richest people, made him think that he had failed to make the world a better place.
Education technology company Byju’s FY21 revenues came in flat, and its losses have widened about 20 times. The results came 18 months after the period of coverage ended in March 2021, prompting the government to seek an explanation from the country’s most valuable start-up for the delay. While it may survive this crisis, questions still remain around the future of the unicorn. Watch our next report to know more Just like BYJU’S, several companies across sectors have started from scratch and carved a niche, capturing the imagination of people with their inventive products. Of late, several such companies in the D2C space are increasingly being gobbled up by bigger FMCG companies. A rush for brand acquisitions is on. Watch our next report to know more Let us move on to consumer financing companies. A strong credit growth on the back of huge pent-up demand is set to push their loan books. As the festive season knocks on the doors, analysts suggest investors warm up to related stocks but with caveats. The consumer finance companies are eagerly waiting for the festivals to bring in some luck. Meanwhile, for the staff of MP’s Kuno National Park, celebrations have already begun -- but for a different reason. And not just the staff, but the entire nation is waiting to celebrate the arrival of cheetahs from Africa. Most of us may have never seen a cheetah as it went extinct from India about 70 years ago. This episode of the podcast tells more about Project Cheetah.
Corporate tax has already been slashed. PLI scheme is there. Stock market is so confident. Investment from abroad is pouring in. “So what is stopping Indian companies from investing in the economy?” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asked on Tuesday as she vowed all the support they needed. But why are Indian businesses shying away from increasing investments? Despite being the biggest bond market among emerging economies, India has long been struggling to get its bonds listed on global indexes. But experts believe that it may change soon as Russia’s recent exclusion has set the ball rolling for India’s inclusion in global bond indices. Not just the US bond markets, but the global equities too are rattled amid fear of the US Fed raising the interest rate to tame inflation. The fears sent global equities spiralling down as investors feared a hard landing for the world’s biggest economy. Domestic equities, on the flipside, settled with marginal cuts of 0.4%. So, what does this rebound say about Sensex and Nifty? Should investors be worried if the US Fed raises rate by 75 bps or higher next week? After the markets, let us move on to a case which is being heard by the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court. The validity of the 10% quota for people belonging to economically weaker sections is under scrutiny in the apex court. This episode of the podcast offers an insight into this much debated issue and more.
Citing elusive consensus and possible discrimination against developing economies prompted India to stay out of the trade pillar of the United States-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, or IPEF. Given that India is currently negotiating trade deals with the UK, Canada and EU, is the IPEF decision a step in the wrong direction? Also, what does this mean for India’s ambition to become a larger player in global trade? Staying with international trade, India is one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables. But it has long been struggling to ramp-up its exports -- where smaller countries like Thailand are way ahead. India is the world's second largest rice producer followed by China. But last week, the government imposed export duties on various grades of rice. Analysts expect that this protectionist measure will harm the profitability of rice-mill companies in the near-term. However, healthy rice harvest and sound fundamentals are expected to override negative sentiments in the long- haul. Did you know that you can click a photo on any item and search similar products on the web? People are using visual search over 8 billion times a month. Find out more in this episode of the podcast.
In a departure from the stand taken by its “Big Four” rivals, EY last week said that it was planning to split the firm’s audit and advisory businesses. Even as the other three of the group -- Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers -- were adamant on keeping the two services together, EY said that it was doing so to address regulatory concerns over potential conflicts of interest. So will this move prompt others to follow the suit and will its ripples be felt in India too. Big organisations like EY always think ahead of the curve to remain competitive. And they always have a contingency plan. But, Bangalore’s authorities had no plan B ready when the city’s roads and streets were flooded. A man swimming in the living room of his villa in the upscale Epsilon area, CEOs taking tractor rides to reach safer places… visuals emerging from India’s Silicon Valley were just plain shocking. We ask if brand Bangalore is taking a hit. Forecast of heavy rain is also keeping the country’s financial capital on the edge. Mumbai also sees regular flooding. Moving on, the Nifty MidCap and SmallCap indices have leaped up to 23% since their June lows. And though the valuations seem mildly stretched post this rally, analysts believe this broader market rally is here to stay. Meanwhile, a new trend is taking social media platforms by storm. It has triggered a debate around work culture. How much hard work should we put in? Should we go beyond our job description? Should we do only what we have been told or volunteer for extra work? Whichever way you chose to tilt, but you cannot ignore “quiet quitting”. This episoce of the podcast tells more about it.
A 3-km long revamped stretch, connecting Rashtrapati Bhawan to India Gate, was on Thursday evening opened to the public by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The road, popular as ‘Rajpath’ so far, will now be called ‘Kartavya Path’. Part of the larger Central Vista project, the stretch is a glimpse of the future, a peek into the larger design. After the revamped boulevard and soaring spirits, let us shift our focus to fallen heroes of financial markets. They were like shooting stars, who rose, burnt bright and disappeared, leaving behind a trail. And unlike the stars, this trail was that of destruction. People like Harshad Mehta, Ketan Parekh, Ravi Narain and Chitra Ramakrishna had one thing in common - greed. Markets may not forgive them, but lessons can be drawn. These fallen heroes have, time and again, tested the resilience of financial markets. But markets have a habit of moving on. Meanwhile, Indian markets may see intermittent corrections due to policies of global central banks and some other factors, analysts expect India’s relative outperformance to continue. It is now the world’s fifth biggest equity market. Get a sneak peek into what analysts are buying and selling as India looks to shine amid the global gloom and doom. After the markets, let us shift our focus to a prolonged legal battle, on which curtains were recently drawn in India. In a big win for the Central government, the Delhi High Court has set aside an arbitral award that directed ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix Corporation to pay over $560 million to Bangalore-based start-up Devas Multimedia. We break down the entire controversy and more in this episode of the podcast.
Its quarterly loss has widened. It is facing scrutiny for a series of mid-air technical snags. And its CFO has quit. India’s budget airline SpiceJet is in descent. So what is next for the airline? SpiceJet was hit by a somewhat similar storm in 2014. And a change in ownership had steered it out then. After the Indian skies, let us shift our focus to its roads -- which are all set to witness a big change in the next few years. This change will stamp out pollution and noise from the traffic. Electric vehicles are set to take India by storm. They are trickling in, one by one. And foreign as well as domestic companies have lined up a host of variants. The stage is set for the electric vehicle revolution in India. Hindi cinema too seems to have run into rough weather, just like SpiceJet. PVR and Inox Leisure are bearing the brunt of Bollywood’s failure at the Box Office. The poor performance of Laal Singh Chaddha, and Shamshera have forced investors to dump multiplex stocks amid fears of sub-par earnings. Going forward, analysts see a rocky road for related players as lack of good content, and the rise of OTT platforms keep moviegoers away from theatres. Supply-chain disruption, soaring crude oil prices, shooting inflation and resultant market uncertainty had forced global investors to rush for “safe haven” currency-- the US dollar. It is also called the world’s reserve currency. But what exactly is reserve currency? Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more.
Indian economy grew by 13.5% in the first quarter of the current financial year, slower than what most economists predicted, but high enough to keep the hopes alive amid ongoing global uncertainty. The growth was primarily driven by a rise in private consumption. After India’s GDP numbers, let us move on to one of the biggest fire sales the country’s corporate sector has seen. Monday was the last day for submission of bids for Reliance Capital assets sale after five deadline extensions. So what is in the store for the lenders and other stakeholders? From the peak of Rs 2,762, the share of Reliance Capital was trading at Rs 14 on Tuesday. Let us move on to primary markets now. As against over 60 companies that took the IPO route last year, only 16 companies have floated their initial public offers this year. Take a dive into the reasons behind the lull this year. The real estate sector too is going through a rough patch. And last week’s demolition of two illegal towers in an upscale society in Noida only adds to its woes, and sullies the builder’s image. The buildings are razed, but its visuals will continue to haunt the prominent builder. It circumvented rules, changed the floor area ratio several times in collusion with corrupt officials. But what exactly is the floor area ratio? And why is it important? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
Indian economy grew by 13.5% in the first quarter of the current financial year, slower than what most economists predicted, but high enough to keep the hopes alive amid ongoing global uncertainty. The growth was primarily driven by a rise in private consumption. After India’s GDP numbers, let us move on to one of the biggest fire sales the country’s corporate sector has seen. Monday was the last day for submission of bids for Reliance Capital assets sale after five deadline extensions. So what is in the store for the lenders and other stakeholders? From the peak of Rs 2,762, the share of Reliance Capital was trading at Rs 14 on Tuesday. Let us move on to primary markets now. As against over 60 companies that took the IPO route last year, only 16 companies have floated their initial public offers this year. Take a dive into the reasons behind the lull this year. The real estate sector too is going through a rough patch. And last week’s demolition of two illegal towers in an upscale society in Noida only adds to its woes, and sullies the builder’s image. The buildings are razed, but its visuals will continue to haunt the prominent builder. It circumvented rules, changed the floor area ratio several times in collusion with corrupt officials. But what exactly is the floor area ratio? And why is it important? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
At a time when several developed nations -- including the US -- are staring at recession, India remains an island of stability. Backed by a strong rebound in consumption, India’s economy is forecast to have clocked double-digit GDP growth in the April-June quarter. But, a closer look reveals that the good numbers are riding on the back of the weak base of last year-- when the nation was reeling under the pandemic. And, the external sector is also facing serious challenges. So, what are the likely implications of the forecasts that have been released so far? The automobile sector contributes to 49 per cent of the manufacturing GDP. And high demand for cars and long waiting periods are also pointing towards economic revival. But there is churn going on in the sector. In its quest to turn back the clock on environmental damage, the world is slowly but steadily turning its back on polluting machines. Transition to EVs is one big step towards it. But how will this transition affect the huge automobile component sector which depends on the traditional internal combustion engines? Reliance Industries is also hugely invested in green energy. According to reports, it is likely to double investment in clean energy hardware manufacturing soon. Meanwhile, the company’s shares eked out modest gains on Tuesday, a day after the 45th annual general meeting. Analysts believe that though the investments across verticals will set the company on a decadal growth path, they may weigh on the stock in the near-term. Technical charts, however, suggest otherwise. After the markets, let us move on to a new provision in the income tax which mandates a person giving any benefit to another person for their business or profession to deduct 10% of the value of the benefit at source. Section 194R was recently introduced in the Income-tax Act, 1961. But it also created confusion as a somewhat similar section was already there. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Come Diwali and people of several metro cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai will be able to enjoy the high-speed 5G network services. The announcement was made on Monday by Mukesh Ambani at the 45th annual general meeting of Reliance Industries. What are the other key announcements made at the much-awaited event of the oil-to-telecom conglomerate? There were some concerns around aviation safety due to the 5G rollout. But they have been put to rest by the authorities in India. Moving on, more and more international flights are taking off from Indian airports as people are willing to shell out more on leisure travel after remaining grounded for two years due to the pandemic. Let us move on to markets now. After a short-lived reprieve from June lows, equity markets again seem to be on a downward slope as central banks remain firm on monetary policy tightening. So, what does this recent fall mean for investors, and is there a long-term correction in store? A piece of news -- which if true may have given employees some breather from high inflation and uncertainty of markets -- was trashed by the government last week. So there will be no 4% Dearness Allowance hike for the employees as reported in some sections. DAs are like stopgap arrangements between two pay commission recommendations-- which are usually implemented every ten years. In this episode of the podcast we tell what exactly is a pay commission and why are they so important for millions?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week asserted that flexible workplaces are the future. And that it will also create opportunities for women’s labour force participation. Today we ask if the hybrid work culture is the solution to the country’s historically low women labour force participation. While addressing the labour conference, PM Modi emphasised on the need for change according to the changing scenario. And just like the labour laws, the country’s education system too is up for an overhaul. A recent initiative by the University Grants Commission is a testimony to that. It has given a nod to draft guidelines for engaging industry experts as ‘professors of practice’. Soon, professionals with over 15 years of experience will be seen taking classes in universities and colleges, imparting their domain expertise to students. What are the pros and cons of this move? After the college campuses, let us shift our focus to markets. The supplies of cotton have taken a hit across the world due to severe weather conditions. In India too -- which accounts for 40 per cent of the world’s cotton supplies -- flash floods and drought in select cities have led to lower crop yield. Several cotton spinning mills have slashed or ceased cotton production on the back of higher prices. So, against this backdrop, analysts have turned cautious over the textile sector’s outlook for the near-term. Investors were eagerly awaiting the outcome of the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. And the outcome may shape the market momentum for the next few days. But what exactly is this meet all about and why there is so much hype around it, let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
Will you be comfortable paying for your daily UPI transactions? This is one of the many questions that the Reserve Bank of India has asked from the public as it wants to help make this digital ecosystem sustainable. From the central bank, let us move on to the corridors of the Supreme Court -- which has asked the government to intervene and ensure that India hosts the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in October. FIFA has suspended India over “undue influence from third parties”. Find out more about this ban and its likely implications. A good showing in the Under-17 Women’s World Cup could help revive the fortunes of the game in the country. Meanwhile, the onset of the festive season is sparkling brightly over the jewellery sector. With the gold prices correcting over 12 per cent from their March peak, analysts foresee more upside in related stocks down the road. After the markets, let us move on to the world of space and satellites. Earlier this month, a small glitch derailed an ISRO plan to place light-weight satellites into orbit. For the newly-built Small Satellite Launch Vehicle or SSLV -- which was carrying these satellites-- it was the first assignment. But it will certainly not be the last. There is a lot in store for this satellite launch vehicle. Let us know more about it n this episode of the podcast.
From State Bank of India to Bank of Baroda, banks are rushing to woo depositors with attractive rates. And these deposit rates may soar further as most economists believe that the repo rate will rise to 5.75-6 per cent by the end of this calendar year. So what is in the store for investors? Pandemic and subsequent supply chain disruption has not just pushed inflation, it also led to shortage of semiconductor chips. Mercedes CEO Ola Kaellenius recently said that the shortage of these chips will last throughout this year and into 2023. And now, the face-off between China and Taiwan is threatening to make the matter worse. Zhao Haijun, the chief of China’s top chipmaker SMIC, last week said that rising geopolitical tension and high inflation are adding to industry “panic”. In India too, the central bank is on a fire fighting mode. It has been raising key rates to bring down inflation. Which, in turn, is making banks jack up their deposit rates to fund loan demand. Will these rate hikes lure equity investors to safer bank assets? From the markets, let us turn our focus to a bill through which the government wanted to usher in what it called “much-needed reforms” in the power distribution sector. But the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 met with stiff resistance. Listen this episode of the podcast to know both sides of the debate.
Post pandemic, the private sector stepped up hiring, absorbing a bulk of skilled workforce. The IT sector took the lead in this, while others were not far behind. But what about the public sector giants? Are they matching up to India Inc. in giving opportunities to youngsters? Let us find out But, there is a hope. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced to fill 1 million vacancies across various ministries and departments in the next 18 months. Moving on, PM Modi recently slammed the “culture” of distributing ‘revadis’ or freebies-- triggering a nationwide debate around it. Parties riding to power on the promise of freebies is not new. In our next report, we wade into this debate Let us move on to markets now. It was a mixed session for the stocks owned by the investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, who passed away Sunday morning. With his insights no longer guiding investors, is it time for you to exit these stocks following the development? Or are there enough reasons to stay put? Analysts answer these questions in our next report. Staying with the markets, a depositary receipt is a financial instrument that allows people to invest in the shares of foreign companies. In this episode of the podcast, we tell about the different kinds of depositary receipts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged citizens to focus on five resolutions to make India a developed nation in the next 25 years. It was the key highlight of the PM’s speech which he gave from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 76th Independence Day on Monday. So, how will the country and its economy have to perform to achieve this ambitious goal by 2047? He had a penchant for risk-taking, and carried an air of optimism around him. He was a living embodiment of calmness in a volatile market. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying tribute to ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-- who died at the age of 62 on Sunday. We have a glimpse of the ace investor’s journey. A widely-shared video of Jhunjhunwala says a lot about his indomitable spirit. Bound to a wheelchair and suffering from a serious ailment, Jhunjhunwala couldn’t stop himself when someone tuned in famous Bollywood item number Kajrare. He almost leapt out of the chair while dancing. His sudden death has left the entire investor community in a state of shock. Let us now move on to India Inc’s struggle with inflation. Companies hiked prices to cushion their margin. But it hit the volumes, especially in the rural markets. With the commodity prices cooling off, will the upcoming quarters be better for India Inc.? Or will global growth risks keep the ride bumpy? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently disallowed the use of Letters of Comfort (LoC), which may impact loans worth Rs 35,000 crore. So what is this letter of comfort? Find out in our next episode of the podcast.
With this famous speech delivered at midnight on 15th August 1947, India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, announced the birth of an independent India. In these 75 years, India has grown by leaps and bounds. In this episode, we look back at some aspects of this 75-year journey. We will take you on a short trip down memory lane, recalling India's towering business leaders, reminding you of the brands that Indians fell in love with and also the key moments that shaped Indian markets in these 75 years. First, we tip our hat to the towering business leaders who have shaped this journey. Some are “Midnight's Children” whose pre-Independence businesses bloomed after 1947, and some “Licence Raj Warriors” who refused to let red-tapism slow them down. In many cases, the enterprises steered by them have successfully navigated India's shift from a Nehruvian to a neo-liberal model. They are some of the global Indians who got the world to sit up and take notice. With the vision and confidence to innovate and cut through challenges, these professionals took ideas and gave them wings. Their story is as much India’s as it is the world’s. Along the way, brands have embedded themselves into our everyday life, defined eras and left their indelible imprints that evoke nostalgia as iconic culture products do. Along with the proliferation of brands, the growth in the broadening of the Indian markets is another of the country’s achievements. The Indian stock market has grown just like India has, stronger and more confident. It has benefited from India's growth while also helping it grow. We take you on this journey that recalls the key moments that shaped Indian markets in this episode of the podcast.
Come September, and domestic airlines will have a free hand to decide fares. The government, on Wednesday, announced to lift the cap on airfares after over two years. Does it mean that we will have to shell out more for flight tickets? Also will it lead to a price war? Some cash-strapped domestic airlines have been cutting corners to stay afloat. Even at the cost of safety. The recent spurt in technical snags and emergency landings have shone the spotlight on it and forced the airline regulator DGCA to step in. So what is plaguing the aircraft maintenance sector? Like the airlines, the government too is in a fire-fighting mode. Albeit in a different field. It is trying to bring down inflation and has now directed edible oil suppliers to cut prices by as much as 40 rupees per litre over the past few weeks. As raw material prices continue to remain volatile, will players like Adani Wilmar and Patanjali Foods bear the brunt? India will celebrate 75 years of Independence this Monday. From WhatsApp profile pictures to balconies to road crossings, tricolors are flying everywhere. But do you know about the rules governing the national flag? Watch this episode of the podcast to find out more.
A Reuters poll suggested that India’s retail inflation may have eased to 6.78% in July due to a fall in prices of food and fuel. But it is still beyond the RBI’s comfort level of 6%. And it is also pinching people’s pockets. So can we expect some relief in the days to come? But inflation is not much of a worry for the well-heeled, like the CEOs of companies. There is a yawning chasm between their salaries and those of the other employees. Companies are expected to maintain a reasonable CEO-to-worker pay ratio. But are they doing it? A glance at the CEO’s salary is enough to send your heart racing. So, what can be done to address it? The base salary of Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey was $1.6 million in 2020, about 14,000% greater than the beverage giant’s median employee salary. Moving on to markets, dairy companies continued to disappoint investors with dismal profits in the recently concluded quarter as high input costs eroded the sector’s margins. Watch our next report to find out the likely trajectory for the sector, and if it is time for investors to sell these stocks The government has started levying 5% GST on pre-packaged and labelled dairy products from last month. Cash-strapped dairy companies may pass on this hike to consumers soon. Meanwhile, levying of GST on home rent is also worrying people in some quarters. Who all will pay this tax on rent? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
On the heels of launching a crackdown on some Chinese phone makers for alleged tax evasion and money laundering, the government is now reportedly planning to reserve the entry level or sub-10,000-rupees phone category for domestic players only. The plan is to revive the domestic mobile device industry, which is currently dominated by the Chinese firms. So what will be the impact of such a move? Domestic manufacturing of phones will also boost government’s revenue in the long run. Meanwhile, GST continues to be a major source of revenue for the government. And it also remains a work in progress. The GST compensation remains a bone of contention between the Centre and states. So as the GST collections continue to soar, will it hit the states’ case which have been demanding its extension? GST collection continues to soar -- notwithstanding the contentions and headwinds. Meanwhile, global central banks are jacking up interest rates to bring down inflation. So should you buy on dips or sell on a rally? And which sectors are likely to do well? Here is UR Bhat, co-founder and director, Alphaniti Fintech in conversation with Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa on his interpretation of the latest developments and the sectors he thinks that can do well going ahead UR Bhat believes that the Indian economy is on a strong footing, and can withstand headwinds. One of the measures to assess the health of any economy is its road network. They are said to be the arteries of any economy. India has the second-largest road network in the world, after the US. But there is a flip side to it too. Our country also sees the maximum road accident deaths in the world. And to bring it down, the government is going to implement Bharat NCAP from April 1, 2023. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Two Boeing 737 Max aircraft, bearing the logo of Akasa Air, took off from the runways of Mumbai and Ahmedabad airports on Sunday, hotting up competition in the Indian sky. Apart from keeping the fares low, what other strategy the Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed budget carrier is adopting to stay afloat? Rakesh Jhunjhunwala celebrated the launch of Akasa airline with a huge chocolate cake. But liquor was missing. The ace- investor had a few years ago told Business Standard that he was cutting down on his drinking. But not everyone is doing that. In Delhi, people are finding it hard to fetch their favourite brand, due to sparse vends. A slugfest is going on the Delhi government’s liquor policy. Riding high on consumer spending, new-age tech companies have reported better-than-expected June quarter results. But analysts believe it will be a long road to recovery for their respective businesses and the stock prices. Take a dive into whether it is the right time to own these stocks. Most of us must have filed the tax return for all our earnings, including those made from the markets. The last date for filing tax return was July 31. But what if you have missed it. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know your options now.
The government withdrew the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 from the Parliament on Wednesday, while promising to come back with a new draft. It comes after a Joint Parliamentary Committee -- which sat over the bill for over three years -- suggested staggering 81 amendments to it in its 542-page report. On its part, opposition Congress claimed that big tech companies would be “happy” with this move. So in our next report we ask why India is still waiting for a data protection law? And how does this delay affect both consumers and businesses? Data, as they say, is indeed the new oil. And apart from other things, it is also fueling the television’s growth story. So as the audience went tech-savvy, our humble TV kept the pace and turned smart. It offered them good content on the big screen. And combine it with a couch and a bowl of popcorn, it is a comfort which no other platform matches. We explain how TV managed to stay relevant in this fast-changing world. Large LED or Ultra HD TVs have also become a status symbol -- slowly pushing bookshelves out of living rooms. Meanwhile, the prices of Brent crude oil, which had gone through the roof, are coming down. On Wednesday, OPEC+ decided to hike output by 100,000 barrels per day. After that Brent slipped nearly 4 per cent to below 100 dollars a barrel mark for the first time since April 11. Are they headed lower in the days to come? Gains made on the sale of equity shares are taxable. The percentage of tax that you pay depends on how long you kept the shares. In our next report we talk about these taxes, and also if you can offset the losses against the gain while filing the tax. Let us hear it in this episode of the podcast.
Indian startups are shedding the extra flab put on during the days of easy money. Layoffs and cost restructuring are the only way out for them now. Some of India’s largest start-ups are in the middle of a transition. They are shifting from growth to profitability now. Innovation has also been the key to the success of Adar Poonawalla. He has taken Indian vaccines to the US and European markets. In an interview with Business Standard’s Sohini Das, Poonawalla tells about his plans, which include mass production of malaria vaccines, nasal flu vaccine and exploring a vaccine for monkeypox too. Adar Poonawalla had recently asked Elon Musk to invest in India if his Twitter deal doesn’t go through. The SII chief promised Musk on Twitter that it would be the best investment he would ever make. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee has reversed its slide recently amid a weakening in the US dollar index, and a halt in foreign investors’ selling spree. We delve into the outlook for the currency and the sectors that can benefit the most from the current trend. Just like the equities, experts advise caution in purchase of property too. But how will you know if the house you are planning to buy is free of any litigation or any other problem. An Encumbrance Certificate will help you in that. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 3 trillion package for reforms in the power distribution sector last week, while blaming “freebies culture” for the mounting dues of the discoms. So, will this package address the problems plaguing the country’s power sector? Or there is more to be done to lift it out of its current crisis? From the stalemate on power subsidies, let us move on to the one on chess boards. A small town, about 50km off Chennai, is all decked up, hosting India’s first Chess Olympiad. But a lot of efforts have gone into bringing the coveted international event to Poonjeri Village in Tamil Nadu’s Mamallapuram -- a UNESCO heritage site. Officials and chess wizards from 187 countries are brainstorming there. Let us move on to markets now. Domestic equity markets firmed up in July as slower FII outflows, ease in commodity prices and robust corporate earnings lifted investor spirits. But is the recent recovery sustainable or is it only a short-term bounce? While our previous segment offered a peek into the ongoing action on Mumbai’s Dalal Street, our next one will help you take a tour of the country’s financial alley. Google Street View was relaunched in India recently, about six years after being banned from the country. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast.
Releasing report card for the first quarter of financial year 23, the government has said that the country’s fiscal deficit has risen lower-than expected, notwithstanding a jump in government expenditure. It has kindled hope that the government could hold the fiscal deficit close to the target. Tax collections have also risen at a faster-than-expected pace. What else the quarterly numbers say about the health of the country’s economy? India’s promising quarterly numbers in the face of headwinds are a testament to the resilience of its economy. Let us now move on to another story of resilience. It is that of a Pune girl who charted her success in the US. Now, at 38, Neha Narkhede is being noticed in her own country after she joined the ranks of India’s wealthiest women. Narkhede was ranked eighth on the Leading Wealthy Women 2021 list compiled by research firm Hurun. Let us move on to the markets now. At over 8.5%, equity markets clocked their highest monthly gain since August 2021. The rally was partly driven by better-than-expected corporate results, and partly by dovish US Fed statement. As investors keep their powder dry ahead of the RBI’s monetary policy, let’s take a look at how the markets are placed for the week. It looks like the equity markets have priced in the prospect of the US slipping into recession. But ever wondered what exactly recession is? Let's find out in this episode of the podcast.
Amid the ongoing auctioning of the fifth generation airwaves, the government on Wednesday announced a Rs 1.64 trillion package for its telecom service provider BSNL. This package -- which consists of both cash and non-cash support -- comes at a time when the struggling PSU seems to be trying hard to turn the corner. Our next report offers a breakdown of this package and tries to explore if it will offer a new lease of life to the company There is no magic wand to turn the fortunes of BSNL around. But a right push from the government may yield promising results. Sports is a good example. It has come a long way from what it was a decade or so ago. Hard work of sportspersons -- backed by efforts of the government and private sector-- is increasingly reflecting in our country’s medal tally. Our next report tells more It is not just the sporting arena. The mood at Dalal Street is upbeat too. The equity markets rallied on the second day running on Thursday, after the US Federal Reserve suggested a slowdown in the rate hike cycle. And now after pulling out over $30 billion from the equities since October 2021, foreign investors may be prepping to come back to Indian shores. Our next report tells what all is luring them back Trading skills usually evolve with time. It is a combination of various factors -- and there is no “perfect” method or a shortcut to success. Traders take help of technical analysis to arrive at any conclusion. And there are three major indicators that every rookie trader should know. They are price indicators, volume, and basic momentum oscillators. Let’s delve deeper into each of them
India’s first auction of 5G spectrum, which kicked off on Tuesday, has fetched the government much more than what official were expecting. Telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the participation from telcos as ‘strong’. About one-third of the total spectrum by value put up for auction was bought by top telcos on Day 1. We bring you an analysis on what this response to the auction means. The World Bank has appointed Indermit Gill as the Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice-President for Development Economics. We delve into Gill’s rich contributions to development economics, his vast experience at the World Bank and what he could bring to the table in his new role. A ‘complete economist’, Indermit Gill’s new position at the World Bank will give him the opportunity to nurture young Indian economists and public policy makers at the world stage. Back home, the telecom stocks are back in the limelight amid the spectrum auction by the government. But are they worth your hard-earned money? While analysts point at higher than expected spectrum spends by Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, the telecom industry will be expected to grow faster to justify its large investments. But it can be a tricky situation if a country falls into a middle-income trap. A middle-income trap is an economic development situation in which a country attains a certain average income and gets stuck at that level, failing to graduate to a high income group. While some experts don’t believe this theory, others swear by it. Let know more about this trap in this episode of the podcast.
Unified Payments Interface, or UPI, has made transferring money easy and instant for everyone with a connected device. The system is now clocking nearly six billion transactions every month. To provide more convenience to consumers, RBI has allowed the linking of RuPay credit cards with UPI, which is expected to be complete in the next two months. But UPI transactions on credit cards will also carry a merchant fee. Will UPI on credit cards take off? Or the merchant fee will spoil the party? While the merchant fee on UPI credit card transaction may attract resistance from certain merchants, the move will lead to greater use of such cards for small ticket transactions. The World Health Organization, meanwhile, has declared Monkeypox as an international public health emergency. The outbreak has started spreading across the globe rapidly. The WHO alarm indicates a public health risk which requires a coordinated response. The last time the global health body sounded such an alarm was when coronavirus hit the world. So, should India be worried about the Monkeypox threat? Coming to the markets, Bajaj Auto’s Q1 result was lukewarm as the company reported low-double digit growth in profit over last year. Its revenue expanded in single digit. However, the highlight of the commentary was easing semi-conductor shortages and improved production levels. In our next report, we take a deep dive into the world of autos, interpret Bajaj Auto’s Q1 performance and what analysts expect from Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors when they announce their respective results for the June quarter today. The government is likely to introduce the Development of Enterprise and Service Hubs (DESH) Bill in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. The legislation seeks to overhaul the existing ecosystem special economic zones that will be compliant to World Trade Organization. Find out more in our next episode of the podcast.
Clouds of recession gathering over the US skies are increasingly casting a dark shadow over its domestic consumption and imports. And the effect is also being felt about 12,000km away in India, where the export industry is bracing for harsh weather. Some exporters are already seeing a dip in new orders while the margins of the IT sector are declining. So, should the Indian exporters worry? Meanwhile, unperturbed by these headwinds and riding high on tariff hikes, Reliance Jio logged a 24% jump in its net profit in Q1. And now, the country’s largest telecom services provider and three other operators are set to lock horns in the auction for 5G spectrum. So, will this be an aggressive battle or a muted affair? Will this be a turning point for India? Business Standard’s Nivedita Mookerji does a status check. A status quo for India’s IT industry would have been great news. But it’s not. The June quarter results of top-tier IT companies were disappointing as the profitability margins came lower than estimated. The underperformance was led by the usual culprits of persistent attrition and high wage costs. With a US recession looming on the horizon, are there reasons to worry about the sector's health? On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Chinese authorities had forced some of the biggest companies, including iPhone maker Foxconn to operate within a “closed loop” restricted system for seven days to battle a Covid outbreak in Shenzhen. Such unpredictable regulatory crackdowns have forced a rethink about China across the world. Such actions have wreaked havoc on the global supply chains, due to which the ‘China-plus-one’ strategy gained traction. Large companies in the West are increasingly exploring alternatives to China. This episode of the podcast talks more about this plan and why India is struggling to register its name in the list of favourite investment destinations.
Surprise has almost become an inherent part of our bill payments. Usually there is a marked difference between the charges that we are promised at the beginning, and what we shell out at the end of the service, whether we are dining at a restaurant, booking an air ticket or purchasing a movie ticket online. We ask if regulatory intervention is required to ensure price transparency. Like the restaurant industry, the FMCG sector too went through a difficult phase in the last two years. High input costs and a drop in demand -- especially in rural areas -- forced the consumer goods sector to bite the bullet. It passed on the price hike to consumers and reduced the grammage per pack. But, after a drop in the prices of palm oil and some other commodities, are things looking up for the sector now? Things seem to be looking up for stock markets too. Nifty closed above 16,600 on Thursday while Sensex gained 284 points. Meanwhile, shares of Reliance Industries seem to be at crossroads. On one hand, the government has slashed windfall tax on fuel exports. On the other, Singapore Gross Refining Margins are down from a peak of 30 dollars a barrel to just about 4 dollars a barrel. This, analysts fear, may evaporate the conglomerate’s ‘abnormal’ profits in Q1FY23. Take a dive into the road ahead for RIL. Markets tend to witness pullback rallies or reversal, after witnessing steep one-sided moves. This episode of the podcast will help you understand the three key parameters to identify a pullback and how can you use it and for, both, short-term and long-term gains.
The government on Wednesday slashed the windfall tax on domestically- produced crude oil within three weeks after imposing it. It also reduced the levy on exports of diesel and aviation fuel. So, today, we try to find answers to two questions. What may have prompted the government to do this quick turnabout, and who all will benefit from this move? About 176 km off the west coast of Mumbai, ONGC men are busy retrieving oil and natural gas from one of the country’s largest oilfields -- called Mumbai High Field. While on shore, as the monsoon is in full swing, Mumbai’s civic body men are working overtime to retrieve rainwater from city roads and markets. It has become an annual affair, giving sleepless nights to the municipality. Other cities are no different. A brief spell of rain brings them to a standstill. So why does a good spell of rain bring misery to urban areas rather than joy? After the monsoon miseries, let us move on to markets which experts say are bracing for winter. Most analysts expect the US economy to enter a recession over the next few months. The impact, they said, will be felt across global financial markets. So, which sectors and stocks are investment-worthy amid this uncertainty? After markets, let us focus on a recent controversy involving a cab aggregator. From lobbying world leaders to circumventing local regulations, Uber indulged in many shady practices in its aggressive bid to spread business. And when The Guardian, under the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists or ICAJ, unearthed the dark secrets hidden in its closet, the ride-sharing company blamed it on its former CEO. This episode of the podcast offers insight into the Uber files and more.
The exchange rate of the rupee fell to 79 rupees per US dollar this week. But, at the same time, the local currency has strengthened against the basket of the G10 currencies like euro, yen and pound sterling. While most experts are worried about the falling rupee, some are of the opinion that it may not be as bad at all. Know about the virtues and vices of the depreciating rupee. Market experts believe that IT stocks remain a strong bet as rupee depreciates. Meanwhile, Ashish Kumar Chauhan is set to take over the reins of the National Stock Exchange or NSE. A mechanical engineer from IIT, Chauhan served as MD and CEO of BSE for a decade, before the new assignment. So what are the challenges that await Chauhan at NSE – which has been hit by a massive scam and whose former CEO is in ED’s custody. Notwithstanding soaring input costs and supply snags due to the war in Ukraine, the market has been bullish on fertiliser companies, thanks to the government’s subsidy support. However, experts believe that emerging risks of a fiscal slippage ring warning bells for the sector. Look at the factors that make analysts cautious on fertiliser companies. Insider trading or markets manipulation are some of the evils which regulators have long been trying to curb. In all such illegal practices, it is the insider who misuses the information he is privy of. And it is not just the markets. Other sectors like banking too are at risk. And they are now warning employees against using non-official means of communication like WhatsApp. Several European banks have now asked their staff to install the Movius app for all official communications. Let us know more about it and mor in this episode of the podcast.
Aviation industry employees are unhappy. Amid claims of safety being compromised, regulator DGCA had to interfere. India’s largest airline IndiGo plans to enhance capacity by at least 60% compared to the previous year. But salaries have become a thorny issue in the sector. Employees remain dissatisfied as the wait for normalisation of wages continues to be uncertain. What is the reason for this delay and when will they see happy days again? India is set to overtake China as the world’s most populous country sometime next year, according to a United Nations estimate. Should we be worried? What does this actually mean for the economy? How should the policymakers react? A growing population is not a bad thing, if the rate of the growth of the working age groups is higher than the younger and older ages. Moving on to the markets, the spurt in mobility after the pandemic has brightened prospects for auto companies in India, especially the two-wheelers. Analysts foresee a healthy demand momentum for the segment, aided by easing chip shortage worries and declining commodity prices. Take a look at the likely tailwinds for two-wheeler companies and whether it is time to add them to your portfolio. The economic recovery has buoyed the demand for two-wheelers in India. But high atmospheric humidity has made the outdoors unpleasant in the national capital. If you doubt the temperature to be higher than what the thermometer is showing, you are not alone. So, why exactly does one feel hotter than what thermometers show? This episode of the podcast answers the question and more.
India’s industrial production in May soared to a 12-month high on the back of a low base. A significant jump in IIP growth indicates economic recovery. But, the devil lies in details. So, does a deeper dive into the data support such a positive conclusion? Also, is the recovery sustainable given the raging inflation and adverse global geopolitical conditions? Today’s segment answers these questions Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the Financial Times, also cautioned about what he called emerging threats due to weak investment in the private sector. In an interview given to Business Standard’s Asit Ranjan Mishra on the sidelines of Kautilya Economic Conclave, Wolf lists success and failures of the Indian government on economic as well as other fronts. Meanwhile, increase in lending rates, high credit growth, and lower credit costs are expected to help banks report a significant rise in net interest income and profits in Q1FY23. Sequentially, however, they may show a drop in the bottom line because of treasury losses due to yields hardening. Listen to our next podcast to get a glimpse of how Q1 results of the banking sector may look like. Investors indulge in different kinds of fundamental and technical analysis to choose stocks as their investment bets. While fundamental analysis helps investors pick stocks from a long-term perspective, technical analysis could help investors make quick bucks in the short-to-medium term. This episode of the podcast talks about one such technical indicator and how can investors use it to analyse a stock.
India’s central bank on Monday announced a mechanism to settle international trade in rupee. The move will definitely make trade easier with Russia and some other countries facing US sanctions. We find out more about the Reserve Bank of India’s decision and its likely impact. Russian invasion of Ukraine is, in a way, prompting countries to look beyond the US dollar for trade. Similarly, the war may accelerate the case for moving away from fossil fuel too, feels Nicholas Stern, professor of economics at the London School of Economics. He spoke to Business Standard’s Asit Ranjan Mishra on wide ranging issues, including the focus areas and reforms that India should undertake to become a developed economy? Meanwhile, moving on to markets, mid-and-small-caps indexes have outperformed their large-cap peers in July so far. So what is attracting investors to these two market segments, and will this outperformance last? When stock markets undergo correction, most investors turn towards the exit route -- thinking that he or she would re-enter when it is all over. This phenomenon is called “market timing”. Experts don’t recommend it as no one manages to pull it off consistently over a period of time. This episode of the podcast offers some tips to mutual fund investors.
Gautam Adani is foraying into the telcom sector. His group will take part in the 5G auction to set up private network solutions across its operations. While the resource-rich conglomerate is not entering the consumer space to provide 5G services to you and me, analysts believe that it might be just a matter of time before it tries its luck there too. In either case, the telcos are perturbed. So, how will the Adani Group’s decision to enter the sector impact established players like Jio and Airtel? Notwithstanding economic slowdown, the revenue of Adani Group has grown manifold in the last few years, which, on the other hand, were tough on most economies. And in these tough times, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is helping Asian countries tide over the crisis. In an interview given to Business Standard’s Asit Ranjan Mishra on the sidelines of Kautilya Economic Conclave, AIIB chief economist Erik Berglof talks about the ongoing economic turmoil and how the bank played a key role in bringing India and China closer. With financial markets facing a turbulent time, is it a good strategy to seek refuge in gold? What are the key factors that you must keep in mind before investing in the yellow metal? The return that a good IPO offers is, at times, as good as gold. According to reports, Tata Group is planning to come up with an IPO of one of its subsidiaries, Tata Technologies, this fiscal. But before it hits the primary market, the conglomerate will have to find anchor investors -- which will not be that difficult. So who are anchor investors and why are they so important in IPO’s image building? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
Two of India’s largest business houses -- Reliance and Adani -- have committed huge sums of money and are aggressively moving towards building infrastructure for clean energy. But, there is another big player which is steadily hurtling towards a clean energy goal without making much of a splash. A host of Tata companies have come together to create an EV ecosystem. Tata Power has committed a $9.5 billion investment for its renewable energy business. Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran recently said that trade disruption caused by the Russia-Ukraine war has hit optimism. RBI may or may not agree with his views, but the steps it recently took have sent a clear message…That all is not well with the economy, especially on the external front. The forex reserve has shrunk and, according to the finance ministry, the country might be staring at a twin deficit. To get a better understanding, Business Standard’s Bhaswar Kumar spoke to economist Pronab Sen. Even as inflation headwinds surround the retail sector, analysts anticipate it to be on the cusp of accelerated earnings growth after a prolonged lull due to Covid-19. Our next report takes a dive into if retail stocks can weather through the inflation storm. Japanese brokerage Nomura recently said that India’s current account deficit could widen to 3.3% of GDP in FY23 from 1.2% in the previous fiscal. Depreciating rupee is one of the reasons. But ever wondered what exactly is the current account deficit? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
Nine technical glitches in the last two months in aircraft of an airline are not only unusual, but alarming too. This not just forced aviation regulator DGCA to issue a show-cause notice to SpiceJet, but also triggered a debate around flight safety. And it comes at a time when airports are seeing a jump in footfall, and two more airlines are waiting in the wings to hit the sky. So in today’s podcast we ask if incidents involving SpiceJet can be brushed aside as aberrations? Or does it call for a reality check by the regulator? From the Indian skies, let us shift our focus to the country’s retail sector, where Reliance is on a shopping spree. It recently partnered with GAP to bring the luxury fashion brand back to India. And apart from GAP, Reliance has brought home some 35 international brands. Find uot more about Reliance Retail’s growth strategy. The revenue of Reliance Retail has grown five-fold in the last five years. Meanwhile, IT services giant Tata Consultancy Services is set to announce its June quarter earnings today. Our next report tells what analysts expect from TCS results, and what could be the road ahead for the company. Meanwhile, some experts see the RBI’s recent measures to shore up rupee as a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction – which may send wrong signals to the stock markets. They said that the country is still sitting on a pretty-high forex reserve. But ever wondered what is the forex reserve? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
India is seeing yet another showdown between Twitter and regulators. And the recent one is being played out in the corridors of Karnataka High Court. The microblogging site has challenged some of the government’s directives asking it to take down certain posts. Twitter is not ready to budge, and so is the government. We find out why there is a growing unease between the government and the Big Tech in India. After the government’s brush with Big Tech, let us move on to its policies governing special economic zones, or SEZs, which have delivered mixed results. It is now coming up with a new law to address some of the problems plaguing the SEZ ecosystem. We look at India’s experience with SEZs over the years and the challenges ahead in making the new legislation, if brought in, a success. The revamped law indeed offers hope to 268 operational SEZs of the country. Let us now move on to a commodity, which has been threatening to derail economies. West Texas Intermediate, or WTI crude futures slipped below $100 a barrel mark for the first time since May 11 on Tuesday. Is the era of high oil prices getting over, or was that a temporary blip? From Citi to JP Morgan and Jefferies, analysts have a varied forecast of how they see oil prices playing out. Companies go to the primary markets to raise money through IPO. Some of the IPOs are well-received while others are not. A Bloomberg report says that the IPO of Indian startup OfBusiness is one of the keenly awaited issues in Asia. So, how do we apply for an IPO? Find out in this episode of the podcast.
After agriculture, the textiles and apparel industry is the second-largest job provider in India, directly employing about 45 million people. However, its full potential remains untapped, as India stands sixth in garment exports, behind China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. But there is a bright spot, almost at the centre of the east and west coasts. The small town of Tiruppur -- also famous as ‘Dollor Town’ -- contributes about 90% of knit-wear exports from India. The government recently said that it would create 75 textile hubs across India in the image of the one at Tiruppur. We explain the significance of Tiruppur textile hub and how the government can get started with its ambitious goal About 1,300 km away from Tirupur, in a quiet home in South Mumbai, a 93-year-old man breathed his last in his sleep early Tuesday morning. Soon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed his “monumental contribution” to the world of commerce and industry. Pallonji Mistry’s quiet demise was in tune with his reclusive nature. Mistry, who started assisting his father at the young age of 18, diversified the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, took it beyond Indian borders and built some of the country’s iconic buildings back home. According to reports, Mumbai’s iconic Taj Mahal Palace was constructed and handed over ahead of the schedule and under the allotted budget. Pallonji Mistry indeed leaves behind a rich legacy. Meanwhile, moving on to markets, shares of liquor companies have tumbled up to 32% so far in calendar year 2022, as soaring raw material cost and tepid demand have hit breweries and distilleries. However, with plateauing commodity prices, increased out-of-home consumption, and select state governments reducing taxes, analysts believe the worst may be behind the sector. Our next report takes a dive into how the Ukraine-Russia war has impacted the sector, and whether investors should begin nibbling related stocks after the recent correction? RBI seems firm on implementing tokenisation, which is meant to make your debit or credit card transactions more secure -- whether you offload stocks on your laptop, or purchase a shirt online. The deadline to implement it has now been pushed by three months to September 30 after requests from industry groups. In this episode of the podcast we explain what tokenisation is and more.
A cursory glance at any parking lot, or a look at any traffic jam is enough to suggest the trend. Muscular SUVs are increasingly overshadowing sedans and hatchbacks. From 18% in 2016 to 48% in 2022, the rise of SUVs in India has been quick and phenomenal. While sedan’s market share has touched 10%. So why have SUVs become the preferred choice for the aspirational Indian middle class? Is it more breathing space, raised ground clearance and affordable prices? Or is it a global trend? Or all of them? Where is India's SUV market headed from here? And how auto companies are meeting this demand? Did you know that India got its first car -- the humble Maruti 800 -- in 1983, the same year Kapil Dev lifted the maiden cricket world cup trophy. Recently, legendary cricketer Kris Srikkanth described winning the world cup as “independence day for cricket in India”, which he said changed the face of Indian cricket forever. Now, 2022 might have given Indian advertising its own ‘1983 moment’, with the country’s agencies having their best outing ever at the week-long Cannes Ad fest 2022. So how this milestone was achieved? Unlike the auto and advertisement segments, India’s stock market is passing through rough weather. So will the uncertainty in the secondary markets and rising interest rates impact the fund raising plans of India Inc.? Here is s a quick check on what analysts believe After the markets, let us move on to the world of data. A top Google executive recently said that frequent and large-scale sharing of citizen data-- even if it is anonymised -- can compromise users’ privacy. It came against the backdrop of the release of a draft data policy by the government, which talks about sharing of anonymised data. So what exactly is anonymised data and why has it triggered debate? Listen too this episode of the podcase for this explaination and more.
Sri Lanka’s economy is in a free fall for a while now, it is hurtling fast towards bankruptcy. Its food inflation has soared to 57%, and the nation is left with no reserve to import essentials. This crisis is having a crippling effect on its apparel and famous tea industries also -- the mainstays of Sri Lanka’s economy. Meanwhile, traders in India are looking to fill the void left by the South Asian neighbour. But some spillover of the Lanka crisis is hurting Indian businesses too, like the auto sector. Try to gauge the overall effect of the crisis on India. The trouble in Sri Lankan economy had started with the onset of pandemic. A large number of people who anticipated this crisis had started exploring options to stay afloat. Some even turned to cryptocurrency too, which is still unregulated in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, India too is slowly but firmly moving ahead to regulate it. Recently it had announced to impose 1% TDS crypto assets. And on Wednesday, the government came out with a detailed clarification to address concerns raised by the industry. So as the TDS regime is slated to come into effect from July 1, will it be smooth sailing for domestic crypto exchanges and traders? Like the cryptocurrencies, the shares of housing finance companies have been falling for quite some time now. And most of them nosedived after the RBI hiked repo rate on May 4. While analysts believe that robust real estate demand may outweigh rate hike impact, there’s a section of firms that may be vulnerable to interest rate hikes. After Dalal Street, let us now turn our focus to the President’s Estate in Delhi. The race to Rashtrapati Bhavan has become interesting. NDA’s presidential nominee Draupadi Murmu is facing opposition’s Yashwant Sinha. She has an edge over Sinha due to the support of a majority in the electoral college. But how does India elect its President? This episode of the podcast shares more. Watch video
We always took them for granted. They were the sidekicks in tetra packs, glued somewhere on the back. But, suddenly, the humble straw has taken the centre-stage. If the government doesn’t relax its July 1 deadline to phase out single-use plastic from the country, you are going to miss the straws badly. And so will FMCG companies-- which are now scrambling to find a replacement, their paper version. Our next report offers an insight into the world of plastic straws and tells why small packs of your favourite Frooti and Real juice might disappear from markets for now Meanwhile, let us turn our focus to a case which might turn out to be a straw in the wind. A labour court in Chennai recently asked IT giant Tata Consultancy Services to reinstate a former employee and clear all his past dues of seven years. Some experts believe that this case could become a reference point in performance-related unlawful terminations in the IT industry. After the labour laws, let us move on to markets. Will the policy-makers in a move to catch up with reality and surging inflation may overdo things and cause much more damage to the economy and markets than what is needed? Will the next six months be even more painful for the Indian economy and markets? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Nilesh Shah, Group President & MD, Kotak Mahindra AMC on his interpretation of the developments and how investors should approach the markets. Like the markets, some dark clouds of uncertainty are hanging above the country’s economy too. But, beams of sunlight shining through the cracks are offering hope too -- that good days are ahead. The finance ministry recently said that India is at low risk of stagflation. But it also cautioned about a twin deficit problem that the country may face. This episode of the podcast tells more about it. Watch video
The finance ministry on Monday struck a note of caution about the re-emergence of the twin deficit problem. It was also the first time the government explicitly spoke about the possibility of a fiscal slippage in the current financial year. So have the amber lights started flashing? What is the ground situation like? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, meanwhile, barred all non-bank prepaid payment instrument (PPI) issuers from loading credit lines-- a move which will impact fintech players. Of late, the central bank has been coming down heavily on fintechs. RBI’s 2025 vision document talks about the need to regulate fintechs in the payments space. So what is the road ahead for fintech firms? After the fintech firms, let us move on to telcos. Shares of Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel have mostly been in the red for quite some time now. Despite news flow around 5G auction, and digital transformation, the shares have not generated expected returns. Lets delve into the issues denting the sector, and how investors can play the theme. A brief respite from the spell of negative cues gave the markets a reason to cheer -- as Indian equities saw an upward march for the second day running on Tuesday. However, experts are seeing bad days ahead. In a Reserve Bank of India paper, writers allude to the risk of black swan event, saying that it may lead to outflows of Rs 7,80,000 crore from India. So what exactly is black swan event? Listen to this and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Three aircraft made emergency landings in parts of India on Sunday, giving some frightening moments to hundreds of passengers and crew members on-board. Two of them were hit by birds, while the third one reported low cabin pressure soon after taking off. These back-to-back freak incidents also offered a moment of reckoning to the aviation sector -- which is seeing a continuous rise in traffic. Two more airlines -- Akasa Air and Jet -- are all set to add to the existing fleet. So, in today’s episode we ask what led to these incidents? And what can be done to avert a recurrence? After the Indian skies, let us turn our focus to a row surrounding the hiring in the country's armed forces. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday defended the ‘Angipath’ scheme amid ongoing protests against it. The government has been maintaining that the soldiers -- who will be disbanded after four years -- will get jobs in government and private sectors. But, an analysis by Business Standard, suggests something else. The punishing stretch for markets continued amid the ongoing global selloff. But, amid this mayhem, analysts believe positive domestic factors can help a reversal in the current down cycle. Take a look at these supporting factors, which have kept experts positive on the markets. Public issue of shares or issuance of equity is an effective tool for companies to raise capital when they do not wish to avail of debt instruments. An initial public offer (IPO) and a follow-on public offer (FPO) are two types of public issues available to investors. This episode of the podcast breaks down the differences between the two. Watch video
At a time when airports across the country are seeing a jump in the traffic, the soaring prices of fuel are threatening to skid the airline business off the runway. Oil marketing companies raised the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by a steep 16% on Thursday. It leaves the pandemic-ravaged airlines with no other option, but to pass on some burden to fliers. It seems that the worst is not over yet for airlines and the travel and tourism industries. Find out how an upcoming hike in airfares -- which looks imminent now -- will impact these industries. Markets too are passing through turbulent weather. And stocks are falling like ninepins. So, with the US Fed and the RBI making their priorities clear, how should investors approach the markets? How is market veteran Shankar Sharma, founder, First Global tackling ongoing headwinds? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with him to understand his interpretation of the recent developments and find out his investment strategy. Meanwhile, the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex and the Nifty50 indices hit 52-week lows on Thursday, as economists feared a recession could be around the corner for the United States. And even though the US Fed raised its key rate by 75 basis points to curb inflation, markets watchers see more pain ahead for the US and Indian markets. Apart from private firms listed at stock exchanges, there is another set of companies which are formed for charitable purposes only. Both of them have at least two shareholders and two directors -- but their objectives are completely opposite. While a private listed company is formed for profit, a company formed under Section 8 -- erstwhile Section 25 -- of the Companies Act 1956 are for charity purpose only. Find out about the latter in this episode of the podcast amd more. Watch video
The government on Wednesday morning set the rollout of 5G services in India in motion by giving a nod to conduct spectrum auction from July 26. And brushing aside the concerns of telcos, the Union cabinet -- led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-- sanctioned direct allocation of airwaves to enterprises, giving them the right to operate private 5G networks. It also didn’t heed to another demand of telcos to slash the reserve price of airwaves by 90% from the 2018 levels. So how will all this impact the rollout of 5G, telcos and industry 4.0? The wind of change is not just blowing through the country’s airwaves. It is breezing past the Indian armed forces too. The government on Tuesday unveiled a new scheme to recruit soldiers across the three services. Under the ‘Agnipath’ scheme, around 45,000 soldiers will be recruited every year. Of them, only 25% will be retained after four years of service. The move is likely to bring down the pension budget of the army -- and the freed fund may be diverted for its modernisation. But the scheme is also drawing some criticism. It is not just the Indian army, but countries all over the world are trying to cut the extra flab as inflation soars past comfort level. The US Federal Reserve announced its second consecutive rate hike last night, while the Reserve Bank of India pushed up the repo rate last week. Rising interest rates, along with elevated raw material cost, are hitting the building material sector hard. Our next report tells about the near-term sore points for related industries, and how should investors play the theme? Away from the upmarket stock exchanges -- where negative sentiments are weighing heavy-- a sense of positivity is returning in lanes of towns dotted with small enterprises. According to a recent survey, loan demand from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was back to 99% of pre-pandemic levels in non-metro cities by March 2022. But how do one register to set up an MSME? For this the government had launched an online system called Udyam. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The fight to clinch the media rights of Indian Premier League for the next five years was no less intense than the matches itself. And the money put on the auction table made the IPL world’s number two sports league, with only America’s National Football League ahead of it in terms of per-match value. So why has the race to grab the TV and digital media rights become so intense despite a dip in IPL viewership? And what do the winners stand to gain? But not all business models are as lucrative as IPL. Scores of companies are floated every year and some return to the pavilion without playing a long innings. Ravi Mittal, chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), recently said that there should not be any stigma attached to genuine business failure and companies should be given honourable exit. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 was introduced in May, 2016 to tackle bad loan problems. But it has been plagued with high haircuts for banks and delays in the resolution process. So what can be done to achieve quicker resolution? Markets too take a beating when a big company falls. Meanwhile, key benchmark indices cracked around 3 per cent on Monday. The Indian Rupee, too, recorded a new all-time low. Against the backdrop of the yesterday’s fall and overhang of global sentiment, our next report tells what lies ahead for the markets, and what are the key support levels to watch out for? Not just scorched earth and people living on it, a good monsoon also soothes the economy and markets too. Weather and economy are closely linked. In this episode of the podcast, we explain how nature still rules over us, despite all the technological advances.
Voices warning of a possible recession in the United States are growing. Several economists and business leaders have joined the chorus, claiming the country could see a negative growth for the second quarter in a row. But there are disagreements too. US treasury secretary Janet Yellen has said that there is nothing to suggest that a “... recession is in the works”. But what if sceptics turn out to be true? A recession in the US would have far-reaching consequences for the Indian economy-- especially for the country's information technology sector. Examine how badly the Indian IT industry will be hit if the US indeed goes through a recession. IT services exports to the US surged during the pandemic, offering respite to the domestic economy. Meanwhile, pandemic also gave birth to a fresh crop of social media influencers -- whose clout continues to grow. People turn to them for tips on a host of subjects including health, latest fashion trends, gadgets etc. But, of late, credibility of some influencers has come into question. E-commerce company Meesho sent legal notices to some social media influencers for allegedly tarnishing the image of the company. Take a peek into the world of influencer marketing. Internet commerce platform Meesho is reportedly eyeing early 2023 IPO. Meanwhile, equity markets snapped their three-week winning streak last week after the Reserve Bank of India hiked repo rate to bring down inflation. Our next report delves into the key global events that investors will track this week, and key levels to watch out on the benchmark indices. After the markets, let us move on to a global tax agreement signed to end the world’s tax havens. The pact was signed by over 137 countries to enact global minimum corporate tax on multinational companies to discourage them from shifting profits to low-tax countries. But a recent UN report claims that the tax will reduce the effectiveness of low tax rates and fiscal incentives to attract investment in developing countries. Watch this episode of the podcast to known more. Watch video
The government is keen on rolling out 5G services this year. Some reports say that it wants to launch 5G by the upcoming Independence Day. The decks were cleared for its auction in early May. But will the country get the high-speed network anytime soon? A telecom industry body has now told the government that there will be no business case for roll-out of 5G networks if operators’ concern on private captive networks is not addressed. So will it affect the 5G rollout in the country? It is not just the telecom operators who are staring at depleting revenue. Ludhiana’s apparel industry, which churns out most of the country’s readymade garments, are also in a similar situation. Two months of lockdown in China’s Shanghai has brought the industry on its knees. China’s lockdown and Russia’s war on Ukraine has pushed inflation not just beyond the RBI’s tolerance level, but that of people too. The central bank is preparing the markets for aggressive rate hikes in months ahead. While this has already pushed bond yields to their highest level since 2019, experts anticipate further hardening of yields on government securities. Our next report takes a dive into where the bonds and equity markets are headed. We also take a look at investment strategies for the next 3-6 months. Like the income from the markets, taxes are levied on earnings made from sale of residential property too. It is known as capital gains tax. But did you know that in some cases you can save yourself from this tax? Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Responding to soaring inflation, the Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday again nudged up the repo rate by 50 basis points -- just a month after raising it by 40 basis point in an off-cycle meet. The two back-to-back hikes have taken the benchmark rate to 4.90%. And it is also a no-brainer that this move will push up borrowing costs. Home loans will become dearer and so will others like auto loans. What should depositors and borrowers do in this scenario? Shrugging off Monday blues and the uncertainty surrounding the country’s economy, at least 3,300 workers of 70 firms -- ranging from small shops to big multinationals -- smiled their way to work beginning this week in the UK. They will work for just four days a week without a pay cut for the next six months. The pilot scheme has been launched to test the waters. Wondering if we too can follow the Britons? Four-day work week may help Britain in tiding over the economic slowdown. Meanwhile, back home, RBI expects the inflation-inflicted pain to last for three more quarters as it raised the repo rate. However, the forecast of normal monsoon may also take pressure off the RBI as it will cool off inflation. So, how should one approach the monsoon-related stocks? Just a few hours drive from Mumbai’s ritzy Dalal Street may introduce you to some grim realities. Rising cost of living and decreasing job opportunities are increasingly fueling rural distress. And people are falling back on MGNREGA to earn their daily bread. In May this year, over 31 million households sought work under MGNREGA, almost 11% more than the same period last year. This episode of the podcast tells more about this flagship scheme which has emerged as a savior in these tough times. Watch video
India had launched the Production-Linked Scheme to give fillip to manufacturing in the country. A year on, we assessed its progress in laptop manufacturing and found that just four of 14 companies declared eligible under the scheme were able to achieve their production target. And imports of laptops and tablets have shot up sharply by 53% to $8.0 billion in FY22. So why is domestic production of laptops still weak despite the government incentives? Is the PLI scheme not attractive enough to draw investments? iPhones worth ₹47,000 crore are expected to be rolled out from the plants of Apple’s contract manufacturers in India during this financial year. Meanwhile -- in a departure from the past-- Apple on Monday lifted the curtain on its latest processor, the M2, and its upgraded laptops at its worldwide developer conference where it used to unveil software only. And free software upgrades-- including iOS 16, iPad OS 16, WatchOS 9 and MacOS Ventura -- were also unveiled and will be available in September. From the US giant Apple, let us turn to India’s insurance behemoth LIC. Rising interest rates usually leave a positive impact on insurance stocks. However, it also depends on the rate of return fixed by the insurance companies. Dalal Street’s latest debutant, LIC, however, has been on a negative slope even in rate hike scenarios. So, is there any more downside to the stock after a 21% fall from its issue price? Or will the stock stage bounce back? One of the triggers which roiled the Indian markets was the decision of the US federal bank to nudge up its interest rates, as inflation had leapt to 8.5% for the first time in four decades. Worldwide, central banks resort to rate hikes to reduce inflation. But does it always work? This episode of the podcast explains this and more. Watch video
At a time when foreign investors are tightening their purse strings, an India-born Canadian billionaire, Prem Watsa, is loosening it. His belief in India’s growth story has made him pledge investment worth $7 billion over the next five years. He reportedly concluded initial rounds of talks with the government to acquire controlling stake in IDBI Bank. Our next report tells more about Canada’s Warren Buffet and his plans for India. From the investment plans of Prem Watsa, let us see what is catching the fancy of Indian conglomerates. The landing of big boys of India Inc. -- like Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani -- at the drone industry landscape has sent out one clear message. That India's fledgling drone industry is ready to take off. After the government’s push -- which came out with a new drone policy in June last year -- big conglomerates have swooped down to pick up large stakes in small drone startups, signaling stiff competition ahead in the Indian skies. But why this race? And what do India's drone ecosystem and regulatory environment have to do with it? Let us find out in today's segment. With a little push from the government, the drone sector is indeed set to take off. Meanwhile, some of Covid-19 restrictions -- such as wearing masks in public -- were back in Maharashtra after a recent jump in cases. The state cabinet also held a meeting on Monday to discuss ways to check the spread. Soon, diagnostic and multiplex stocks moved in opposite directions on Monday as investors gauged the likely impact of plausible restrictions. This report brings you analysts’ views on the two sectors and whether should you worry about the rise in cases? Global asset management firm Bernstein has said that markets should brace for tough days ahead, as India was staring at stagflation. It is a situation marked by high inflation and stagnant economic growth. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
A year after coming out with Information Technology (IT) Rules 2021, the government recently proposed a clutch of changes in it -- including setting up panels with power to override any decision taken by grievance officers of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But the draft was withdrawn for some changes on Thursday. While we await the revised version, let us understand what the original draft proposed and its likely impact on social media giants From the online content, let us move on to online learning. It has been over four months since we saw the last wave of pandemic peak. Most schools and colleges are now open. And ed-tech startups -- which proliferated during the last 24 months -- are now sacking staff to stay afloat. With the existing funds depleting and no word on new capital, they are clueless about their future. So what went wrong? And what will it take for ed-tech startups to come out of this crisis? Unlike the future of the ed-tech sector, the outcome of this week’s MPC meet looks almost certain. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has already said that expectations of a rate hike are a no-brainer as inflation is a major concern. And ahead of the RBI’s policy decision, OPEC-plus decided to increase the size of its oil-supply hikes by about 50%. Know about these macro concerns in detail and tells how investors should trade. Why do the shares of a company crash? There could be various factors. It could be global headwinds, poor quarterly showings or something else. But did you know that at times a wrong entry on a keyboard by a stressed trader can also bring down shares of any mighty company and push the market to wild swings. It is known as fat finger syndrome. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Automobile industry is trying hard to keep pace with the growing ambition of the Indian middle class-- which is on a shopping spree after over two years of pandemic-led uncertainty. According to reports, some leading companies are planning to spend ₹30,000 crore on capex to boost production in FY23. Clearly they got the cue from the recent uptick in sales. In the passenger vehicle segment, utility vehicle sales have overtaken those of cars for the first time. But the two-wheeler segment is still struggling to make a comeback – somewhat reflecting the rural distress. Our next report offers insight into this industry and the challenges it faces Pandemic had elbowed the automobile sector on a slow lane. But the last two years have seen hundreds of startups hitting the roads. And most of them are still on a fast lane, in between shedding some loads to stay leaner. And some of them are also going public to raise funds. But just before hitting the primary markets, the salaries of their CEOs are seeing curious jumps. Let us find out why Global headwinds and a soaring inflation are pushing the startups against the wall. Retail inflation is highest in the last eight years while the wholesale inflation has hit the three-decade high mark. On its part, the Reserve Bank of India is trying to bring it down. Governor Shaktikanta Das has signaled a rate hike next month. Markets too expect the central bank to continue on its rate hike path till the inflation beast is tamed. So, what all is priced in and what is not? Our next report takes a look at this After the markets, let us move on to the sophisticated world of chip manufacturing. The world looks towards a clutch of companies -- including Intel and Samsung Electronics -- for semiconductors which go into smartphones, computers, cars etc. And these companies turn to a Dutch firm for supply of ultra-advanced machines to make these chips. But chances are you may never have heard of it. Let us introduce you to this company whose machines use light beams to make narrow circuits on chips – which are now the backbone of the world economy. Watch video
The central government mopped up Rs 1.41 trillion as Goods and Services Tax collection in the month of May -- a dip of 16% from the record-high numbers of April, but way above the FY 22 average of Rs 1.23 trillion. And hours before the government made the GST numbers public on Wednesday, the auto companies had also come out with their monthly dispatch figures, reporting improved sales in May. So do these numbers suggest that the Indian economy is finally reviving after the shock delivered by pandemic? An increase in the revenue of airlines also signals economic recovery. India’s largest airline, Indigo, has reported a 29% jump in its revenue in the March quarter. But it was overshadowed by high fuel prices, pushing the low cost carrier into losses. In an interview with Business Standard’s Aneesh Phadnis and Arindam Majumder, the airline’s CEO Ronojoy Dutta tells about the upcoming competition in the air due to the entry of Akasa and Jet Airways. He also says that the airline is going through a phase of transition, and will soon become a choice on long international routes. The Indian aviation sector is facing cost pressure due to rising crude oil prices, weaker rupee, and sticky inflation. And with Akasa Air and Jet Airways taking to the skies in the coming months, the heated competition doesn’t bode well for listed players like IndiGo and SpiceJet. We capture what the intensifying competition amid soaring fuel costs mean for incumbent players, and what should investors do? The crude oil is on the boil again, after the European Union’s decision to ban its import from Russia in a phased manner. And as the burden on the government exchequer and people’s pocket is increasing, some experts are suggesting a temporary tax on oil and gas companies which have profited from the price rise. It is called a one-time ‘windfall tax’. This episode of the podcast tells more about it. Watch video
After missing disinvestment target for three years running, will the government be able to nail it this financial year. Well it has a good headstart as LIC stake sale added over Rs 20,500 crore to the exchequer. So will the just-approved sale of the government’s remaining stake in Hindustan Zinc help it meet its disinvestment target of Rs 65,000 crore? And how are things progressing for the Centre’s overall divestment and privatisation plans? The war is indeed putting governments in a tight spot by continuously feeding into inflation. And if it doesn’t end soon, we may witness food crises in parts of the world. Those with a large population are more at risk. So do we need another green revolution to boost food production and save us from Thomas Malthus’s prophesy? Markets too are bleeding due to the war. Despite several attempts, the indices have failed to cling on to the gains and have succumbed to global and domestic cues. Should you use the current market fall to buy for the long term? Are the markets fully discounting the rate hikes by the RBI over the next few months? Not just the government and markets, people too are hit by rising inflation. And like the FMCG companies which resorted to shrinkflation, a set of consumers are now shifting to cheaper products due to soaring prices. It is called downtrading. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more. Watch Video
As the economic activities shifted online, a dark industry of sophisticated hackers mushroomed around it. And as the nations and companies ramped up security to save their data, fraudsters too shifted the gears. It is an ongoing battle in which corporates are bleeding, and hackers flourishing. On Wednesday morning, flight operations of SpiceJet were hit after what it called an attempted ransomware attack. India’s central bank too has been taking preventive steps to safeguard crucial consumer data. Last year, it directed merchants not to store customer card details on their servers starting January 1, 2022. Unique tokens were supposed to replace the card details, a process referred to as tokenization. But it was easier said than done. After the industry cried foul, the implementation date was pushed to June 30. It is drawing close now. So is India ready for this big payment system reform this time? Experts believe that initial few months will be bumpy in India’s transition to tokenization. Meanwhile, Indian markets have outperformed even in the recent correction as flows from mutual funds and retail investors have remained robust. Our next story takes a dive into how retail investors are looking at macro-economic developments, and can their flows into the equities shrink going ahead? In the ongoing choppy market, knowing entry and exit points may turn fortunes in your favour. They are the most crucial factors for a successful trade. This episode of the podcast highlights a few easy trading strategies to identify entry and exit points.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday put the stamp on India’s entry into the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. India has joined the bloc along with 12 other nations -- including the US -- to create a geostrategic counter to China’s growing clout in the region by ramping up economic cooperation. While these are early days and the final contours of India’s participation are yet to emerge, there could be some areas of friction too.Why India should tread with caution? From the negotiation tables in Tokyo, let us turn our focus to a storm brewing on the dining tables of restaurants back home. It is obviously over the bills. On Monday, the government said that eateries were illegally charging service tax from consumers. The eateries association, on its part, has denied it, saying that it was a matter of individual restaurant policy. So are eateries taking service charges illegally. We take a dive into this debate and find out more. After the debate over services tax at eateries, let us turn our focus to markets. Soaring inflation, global central bank policies and the Russia-Ukraine war have dampened sentiment across global financial markets. So how does one navigate this uncertain phase? Will investors have to endure more pain ahead as their returns get pruned? What does S Naren, executive director and chief investment officer at ICICI Prudential AMC think of the developments. Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with him to understand his investment mantra. Pandemic and subsequent war in Ukraine has indeed wreaked havoc on markets, with no relief in sight. Meanwhile, the threat of another virus is looming large over Europe. Over 170 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Europe and in four other countries outside the union. India too is on the guard. Let us find out more in next episode of the podcast. Watch video
The world’s rich and powerful are descending on Davos for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. The lingering effects of pandemic, the rising inflation in many parts of the world and Russia’s war in Ukraine have created a bleak backdrop. Amid all this, global investors will be keenly assessing what the Indian delegation has to say at Davos. So, what will be India’s strategy and what challenges it could face? Back home, spiraling inflation has forced the government to slash the central excise duties on petrol and diesel. This succour to the common man will come at a cost of Rs 1trillion for the government in the next one year. But what about the CNG vehicle users? The prices of CNG have soared about 60% in the last one year in Delhi. The price differential between petrol, diesel and CNG has narrowed like never before. So why is CNG on fire? And can CNG vehicle owners -- including those auto rickshaw and cab owners -- expect relief? Apart from cutting central excise duties on fuel prices, the government also levied duties on steel exports to curb inflation. But it has come as a setback for the metal and oil marketing space with experts turning cautious on the sectors. We delve into the likely impact of these policy decisions and the outlook for the sectors. From Dalal Street, let us turn our gaze to the skies. Last month, when a 17-seater aircraft lifted-off a short runway of Assam’s Dibrugarh, it not just charged into the clear hill sky, but also into the Indian aviation history. The indigenously built Dornier 228 aircraft was for the first time used to carry passengers. Our next report offers a peek into the aircraft built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and how it may help India meet the regional connectivity target? Lets find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Metro AG has reportedly decided to exit India after over 19 years. The German retailer’s decision came about eight years after another European retail giant, France’s Carrefour, wound up its operations and left. And reports have it that Walmart too is not keen on opening direct-to-consumer physical stores here. So why is Indian physical retail a hard nut to crack for international retail giants? Is it the government’s policies? Or a business model tilted in favour of local firms -- like what we have seen in most other countries? Find out the challenges involved in India’s supermarket wars. Like the foreign retail giants, the start-ups too are on a shaky ground in India. Japan’s SoftBank-backed Cars24 laid off over 600 workers last week, just days after ed-tech unicorn Vedantu fired 424 employees. And startup accelerator Y Combinator has asked founders of its portfolio firms to prepare for the worst. With foreign investors tightening their purse strings, start-ups are shedding weight to stay afloat. So is there a scary twist ahead in the Indian start-up story? The sentiment on Dalal Street is also sombre. In line with the ongoing global rout, domestic equities have been ravaged this year on stinging inflation and a spate of interest rate hikes. Amid talks of an impending recession, select pockets in the market have been hit the hardest and have entered the bear zone after two years. Find out the fundamental and technical outlook for these sectors. After the bloodbath on stock markets, let us turn our focus to the environment. Did you know that the global textile industry emits more greenhouse gas than those from shipping and international air travel combined? The emergence of fast fashion has played a big role in it. Find out about this phenomenon and more in this episode of the podcast.
Amid the race to hire and retain talents, several information technology companies are outdoing each other in doling out attractive packages and bonuses. HCL has taken the lead by substantially increasing the fresher pay packages. TCS is giving double digit raises up to 25%. Will such hikes become the new norms? Like the IT companies, the government too wants to raise the bar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India is planning to launch 6G services by the end of this decade. But are we ready? The 5G launch still looks like a distant dream and a big chunk of the population is struggling with slow 4G speed. Meanwhile, the shares of Bharti Airtel nosedived on Wednesday even after it posted more than two fold year-on-year (YoY) jump in its consolidated net profit. The sharp correction in equity markets has taken a toll on mid-and-small cap stocks that have underperformed their large-cap peers. From their lifetime peaks, broader indices have tumbled up to 20% as against a 13-14% slide in benchmarks. However, analysts expect these two segments to clock a sharp rebound once the dust around the near-term uncertainties settles, and economic growth prospects become clear. After the markets and money, let us move on to the bustling lanes of Kashi -- which are believed to be older than history. But for the last few days, two religious places -- which existed next to each other for ages in one of its lanes – are in the news. A court has ordered a survey of Gyanvapi mosque after a petition claimed the presence of Hindu deities inside the mosque. The Muslim side has claimed protection under the Places of Worship Act, 1991. Let us know more about this law in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Shares of state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) kick-started their journey at secondary markets on a weak note on Tuesday. Against the IPO price of Rs 949 apiece, they opened at Rs 867 on BSE -- wiping off nearly Rs 43,000 crore worth of investor wealth. While analysts are unperturbed with the stock performance, the government may have more to worry about than just LIC’s stock. Take a dive into what LIC’s weak debut means for this year’s divestment target The weak listing has brought down the market valuation of LIC to around ₹5.57 lakh crore -- from the earlier six lakh crore. Unstable market conditions is one of the reasons for it. Meanwhile, FMCG companies too are struggling. They have now resorted to “shrinkflation” to cope with the increased input cost, without passing on the price burden to consumers. The low cost packets of biscuits, chips, juices, soaps etc have shed weight. So, the same Rs 10 chips packet will have lesser chips, and more air. Global headwinds and increased input costs are indeed taking a toll on India Inc. In an interview with Business Standard’s Nikunj Ohri and Arup Roychoudhury, the new CII president and Bajaj Finserv chairman Sanjiv Bajaj offered some suggestions to deal with it. He claimed that cutting petrol and diesel duties will spur consumption and demand. Bajaj also said that inflation will continue to hurt margins of companies. However, that will not disrupt private sector capex revival, which is getting stronger. Health and education are indeed the key to a nation’s growth, as recently pointed out by Sanjiv Bajaj -- who wants the government to substantially increase the outlay in these sectors. Meanwhile, the government’s efforts to tame the country’s population have started paying off. Indian women are giving birth to fewer children now than in the past. And it is irrespective of their religion. From 5.9 in the 1950s -- when the population control programmes were launched -- the total fertility rate has fallen below the replacement level now. What does it mean? Let us find in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
A college dropout, Gautam Adani reached Mumbai in 1978 to chart out his own course -- away from his father’s small textile business in Ahmedabad. From a diamond sorter to the world’s sixth richest man, the last 44 years saw him growing from an ambitious teenager to an astute businessman. And the last two years have been quite eventful when his wealth grew from $8.9billion to $105billion -- a figure when put on graph throws almost a 90 degree bend. He has been on a shopping spree for a while now. Last week he clinched a deal to acquire Ambuja and ACC cements. Shares of ACC and Ambuja Cements soared up to 4% in yesterday’s trade after the deal. Analysts now believe the Adani Group may merge both these entities over the medium term. From Adani’s acquisition spree, let us turn our focus to companies which are caught between rising attrition rate and their plan to bring all employees back to office. Scores of employees of ed-tech firm WhiteHat Jr have reportedly quit over the last two months after being told to join offices. It has brought the focus back on India Inc.’s return-to-office plan and challenges it is facing in implementing it. So what the road ahead looks like? And what are the possible solutions that India Inc can deploy? Most companies are treading cautiously while implementing the back-to-office plan. Meanwhile, the government and RBI are also circumspect as soaring inflation is hitting the common man hard. But what is CPI inflation and how is it calculated? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Last week, two curious events highlighted how power outages are affecting people across the social divides. In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was briefly logged out of a virtual cabinet meeting due to it. And about 600-km away, in a dusty Indore village, two sisters ended up taking crucial wedding vows with wrong grooms. The situation was salvaged in both the cases later. But can it be done for small and medium industries -- which are already reeling under high input cost and tepid demand. But the government, on its part, is trying to steer the industries out of this current crisis. It has pressed more rail rakes into service to meet the scaled-up power demand. Meanwhile, Air India’s new owners too are trying to lead the debt-ridden airline out of the current crisis. They are bringing aviation veteran Campbell Wilson on-board for this. As the new chief of Air India, Wilson will have his hands full. But who is Campbell Wilson and how his 26 years old aviation experience may help the turbulent airline? In his farewell note, Campbell said that there are “mountains to climb” in his new stint. Meanwhile, for markets, it has been a downhill journey. Investors, who thronged the markets during the Covid-19 induced sell-off, are looking for cover. Rising interest rates, inflation worries and the geopolitical situation have taken a toll on their sentiment. Take a look at how asset classes have fared thus far in 2022 and the road ahead for equities amid headwinds. After the markets, let us move on to India’s nascent electric passenger vehicle industry. Most consumers who want to buy EVs have one thing to ask. How long the battery will last in one charging. This has also given rise to range anxiety. Let us know more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Is it the summer heat, steep fuel prices, food inflation or something else? The fledgling online delivery platforms are suddenly facing, what they said, an acute shortage of riders. It forced Swiggy to temporarily suspend its pick-up and drop-off service Genie in three major cities. While most other gig firms are not able to deliver products on time. And all of this is happening when the country witnessed a surge in the labour force last month. So why are gig workers in such a short supply? And how it may affect the food delivery and quick commerce firms? After the gig platforms, let us move on to another fledgling but fast growing industry. US carmaker Ford on Thursday scrapped its plan to manufacture electronic vehicles in India. Elon Musk-owned Tesla is also exploring options in Indonesia after a prolonged haggling with India over duties and tariffs. So is India’s EV policy enough to turn it into a global EV and battery-manufacturing hub like China? A little policy rejig by the government can indeed woo many more global EV makers to India. Meanwhile, after two consecutive bad summers, the consumer durable sector is finally seeing signs of recovery this year. Rising temperature and an improved consumer confidence are likely to drive demand for the white goods segment. However, soaring inflation, analysts believe, can cap the overall demand. Find out whether you should bet on cool consumer durable stocks as the mercury soars. After the economy and markets, let us turn our focus to the corridors of the Supreme Court where a debate to scrap British-era sedition law is raging. The apex court has now directed the Centre and state governments to keep all the trials and appeals filed under IPC’s section 124 (A) in abeyance. So what exactly is this sedition law? And why do most experts believe that it has been misused since inception? This episode of the podcast offers some insight and more. Watch video
The race to acquire Ambuja Cements and ACC seems to be entering the final lap now. The two top contenders -- Gautam Adani and Sajjan Jindal -- are now vying to take over the two leading domestic cement companies owned by international building materials giant Holcim which is now exiting India after 17 years. There are some other contenders too, like India’s top cement maker Ultratech. But why do all these leading firms want to buy Holcim’s stake? And why did the Switzerland-based company decide to quit India which contributes 27% of its global sales volumes. Holcim’s decision to pull the plug on an emerging market like India has indeed baffled many. But, if reports are to be believed, it is doing so due to its commitment to check global warming. Similarly, but not on that scale, a 55-year-old engineer from Ladakh has been doing his bit to spread awareness about climate change for decades now. Sonam Wangchuk is now a familiar name in India, thanks to his now resounding voice on climate change and innovations in the cold mountains. His latest one is a carbon-neutral solar building that stays warm even in freezing conditions and can help clean the toxic air of Delhi and NCR. Business Standard's Nazia Iqbal caught up with him in Ladakh to know more. Like the weather, markets too are going through a volatile phase. Volatility in the secondary market against the backdrop of US Fed rate hike and ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has seen two companies – Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Delhivery -- trim the size of their initial public offers in May. Will more companies follow the suit as the markets are likely to remain choppy? It may have hit the economy and markets adversely, but the pandemic was in a way good for the Indian pharma industry. India makes about 60% of the world’s vaccines and 20% of generic drugs. The US is a major export destination. On its part, the US administration carries out regular inspections at offshore drug making units to ensure that they stick to the standards. In one such recent check, the US FDA has issued Form 483 to a firm. This episode of the podcast demystifies the Form 483 and more.
Indian Rupee weakened further on Monday and touched an all-time low figure against a surging US dollar. And experts believe that it may depreciate further -- pouring cold water over RBI’s efforts which recently raised interest rates to bring down the inflation. In the central bank’s own calculations, every 5% fall in the rupee adds about 10-15 bps to the inflation. So what does a weaker rupee mean for the Indian economy which is already weathering several storms? And what does it mean for people at large who are at the receiving end of high inflation? A depreciating Indian rupee will indeed dent the Centre’s exchequer. But the government has several avenues to refill it. It has been eyeing the rollout of 5G for a while now -- which may help it address the revenue shortfall. But now, when the decks are cleared for it, the telecom operators look upset as some of their demands have not been fulfilled -- suggesting that the upcoming auction may get a lukewarm response. It’s not just the 5G roll out, but the markets too are staring at a bumpy road ahead. With the US Federal Reserve and the RBI making their policy intent clear, will the equity markets across the globe now go into a correction mode? How should investors approach the markets in the backdrop of this policy shift? Will foreign funds come back into Indian equities if the economic growth remains robust? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa spoke to Mark Matthews, head of research for Asia at Julius Baer to get his views on the recent developments and the road ahead for global equity markets as they adjust to the ‘new normal’ of rising interest rates. After the markets, let us move on to a technology which is crucial to 5G roll out. Short for Open Radio Access Network, the Open RAN is critical to 5G deployment. In India’s context, the Open RAN architecture is essential but also fraught with challenges. We will get to it, but let us first understand what O-RAN is in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Several fund managers have been under the Sebi radar for quite some time now over their alleged role in markets norms violations-- including the dubious practice of front-running. And the markets regulator is said to have expedited its probe after revelations at Axis Mutual Fund last week, where two fund managers were stripped of all the responsibilities over suspicion that they too were involved in front-running. So, is it just a stray incident? Or yet another tip of the looming iceberg? Will it dent the investors’ confidence? And what should the regulator do to check it? Experts believe that a few such incidents may not shake the investors’ confidence in the mutual fund industry. Let us move on to India’s booming export industry. For some time now, exports have been a bright spot for the Indian economy-- which has recently emerged from the shadow of pandemic. It breached the $400-billion export mark in FY22, way before the end of fiscal year. However, despite such an achievement, the government looks circumspect. The commerce ministry has not projected any fresh exports target for FY23. Is it due to the uncertainty surrounding world trade? And how can India sustain its exports growth momentum? India’s plan to boost its wheat export may be derailed due to the ongoing heat wave. But the extreme weather bodes well for some. Stocks of power companies usually rise in tandem with the soaring mercury. The sector is grappling with low coal inventories. So will the situation get worse amid record high power demands? And how should investors bet on it? After the power sector stocks, let us see how the government is using technology to usher in transparency. It is now planning to roll out e-passports soon. What is it? And how different will it be from our regular passports? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
Several fund managers have been under the Sebi radar for quite some time now over their alleged role in markets norms violations-- including the dubious practice of front-running. And the markets regulator is said to have expedited its probe after revelations at Axis Mutual Fund last week, where two fund managers were stripped of all the responsibilities over suspicion that they too were involved in front-running. So, is it just a stray incident? Or yet another tip of the looming iceberg? Will it dent the investors’ confidence? And what should the regulator do to check it? Experts believe that a few such incidents may not shake the investors’ confidence in the mutual fund industry. Let us move on to India’s booming export industry. For some time now, exports have been a bright spot for the Indian economy-- which has recently emerged from the shadow of pandemic. It breached the $400-billion export mark in FY22, way before the end of fiscal year. However, despite such an achievement, the government looks circumspect. The commerce ministry has not projected any fresh exports target for FY23. Is it due to the uncertainty surrounding world trade? And how can India sustain its exports growth momentum? India’s plan to boost its wheat export may be derailed due to the ongoing heat wave. But the extreme weather bodes well for some. Stocks of power companies usually rise in tandem with the soaring mercury. The sector is grappling with low coal inventories. So will the situation get worse amid record high power demands? And how should investors bet on it? After the power sector stocks, let us see how the government is using technology to usher in transparency. It is now planning to roll out e-passports soon. What is it? And how different will it be from our regular passports? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast.
Several fund managers have been under the Sebi radar for quite some time now over their alleged role in markets norms violations-- including the dubious practice of front-running. And the markets regulator is said to have expedited its probe after revelations at Axis Mutual Fund last week, where two fund managers were stripped of all the responsibilities over suspicion that they too were involved in front-running. So, is it just a stray incident? Or yet another tip of the looming iceberg? Will it dent the investors’ confidence? And what should the regulator do to check it? Experts believe that a few such incidents may not shake the investors’ confidence in the mutual fund industry. Let us move on to India’s booming export industry. For some time now, exports have been a bright spot for the Indian economy-- which has recently emerged from the shadow of pandemic. It breached the $400-billion export mark in FY22, way before the end of fiscal year. However, despite such an achievement, the government looks circumspect. The commerce ministry has not projected any fresh exports target for FY23. Is it due to the uncertainty surrounding world trade? And how can India sustain its exports growth momentum? India’s plan to boost its wheat export may be derailed due to the ongoing heat wave. But the extreme weather bodes well for some. Stocks of power companies usually rise in tandem with the soaring mercury. The sector is grappling with low coal inventories. So will the situation get worse amid record high power demands? And how should investors bet on it? After the power sector stocks, let us see how the government is using technology to usher in transparency. It is now planning to roll out e-passports soon. What is it? And how different will it be from our regular passports? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
What do the Q4FY22 results so far have to say about the state of play in India Inc? Going ahead, what can investors expect in terms of corporate earnings growth and the performance of mid- and small-cap stocks? Among instances of corporate results beating estimates in Q4, Tata Consumer Products reported strong operating performance, led by gross margin expansion during the period. This was, despite volume softness in certain commodities. In a recent interview with Business Standard’s Sharleen D’Souza, Tata Consumer Products MD and CEO Sunil D’Souza shares his strategic roadmap for food and non-food businesses. Tata Consumer Products posted a strong operational performance in Q4FY22. But rising bond yields and anxiety ahead of Q4 numbers kept the market action subdued last week. However, D-Street experts expect the upcoming trading sessions to be volatile for equities as earnings seasons take off in full swing, with no ease in global headwinds. We find out all that will shape the markets’ trajectory this week. In a recent interview with Business Standard, Praveena Rai, chief operating officer of National Payments Corporation of India, had said that the aim was to take RuPay to everyone — be it debit, prepaid, or credit cards — and serve the entire population. That’s an ambitious goal, and will take time to reach fruition. In the meantime, let’s understand exactly what RuPay is, in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The government has come up with regulations requiring Virtual private network, or VPN service providers to collect and store a host of personal information from their subscribers. While the stated intention is to strengthen cyber security, the compliance requirements have raised privacy concerns. Find out how the new rules may undermine your privacy. It’s unclear yet how the government thinks storing sensitive and personally identifiable information of users will ensure cybersecurity. But if you are servicing a home loan, the recent hike in repo rate is certainly unsettling. The Reserve Bank of India hiked the repo rate from 4 to 4.4 per cent on Wednesday. Home loans from banks are linked to the repo rate. So, what will be the impact on existing and new borrowers? And, how should they respond? Back to the markets, as most global central banks, including Reserve Bank of India, embark on a rate hike cycle to battle inflation, analysts expect markets to remain choppy as they adjust to the new normal. Here’s a report on where can investors invest in a rising interest rate regime. You would have heard that Bengaluru-based startup Open recently became India’s 100th unicorn. With the latest funding round, Open’s valuation soared past the one-billion-dollar mark. Or, while browsing through YouTube and Spotify, you might have come across advertisements by Jupiter. Well then, you’ve at least had a brush with a neobank. But, what exactly is a neobank and how is one different from a traditional bank? Let’s find out in this episode of the podcast.
In a surprise announcement, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said that the Monetary Policy Committee has unanimously voted to increase the repo rate by 40 basis points, to 4.40 per cent with immediate effect. The repo rate has been increased for the first time since August 2018. What will be its impact on the economy? Also what will be the impact on homebuyers, borrowers and FD investors? While the RBI’s rate hike signals the end of low interest regime for home buyers, China’s new lockdown measures have also put the consumer durables-buyers in India at unease. The backlog of cargo and container ships near Shanghai port is likely to affect the consumer durables market, which heavily depends on components from China. As inventories of TV, AC and refrigerator-makers in India could reportedly start drying up from mid-May, we analyse the looming crisis to understand its impact on consumers. Back to the markets, the out-of-policy hike in repo rate by 40 basis points, and a 50 bps hike in the cash reserve ratio by the Reserve Bank of India took investors by surprise on Wednesday. The decision came unexpectedly and on the opening day of LIC’s IPO. With the RBI getting more hawkish than expected, what does the road ahead looks like for the markets? Apart from a bull and bear trend, markets also witness phases of consolidation. In today’s decoded, we delve into what is a consolidation phase, how to identify it and trade during such a phase. Let’s find out in this episode of the podcast.
The much-awaited IPO of Life Insurance Corporation is set to open for subscription today, after it recorded bumper participation from anchor investors. The interest for the issue has been gaining currency, evident from its rising grey market premium and strong anchor book. Find out what analysts make of the issue and if you should subscribe to it. Analysts are bullish about the LIC IPO, like the way G7 leaders are optimistic about ‘wooing New Delhi away from its longstanding alliance with Russia’. To this end, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 leaders’ summit next month as a special guest. But, that’s easier said than done. Diplomatic efforts in the past haven’t brought about the sort of response from India that the West had hoped for. What’s going to be the possible outcome of this latest attempt? Around 11% fewer households demanded work under the rural employment scheme MGNREGA in April. The Centre has asked officials to plug leakages in welfare schemes and at the same time, some beneficiaries are returning back to urban areas as economic activity picks up. So, what led to this fall in demand for MGNREGA work in April? The Drug Controller General of India has recently approved the emergency use of the Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax for children aged five to 12. Corbevax is India’s first indigenously developed recombinant protein sub-unit vaccine. This episode of the podcast simplifies the new vaccine and elaborates how it can boost the immune response in your kid. Watch video
The government-backed open network for digital commerce or ONDC was launched last week in select cities. Mentored by Nandan Nilekani, ONDC is a not-for-profit system which the government believes will be a game-changer -- just like what UPI was for digital payment. From small kirana stores to leading FMCG players, all will get equal exposure to consumers on this platform. But will it emerge as a challenger to two multinational giants who, in the government’s own words, have been giving preferential treatment to a bunch of players in India? And will it really benefit small sellers and the public at large? The country took yet another leap towards self-reliance last week when an aircraft made a successful landing using the indigenous navigation system called GAGAN. With this, India became the first country in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve this feat. So what exactly is GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation or GAGAN and how will it help aircraft land safely in rough weather and in poor visibility? And how will it help India expand air connectivity to far-flung areas? Let us turn to the markets now. Geopolitical tensions, rising inflation, skewing margin of India Inc and slow growth are casting a shadow over Dalal Street. While April saw equity markets reverse losses from March lows, bears returned to Street in the latter half. Will May see investors following the adage of ‘sell in May and go away’? May is also the month when the heat wave is most brutal in northern India. The weatherman has now said that mercury will soar further this week and cautioned people against stepping out in the afternoon. But what exactly is a heat wave? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Roiled by domestic shortage of edible oils and protests over it in the run up to Eid, Indonesia has put a halt on export of palm oil -- the mainstay of its economy. Its ripples will soon be felt in India, which imports almost half of its palm oil from there. Prices of edible oils will be on boil. And combined with an increased fertilizer subsidy bill, soaring fuel prices and coal shortage, it may widen the country's current account deficit. India Inc is also facing the heat. Rise in prices of commodities and disruption in the supply chain is increasingly eating into its profit margin. In an interview with Business Standard’s Arup Roychoudhury, CII president and global CEO and MD of Tata Steel, TV Narendran, tells why he believes that it may not derail the growth in the long term. Meanwhile, contact-sensitive sectors like hotel and airline industry and cinemas have been seeing an impressive turnaround for quite some time as the economy emerged from Covid-19 induced lockdowns. But the recent uptick in cases across the country are worrying the industry again. After the markets, let us turn to personal finance. It is often said that your scores are a reflection of your abilities. And you just cannot outrun them. While the college scorecard in a way helps you land a job, there is another score that helps you later -- to tide over the financial challenges. So when you turn to a lender for a loan or a credit card, the lender falls back on your credit score to know more about your credit history. Delve into the details of credit score and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Life Insurance Corporation’s much-awaited IPO is finally opening on May 4. But much like the initial euphoria around it, its size also looks diminished. Its current valuation is now Rs 6lakh crore, less than half of the expected value of around Rs 13lakh crore. Three years ago, the government had faced backlash for underpricing the IRCTC IPO. So is the government undervaluing another state-run behemoth? Or has it taken this call after due diligence? LIC IPO may well attract a fresh wave of investors into the markets. Something similar had happened with OTT platforms during the lockdown, when people of all ages turned to it. In 2020, Netflix had added 36 million subscribers. But the streaming giant saw its customer base shrink by 200,000 during the January-March quarter. And it has projected a loss of another 2 million subscribers in the current quarter. Netflix is now mulling a low-cost subscription supported by advertising. What it would mean for it and for the Indian OTT ecosystem? After Netflix, let us move on to markets. It has been a rollercoaster ride for investors during the April F&O series, with bears having the slight edge. Will they triumph? Or will the bulls fight back today? Russia-Ukraine war is not just shaping the markets. It is forging ties between countries too. India and the European Union (EU) agreed to establish a Trade and Technology Council early this week. What it is and what both the sides will gain from it, listen to this episode of the podcast to know. Watch video
It will be the biggest IPO that India has seen so far. Apart from testing the appetite of investors, the LIC’s stake sale will also add Rs 21,000 crore to the government exchequer. After missing two deadlines, the IPO of India’s largest insurer may finally hit the primary market on May 4. Most experts believe that it will get a good response from both retail and institutional investors. Our next report tells about what the Street expects from the IPO and whether you should take a slice of this pie. Like the LIC’s price band, curiosity is surrounding Twitter’s future course too. After land and space, Elon Musk is all set to make his presence felt in the virtual world now. The world’s richest man -- known for taking risks and pulling off impossible -- is in all likelihood the next Twitter chief. A free speech absolutist, he calls Twitter a digital Town Square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated. Our next report tries to unravel his views to find how Musk may shape one of the world’s most influential social media platforms. Back home, India Inc is also witnessing aggressive merger and acquisitions. After PVR and Inox, the news of HDFC’s merger with HDFC Bank took many by surprise. While experts believe that the trend underlines the desire of India Inc’s cash-rich companies for inorganic growth, they are also cautioning investors. Take a dive into this trend and how can investors benefit from them. After the markets, let us move on to a technology which is very crucial to the success of electronic vehicles. Advanced chemistry cell batteries may soon be manufactured in India too, thanks to the government’s PLI scheme. These cells account for 80% of the cost of lithium-ion batteries. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more. Watch video
The ongoing battle between Amazon and Reliance over Future Group took yet another interesting twist last week when the Indian giant backed off -- abandoning its plan to acquire the cash-strapped firm. Jeff Bezos has been looking to expand foothold in India’s nearly $900 billion retail market. And so is Mukesh Ambani. What would the fall of this deal mean for the retail ambitions of Amazon and Reliance? After the fall of Future Group’s deal with Reliance Industries, let us turn to the meteoritic rise of Southern cinema and its growing appeal among Hindi speaking audiences. In the past six months, movies such as Pushpa, RRR and KGF2 have shattered box office records. Is this a flash in the pan or a longer term trend? After the clash of Bollywood and southern cinema, let us move on to the race of two private lenders. ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank have been vying for the top position in the country’s banking space for quite some time. While ICICI seems to be winning over the HDFC group company, there are certain trends that investors need to watch out. HDFC’s loss may well be ICICI’s gain. Meanwhile, transactions through UPI are registering a rapid growth. And RBI’s initiative to introduce it in feature phones is set to take it to another level. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know why and more. Watch video
Another electric scooter erupted in flames last week -- adding fuel to the already raging debate around its safety. It also triggered a warning from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari who asked negligent companies to mend their ways or face action. A lot is at stake for the government too, which has now come out with a draft on battery-swapping policy offering a host of incentives, including GST cut. So will battery swapping address the safety concerns plaguing the electric two-wheelers? And will these incentives lure the EV makers towards the battery-swapping model from the existing fixed-battery model? Charging of EVs in smaller cities is also one of the concerns due to increasing power outages. Meanwhile, Sumant Sinha, CEO of ReNew Power and president of Assocham, says that private sector capex in sectors like power is picking up. It may change things for the better. In an interview with Business Standard’s Arup Roychoudhury, Sinha also tells why India is well placed for a good growth rate of 6-8% per annum if external risks don’t upset the cart. The United States too is feeling the inflation heat -- which is at a four-decade high of 8.5%. And after US Fed Chief Jerome Powell hinted at a 50-basis point (bps) rate hike in May, the Indian markets crashed last Friday. The Nifty 50 and S&P BSE Sensex snapped their two-day winning streak and slipped 1.27 per cent and 1.23 per cent respectively. Does this mean a bearish market for investors from here on? After the flight of capital from the stock markets, let us turn to literal flight. In today’s digitally-connected world, leaving the earth was the only way to leave the internet connectivity behind, literally. But that’s no more possible now. First the technology and then the government has allowed use of the internet on flight. But ever wondered how it works? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
A workers’ union has shot off a letter to the central government claiming that IT giant Infosys is using non-compete clause to prevent its employees from joining rival firms. While Infosys, on its part, said the clause doesn’t hamper employees from joining other firms. So what is behind this clause and why it may set wrong precedent? In their bid to retain talent, IT firms are also making space for yoga and meditation to ensure mental well-being of employees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, announced a set of measures this week to boost traditional medicine. The government is now introducing a special AYUSH visa category along with a marking system to give authenticity to quality AYUSH products. Take a peek into the $23-billion industry and tells about the challenges it faces. From the serene world of traditional healing, let us turn to bustling Dalal Street. Foreign portfolio investors or FPIs have sold equities worth nearly 1.58 trillion rupees since October 2021. Recent market activity, however, shows that even domestic institutional investors and retail investors have slowed down their trading activity. Does this mean dark days ahead for the Indian stock markets? A prolonged conflict between Russia and Ukraine may further spook the FPIs -- who are already on the edge. Russia’s war, meanwhile, is now taking a turn for the worse. A host of western sanctions has pushed it to the cusp of its first default on foreign debt since the Bolshevik Revolution over a century ago. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The summer made an early entry this year, nudging people to switch on ACs, coolers and fans in the middle of March. But cooling comes at a cost. Tons and tons of coal is burnt in power plants to keep the homes and offices cold. And just like last summer, coal stock is dwindling again. Nomura said that most power plants are grappling with coal shortage and hinted at power crisis. We find out more about the current situation and what could be done to address it. Just like coal and electricity, the demand for masks is going up. Cases of Covid-19 are rising in several parts of the country. So at a time when the economy is still reeling under the impact of the previous wave and simultaneously trying to absorb the shock of the Russia-Ukraine war, the severity of a possible fourth wave may well have far-reaching consequences. Business Standard's Bhaswar Kumar spoke to Professor K Srinath Reddy, president of Public Health Foundation of India, about how the fourth Covid wave is likely to play out. Markets too are keeping fingers crossed as cases soar again. Meanwhile, after a decade of downtrend, rising investments in industrial and household segments, bottoming out of prices, and sustained demand have brightened the outlook for the real estate sector. But, as recovery remains uneven between housing and commercial space, how should investors play the theme? From the hustle and bustle of Mumbai’s Dalal Street, let us move on to quiet lanes of Zürich, Basel and Geneva in Switzerland-- which house a number of banks famous for stashing huge amounts of wealth shielded by country’s age-old secrecy laws. Let's demystify the aura of secrecy around these Swiss banks and more about the laws governing them in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
In 2011 -- when 3G was still running the show and 4G was waiting in the wings -- the government embarked on a mission to provide broadband connectivity to villages. Over a decade on, as 5G is about to be rolled out, just 27% villages have been connected. The entity set up to carry out the mammoth task, Bharat Broadband Nigam Ltd, is now being merged with BSNL. Will this merger address the problems plaguing the project and expedite it. The merger may or may not address the problems plaguing the BharatNet project. But, India’s first gas exchange has indeed fixed a lot of them. Indian Gas Exchange or IGX was set up two years ago to free up pricing of domestically produced natural gas. In an interview with Business Standard’s S Dinkar, its director Rajesh K Mediratta tells more about its journey so far. After the gas exchange, let us move on to stocks. With the economy facing high inflationary pressures, concerns are mounting about its likely impact on the markets and corporate performance. But are the current fears overstretched? Is there a silver lining for investors? Delve into what past market trends of high inflation say about the markets, and the road ahead. Smartphones have made trading in stocks much easier. But what about those who still use budget phones. For them, Android had launched its GO editions. Last year, the Android 12 GO edition was rolled out in the market. Let us know more about it and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
From using those bulky magnifying glasses and calculators to employing artificial intelligence and automated data processing, the Income Tax sleuths have indeed come a long way. With the click of a button, they can now trace all the transactions -- given that they are not ‘benami’. And recent changes in the reassessment regime has given them the right to probe any unexplained income or expenditure worth Rs 50 lakh or more done in the last 10 years. In another major change, the government has allowed undergraduate and postgraduate students to pursue two degrees simultaneously in the physical mode. What does this means for students, their course load, and their employability? After the college campuses, let us see what is happening on Dalal Street. With Monday’s 1.7% fall, the NSE Nifty has shed nearly 6% from its recent high in just eight trading sessions. As rising bond yields, hawkish policy stance, and weak earnings’ outlook cloud sentiment, what is the near-term trajectory for the markets looks like? After the market's mayhem, let us see what is troubling Twitter. The company is trying to fend off a hostile takeover bid by one of its shareholders and world’s richest man, Elon Musk. And for this, it has invoked an old strategy called poison pill. What is it? And how will it limit Musk’s ability to raise his stake in the social media company? Let us find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The Great Resignation -- as it is known worldwide now-- started somewhere in the early 2021. Millions left their jobs during the pandemic for various reasons, including burnout. But in India’s IT sector-- where attrition peaked to 20% -- the trigger was quite different. Most experts believe that it was due to the growing appetite for digital talent in the market. People equipped with futuristic skills, like artificial intelligence, cloud etc. have been quitting for greener postures-- giving employers a tough time. Take a look at the skill sets which are most in demand amid this competition between IT firms and even start-ups Indian IT companies are indeed doing their best to retain talent. Meanwhile, Twitter too is doing its best to thwart a takeover bid by billionaire Elon Musk. The Tesla CEO has offered $43.4bn to purchase the social media platform. But what if Musk manages to acquire Twitter? How will it shape his ties with India? And also that of Twitter? It is not just Twitter. Markets in India are also anxious. Q4 numbers and rising bond yields kept the sentiment subdued last week. And Street experts expect the upcoming trading sessions to be volatile for equities as earnings’ seasons take off in full swing, with no ease in global headwinds. After tips to generate market-beating results, let us move on to the latest technology which promises to strike down aerial objects like missiles and rockets. The new laser missile-defence system has now been successfully tested by Israel. It may sound like science fiction, but it is real. Directed energy weapons are a new generation of weapons, wherein the projectile, if you can call it that, travels at the speed of light and with unprecedented accuracy. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The summer is here, but lemons are virtually out of reach. The citrus fruit is selling at around 350 rupees a kg in wholesale markets. Prices of other vegetables, too, are going up. It’s one of the worrisome signs that the latest inflation presents. Should Indians resign to the fact that food prices and retail inflation will continue to stay high? Or, will the rain gods provide some relief? While we wait for the monsoon to tame the surging inflation, let’s take a trip to the new Museum of Prime Ministers. PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya’ that showcases the stories of how the former Prime Ministers of independent India navigated the nation through different challenges during their respective tenures. Take a peek at what visitors can expect to see and experience inside the museum. From Teen Murti Complex of New Delhi, let’s turn to the IT campuses where fourth quarter corporate earnings season began this week with TCS and Infosys announcing their results. The companies spelled upbeat revenue commentary for FY23. But they also reported their respective all-time high attrition rates, reflecting supply-side challenges. Let's take stock of the sector’s health and analyses what the results of the country’s top two IT companies signal for the industry. The Supreme Court on March 16th said that ‘one rank, one pension’ in the armed forces is a policy decision that was not arbitrary. It upheld the ‘one rank, one pension’ scheme launched in 2015 and declined to interfere with the policy. It has been a long-standing demand of the Indian armed forces and veterans. This podcast takes a deep dive into the scheme and beyond.
The writing was already there on the wall. Numbers just confirmed it. For consumers -- who were already reeling under high fuels and food prices-- the Tuesday evening news that March inflation has surged to 6.95% wasn’t surprising. Amid all this, chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran’s statement offers some hope. He has suggested that the government may share some burden if oil prices remain above $ 110 per barrel mark. But is there a relief in the offing? High oil prices are the main driving force behind the rocketing inflation. For long, countries around the world have been working to switch to alternative fuel-- which is also environmentally friendly. Green Hydrogen is one of them, and fits the bill. And a lot is happening on this front in India too. Government had launched a green hydrogen policy in February this year. And giants of India Inc. like Reliance, Larsen & Tourbo and Adani have announced projects worth Rs 6 trillion. So how is this sector shaping up? And will promises turn into realty? Soaring inflation due to high oil prices has led to a shift in RBI’s policy stance. After a gleeful rally that the new-age technology stocks saw in 2021, the uncertainty over gradual withdrawal of liquidity spooked investors as stocks collapsed below their issue prices in the later half of the year. However, after a long lull, a rebound visible in the market has lifted new-age technology stocks off their lows in the last one month. So, is the magic returning to new-age technology stocks or are investors witnessing a short-term euphoric overshoot? After the markets, let us see how technology is helping people transfer and accept money without any hassle. Following the RBI’s guidelines, India’s payments processor has designed an on-device wallet for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions up to Rs 200. What is it? And how will it make the life of people living in regions with limited or no internet connectivity easier? Listen to this podcast to know it all.
Intended for non-public use, private 5G network is the next big thing in digital transformation for enterprises, industries and governments around the world. It is essentially a local area network that uses 3GPP-based network spectrum, to create unified connectivity and a secure means of communication within a specific area. Private 5G network is on the cusp of taking off around the world. Last year, Germany issued 5G private licenses to over 33 companies — for companies like BASF, BMW, Bosch, Lufthansa, Siemens, Volkswagen etc — to run exclusive networks. France, the UK, the US and Australia are also putting in place policies to roll out private 5G networks. Back home, Indian IT majors are planning to deploy private 5G test beds spread over their several campuses across the country. Tata Consultancy Services, engineering services provider L&T Technology Services and Tech Mahindra are reportedly planning to adopt private 5G networks. A private 5G network enables enterprises to dedicate bandwidth for ultra-reliable low-latency use cases such as robotics and industrial IoT, with control over data, security and networks. It can also be tailored for specific industry and business requirements. Private 5G network use cases Superior service security through SIM-based authentication Improved control and management of network connectivity Better availability and coverage by new spectrum bands Full control over the enterprise’s operating processes Enhanced data security, as data is segregated and processed locally Controlled latency enables near real-time communication Network can be optimised for specific user groups, devices or applications The technology offers superior security through SIM-based authentication, better control and management of connectivity, full control over the enterprise’s operating processes, real-time communication through controlled latency, and network slicing benefits allowing the network to be optimised for the needs of specific user groups and devices. What are some of the TRAI recommendations Enterprise may request telecom service providers (TSPs) to establish an independent isolated private network at enterprise’s premises using the TSP’s spectrum Enterprise may obtain the spectrum on lease from TSPs and establish their isolated captive wireless private network Enterprise may obtain the spectrum directly from the government and establish their own isolated captive wireless private network Certain spectrum be earmarked for captive wireless private networks to be assigned directly by DoT to captive wireless private network permission holders/licensees Captive wireless private network should not be connected to the public network in any manner TRAI recently recommended that enterprises in may request Telecom Service Providers to establish an independent private 5G network in the enterprise premises using the service provider’s spectrum. Enterprises may obtain 5G spectrum on lease from service providers and establish their own isolated Captive Wireless Private Network. Enterprises may also obtain the spectrum directly from the government and establish their own captive network. "Telecom Service Providers have and going forward will invest lakhs of crore rupees in network rollouts. Enterprise services constitute 30-40% of the industry’s overall revenues. Private networks once again disincentivise the telecom industry to invest in networks and continue paying high levies and taxes", the Cellular Operators Association of India said However, according to media reports, leading Indian telecom service providers have contested the move of private 5G spectrum allocation to enterprises and corporates, as it poses a threat to their future revenues. In an appeal to TRAI, COAI said, "Disallow private ent
India’s telecom regulator has suggested slashing the reserve prices for the radio waves before it goes under the hammer. It has proposed a 36% cut in the base price of 3.3-3.67 Ghz airwaves, and a 40% for the coveted 700 Mhz spectrum. Is the debt-ridden telecom sector happy? Will these recommendations, if accepted by the government, give some leg-up to the industry? TRAI’s move will indeed offer some cushion to the ailing telecom sector. Let us now move on to a fund, which gives much-needed cushion to retirees. Off late, parking money into the government’s retirement fund has become a tad less attractive. After effecting interest rate cut, from the earlier 8.5% to 8.1%, the EPFO is now going ahead and levying tax deducted at source (TDS) on interest earned on contribution which exceeds Rs 2.5 lakh. PF money may not be enough to build a robust retirement corpus. Stock market provides a good alternative. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India’s hawkish approach -- as it prioritizes inflation over supporting economic growth -- has taken markets by surprise. It has, effectively, kicked-off a rate tightening cycle to tame inflation-- which spiked to 6.95% in March. On the other hand, equities and bond market investors are unsure about the road ahead. Find out the market outlook and investment options in a rising interest rate scenario. After the markets, let us shift the focus back to 5G. Private 5G networks are gaining traction around the world with the availability of more spectrums. Listen to this episode of the podcast to know more. Watch video
Grown in rugged northern plains of India, its long, shiny and fragrant grains have long been lifting the mood of people across Europe and West Asia. But, India’s basmati rice export has been witnessing a decline now. It plunged to its lowest in the last four years in 2021. Is Indian basmati losing its shine, or is it a temporary phase? The spell of Indian movies is no less heady than the recipes made of basmati. Director SS Rajamouli’s RRR breached the Rs 1,000 crore collection mark on Monday -- by bringing the audience back to movie theaters. And several other promising movies are lined up for release in the next few days. Will they be able to recreate the magic and give the box office its old days back? After the box office revenue, let us move on to the earnings of India Inc, which has begun reporting numbers of March quarter. While brokerages expect the earnings of Nifty50 companies to hit record peak levels, the march is expected to be driven by banks and financials. Take a dive into what the Street is expecting from Q4 results of public and private banks, and what are the key things to watch out for. Soaring energy prices are not just spooking the stock markets and the economies, they are also nudging countries into looking for more oil reserves. Fracking is one of the ways to extract gas and oil. What it is and why it is controversial, listen to this podcast to find out more.
Why is India’s basmati rice export declining? Will movie box office earnings cross pre-pandemic level this year? Could banks shine in Q4 earnings season? What is fracking? Find all answers here India’s basmati rice export has been witnessing a decline. It plunged to its lowest in the last four years in 2021. Is Indian basmati losing its shine, or is it a temporary phase? SS Rajamouli’s RRR breached the Rs 1,000 cr collection on Monday. Several other movies are also lined up for release in the next few days. Will they be able to give the box office its old days back? While brokerages expect Q4 earnings of Nifty50 companies to hit record peak levels, the march is expected to be driven by banks and financials. Soaring energy prices are spooking the markets and nudging countries into looking for more oil reserves. Fracking is one of the ways to extract gas and oil. What it is and why it is controversial? Listen to this episode of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast to get all the answers and more. Watch video
The year 2020 tested everyone’s resilience. For the unprivileged, the first wave of pandemic and the subsequent lockdown was harsher. But, a recent IMF working paper said that consumption inequality during the Covid-affected 2020-21 fell to near the lowest level in the last 40 years. It was due to the government’s free ration scheme. It’s not just the scheme implementation, but India is doing well in higher education too. 35 programmes being offered in 16 higher education institutes in the country have made it to the global top 100 in their respective subject categories. Is higher education in India coming of age? Take a peek into the recent QS World University ranking and what it says. After higher education, let us move on to markets. The Q4 results season shall kick-in next week. And it will have a bearing on the market trend. On Friday, the market participants will also keenly track the RBI policy developments for cues on the future rate cycle and inflation forecast. Find out how the markets are placed ahead of the earnings season and the key levels you need to keep a tab on. The world and the markets too are breathing easy now as less dangerous siblings of Coronavirus have displaced the deadly Delta variant. One of them, Omicron’s sub-variant BA.2, is the dominant strain in most countries now. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
A sudden spike in temperature in the second half of March caught everyone off guard. Heat shattered a 122 years old record and people hunkered down into their homes, pushing up the sales of air conditioners and refrigerators to a new high after two tepid years. Manufacturers of these summer products are happy but apprehensive too because of lockdown in parts of China and supply chain disruption. Meanwhile, political temperature in Delhi was also shooting up due to reunification of three municipal corporations. While it would be the largest corporation in terms of population, Mumbai’s civic body is still the wealthiest. What's the financial condition of country’s major civic bodies? After the local bodies, let us move on to inflation-- which is soaring due to the Russia-Ukraine war. But despite inflation testing its upper tolerance limit, the Reserve Bank of India has refrained from raising interest rates. Will this week’s policy meeting be any different? Take a deep dive into what equity and bond markets expect from governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday. The world’s first stock market came up in Amsterdam during the 17th century. And it was about 1,700 km away, in Italy, where the modern banking system evolved. The terms, Nostro and Vostro, also came from that region. But what do they mean and why are they in the news now? Listen to this podcast for all the answers. Watch video
Tata Group’s much-awaited super-app will finally be launched tomorrow. Tata Neu is bringing all the company’s digital services into one place -- heating up competition in the segment. But, even as Tatas firm up their strategy, one clear trend is emerging -- it is doubling down on its consumer-facing businesses. Like the super apps, women’s cricket too is seeing some action. Plans are now afoot for the launch of women’s IPL from next year. Will it be able to draw crowd and sponsors? After the women’s IPL, let us move on to markets. Against the backdrop of a tumultuous start to the year, India Inc’s March quarter results will start coming from next week. The earnings’ prospects have been shrouded by multiple global and domestic headwinds, especially the Ukraine-Russia war. But, can the industry deliver a surprise? Global markets have been on the edge since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. Meanwhile, disturbed by the graphic images of deaths in Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital, the UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Monday said that reports raise disturbing questions of possible war crimes. But what qualifies as a war crime? Listen to this podcast to know. Watch video
The onset of a new financial year brought with it a slew of changes in the tax regime. And one of them seemingly dealt a big blow to crypto trading in India. Now income arising from the transfer of any virtual digital asset will invite a flat 30% tax. Another rule says that crypto losses cannot be set off against gains made from the transfer of another digital asset. So how will these new norms impact Indian crypto industry and investors? After India’s tough stance on cryptocurrencies, let us move on to its diplomacy. Dignitaries from a host of countries are making a beeline for India. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, UK’s foreign secretary Liz Truss, US’s deputy national security advisor Daleep Singh, Mexico's foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard and Netherland’s national security advisor Geoffrey Van Leeuwen were in New Delhi last week. What explains this sudden increase in diplomatic traffic? And what does India stand to gain from it? India’s neutral stand on Ukraine-Russia war has indeed ruffled a few feathers in the west. Meanwhile, this war is taking a toll on stock markets too. Markets kicked off FY23 on a positive note with benchmark indices S&P BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 closing over 1% higher last Friday. But, the double whammy of higher inflation and exit of easy money policy continues to endanger investors this fiscal year. Watch our next report to know if markets can withstand turbulent times or is there a devil waiting in disguise? After the war and its effects on stock markets, let us now move on to India’s ambitious ‘One Nation, One Test’ programme for admission to central universities. The registration process for Common University Entrance Test (CUET) 2022 kicked off Saturday. Watch video
It’s the first day of the new financial year today. And, as it happens every year, a set of changes related to income tax are coming into effect. One of the highlights of the new regime is 30% tax on cryptocurrency gains. What are the other changes, and how are they going to affect you? The new tax regime, however, is unlikely to affect the prices of smartphones. Meanwhile, the sales of iPhone in India saw a sharp 34% jump in the last quarter of 2021. It will reflect in Apple’s revenue numbers too. And buoyed by the good response and government’s PLI scheme, Apple is ramping up its production in the country. The government’s production-linked incentive, or PLI scheme, seems to have helped Apple. But is it good for other sectors too? And what are the challenges it is facing? Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently said that the PLI scheme has been a game-changer in drawing industries to India. Let us move on to markets now. The ongoing war in Ukraine, hawkish global central banks, elevated crude oil prices, higher inflation and bond yields will be among the key factors driving performance of markets in this financial year. Stock markets have the ability to pull up surprises -- both pleasant and unpleasant ones. And even seasoned investors continue to stumble on Dalal Street. One such unpleasant surprise is called Bear Trap. Let us find out more about this concept and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Exactly a year after it announced to exit its consumer-facing business in India, Citigroup has sealed the deal with private lender Axis Bank to sell its consumer businesses for nearly $2 billion. So what does Citi’s exit from India mean for its customers here? And what Axis is going to gain from it? Axis bank is indeed set to benefit from Citi’s exit from India. Meanwhile, Business Standard Annual Awards for Corporate Excellence 2021 were announced this week. The winners picked by a high-profile eight-member jury after open and extensive deliberations truly capture the story of India Inc during the Covid-hit year. Just like the best of India Inc, the markets too faced several headwinds to emerge triumphant. The frontline indices are set to close fiscal 2021-22 (FY22) with a double-digit return for the second consecutive financial year. The dark horse, it turned out, was the small-cap segment that outperformed their larger peers. Will this dominance continue in FY23 as well? Investors happily bid adieu to another profitable financial year marked by several strong headwinds. Meanwhile, environmentalists too were a relieved lot as the concept of carbon credits was gaining ground. Listen to this podcast to know more. Watch video
India has finally inked free-trade agreement with a country after a yawning gap of over a decade. The fine print of the pact -- signed with the United Arab Emirates last month and released this Sunday -- threw another surprise. Delhi has extended ‘national treatment’ status to UAE firms in bidding for central government tenders. So, what does opening of central government procurement market for UAE firms mean for Indian companies and why it has raised concerns in several quarters? Domestic industry is indeed staring at competition from UAE firms operating in free trade zone. Let us now move on to the domestic real estate industry. In an interview with Business Standard’s Nivedita Mookerji, Anshuman Magazine of CB Richard Ellis South Asia Pvt Ltd shares why he sees robust growth for the sector which was hit hard by the pandemic. Analysts are turning cautious on stocks of real estate companies due to soaring input costs. Meanwhile, ITC stock which remained comatose for months at a time when the markets were reaching for the stratosphere has finally started to move. If analysts are to be believed, there is more headroom in this counter. Check out how fundamental and technical analysts see ITC do over the next few months. After Dalal Street, let us have a bird’s eye view of the drone industry. During the recent Beating the Retreat ceremony, over 1,000 drones not just lit up the dark Delhi sky with various formations, but also the mood of the audience. The government has said that it was just the beginning of things to come – it wants to make India a global drone hub by 2030. Promoting the drone-as-a-service model is one of the ways to achieve this target. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Soon you may relish your favorite biryani, momos or coffee within ten minutes of ordering them. Zomato on Monday promised to deliver food in the tight time frame even before it loses its steam, arguably becoming the first company in the world to do so. Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal feared that 30-minute food delivery time was too slow. And, if they do not make it obsolete, someone else will. So, what does it mean for the food delivery ecosystem? Is there a demand for quick food delivery? It’s not just the food delivery segment. The winds of change are blowing through the IT sector too. Tech companies are increasingly venturing into smaller cities in search of talents. And they are finding many. Not just that, these IT majors are also setting up offices in cities like Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow and Jaipur. Meanwhile, IT stocks helped benchmark indices rebound into positive zone yesterday. But, how will the markets behave over the next few days against the backdrop of the rise in fuel prices? How analysts are interpreting the recent moves and what they think about inflation and its impact on market sentiment? After the markets, let us move on to the Russia-Ukraine war which entered 28th day today. On 19th of March, Russia is said to have used hypersonic missiles, called Kinzhal, or Dagger in English, to destroy a weapons depot in Ukraine's western region. According to media reports, this was the first recorded use of such missiles in this war. So, what are hypersonic missiles? Take a peek into this nuclear-capable weapons system in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
On his first visit to India, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged an investment of 42 billion dollars over the next five years. This fresh tranche follows the over 29 billion dollar investment made by Tokyo in India between 2014 and 2019. So, what are the specifics of this fresh investment? Where will this money go? And how does Japan match up to China when it comes to infra investments? After the Japanese investment in the country, let us now move on to investments in the private equity space. Amit Chandra, chairman of US PE firm Bain Capital in India and head of CII committee on private equity and venture capital, believes that the government can help build an ‘atmanirbhar’ and vibrant domestic private equity industry. In an interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, Chandra shares his thoughts on the need of a policy framework for private equities on the lines of the PLI framework, their opportunities in India and more. Meanwhile, global IT consulting firm Accenture reported strong Q2 results last week, outwitting experts and its own expectations. The company’s commentary reinforced analysts’ view that the demand environment continues to remain strong and is sustainable in the long run. However, supply-side challenges remain a point of concern. Let's take a dive into what the numbers mean for the Indian IT sector. Markets, it seems, have priced in the negative sentiments -- including the ongoing war next door. It had anticipated the damage, and is now trying to cope with it. Meanwhile, Ukraine too is trying to cope with the loss of civilian lives due to Russian air strikes. Its repeated pleas to the western nations to enforce a no-fly zone have not yielded any result. West fears that its implementation may escalate the war. But what exactly is a no-fly zone and why is it needed, find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Online food-delivery platform Zomato is set to take over Blinkit -- which had pioneered the 10-minute grocery delivery as Grofers. And it looks like a win-win deal for both. It marks Zomato’s foray into e-grocery space, where its rival Swiggy is already there. And the pact will also give a leg up to Blinkit which is struggling to raise funds and has shuttered over 50 warehouses recently and laid off hundreds of employees. Meanwhile, there is another acquisition which is in the news for a while now. The takeover of Air India by Tata group. The airline is now in the midst of an overhaul. Last week, Natarajan Chandrasekaran was appointed its chairman, about a fortnight after former Turkish Airlines chairman Ilker Ayci declined to be CEO over a row on his political links. Even if the appointment of Chandrasekaran -- who is already heading the mighty Tata Sons -- is a stopgap arrangement, it will give the airline a leg up ahead of resumption of international flights later this week. So, how his on-boarding and that of some other independent directors will help the airline? After the skies, let us see what is happening on Dalal Street. Markets staged a strong rebound last week, buoyed by a rally in global equities and a dip in commodity prices. The week also saw the US Federal Reserve raising interest rates after a gap of four years. This week, investors will watch out global macros as the UK is slated to release their retail inflation data on March 23. US President Biden is also expected to meet European leaders at the NATO conference on March 24 to discuss ways of punishing Russia. Not just the markets, but the dissemination of correct information has also suffered in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Both sides have been using manipulated media to further their interests. Recently, deep-fake videos of presidents of both sides hit social media. In one video, Russian President Vladimir Putin was purportedly seen declaring peace. While in the older one, the Ukrainian president was talking of surrendering to Russia. But this is not something new. Let’s understand what deepfake is and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
With two major wheat exporters locked in a bitter war, the rest of the world is now looking for countries which can fill the void. Will India be able to rise to the occasion? Will it be able to address the logistical bottlenecks and quality issues and grab import contracts of wheat before Russia and Ukraine call a truce? Turbulent times indeed offer opportunities. Sandeep Bakshi took over the reins of ICICI bank at a rough time. It was 2018. The reputation of the country’s second largest lender was in tatters, and its balance sheet under government scanner. He steered the bank out of the troubled water in the last four years, winning back trust and on-boarding more customers. He is Business Standard’s Banker of the Year. Know more about this turnaround czar. The stock of ICICI bank has tanked over 5% this year, but experts are still bullish on the private lender. Meanwhile, benchmark indices zoomed 2% yesterday after the US Federal Reserve hiked rates for the first time in three years. However, analysts don’t see the RBI moving the needle on rate hikes just yet as growth concerns linger and the geopolitical situation remains dynamic. From the markets, let us now move on to the future of mobility. Electric vehicles are increasingly marking their presence on the roads, challenging the monopoly of internal combustion engine counterparts. And battery swapping as a service will drive its growth in the days to come. Let us see what it is all about and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
A sudden jump in Covid-19 cases has forced China to impose lockdown in at least 13 cities. One of them, Shenzhen, better known as China’s Silicon Valley, is a hub for manufacturing electronic goods, including chips. Our next report tells about the impact it will have on Indian smartphone manufacturing. From the dwindling chip supply, let us shift our focus to dwindling returns of Employees’ Provident Fund Organization. The world’s largest social security organization recently slashed the interest rate on EPF from 8.5% to 8.1% for 2021-22. This is the lowest rate in more than four decades. But hold on. It still holds the edge. Meanwhile, investors in India are worried about a possible interest rate hike by the US central bank today, which is under pressure to cap inflation. Most experts believe that a 25 basis point hike is already penciled in. So, will the markets look for cues elsewhere and chart out their course? Let us now move on from the market’s uncertain territory, take a pause and imagine a world without the Internet. The very thought of it may make you anxious. But the entire population of remote Pacific island nation, Tonga, went offline for over a month beginning this year. A tsunami had snapped the submarine cables, cutting the nation from the rest of the world. So what exactly are these undersea fiber cables and why they have become the backbone of connectivity? All answers in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Paytm has been in the news for a while now. A few months after its IPO shook investors’ confidence in the primary market, a recent audit shook RBI’s trust in its implementation of know your customer norms. But are all financial institutions adhering to these norms? And what difficulties do they face in implementation? KYC cuts the risk of fraud in digital transactions, whose nature has changed a lot in recent years because of the pandemic. UPI is set to grow bigger now as the RBI has introduced it in feature phones too. Most other forms of digital transaction are also growing. Find out the changing landscape of virtual transactions. Digital transactions also form the backbone of financial markets. Global stock markets, meanwhile, seem to be waiting to see the outcome of the two-day meeting of the US Federal Reserve on March 15 & 16. Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa spoke with Raamdeo Agrawal, co-founder & joint managing director, Motilal Oswal Financial Services, to know how he is interpreting the situation in Ukraine, other recent developments, their impact on corporate earnings back home, and the investing opportunities in this market correction. After the markets, let’s now return to the subject of digital transactions. National Electronic Fund Transfer, or NEFT, is now a preferred mode of transaction for everyone. The RBI-managed NEFT has made near real-time movement of funds from one bank to another very easy. But how does the NEFT system operate? Find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The government's plan to mop up over ₹60,000 crore by selling 5% stake of Life Insurance Corporation this financial year seems to have hit a roadblock. War in Ukraine has destabilised the markets, reportedly forcing policy makers to delay the IPO of insurance behemoth LIC. What are the implications of this delay? After India's top insurer, let us find out what the country’s largest lender, the State Bank of India, is upto. The bank is revamping its mobile application to turn to a complete digital bank --- which will be named ‘Only Yono’. HDFC Bank, too, is working on a similar plan. What it means for future for banking? After the digital banks, let us move on to markets. The ongoing buyback by Tata Consultancy Services has seen record participation, with investors tendering nearly three million shares on the fourth day. Of this, retail investors have tendered up to 1.9 million shares. So, what’s driving investors towards the IT giant’s buyback drive and should you tender your shares too? Advancement in technology has made financial transactions safer -- including those happening for markets. Real Time Gross Settlement or RTGS system is one such example. Introduction of RTGS has cut short the risk to high-value payment settlements among financial institutions. This system is increasingly being used by central banks worldwide. Let us know more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The invasion on Ukraine by major energy and metals producer Russia has led to a rally in commodities ranging from edible oils to aluminum. Consumer goods companies, hit with high raw material costs, are now passing on the price increases to customers. Will India face further inflation on FMCG products and consumer durables? Meanwhile, inflation in Sri Lanka recently soared past 14%. The island nation is going through its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, and an economic emergency has been clamped. But the government has taken several steps to tame inflation and boost growth. The upcoming Colombo International Financial City or Colombo port city is one of them. Touted as “an economic game changer”, its relaxed business environment is expected to attract global firms. Saliya Wickramasuriya, Director General of the project, tells more about this ambitious project in an interaction with Business Standard’s Aditi Phadnis. From Sri Lanka’s ambitious project, let us move on to markets back home. Somewhat stable crude oil prices and ruling BJP’s impressive show in state polls boosted the morale on the streets as indices snapped the losing streak last week. But this week investors will keep an eye on the two-day Federal Reserve meeting against the backdrop of US inflation skyrocketing to 40-year high. Swift transfer of money between bank accounts has made all types of transactions smooth, including those happening in markets. Gone are the days when people used to wait in serpentine bank queues to send money across. Through IMPS, we can transfer money within seconds. Know more about this platform in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
After two years of lull, regular international flights will resume from India beginning March 27. It will replace the expensive air-bubble arrangement with 37 countries, giving a big breather to travelers. So, what does it mean for the aviation and tourism industry? Will it help them recover from the pandemic woes? In the winter of 2015, way before it attacked Ukraine, it is alleged that hackers backed by Russia had breached the power grid, knocked out the electricity and plunged parts of western Ukraine into darkness. Similar attacks have since happened across the world. So, is India prepared to safeguard its critical infrastructure in case of cyber-attack by state or non-state actors? With Brent crude hovering around $130 per barrel, its highest level since 2008, multiple sectors have started feeling the heat of the subsequent raw material inflation. Among the impacted sectors, chemical is reeling under the pressure just when it had begun coping from the pandemic-induced challenges. Their stocks continue to tumble. So, should investors lap up shares after this correction or wait? The Russian attack on Ukraine not just highlighted Vladimir Putin’s growing clout in the region, but also trained some spotlight on a bunch of billionaire businessmen -- often referred to as the President’s men. Part of Putin’s inner circle, they are now facing a litany of sanctions from the West, which calls this kind of governance as oligarchy, and not a democracy. But do you know the difference between these two? Or, for that matter, what is an autocracy or monarchy? Listen to this podcast for all the answers. Watch video
Russia dropped another bomb on Monday. Not on the Ukrainian turf, but on the world economy. It threatened to shut the main gas pipeline to Germany and warned of crude oil price at $300 a barrel if the West banned its energy exports. Crude has already hit $130, the highest in 14 years. And back home in India, the signs of economic distress are quite imminent. The rupee has hit a lifetime low and inflation is soaring. The Indian economy could incur an additional 70-billion-dollar burden versus FY22 levels. BP, Shell, General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen, Nike and Netflix are among the flurry of companies which have decided to suspend their operations in Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The list is getting longer by each passing day, putting Russia and Russians in a tight spot. Meanwhile, markets snapped the losing streak on Tuesday and ended in green. Nifty ended above 16,000 while Sensex gained 581 points, notwithstanding the global crisis. The country is now waiting for the next big event -- the outcome of assembly polls which will be announced tomorrow. But are markets excited about it, amid the global headwinds. Or it will be a non-event? At the heart of Russia’s prickly ties with the West is NATO’s eastward expansion. It was also one of the triggers for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While the Kremlin calls NATO a relic of the Cold War, its members justify its existence. Our next podcast offers a peek into this trans-Atlantic military alliance’s journey so far. Watch video
The fresh Covid-19 cases reached 4,300 on Monday, bringing some semblance of normality. Rush in markets and public transport also conveyed the same feeling -- that old days are back. World over, companies have started calling their employees back to the office. But a breeze of change is also blowing through across the sectors. Several big firms and a large number of start-ups are giving their employees the options to choose between home and office. But some want the old order back. Meanwhile, Russia is on a warpath to bring back another kind of old order. It has invaded Ukraine, leaving the world in shock and disbelief. Subsequent sanctions imposed by the West have economically cut off Russia from the rest of the world. Ukraine too is in a similar situation. And some of the trade void left by these two countries is now being filled by India. Demand for Indian wheat and several other commodities has risen. Find out the the long-term impact, as these sanctions are unlikely to be lifted anytime soon. he war is taking a heavy toll on Indian markets. It has brought the rally seen since March 2020 to a screeching halt. There was no respite on Monday too with the Nifty50 index slipping below the 16,000-mark. Is there more pain in store for the markets or should you use the fall to buy? Business Standard spoke to leading market experts to know what they think of the current situation and their investment strategy. Gujarat’s Gift City has now opened a window for Indians to invest in prominent international stocks. Entities, which are owned by BSE and NSE and are based in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City or GIFT City in Gandhinagar, now let retail investors buy and sell stocks of US firms. In this episode of the podcast find out more about National Stock Exchange (NSE)’s International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) which is allowing trading in eight US stocks and will soon increase the count to 50.
The price of aviation turbine fuel -- or popularly known as jet fuel-- hit an all-time high last week after a fifth round of increase this year. And the financially-distressed airline industry decided to pass on the burden to fliers by effecting a hike of about 20% in airfares. So what does it mean for the aviation sector and also for the travellers? After the Indian skies, let us see what is happening in China’s fintech landscape. In an interview with Business Standard’s Vikram Gopal, fintech expert Richard Turrin tells about how China is moving ahead with its digital currency. He also clears some air on its Indian version. Digital currencies may well replace other forms of transactions in equity markets in the days to come. Meanwhile, benchmark indices saw a sharp selloff last week with Nifty50 sinking in red at 16,245, down by 252 points. And Sensex tanked 768 points to settle at 54,333. This week is also likely to be action-packed as results of state polls will be announced. And the government may also go ahead with fuel price hike after maintaining the status quo for four months. Our next report tells about how market is likely to react to these developments After bulls and bears, let us move on to birds. Parts of the country reported an outbreak of the H591 bird flu late last month. Thousands of domestic birds were culled. So, what exactly is bird flu and how does it spread? Also, should you worry about eating eggs and chicken? Let’s find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The desperate appeals and shocking visuals of thousands of Indian medical students stuck in war-ravaged Ukraine are making everyone ask one question. What made them travel so far for education? And the answer is access to quality education at an affordable fee. A medical degree costs over three times more in India, than in Ukraine. So what can be done to bring down the cost of medical education in India while increasing the number of seats at the same time? Russia’s Ukraine invasion has sent the stock markets on a roller-coaster ride. It has also sent prices of most commodities, including oil soaring. Brent crude oil has hit 110 dollars a barrel. So what investors should do amid this upheaval? Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, reveals his investment strategies in an exclusive interview with Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa. The ongoing geopolitical crisis, he believes, is an opportunity to buy. Financial institutions around the world are winding down or suspending business in Russia, following heavy sanctions against it by the West. Global index providers MSCI and FTSE say that these sanctions have made Russia’s stock market “un-investable”. And, removal of Russian listings from their indices is a “natural next step”. But will India really see FPI inflows after this? After markets, let us move on to a contagious disease which has been causing worldwide havoc for over two years now. Covid-19’s dreadful journey started from China as an epidemic, before it turned into a pandemic. And now the third wave is likely to become endemic here. Find out what is the difference between these terms and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
It cannot be more alarming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Monday warned that if emissions are not cut rapidly, heat and humidity will create conditions beyond human tolerance. The report also described India as one of the most vulnerable countries where 35 million people could face annual coastal flooding in the next 30 years. Its economic impact could also be as devastating. Agriculture and several other sectors will bear the brunt of emissions and rising mercury. Change is not always unpleasant. Like there is a change of guard at Securities and Exchange Board of India after five years. The new chief, 56-year-old Madhabi Puri Buch, has many firsts to her credit. She is the youngest Sebi chief and the first woman chairperson of the market regulator. Markets were eager to know who will be at the helm at SEBI. Buch has taken the charge of the regulator at a time when the equity markets are in turmoil due to global uncertainty. Analysts are asking investors to remain cautious and look at safer investment options. We find out the sectors and stocks which experts say are a safe bet. From markets, let us now move on to the crisis which is making it nervous. India on Tuesday launched an operation to bring home hundreds of medical students stuck in the war-torn region of Ukraine. While announcing the ‘Operation Ganga’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also asked the Air Force to join the evacuation exercise. Let us find out about this challenging operation and more in this episode of the podcast.
Gold has been the best-performing asset class so far this year, as investors have shied away from picking equities amid geopolitical uncertainty. With the Russia-Ukraine situation tense and domestic economic activity gathering steam, real estate prices are also rising. So, should you invest in these asset classes? Such portfolio rejigs come with some caveats that you must keep in mind. With the US, UK and the European Union ratcheting up economic sanctions against Russia, countries like India are faced with difficult choices. That’s because they depend on Moscow for a large percentage of their defence equipment. The actions could impact some of India’s largest defence deals with Russia, such as the purchase of S-400 missile systems and the leasing of nuclear submarines. What's the impact of the sanctions on India’s defence deals with Russia? The Russia-Ukraine conflict has not only disturbed India’s defence procurement but also jolted global financial markets. But historically, though such instances have triggered a sharp fall in equity markets across the globe, including in India, the recovery in most cases has also been swift. Finf out how markets have behaved during such crises earlier to assess if this time will be any different. Following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the European Union and the US along with its Western allies, announced measures to block selected Russian banks from the SWIFT payments system. The move is expected to have a devastating impact on the Russian economy. But what is SWIFT? Watch this episode of the podcast to know about the communication system underpinning international transfers and more. Watch video
As the Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, they not only set in motion a war but also an economic upheaval across Asia. Most Asian countries are now bracing for a tough and uncertain time ahead. We take a peek into the likely troubles that this war might cause to these nations, including India. Troubles for Asian economies are aplenty. Add to that the burden of higher energy prices for importers like India. Commodity prices skyrocketed last week after sanctions were imposed on Russia. Brent crude surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014, while Aluminium prices touched lifetime highs. Gold prices also rose to a 13-month high as investors rushed to safe-haven bets. Will this rally continue this week? Or will equities be back in flavour? After the war, economic upheaval and the market dynamics in their wake, let us now move on to a company which has been seeing a stable growth for long. In an interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, chairman and managing director of Bajaj Finserv, Sanjiv Bajaj, tells about how he plans to take his financial service business digital. Last week, as the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalated, India launched an evacuation exercise to bring home its citizens stuck in the conflict zone. An Air India plane, under the Vande Bharat Mission, evacuated about 240 Indians before the Ukrainian airspace was shut for air traffic. Find out more about Vande Bharat Mission in this episode of the podcast. ALSO READ: Russia Ukraine war Live Updates Watch video
Just like the world, India too caught its breath and figured out the next course of action as Russian troops stormed into Ukrainian cities early Thursday. The Indian government is now scrambling all the resources to evacuate its 20,000 citizens from the eastern European country, whose air space has been shut since the offensive. Apart from this, the war will also have its economic consequences too. Back home, the India’s largest bourse, National Stock Exchange, is at the centre of a controversy. And at the heart of that controversy is a mysterious yogi everyone is talking about now. Chitra Ramkrishna, a founding member of NSE who was at the helm between 2013 and 2016, has told investigators probing alleged irregularities during her tenure, that she was being guided by the mystic who lived in Himalayas. But did that mystic really lived in the Himalayas? Or was he moving around in the plush exchange office of Mumbai? Meanwhile, the Russian invasion led to a bloodbath on Dalal Street. Global financial markets were rattled too. While most equity markets across the globe corrected sharply, Brent Crude oil hit the psychological level of 100 dollars a barrel. These developments along with other headwinds have kept the markets choppy in the February F&O series, which turned out to be one of the most volatile series since April 2021 F&O expiry. Will the March series be equally volatile? What should your strategy be in this backdrop? Markets are eagerly awaiting the IPO of government-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India or LIC. But even before it hits the primary market, LIC filed a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. This episode of the podcast tells more about this document and why it is filed. Watch video
According to an estimate, about eight lakh Indian students abroad spent about Rs 2.1 trillion to get higher education in 2019. And most of the students prefer to settle overseas after completing their degrees, a loss of young talent which India can ill afford. But a recent government initiative allowing foreign universities to set up campuses at Gandhinagar-based GIFT City International Financial Services Centres (IFSC) offers some hope now. Skilled youngsters are indeed the key to fulfilling India’s aspiration of becoming a global leader. In an interview to Business Standard’s Indivjal Dhasmana, Naushad Forbes, the co -chairman of Forbes Marshall, tells about what gives India an edge over China and how it can become one of the world’s top three economies. After Naushad Forbes’ vision for India’s economic growth, let us now move on to markets. Sanctions against Russia received lukewarm response from investors. The broader indices outperformed the frontline indices yesterday, but should you chase this rally? Market regulator Sebi cracked down against six individuals last month for allegedly manipulating stock prices by using Telegram app. This incident again highlighted how misinformation or fake news spreads quickly on social media platforms, ducking even the trained eyes. Dissemination of fake news or misinformation also sees a drastic jump during the elections. Find out more about the age-old menace in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
India signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with UAE last Friday, over a decade after it inked such a deal with Japan in 2011. This agreement will not only shed the perception that India is becoming too circumspect in entering into such contracts, it will also help in its pursuit to boost exports to 1 trillion dollars-- both in merchandise as well as in services by 2030. So what does this trade agreement mean for New Delhi and what the government is planning to achieve through this? Just like India, a home-grown start-up is continuously expanding its footprints across the globe. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) start-up Icertis which helps giants like Google, Microsoft and Apple manage their contracts, has quietly come to dominate the contract life cycle management market. And it is now aiming even higher -- looking at a $50 billion valuation in the next five to seven years. In an interaction with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, the company’s co-founder Monish Darda tells more about his plans and challenges posed by software bigwigs. But there is a development which is increasingly threatening to derail the world economy. Global stocks slumped yesterday as Europe’s eastern flank stood on the cusp of war between Russia and Ukraine. While benchmark indices in India have fallen about 2% so far this year, broader indices have tanked up to 13%, hurting retail investors the most. As markets brace for volatile days ahead amid the geo-political tensions, learn how retail investors can ride the tide. After the markets, let us move on to legacy issues plaguing the telecom sector. For over a decade now, the government and telecom majors are locked in a battle over payment of one-time spectrum charge -- which is now in the Supreme Court. But, during the last hearing, the government told the court that it was reviewing whether or not to continue with its appeal. It has come as a big reprieve to the debt-saddled telecom operators. Our next report tells more about this charge, why it was levied and its current status in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Just over a month after it announced a Rs 76,000 crore incentive plan for semiconductor manufacturing, the government last Saturday claimed to have received five proposals for setting up of semiconductor fabrication and display fabrication units worth Rs 1.53 lakh crore in the country. Will India become a global semiconductor manufacturing hub in the next few years? While the government’s labour to boost semiconductor manufacturing in India is bearing some fruits, it is still toiling hard to bring the railways’ expenditure on track. We find out more. After the railways, let us move on to markets. The Russia-Ukraine standoff is keeping investors on their toes. Yesterday, too, the frontline indices oscillated between gains and losses before closing in the red. With no domestic triggers in focus, investors have their eyes fixed on the geo-political developments in Eastern Europe. Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with R Venkataraman, chairman at IIFL Securities to know if the markets’ bottom is near? The phone or the computer on which you track the market fluctuations run on operating systems developed outside the country. But Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar recently said the government is planning to come up with a policy that will facilitate an ecosystem for the industry to create an indigenous operating system as an alternative to Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. Let us see what it is in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
After four years of cajoling, Sebi has finally given in. Its efforts to introduce a good and established global corporate practice of keeping the offices of chairmen and managing directors at companies separate in India didn’t yield results. In the market regulator’s own words, it was a ‘tall order’. So, what does Sebi’s about turn mean? And what lessons does it hold for the market regulator? While some Indian companies may be resisting new ideas, people of the country seem open to experimenting when it comes to food. Stalls of spicy soya chaap are increasingly dotting the city markets across the country now. The last couple of years have seen the emergence of several plant-based meat brands in India. While the concept has been around in the West for a while, celebrities like Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma are helping in its mainstreaming in India. A slow but steady change in consumer awareness has opened up opportunities in this space. After food, let us move on to oil. Crude oil prices surged over 10% in the last one month to touch an eight-year high of $96 a barrel earlier this week amid tension between Russia and Ukraine. The BSE Sensex closed 105 points down at 57,892 yesterday, and the Nifty50 ended 17 points lower at 17,305, as investors monitored the Russia-Ukraine situation. Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with London-based Paul Hickin, a director at S&P Global Platts, to understand how he expects crude oil prices to play out in the days to come. Stock markets in India are likely to remain cautious on Friday, and take cues from their global peers. Let us now move on to the world of software. A controversy brought Github into the limelight in India recently when a bunch of youths misused this platform to host an app, on which they allegedly organised fake auction of over 100 women of a particular faith. While police acted swiftly and nabbed all the key accused, Github, on its part, suspended the account used to create the app and slammed the crime. There is much more to Github than this controversy. Take a peek into the creative world of this huge open-source platform and more in this episode of the podcast.
The online gaming with stakes is navigating a maze of laws and corridors of courts in India. Despite a Supreme Court order saying that games with certain levels of skills should not be considered gambling, confusion over it still persists. Our next report offers a peek into the realm of online gaming in India and highlights the thin line separating skill-based and chance-based games Just like online gaming, German software giant SAP continued its growth streak in the Indian market. In an interview with Business Standard’s Shivani Shinde, Kulmeet Bawa, the president and managing director for SAP Indian Subcontinent, talks about the company’s ambitious target to turn its cloud business into a €22 billion revenue unit and also how its Indian arm has performed. The German software giant last month reported that its fourth quarter profit after tax dropped by 25% as compared to the last year. But back home, India Inc continued to clock a healthy quarterly performance in Q3 of FY22. Indian companies’ sequential earnings growth continued in Q3, despite inflation and Omicron-related headwinds. However, it was the slowest growth in six quarters as increased input costs weighed on margins and volume growth. Find out how Q3 results panned out and how the inflation headwinds could affect growth of corporate India in quarters ahead. After the markets, let us see how technology is making our lives easier. The global in-vehicle payment system market size is expected to grow from $3.32 billion in 2021 to $12.50 billion in 2028. After FASTag cut short our waiting time at toll plazas, now plans are afoot for similar experiments. Let us see what they are and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
After two years of painstaking preparation, the government on Sunday finally approached SEBI to sell 5% stake in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) through Initial Public Offering. It expects to collect close to Rs 60,000 crore through this move -- a sum which will help the government meet its disinvestment target and bridge its fiscal deficit which is widening due to an increased infrastructure push. Find out more about the IPO of the country’s largest insurer and also if it is the right time to go public. Another promising IPO may also hit the primary markets soon. Though not as huge as LIC, the IPO of business-to-business e-commerce platform Udaan has all the potential to impress investors. In conversation with Business Standard’s Nivedita Mookerji, Udaan’s co-founder and its newly-appointed CEO Vaibhav Gupta tells us about his firm’s IPO plans and how was the Union Budget for the start-up universe. After the IPOs and primary market, let us move on to the secondary market. Sensex tanked over 1,700 points on Monday amid global sell off. Foreign institutional investors, or FIIs, are the backbone of Indian equity markets. Over the past few months, they have been on a selling spree across most emerging markets, including India. What’s making them nervous, and will the trend reverse? Take a dive into how FIIs are viewing India as an investment destination amid rising headwinds. After primary and secondary markets, let’s turn to entertainment. Ajay Devgn on Monday stirred a debate by saying that actors’ move towards OTT platforms “was more about finding the right subject” rather than the pandemic. Find out more about OTT platforms and regulations that govern it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept the key policy rates unchanged in its monetary policy review, surprising most experts who were betting on a reverse repo rate hike. Governor Shaktikanta Das said that the Monetary Policy Committee will continue its growth-supportive stance till there are signs of a durable recovery. What the central bank’s status quo mean? After the RBI’s status quo on key rates, let us move on to some action in the skies. A swarm of 1,000 India-made drones lit up the night sky with different formations over Vijay Chowk during the Beating Retreat ceremony last month. Just 11 days later, the government on Wednesday put a halt on the import of drones to give a fillip to India’s fledgling drone industry. Will this recent move help lift the fortune of nascent drone industry? After the drones, let us see how stock markets reacted after the RBI’s review meeting. The domestic equity markets soared yesterday after the RBI’s bi-monthly monetary policy struck a dovish tone. The bullish sentiment lifted the Nifty50 a tad above 17,600 and the Sensex near 58,950. While the policy is set to comfort equities and bonds in the near-term, analysts say investors should remain cautious due to huge borrowing starting April 2022, rising global yields and elevated commodity prices. Uninterrupted Internet connectivity is key to trading. Just like our homes and offices, every device hooked to the Internet has its address. And similar to the postal department and courier agencies in the real world, the virtual world has Internet Protocol -- which is responsible for addressing, routing and delivering the online packets of information. But with the huge rise in the number of devices using the Internet, the current version of IP -- which is IPv 4 -- is bursting at the seams. And the world is now switching to IPv6 to accommodate billions of addresses and more. Let us know about IPv6 and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Somewhere in September last year, about 80% of our country’s coal-fired plants had a scary moment. They were left with less than a week worth of coal stock, against the recommended reserve of 15 to 30 days. It led to the Prime Minister’s intervention, and an impending crisis was averted. But, according to a Business Standard report, we are again staring at a somewhat similar situation. Coal not just gives us electricity, it produces billionaires too. According to some reports, coal mining tycoon Gautam Adani became Asia’s richest man for a short while, surpassing Mukesh Ambani -- the chairman of Reliance Industries Ltd. So what is behind Adani’s success, what explains his meteoric rise? Fortune is indeed favouring him. Shares of Adani Wilmar -- the flagship consumer goods entity in Gautam Adani’s stable -- hit another 20% upper circuit on Wednesday. Meanwhile, as economic recovery gains ground, global central banks, including the Reserve Bank of India, have their task cut-- to gradually withdraw the liquidity support. However, 10-year bond yields have been rising since the December policy meeting, picking pace after the Budget announcement. On the other hand, tightness in liquidity has led to some short-term market rates rising above the Repo Rate. This nervousness in the bond markets could make Shaktikanta Das’s task even more challenging. After the markets, let us see how technology is making our lives better. Very soon, you may be able to make digital payments up to a certain amount without an active internet connection. Let us find out how and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The appeal of global brands cuts across religious, linguistic and national barriers. Most of them follow a simple rule while dealing with politically and socially charged themes -- steer clear. But some companeis sometimes stir up controversies by treading into the unfamiliar terrain of politics. Recent social media posts of some global brands on Pakistan’s ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ is one such example. It backfired and the companies were forced to issue clarifications. Take a peek into this tricky subject. After global giants’ PR disaster, let us now move on to a homegrown multinational company’s big strides towards becoming world’s largest generic pharmaceutical firm. In conversation with Business Standard’s Sohini Das, Lupin CEO Vinita Gupta shared her company’s growth plans in the US and in China. Meanwhile, some analysts have issued a buy call on Lupin whose shares dipped to Rs 786 apiece on Tuesday. Let us now see if investors can benefit from the Brent crude rally too? Brent crude prices have been on a one-way rally since the start of the year, rising about 20% so far in 2022. This has pulled back equities from their recent highs as oil price rise can lead to inflation and hamper the government’s import bills. We find out if investors can benefit from this. From Mumbai’s bustling Dalal Street, let us now shift our focus to the quiet central axis of New Delhi, the manicured lawns, gardens and buildings around India Gate and Raisina Hill which are now giving way to the government’s Central Vista Project. Find out how this area will look like once it is completed and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Lata Mangeshkar is as relevant in this age of mobile apps, as she was seven decades ago in the era of gramophones. Her voice not just spins magic, but the money too. It has been dominating the Indian music economy for decades now. Take a peek into another aspect of the veteran singer’s magical voice -- the business side of it. After the legendary singer, let us move on to India’s top business schools. The latest survey conducted by Business Standard cuts the clutter and lists the best business schools of the country for you A recent news report claimed that most management schools across the country were able place all the students within hours of the placement season taking off. After the pandemic, most companies are on a hiring spree. But for them, the picture didn’t look as good on Dalal Street. Benchmark indices have turned negative for the year with Monday’s 1.7% slide in the markets. Analysts fear a double digit fall in benchmark indices is possible as markets are not fully pricing global headwinds. Budget euphoria may well be waning away on Dalal Street, but some of its announcements are still fresh in people’s imaginations. Virtual digital assets are one of them. Find out about it and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The rise of cryptocurrency has unsettled the government and the central bank too -- which feared losing control over the monetary supply. Even as it was scrambling a legislation to tame the elephant in the room, the government announced two quick measures in the recent budget, which experts believe are meant to check the rise of the private digital currencies. Apart from taxing it heavily, the government announced RBI’s digital currency -- a crypto competitor which it can control. Finf out more about it and how it may give fillip to fintech sector as Prime Minister strongly believes. Soon after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2022 presentation, Business Standard caught up with member of her team to understand the Budget better. Get a perspective of the government’s disinvestment road map from DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey. Information technology stocks have been on a downward spiral in 2022. The Nifty IT index has slipped over 7% YTD, and has been the worst hit amongst its peers on the NSE. In comparison, the Nifty50 index has moved up over 2% during this period. So, what is ailing the sector and why is it out of flavour on Dalal Street? A day after the budget, Union finance secretary TV Somnathan told a business news channel that the government doesn’t treat trading in crypto assets as illegal. They will be treated in the same way as betting on horse racing or any other speculative transaction. Find out more about cryptocurrency, how it works, what challenges it is posing before the government and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The economy is likely to grow at a conservative 8-8.5% in the fiscal year 2022-23 and the country is geared up to face the challenges posed by pandemic, the Economic Survey tabled yesterday said. It also claimed that the economic activity has recovered to pre-pandemic level but cautioned on some risks. What does this yearly report card tells about the condition of the economy and the risks ahead? Through the Economic Survey, the government reasserted its commitment towards privatisation and strategic disinvestment of Public Sector Enterprises. It said that the sale of Air India generated disinvestment proceeds and was key in boosting the government's privatisation drive. But where the airline flies from here. What are challenges the Tata Group will face in ensuring that the Air India’s flight is smooth? Over the years, markets have positively reacted to Budgets presented by the Modi-government. Last year’s pro-growth Budget saw the benchmarks climbing over 5%. So, will the markets repeat their 2021 performance? Or will bears outweigh bulls today? A considerable chunk of the country’s population is glued to TV sets or mobile phones on the budget day to know about the announcement on personal taxation, as it affects them directly. In the 2020 Budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had introduced a new tax regime. Find out more about the difference in slab rates between the new tax regime and old tax regime in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The Budget session of Parliament beginning today may well decide the future course on the Indian economy. At a time when the pandemic-battered economy is showing clear signs of recovery, the steps taken by the Centre may help it back on its feet. Today the session will start with the tabling of the Economic Survey, which serves as a precursor to the Budget. Find out about the expectations people have from this session -- will it be just stormy or productive too? The centre’s plan to privatise two state-owned banks continues to be in limbo. Food and fertiliser subsidies are also going to be critical this time in Budget. Take a deep dive on their Budget estimates. Budget announcements are usually key catalysts for market trends and historical data suggest markets clock a strong post-Budget rally if it books profit ahead of it. Now, with a 3% fall prior to the Budget week, benchmark indices are testing their support levels. Get an insight on the key data points that the Street awaits from the Economic Survey and Union Budget 2022. When Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the budget tomorrow, all eyes will be on a document which shows total expenditure of the government. It is classified as Expenditure Budget. Find more about it in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The share of the Information Technology sector in India’s GDP has risen from 1.2% in 1998 to almost 10% in 2019. And it has made its presence felt globally too. Six Indian tech giants -- led by TCS and Infosys -- are now among the 25 most valuable IT brands worldwide, according to Brand Finance. TCS is now world number two, just behind Irish giant Accenture. We find out more about the Indian IT industry’s journey so far, and also about the road ahead for it From the Indian IT giants, let us now shift our focus to the looming war clouds over Eastern Europe. The mounting tension between Russia and the Western world over the Kremlin's military build-up on the Ukrainian border is also providing the bullying fodder to the oil market. For the first time in seven years, oil touched $90 a barrel. And a disruption in supply may push it beyond the $100 mark. So what such a rise will mean for the Indian economy and will it upset the government’s budget math? While oil prices soared, that of gold fell over 1% on MCX yesterday, in-line with equities. But, the weakness in the prices of the yellow metal is prompting Indians to buy more gold. The demand for gold jewellery had hit a six-year high in 2021. So, is the trend here to stay as investors flock to safe-haven assets in the backdrop of risks to inflation amid rising oil prices and faster-than-expected rise in interest rates in the US? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Somasundaram PR, Regional CEO, India, at the World Gold Council to understand how the gold demand is likely to pan out in 2022. Several leading jewellers have, meanwhile, appealed to the government to reduce the import duty on gold in the upcoming budget. The Union government is now busy giving final touches to the contours of the budget, which will be presented on February 1. India’s Union Budget can be classified into two parts -- the capital budget and the revenue budget. Let us delve into the details of the latter and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The CII on Monday asked the government to consider increasing the corporate social responsibility (CSR) levy by one percentage point, from the existing 2%, for one year. The industry body said that the money should be utilized to give boosters shots. But is India’s private sector loosening its purse strings for social causes? In the financial year 2021, the CSR contribution dipped drastically by 64% year-on-year to Rs 8,828 crore. While it may be called an aberration due to the pandemic, are all the companies meeting their CSR commitment? Pandemic spared none. Be it the corporates and ultra-high net worth individuals or those at the bottom of the wealth pyramid. A recent survey conducted by a Mumbai-based think-tank claimed that the annual income of the poorest 20% of Indian households dropped by 53% in 2020-21 from their levels in 2015-16. Income of that section was constantly on the rise since 1995. In contrast, the annual household income of the richest 20% grew by 39% during the same period. Let's delve into the reasons behind it, and explores what the government can do to alleviate poverty and boost demand. With barely a few days left for the Finance Minister to present the Union Budget for fiscal 2022-23, market experts hope that the government will take steps to keep the economic growth momentum without springing a negative surprise. Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Vaibhav Sanghavi, Co-CEO, Avendus Capital Public Markets Alternate Strategies on what the street expects from the budget proposals and his views on how the US Fed policy is likely to impact emerging markets, including India The government takes its cut from the profit you earned in the markets in form of taxes. But did you know that the government also charges tax on tax. They are called cess and surcharge. In the last budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had introduced a new cess on fuel, liquor and some other goods to improve agriculture infrastructure. All these and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Pandemic left lakhs of people jobless in the last two years. But, at the same time, it also generated lakhs of jobs in some sectors, including in the gig industry. We now get our food and other essentials within 15 minutes of ordering. What started out as a necessity has now become a convenience. Grofers rebranded to Blinkit and pivoted to instant commerce. Zepto bagged $100 million and Dunzo raised funding from Reliance Industries. And now, Swiggy has turned a decacorn. It is planning to go big on quick commerce. Find out how Swiggy doubled its valuation in just six months. Pandemic threw a set of challenges which companies had never confronted before. It led to a marked shift in the way they worked. After Swiggy and the gig industry, let us now see how the IT sector dealt with these challenges? In an interview with Surajeet Das Gupta, Accenture’s senior managing director and lead for India business Piyush Singh shared his company’s experience and more. After Accenture, let us now turn our focus to Indian stock markets, which finally saw some upward momentum after several days of losses. The US Fed’s signal that it would begin raising rates as soon as this March is the main reason behind the stock markets’ volatile start to the year. And while the US Fed may not begin hiking rates just yet, the central bank is expected to maintain a path to tighter policy this year. Delve into what the markets expect the Fed to deliver later tonight, and outlook for Indian equities in the near-term. Experts believe that the upcoming Union budget will offer some respite to the bourses spooked by US Fed uncertainty and rising crude oil prices. Money bill is the most crucial part of any Union budget. It comes under the Finance Bill and tells us about the taxation and government spending. Know about Money Bill and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Its future is clearly tied up with smart TVs. And, with the viewers of course. Netflix Chairman and Co-CEO Reed Hastings had claimed last September that half of the US population still don’t own smart TVs, and there is a long way to go. Hastings has been saying the same about India too, where the penetration is much less. But, last week, the co-founder of the world’s largest streaming company, went on to say that lack of success in the Indian market was “frustrating”. What prompted Hastings to make such a statement and why Netflix is not able to penetrate beyond a fixed customer base here? Pandemic created several stars, like Netflix and Zomato. But overall, it spelled doom for several other sectors. Micro, small and medium enterprises or MSME was one of them. Thousands of small businesses were shut, and millions lost jobs. Ranen Banerjee of PwC India shares his views with Business Standard’s Krishna Veera Vanamali on what he expects from the upcoming Budget for the sector and what the government can do to boost demand at the bottom of the pyramid. After the budgetary expectations, let us move on to markets. Sensex and Nifty indices erased all the gains clocked this year amid soured global sentiment. The broader markets, too, have been knocked down as investors dump penny stocks. And if tech charts are anything to go by, another bout of selling can drag over 50% of Nifty500 stocks below their crucial support levels. We all know that the earnings from the stock market invite taxes. It comes under the direct tax category. There are two types of taxes which the government collects -- direct and indirect taxes. Find more about them in this podcast ahead of Union budget for 2022-23 which may keep modest targets for tax collections. Watch video
Last Tuesday, Microsoft announced the takeover of US gaming giant Activision Blizzard -- the makers of the famous Call of Duty series and Candy Crush Saga. The deal was struck at a massive $69 billion. Microsoft claimed that the pact has made it the third-largest gaming company by revenue, following Tencent and Sony. In its official statement, the company also said that the move will provide “building blocks for the metaverse”. But with metaverse still a distant dream, what is behind Microsoft’s ambitious plunge into the world of gaming? Not just online gaming, India is one of the fastest growing markets for booze too. Several international brands are testing the waters here. One of them, French distiller Pernod Ricard, also has big expansion plans for the country. In an interaction with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, Pernod Ricard’s South Asia chief Thibault Cuny talks about his India-strategy after Covid-restrictions and how he aims to drive in the consumption experience of ‘quality over quantity’. After Pernod Ricard, let us see what is brewing on Dalal Street. Following a sprint above 18,300, Indian bourses caught their breath last week, rattled by rising bond yields and oil prices. This week, market moves will be guided by Q3 results, F&O expiry, global cues, and budget expectations. Market participants expect the government to retain its emphasis on capex investment, with a major focus on growth-supportive expenditures in both the public and private sectors. What else do markets expect from the Union Budget of 2022, and what are the demands of investors? Markets may well begin the upward movement soon. Let us move on to one of the most debated topics of our times. Subsidies. Some loath it while others love it. Last week, several top US Lawmakers urged their government to approach WTO against India which they said was subsidizing over half of the value of production for rice and wheat, against the WTO limit of 10%. Find out about subsidies, why countries need it and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The US rolled out 5G services on Wednesday, notwithstanding the US Federal Aviation Administration’s warning and fears that it may interfere with crucial on-board instruments. And, amid this fear, several countries either rescheduled or cancelled flights to American cities. But the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said that there was no immediate safety concern in their region where the latest technology is also being introduced. India, meanwhile, will also launch this service in the next few months. So will the new technology come in the way of flight safety here, our next report tries to find some answers After the clash of two technologies, let us move on to man's brush with nature. According to an estimate, earth’s temperature has risen by 0.14° F (0.08° C) per decade since 1880. And the last decade was the warmest in recorded history. To know more about the climate change -- which is also leading to erratic distribution of rainfall and increased probability of flash floods -- Business Standard’s Sanjeeb Mukherjee spoke to Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department. Climate change has also started influencing investment decisions, a recent report has said. Meanwhile, equity markets have been on a downtrend for the better part of this week. The Sensex has fallen over 1,800 points in 3 days while the Nifty50 is testing 17,750 level. Given this, analysts suggest inventors accumulate quality names from the sectors which can benefit from Budget announcements. Watch our next report to know which are the stocks and sectors that analysts are most bullish on It is not just the markets, but the country too is keenly waiting for the Union budget which will be tabled on February 1. But what are its major components? Why does the government conduct this annual exercise? Budget is not always populist, it also upsets many. While referring to some tough measures that he had taken in the 2012 budget, the then Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had said while quoting Hamlet, “I must be cruel only to be kind.” Know about the Union Budget and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Riding high on nostalgia, Classic Legends recently relaunched the iconic Yezdi motorcycle. The Mahindra Group-backed company hopes to make a cut into the mid-size motorcycle segment, with an eye on the affluent class. But what about the other sections of population for which bike is a necessity? The sales of two-wheelers plunged to lowest in nine years in 2021. Does the trend reflect the declining purchasing power of people in the middle and lower income group? The impact of pandemic was a tad more devastating for the informal sector. Even the ruling BJP, which is facing elections in five states next month, has in a way acknowledged it. Its representatives raised this concern with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman this week and asked her to extend support to the informal sector and MSMEs in the upcoming Union Budget. We take a peek into the condition of this sector which accounts for over 45% of country’s economic activity. Spooked by the pandemic, markets too are keenly awaiting the budget. After two straight days of bear hammering, equity markets may stabilize today. The BSE Sensex is holding the 60,000-mark while the Nifty50 is just above 17,900 level. Now, a sharp move on either side could be triggered by the earnings report card of index heavyweight Reliance Industries. The Mukesh Ambani-led company is set to announce its Q3 results on Friday, and analysts have extremely optimistic earnings expectations from two key segments. Equity markets will have a reason to cheer if the government reins in its fiscal deficit target at 6.25% of gross domestic product, a recent survey claimed. So as the government presents the Union budget on February 1, all eyes will be on the fiscal deficit. It is the difference between its earnings and expenditure. Find out how the fiscal deficit is calculated, how the government manages it and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Fighting a losing battle, chief executives of Indian smartphone vendors like Intex, Micromax and Karbonn had in 2017 accused Chinese smartphone makers of dumping low-cost devices into the country, making it tougher for them to survive. In their joint appeal to the government, they had sought some help and suggested imposing anti-dumping duty on Chinese phones. Two years before this appeal, in 2015, Intex was the second largest mobile phone vendor in the country by volume. And this year, its share is close to zero%. With just 0.5 per cent market share, Micromax in effect is the last man standing. So, why and how the Chinese smartphones wiped out the Indian brands? After the smartphones, let us move on to the World Economic Forum, where both the leading economies had divergent views on some issues, and almost similar on others. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched India as a global destination for investment and told countries that it was the best time to invest, Chinese premier Xi Jinping asked the world to open their borders while condemning building “exclusive yards and high borders”. Back home in India, benchmark indices have fallen in two out of the last four trading sessions amid global headwinds. Both, the US bond yields and oil prices, are hitting their recent peaks, denting a rally in equities. However, technical set-up for the Sensex and Nifty point at a pre-Budget rally. Watch our next report to know key levels on the indices, and trading strategies ahead of the Budget presentation. The Indian economy and equity markets have both grown exponentially since the 1991 liberalisation. Reforms steered by the then finance minister, Manmohan Singh, have catapulted the 30-share BSE Sensex from 1,400 points in July 1991 to over 60,000 now. But in 1991, the country was in the midst of its worst balance of payments crisis ever. Find out about balance of payments and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The country is in the grip of another wave of Covid-19. And the businesses are now walking down a beaten path -- marred by restrictions and uneven demands. Having faced two rounds of curbs, they now know what to do, and what not to. The demand gets divided into two basic categories, essentials and non-essentials. And those dealing in them are now adopting different strategies. Our next report finds out more Pandemic has also led to a seismic shift in how we work, and forced the businesses to adapt to new realities. And at a time when the companies were gradually calling their employees back to office, another wave of Covid-19 has put a halt on the plan. In Delhi, the government has ordered closure of all the private offices. So what the future of work will be like, will it be more flexible? Our next report tries to find some answers Streets are also becoming conscious of the elephant in the room, as pandemic forced more restrictions. Equity markets ended a volatile session marginally higher yesterday. The BSE Sensex added 85 points and the Nifty50 gained 45 points to end at 61,235 and 18,258, respectively. Friday’s session may exhibit a similar volatile trend amid Q3 earnings and mixed global trends. However, if you want to avoid the volatility and steadily create wealth, mutual funds can be a safer bet. Watch our next report to understand the nuances of selecting a Mutual Fund and which MF looks perfect at the current juncture. After the markets, let us move on to the Union Budget. In every budget, we see headlines that say ‘FRBM targets have been missed’. To ensure discipline in government finances and keep a check on fiscal profligacy, a legislation was enacted almost two decades ago. This was the FRBM Act, 2003. Find out about the Act and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Tata Group has now made its debut into the Indian Premier League, as a sponsor starting this year. The move comes at a time when the India’s largest conglomerate is increasing its digital footprint. Its much-awaited super app may also hit the market by March this year. So, is the over 100-year-old company’s googly meant to startle the young crowd? To keep the IPL match’s floodlights running, tons of coal is burnt in power plants somewhere. But, the country has not commissioned a new coal-fired power plant for some time now. While the old ones are being phased out, there has been no announcement on a new plant in the last 1.5 years too amid an accelerating transition to renewables. At the same time, India’s coal demand will still see modest growth in the short term. What is this paradox? After the power plants, let us move on to markets. Equity dilution and discounted price of debt conversion has worried investors of Vodafone Idea and Tata Teleservices. On the bourses, the shares of Vodafone Idea plunged 21% on Tuesday, but bounced back 8.5% on Wednesday. The shares of Tata Tele, too, were locked at the 5% lower circuit yesterday. But are these concerns even warranted? How can the companies survive post the debt to equity conversion? Rising cases of Covid-19 didn’t upset the Street as the indices continued the upward march yesterday. But they are definitely unsettling the government, which recently approved two new vaccines making the country’s arsenal against Covid-19 richer. But, ever wondered what is the basic difference between these vaccines. What platforms are used to develop them? All answers in this episode of the podcast. Watch Video
They are the parcel boys – the key link in the supply chain of India’s vast consumer goods market. But several leading brands are now threatening to push India’s traditional distributors into oblivion. In November last year, lakhs of traditional distributors were up in arms against FMCG giants for letting the likes of JioMart and Udaan sell goods directly to kiranas at deep discounts. Recently, they got breakthroughs against Hindustan Unilever and Colgate Palmolive. Technology and innovations are changing the market place rapidly. From physical stores, shops have now moved into mobile apps, posing threats to businesses which are not evolving with time. But there are some sectors which are thriving without much help from technology. Bullion market is one of them. And in it, not just gold, but silver also offers good returns. After investment in silver, let us see what is happening in markets. Reliance Industries has been on an investment spree. Over the past four-years, the Mukesh Ambani-owned company has invested $5.7 billion across verticals, with nearly $2 billion being invested in 2021 alone. However, as the web of investments becomes enormous, analysts believe it’s about time RIL considers a de-merger. Markets are eagerly waiting for the Union budget, which will be presented on February 1. But before the budget, the government releases the Economic Survey. It is an annual document which offers a peek into India’s economic development over the previous fiscal year. Find out all in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The acting CEO and accountable manager of Jet Airways quit this week, dealing another blow to the company which has seen at least two resignations at the top level in the last few days. The date to seek all regulatory permissions for restarting the defunct airline has also been extended twice. So, why is the re-launch of Jet Airways looking turbulent? After the Jet Airways, let us see why a startup scandal has stirred turbulence among global investors. Billionaire Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of healthcare company Theranos, has been found guilty of defrauding investors. Impressed by her persuasive skills, some had even compared 31-year-old Holmes with Steve Jobs. Her rise was dazzling and meteoric. And so was her fall. And wait, she has an Indian connection too. Her reported former boyfriend and the company’s COO, Ramesh Balwani, also faces trial in the case. The Homes-saga also hold lessons for startup investors back home. The rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes may hold several lessons for Indian investors too. Meanwhile, back home, fund rotation has begun on Dalal Street as India Inc gears up for Q3 earnings season. With over 40 companies set to announce their report cards next week, we caught up with Devangshu Datta, an independent market analyst, and Sandip Sabharwal, founder of asksandipsabharwal.com, to understand how the results season may pan out this time? Equity market finally acknowledged that Omicron may unsettle economic activities, as the stock indices plunged over 600 points yesterday. Effects of pandemic will also reflect on the upcoming Union budget, which the Centre will table on February 1. In the next episode, we explain the Consolidated Fund of India, a key component of the Union budget in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
While the world went gung ho about the rise of cryptocurrencies last year, a yellow metal which has not lost its shine as an investment option for thousands of years now, yet again proved its mettle. As the pandemic waned and lockdown lifted, the wedding halls came alive to the sound of DJs and to the shine of gold jewelleries donned by the bride and women guests. India imported 1,050 tonnes of gold worth about $55.7 billion in 2021, more than double the amount of 2020. Last year’s gold import bill surpassed the previous high recorded in 2011. It was indeed the wedding rush which pushed India’s gold import bill to another high last year. But the spread of a new Covid-19 variant is threatening to spoil the wedding industry’s party again, at a time when it looked all set to recover its previous losses. Restrictions are back again. Delhi has capped the number of guests in any ceremony to just 20. Several other states have taken similar measures. Find out more about how Omicron may deal another blow to the wedding industry. Unlike the wedding industry, the equity markets looked unperturbed by Omicron and resultant restrictions. Frontline indices rallied for a fourth straight day on Wednesday amid a solid rally in financial stocks. The Sensex and the Nifty reclaimed their crucial levels of 60,000 and 17,900, respectively, overlooking Covid-19-related restrictions placed by state governments. Is this a cause of concern for investors? Are markets ignoring the threat from the third wave? Most emerging markets -- including that of India-- are performing so well because they carried out radical economic reforms like privatisation and disinvestment in early 1990. The then government, led by PV Narasimha Rao, charted a new industrial policy in 1991 to offload stakes in public sector undertakings. Privatisation and disinvestment became the new norms then. And they still are. Loss making national carrier Air India was privatized last year. And the government is going ahead with LIC disinvestment this year. But is there any difference between these two terms, this podcast finds out. Watch video
India’s realty sector staged a stunning comeback last year, after going through its worst phase in 2020. Riding high on renewed buyer confidence and low home loan rates, it was expecting to grow further this year. But the third coronavirus wave, led by the Omicron variant, is threatening to cast a shadow over home sales once again. This report takes a look at whether the resurgence of Covid-19 will impact the property market After the property market, let us now see what is happening in the nascent cryptocurrency market. Just as the new year rolled in, Indian crypto exchanges woke up to a rude call. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence has launched a probe over alleged GST evasion against various crypto exchanges. It comes against the backdrop of Central Goods and Services Tax Mumbai Zone detecting GST evasion of Rs 40.5 crore by one exchange. Will these incidents nudge the government to take some bold measures and put a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies? The cryptocurrency market was trading in the red yesterday, just like FMCG player Marico. Its shares dropped 3% after the company announced a tepid Q3 update. The company said that high inflation and moderation in rural demand led to a muted volume growth. And this was restricted not just to the company, but could be a sector-wide phenomenon. So, does this mean other FMCG players are also staring at a stock-price correction? Should investors turn away from these players? With markets touching a new high, the interest rates on home loans have hit a record low in India. Although not directly related, they are the indicators of a healthy economy. The country’s largest housing finance company HDFC has slashed its home loan rate to 6.7%, while several public sector banks are now offering them at 6.5% or below. But is it the only factor to consider while taking a home loan? Find out in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Indian roads have seen quite a change in the last few years. The size of cars dotting it has steadily grown since the last Maruti800 was rolled off the production line from its Gurgaon factory in 2014. Now, it would be quite a sight to see Toyota Fortuner overtaking a humble Maruti-800. So, why more and more Indians are now preferring SUVs -- some of them as bulky as mini trucks-- over hatchbacks and sedans? We examine the causes for the dramatic shift in consumer preferences towards SUVs. Passenger vehicles are not the only area where consumer preferences saw a dramatic shift. Media and entertainment sector is also one of them. India’s OTT industry is growing like never before now, against the backdrop of pandemic. The regional OTT platforms have also contributed to the rise. From OTT platforms, let us see what is happening on the market front. Investor holdings in auto pack were handsomely rewarded yesterday even as the monthly sales figures seemed to be a mixed bag. Passenger vehicle OEMs’ attempt, for instance, to catch up to the demand for popular models was impacted by production cuts, while two-wheeler OEMs have been able to pare down high channel inventories post festive season. Yet, entry-level demand trends across two-wheelers and passenger vehicles remain weak. And OEMs’ hope to stoke consumer sentiment with new launches remains elusive. So, should you chase this rally in the auto stocks? The ongoing trend suggests that the markets are undeterred by the onset of another wave of pandemic. But, Omicron may unsettle the rental housing market, which was on a recovery path. The government had cleared the Model Tenancy Act (MTA) last year to regulate the rental market and unleash the latent potential in the real estate sector. Find out about this new Act and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
In 2021, India announced production-linked incentive schemes worth $37 billion for thirteen sectors ranging from IT hardware to automobiles to semiconductors. The schemes give a renewed push to the seven-year-old Make in India initiative that aims to transform our country into a manufacturing hub. But alleged disregard by factories set up by MNCs in the country may cast a pall on India’s manufacturing dreams. What happened at Foxconn in Sriperumbudur and why India should set better examples? Apart from the government’s resolve to make the country investment friendly, this year is likely to test the sustainability of the economic growth momentum in India and that of the global economy, amid new Covid-variants. With the likely withdrawal of easy and cheap money globally, fundamentals would come to fore. Investors will have to be careful in stock selection. So, which sectors look hot and which ones should be avoided in 2022? With markets attaining new heights, the government appeared striking the right chord on reforms front last year. But, not everything went as planned. The Centre finally got its hands free of Air India. And a lot more was lined up -- from the privatization of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited to key economic Bills, including the one on privatisation of two public sector banks. However, as they say, there is many a slip between the cup and the lips. Upcoming elections and farmers’ protest forced the government to take a U-turn on three farm laws. And it also didn’t table any key economic bill in the Winter Session of Parliament. Now, with 2021 over, find out how the government is likely to take forward its reforms and economic agenda this year. Markets favour a stable government. And political parties -- which are part of the government -- periodically go to polls to prove that they enjoy the confidence of citizens. The dates for the upcoming polls in five states are likely to be announced in the next 15 days. Last month, the government tabled and passed a bill to amend the law relating to elections. But one of the changes, which linked electoral rolls with the Aadhaar ecosystem, was in the eye of the storm. Find out about it and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
On the last day of 2021, we take a brief summary of three personalities and a company which stood apart from the rest. They were the torchbearers of hope in an otherwise grim year. We start with Phalguni Nayar, a former investment banker who took an entrepreneurial plunge at the age of 50 with her beauty start-up Nykaa. This year, she became India's wealthiest self-made woman after her blockbuster IPO debut. Then, of course, “prince of vaccine” Adar Poonawalla. The owner of the world’s largest vaccine making company Serum Institute of India (SII), who helped us fight Covid-19. He is followed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala. And the company of the year is Tata group, whose bold move to acquire ailing Air India revealed its sound financial health. From the newsmakers who defied pandemic, let us see how this year was for the markets. It has been a rollercoaster ride for the Indian equity markets that navigated multiple headwinds and yet notched up smart gains in calendar year 2021. As we draw curtains to the year, the big question on investors’ minds is whether the bull-run will continue in 2022. Here is a quick check on how the indices performed in 2021 and which stocks made you money in the year gone by. Investors are hopefull that the stocks will continue their upward momentum in the next year too. 2022 may well hold answers to many of our curious questions too, which popped up this year. Will Metaverse, Web 3.0, Blockchain and NFT change everything as promised by expanding our virtual universe? Or they are just hype. Let us find out more about these terms which became tech buzzwords of 2021 and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Plans were already afoot. The country got some hints about it a month ago, when reports on the proposed formation of management trust by Mukesh Ambani surfaced. Now, Asia’s richest man has finally announced a leadership transition at Reliance Industries, saying “all seniors should yield to the highly-competent and extremely committed young leadership talent”. Ambani’s three children -- twins Akash and Isha, and Anant -- are already part of the company, playing different roles. During his address, Ambani said that Reliance has completely re-engineered its energy business despite the pandemic. Let us see what experts think about post-pandemic economic recovery. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank recently came out with global value chain ratings across various economies. Erik Berglöf, chief economist of the bank, speaks to Business Standard’s Jyoti Mukul about the economic recovery and how sustainability is the most important step in that direction. This year also saw companies defying odds to rise above the rest. New-age companies, including Paytm, Zomato, and Nykaa cornered nearly 40 per cent of the funds raised during 2021 via public offers. However, corrections in their stock prices drove valuations below the levels sought during private funding rounds. What led to this divergence in private and public market reaction? And how should we interpret the changes by Sebi regarding the lock-in period for anchor investors in an IPO? Apart from tightening the IPO framework, the government is also busy finalizing the contours of 5G roll out in selected cities in 2022. Telecom service providers are currently testing 5G in several pockets of the country. Recently, Vodafone Idea Limited claimed to have hit a speed of 1.5 gigabits per second (GBPS) as part of its ongoing 5G trials in Pune and Gandhinagar. But the contention over the allotment of crucial millimeter-wave spectrum remains unaddressed. Let us find out what it is and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
A Christmas night bash at the labour quarters of KITEX Garments in Kerala’s Kochi took a violent turn, leaving five policemen injured. In the subsequent crackdown, the state police arrested at least 150 workers of the world’s second largest infant garment maker, triggering sharp reaction from its owner who alleged that it was a ploy to shut down the factory. Our next report tries to offer a peek into the current slugfest between the state and the Kerala’s biggest private sector employer as it acquires political overtone. After Kerala, let us see what lies ahead on the equity front. As the markets prepare to usher in 2022, a sense of caution has crept in, given the central bank policy action and a rise in Omicron variant of coronavirus. So, what does 2022 have in store for the markets and what is the mood among foreign investors as regards India? Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Samir Arora, founder and fund manager at Helios Capital, on how he sees equity markets play out in 2022 and the factors that will impact sentiment. The year 2021 saw several companies outwit pandemic and chart a good growth. Ola was one of them. Co-founded in 2010 by Bhavish Aggarwal, it became India’s leading cab aggregator beating Uber in the next few years. The company is rapidly expanding into other businesses and has made a potentially game-changing pivot to make electric vehicles. It received one million bookings for its electric scooter within days of unveiling. Its factory was ready within months of the announcement. Find out how 2021 has turned out to be a year of reckoning for Ola. Looking back, it seems like change was the flavour of 2020. If Ola’s electric scooters promised to change the way we travelled on roads -- without any noise or a trail of pollution -- the Parliament passed the much talked about labour codes to reform the labour laws, which have been unchanged since Independence. Find out more about these four codes, what all they promise to change and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Europe is now adding a million fresh Covid-19 cases every three days. In the US, at least 190,000 new cases are surfacing daily. China’s Sunday tally was at a 21-month high. And, back home in India, active cases soared past 75,000 on Monday. The world is ringing in the New Year with a sense of déjà vu. And so is the hospitality industry, which was hoping to make up for its losses amid New Year revelry. It’s not just hospitality and tourism, the pandemic has cast its shadow on almost all sectors. The IT industry is also one of them. In a recent interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, Tech Mahindra’s CEO and Managing Director CP Gurnani shared his company’s plans for growth amid the ongoing uncertainty caused by Covid-19. With half of its revenue coming from the telecom ecosystem, the IT major is now focused on 5G, software-defined networks and connected solutions. From Tech Mahindra’s growth plans, let us now move on to what is happening in the stock market. It was a choppy trading session on Monday, with the benchmark indices recovering sharply from their day’s lows and then firming up in the latter part of the trading session. Year-end holidays across major markets and Omicron-related developments back home capped the gains. So, what’s in store for Tuesday? Apart from raising or pouring funds into the markets, companies around the world also spend heavily on research and development (R&D) and reap the benefits of innovation, too. The intellectual property rights give them the power to produce it while barring others from replicating it. But, with humanity still in the dark about the pandemic’s future, should a few vaccine makers and countries cling on to their IP rights and deny generic firms the technologies to produce the vaccine at a mass scale. A debate has been raging around it for a while now. Let us explore more about it in this podcast. Watch video
The government came out with an advisory last Thursday, asking parents to exercise caution while dealing with companies offering online classes for children. Scores of dos and don’ts suggested by the government raised question marks over the way the educational technology or edtech companies were functioning in the country. Despite concerns over the quality of courses and aggressive sales culture, edtech companies in India witnessed phenomenal growth since last year. That was when most other industries were going through a tumultuous time. But the economy is now on a recovery path. There are green shoots across industries and we need to build on that, believes FICCI President and HUL CMD Sanjiv Mehta. In an interview with Business Standard’s Indivjal Dhasmana, Mehta says capacity utilisation and capital spending need to start in a big way to achieve desired macro-economic growth. Join the conversation. Industry body FICCI believes the government has done an impressive job with Covid-vaccination, tax collection, FDI and merchandise exports this year. In fact, the year 2021 was all about fighting the pandemic, staging economic recovery and, in between, maintaining your finances well. Equities, for sure, proved to be the best investment avenue as the BSE m-cap hit a record high this year. And as we enter the last week of 2021, revisit all that shaped the markets this year, and the lessons you need to take with you into 2022. After the markets, let us see what else is making news. According to the Reserve Bank of India, banks have written off over Rs 2 lakh crore of bad loans in the fiscal ended March 2021. Loans help banks shore up profits. But, when turned bad, they also eat into the profits. Finf out about the different types of loans and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The upcoming Assembly elections in five states seem to have derailed the government’s plan to bring reforms through Parliament. Not only did it not table any key economic Bill during the just-concluded winter session, but it also chose to scrap the three agriculture laws. Of the 26 Bills that the government had planned to pass, just 10 were able to see the light of the day. The Bill to regulate cryptocurrencies in India and another one to privatise two public-sector banks were not among them. Let’s look at the winter session from the point of view of legislative work done. Government’s policies often impact the markets directly. From travel restrictions to ban of unvaccinated citizens from visiting public places – governments have been quick in their actions to contain the spread of Omicron. These measures have yet again hit the contact-intensive sectors, which are still recovering from the wounds of the first and second waves of the coronavirus pandemic. On the bourses, the related shares have fallen like nine pins in one month. But there’s something that investors in these stocks can cheer about. After the markets, let us see what else caught people’s imagination this year. 2021 will be remembered for the new terms that entered the common lexicon, such as like cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens or NFTs, metaverse and Web 3.0. While crypto became popular due to the returns it gave investors, Web 3.0 is still catching up. It seeks to decentralise the internet, taking it away from the hold of big tech companies. We try to understand what Web 3.0 is and how it may change the future of internet in the days to come. Apart from the terms like cryptocurrency, metaverse and Web 3.0, 2021 will also be known as the year of pandemic which made people cautious about their health and savings. Amid uncertainty in equity-linked savings instruments, government’s small savings schemes offer safe and assured returns. What are these schemes? Let us understand in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
Zee Entertainment and Sony Pictures have finalised their merger after 90 days of negotiations. This deal is expected to change the country’s entertainment landscape. The pact is seen as complementary to both the groups. But, more importantly, it allows Zee founder Subhash Chandra to retain his family’s hold over the company. We'll see how the future will unfold for the Chandra family as they still address investors’ concerns over corporate governance issues. Soon after the news of merger came, the stock of Zee entertainment soared 2.58 per cent before taking a plunge. It settled a tad below its previous close. Half of the companies listed in the past two months are trading below their issue prices now. These include the likes of RateGain Travel and Technologies, Star Health and Allied Insurance, Paytm, and Policybazaar. Besides, recently listed companies, especially from the digital space, have tumbled nearly 50% from their recent highs. Yet, market watchers don’t see them as value buys just yet. Just like the IPOs, investors should also tread with caution while purchasing cryptocurrencies. If global investors are to be believed, India emerged as the fastest-growing crypto market in the world this year. The sudden rush of huge money and RBI’s tough stance against the digital currency have put the government in a fix. A Bill to regulate it remained a work in progress even as the winter session of Parliament was adjourned sine die yesterday. So, what is puzzling the government? And overall, how was the year 2021 for cryptos? Even as it maintained a tough stance against cryptocurrencies, the Reserve Bank of India ushered in several reforms across sectors this year. Among them was changing the norms for securitisation of assets like loans. The minimum holding period before an asset is securitised was reduced from 12 months to six months. This is expected to boost volumes in the space. But what exactly is securitisation? We have an explainer for you and more in this episode of the podcast.
Amid a steep rise in the incidents of cyber frauds, the Reserve Bank of India has come up with a new rule to make the online transactions more secure. It has asked all the merchants and payment gateways to remove customer data on debit and credit cards saved with them. The central bank has asked them to use encrypted tokens for all transactions starting January 1 next year. But after the auto debit rule, this new regulation will only add to the woes of consumers and merchants. We take a look at how these rules will impact you and the digital commerce sector as a whole. From online transaction hassles, let’s now move to what is happening in the world of markets as the year 2021 comes to an end. Foreign portfolio investors, or FPIs, have been taking some money off the table since the indices hit new all-time highs and valuations surpassed historically high levels. So far in December, FPIs have sold equities worth over Rs 33,000 crore and this trend is expected continue for the rest of 2021. So the question is, when can investors get a respite from FPI selling? Not just markets, this year was also great for startup companies. At least 42 of them went on to attain the unicorn status. More startups entered this coveted club in 2021 than all previous years combined. India is now home to about 80 unicorn startups. Without a doubt, this has been the most successful year for India’s startup ecosystem. Unlike India’s evolving unicorns, the giant Siberian rhino – which may have been the origin of the unicorn myth – could not adapt to changing climate and went extinct about 39,000 years ago. Now, as countries realise the harmful effects of global warming, they are moving towards net-zero emissions. Recently, India also pledged to cut its emissions to net zero by 2070 at a global summit on climate change in Glasgow. Here’s an explainer for you on net-zero emissions and what it may take for India and the world to achieve this target in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The benchmark indices slid 2% yesterday as a surge in Omicron cases, along with an FPI sell-off in India, troubled investors. As FPI selling may increase due to the year-end factor and with more western countries exploring stricter measures to stem the spread of coronavirus, equities could remain under pressure in the near term. We delve into the strategies that investors could adopt to ride this uncertainty. After a strong run, markets have become volatile towards the end of the year. But for exports this year has been great. India’s goal of clocking $400 billion in merchandise exports now looks more attainable than ever. A depreciating rupee and a continued recovery in global demand is helping India sustain its export momentum. However, the forecast for 2022 is not as certain. Know the factors that are contributing to India’s export growth and the major risks that threaten to stall the momentum. Besides exports, another area in which we are hoping to see a pick-up in momentum is EVs. Most of us are thrilled with the idea of electric vehicles. But the one question that pops up every time we speak of them is – what about the charging of batteries? An answer could be swappable batteries. Very soon, you will be able to refuel your EV’s battery at a nearby kirana store. Your discharged battery would be replaced by a charged one within minutes. Take a look at how this battery-swapping technology could help catapult the EVs into the mainstream. Moving on, while some industry experts were disappointed by the Centre’s U-turn on three agriculture laws, farmer unions thought differently. They were cheering when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement on November 19. Farmers hailed the decision and vacated the protest sites, but only after the government promised to look into another of their demands – to legalise Minimum Support Price or MSP. But what exactly is MSP? How did it come into being in the 1960s? Let’s understand how is it benefitting farmers and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
India has announced a $10 billion incentive plan to woo global chip makers. But, will the semiconductor and display manufacturers walk down the red carpet rolled out by the government and set up factories here. We look at the infrastructure demands of chipmakers and the challenges India faces in realising its dream of being a player in the semiconductor space. As India rolled out the red carpet for global chip makers, companies back home are busy doing their bit to help boost the country’s economy. With the initial fears about the new Covid-19 variant waning, the IT companies don’t seem to be going back on their back-to-office plan. And if the Omicron doesn’t turn into a deadly strain like Delta, there will be no looking back. We take a peek into India’s IT industry’s roadmap to reopening offices. Not just Omicron, Indian markets appeared unperturbed from the upheavals in the US economy too. The US Federal Reserve has signalled a hawkish stance in the coming years while keeping the policy rates unchanged for now. But, even as the outcome boosted risk sentiment across the globe, Indian equities failed to mirror the sentiment amid insistent FPI selling. The near-term outlook remains uncertain as rate hikes by developed countries may aggravate outflow of foreign capital. We find out what the Fed’s policy means for India and where the benchmarks are headed. From the US economy, let us see what is happening on the technological front in India. The country is currently testing 5G network services ahead of the final rollout sometime next year. Interestingly, the country is simultaneously working towards developing the next generation of communication technology, called 6G, using indigenously developed infrastructure with the aim to launch it either by 2023-end or early 2024. But what is 6G? How would it be different from 5G? Let’s find out in this podcast. Watch video
There seems to be no breather in sight for consumers, who are already facing the brunt of costly food and other household items. An RBI survey showed that households can expect inflation to rise further in the near and medium-term. On the other hand, wholesale prices surged to more than a decade high in November. Is it a cause of concern at macro level? Even as record-high wholesale inflation led to some anxiety in India, a news from distant France elevated everyone’s mood here. Close on the heels of Parag Agrawal’s elevation as CEO of Twitter, another India-born executive has now been chosen to head a global brand, Chanel. But there are few things which set Leena Nair apart from the other NRI achievers. Our next report explains how Nair is different and offers a peek into her long journey from Kolhapur to London. From the change of guard in Chanel, let us see how the new coronavirus variant is putting policy makers across the globe in a fix. The sharp rise in inflation and the emergence of Omicron has complicated the picture for global central banks. Be it the US Fed or the ECB, each policy maker is looking to buy time to decide on all the details of adjusting their non-conventional policy tools. Let’s look at the policy dilemma of different global banks and how investors are reading the developments, in our next report. Unlike the global policy makers, the market regulator in India does not seem to be in a fix when it comes to reforms. The Securities and Exchange Board of India recently proposed an overhaul of sorts of listing norms to bring in more transparency. One of the major changes that the market regulator suggested was to cap the amount companies, mainly start-ups, can raise under general corporate purpose or GCP. So what exactly is GCP and what do companies do with the amount raised under it? Find out all in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
India has just about 1,324 registered investment advisors for an investor base of over five crore. Their numbers have remained stagnant, even as the need for transparent investment advisory is rising with the rapid increase in financially-savvy Indians. What is the reason for this? Is it SEBI’s rules or investors’ reluctance to pay for advice or something else? The dearth of advisors, however, is not denting the investors’ confidence in the market, which is offering growth opportunity to all -- whether they are the behemoths or the startups. One of them, ICICI Venture, is also on a pursuit to position itself as a private equity major in the startup, fintech and real estate space. Starting from scratch, it aims to come to market by mid-2022. In a recent conversation, Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta takes a peek into chief executive Puneet Nanda’s private equity playbook for ICICI Venture. After the Indian markets, let us see what is keeping the US investors hooked. The US central bank is coping with inflation that’s already running at more than twice its formal 2% target. The inflation’s so persistent that policymakers have discarded their description of it as ‘transitory’. Besides, a low unemployment rate and rising wages may signal that full employment is near. Given this, will the US Fed become the first major global central bank to hasten tapering of its asset purchase programme? Or will the emergence of the new coronavirus variant upend policy makers’ plans? Amid the uncertainty about the US Fed's pace of tapering, let us see how our government is preparing to deal with the new variant of Covid-19. It has ramped up testing of foreigners coming from countries considered ‘at risk’. The new guidelines mandate them to have a negative RT-PCR test report before entering the country. Find out what are the most common types of tests which help us detect the virus in this podcast. Watch video
Post a choppy IPO debut and subsequent hiccups in the secondary market, there is finally some good news for digital payment behemoth Paytm. It has received the RBI nod to operate as a scheduled payments bank. Paytm Payments Bank now has new opportunities to explore with its scheduled status, but FMCG distributors in the country are apparently losing ground to the organised B2B players. The apex body of distributors of FMCGs has issued a veiled threat recently saying they will disrupt supplies to kirana stores if FMCG companies don’t stop supplying products at lower prices to Reliance’s JioMart and other such players. JioMart’s B2B business model has created a dilemma for India’s FMCG companies who risk alienating the 4.5-lakh distributor community at the cost of the modern wholesalers. While B2B retail is poised for disruption, the Indian markets continue to be volatile. Even as global equities trade mildly below their record peak levels, Indian equities have tumbled 10 per cent from their lifetime highs. This is the first noticeable correction in about 20 months, which was triggered amid expensive valuations and the re-emergence of a new coronavirus variant. While the near-term trajectory for Indian markets will be based on US Fed policy and economic data, due this week, the long-term direction will be guided by liquidity, commodity inflation and status of the pandemic. And as the world prepares to welcome 2022, Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa talked to Marc Faber, editor and publisher of ‘The Gloom, Boom & Doom Report’ on how investors should approach the financial markets next year, his investing strategies and the road ahead for Indian equities. If you believe Marc Faber, diversification should be your mantra for investments in 2022. You must have heard about long and short positions in the market. Do you know what exactly these terms mean? And how different are they from each other? Business Standard demystifies it for you in this podcast. Watch video
An Indian Air Force helicopter carrying the country’s chief of defence staff and 13 others crashed in Tamil Nadu Wednesday afternoon, leaving all but one dead. The crash of such a sophisticated military helicopter also brought the focus on civilian choppers. After the helicopters, let us see what the world’s highest valued edtech company, BYJU’s, is up to. It just acquired Austrian math learning company GeoGebra, the ninth acquisition this year. But how have the startups acquired by BYJU’s have performed since their take over? And what does this consolidation mean for BYJU’s and the Indian edtech sector at large. Unlike the edtech major, all is still not well with debt laden Vodafone Idea. Last month, it hiked tariffs in a bid to improve its financial stability. Now, reports suggest that the company has also managed to raise funds to repay its bondholders. Yet, despite the positive developments, analysts continue to be wary of the telecom player. Away from the hustle and bustle of the markets, a wind of change is quietly blowing in the virtual world. After the western countries, nuanced debates surrounding the “right to be forgotten” by the internet have started taking place in India too. But, so far, they are limited to the corridors of courts. This report demystifies development around it, apart from explaining what exactly it is and more in this podcast. Watch video
The world’s largest vaccine maker, Serum Institute of India, has said that it is going to cut the production of Covishield by half as there was no fresh order from the government. But, according to data, some of our larger states such as Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra don’t have enough stock to fully vaccinate their adult population. Pandemics are not the only disrupters which throw normal life out of gear and hit businesses. Internet shutdowns also have similar ramifications. Recently, India earned the dubious distinction of being the “internet shutdown capital” of the world. According to a report, the country lost an estimated $2.8 billion last year due to the internet blockades, which experts believe was unwanted in most cases. From India’s internet shutdowns, let us see what its central bank is doing to revive the growth. The Reserve Bank of India delivered its bi-monthly monetary policy yesterday. It kept the key interest rates unchanged amid the rising uncertainties due to the new coronavirus variant. The RBI also kept GDP projections unchanged and flagged near-term inflation concerns. The move, analysts say, highlights a bumpy road ahead for the economy. In another good news for the market, the one-month lock-in period for anchor investors in newly-listed companies Nykaa, Paytm, PolicyBazaar and seven others ended on Wednesday. So, what is this lock-in period and why SEBI has proposed to increase it? Finf out all these and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
The public spat between the billionaire co-founders of IndiGo, Rahul Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal, may be coming to an end. The airline has called an extraordinary general meeting or EGM at their behest to amend certain clauses in the Articles of Association which has been a thorn in the relations of the founders. From the country’s largest airline, let us see what the leading mobile handset maker is planning ahead of the roll out of 5G. Madhav Sheth, co-founder and CEO of Realme, tells Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta about how he sees the markets panning out in the coming year and also about the company’s future plan. Like the phone makers, markets too are upbeat about the next year, notwithstanding the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. After a stellar run in 2021 that saw the S&P BSE Sensex and the Nifty50 clock gains of 20 per cent and 22 per cent respectively, global equity markets, including India, are gearing up to welcome 2022 on a cautious note. Just like the circuit breakers in markets, companies too take measures to safeguard their interests. In several firms and in some educational institutes, staffers don’t need to record their attendance on register or on biometric devices. The moment they enter the premises, their attendance is automatically recorded. It is because their employer is using geo-fencing technology which uses GPS to detect their presence through a chip installed in their identity cards. Let us understand what geo-fencing is and more in this podcast. Watch video
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that his government will be less involved in the “business of business”. He was actually re-asserting the government’s old stand. While presenting the Budget early this year, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the government’s new disinvestment policy. It has promised to keep a bare minimum presence in specified strategic sectors and privatise the rest. As the Centre is moving ahead with its privatisation plan, let us see what the world’s leading search engine company is up to. In the making for years now, Google’s smartwatch is likely to be released sometime next year, if reports are to be believed. And there seems to be an Indian tinge to it, as the watch has been codenamed ‘Rohan’. How different will this health gadget be from those being offered by Apple, which is dominating the smartwatch segment since 2015. Google smartwatch is possibly the next most exciting wearable to hit the market. But the emergence of the new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, has again made the global markets uncertain. Whether the new Covid-19 wave will be inflationary or deflationary in nature will depend on country-specific infection rates and policy responses. So, what will India’s Reserve Bank do? The RBI is likely to maintain its status quo on the repo rate at four per cent today. But the status quo on encrypted digital messages is something the government is not comfortable with. We have heard about the Indian government’s faceoff with WhatsApp over the new IT Rules. The government wants platform to identify the first originator of any piece of information that jeopardises India’s security, sovereignty or contains sexually explicit material. But this would mean breaking the end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp platform which forms the fulcrum of its user privacy. But do we really understand what is end-to-end encryption? Let’s understand the technical concept more in this podcast. < br /> Watch video
Google and Facebook’s position in India’s digital ad market broadly places them at the same level. But Google has mostly avoided controversies that have plagued its smaller rival Facebook in India, which is the largest market by number of users for both. What is the reason for Google enjoying a gentler political environment despite its size? Let’s take a look. Away from the controversies surrounding Facebook, a set of new-age cards is slowly making its way to people’s wallets. Issued by millennial-focused fintech companies, these cards are promising better deals than credit cards. Even as banks are still adopting a conservative approach to issuing credit cards, these new pay-later cards are being handed over to people who don’t even have a credit history, like students and blue-collar workers. Let us find out why these pay-later cards are catching up and what is drawing people towards them Unlike the credit card segment, the present situation in markets is not that upbeat. The Sensex and the Nifty50 indices ended below the 58,000 and 17,200 levels, respectively, last week, amid the Omicron threat. Now all eyes will be on the RBI’s bi-monthly monetary policy meeting this week. Globally, investors will track information about the coronavirus variant to estimate the future course for markets. Talking of future, Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa spoke to Bhaskar Laxminarayan, chief investment officer and head of investment management for Asia Pacific at Julius Baer, to understand how the new variant might change the outlook for equity markets in India and elsewhere. We will wait to see how markets behave in days to come. Meanwhile, as the pandemic still looms large, your savings will come in handy in rough weather. And what is the easiest way to keep your money safe? The answer would be to put your money in a bank account. India has different types of bank accounts for different purposes. Find out about the various types of bank accounts we have in India and more in this podcast. Watch video
Has Asia’s richest man taken some cues from the Waltons -- the US’s wealthiest family. Reports of Mukesh Ambani charting a succession plan by setting up management trust surfaced recently. Chennai-based Shriram group has also followed the same route. How are India’s super-rich planning to pass on the reins and their wealth to the next generation? To avoid succession battle, these families are taking the trust route to ring-fence their wealth. Just like the family-run conglomerates, private equities in India have also witnessed a good growth. The velocity and volume of capital saw a dramatic rise in the private equity space in 2021, says Renuka Ramnath, founder and CEO, Multiples Asset Management. In an interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, she shares the big numbers of the Indian private equity industry and why it has been an exceptional year from investment, exit and investment valuation perspective. Renuka Ramnath has some staggering numbers to flaunt about the Indian private equity industry. Turning to the market, we have seen it logging gains in the last two Decembers and were up on six out of 10 occasions since 2011. Will the markets make a hat-trick of rallies or will the Omicron threat prevail this December? Watch our next report to know what market experts expect Just like the markets, the mood is also upbeat in the auto sector which is bracing for a big change in the days to come. Amid the tightening CO2 emission norms, carmakers across the world are racing to develop electric vehicles. They are also investing heavily to reduce the cost of solid-state batteries on which these low-emission and almost silent vehicles will run. We find out more about these powerful rechargeable batteries and if they be able to replace the gasoline-run vehicles in long run. All these and more in this episode of the podcast. < br /> Watch Video
Just as we thought that we were out of the woods, the threat of a new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, has started looming large over the global economy, which is still in the doldrums. Not just the vulnerabilities of economies, the pandemic has also laid bare the vaccine inequality between the rich and the poor nations. While the developed nations are rushing to give booster shots, the poor countries are grappling to vaccinate their population. We look at the factors that have contributed to the current crisis. Covid-19 hit all the sectors badly. But there was one industry which witnessed good growth during the pandemic – the healthcare sector. The last two years have been transformative for the home healthcare industry in India too, believes Meena Ganesh, co-founder and chairperson of Portea. In an interview with Business Standard’s Krishna Veera Vanamali, she says her focus is on developing a strong tech ecosystem to manage patients with chronic diseases and taking hospital-like services into the home. We can now avail hospital-like healthcare and personalised services right at our homes. And Covid-concerns are not over. Market participants are reading into the developments surrounding the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Not surprisingly, pharma stocks have caught investor fancy. Meanwhile, US Fed chair Jerome Powell has said, it’s time to stop using the word “transitory” to describe inflation. This could possibly mean more pain in store for consumption-related companies. Against these contrasting outlooks, there are sectors that can prove to be beneficial for investors amid the current volatility. In a volatile market, it’s best to pick stocks that enjoy strong balance sheets and favourable risk-reward set-up. The lockdown had slowed down our overall consumption in the recent past, but there’s apparently no dip in the consumption of meat. In fact, we are eating more meat than ever. The amount that per person consumes has tripled in the last 50 years. But people across the world are also becoming more conscious of its negative impact on the environment. Several companies and local eateries have come up with plant-based substitutes which they claim are ethical and as relishing as the non-vegetarian dishes are. find out about plant-based meat and much more in this podcast. Watch Video
India’s GDP grew by 8.4 per cent in the second quarter of this financial year. Boosted by rising vaccination, Asia’s third-largest economy is seeing a rebound from a historic economic contraction last year. But is it all good news? We look at what the Q2 growth numbers mean for India’s economic recovery and the risks ahead. After encouraging GDP numbers, there is another piece of good news for the country. Social media giant Twitter has followed in the footsteps of Google and Microsoft to place an Indian-origin techie at its helm. Parag Agrawal, who until Sunday was the chief technology officer, has succeeded co-founder Jack Dorsey as the CEO of Twitter. Does Agrawal’s elevation mean Twitter's coming of age, just as in the case of Microsoft when Satya Nadella took over. Well, we have to wait to see how Agrawal takes forward Twitter’s Bluesky project, decentralised social media protocol and NFT-based profile pictures. Meanwhile, frontline indices fell nearly four per cent in November, clocking their biggest monthly fall since March 2020. Renewed Covid scare, unfavourable risk-reward and possible change in interest rate scenarios made Indian equities less attractive during the month. However, analysts expect sectoral-rotation to take place from here on, and bet on defensive plays to support the markets. The market may be in a defensive mood currently, but IPOs are a flavour of the season. The IPOs of Paytm and Nykaa kept people glued to the screens recently. Their listings in the primary market made a lot of news due to Paytm’s poor showing and Nykaa’s unexpected success. But ever wondered what is primary market and how is it different from the secondary market? Let’s find out about all these in this podcast. Watch Video
Both Houses of Parliament passed the Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021, on the very first day of winter session, bringing the curtains down on a year-long dispute between the Centre and farmer unions. But the unions are not happy. They are demanding a legal guarantee for the minimum support price of crops. Some belive legalising MSP is the magic bullet to address farmer woes. Just before tabling the Bill to scrap the contentious farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Noida to lay the foundation stone for an international airport, also called the Jewar airport. Touted to be Asia’s largest, the airport also has the fortunes of Zurich AG linked to it. And there is a lot to unpack in how this airport will service passenger traffic in the coming years. Will it take the load off Delhi's IGI Airport? Possibly yes. With its ambitious deadlines and major infra plans, the greenfield airport in Jewar is poised to change the airspace in national capital region. Global markets, meanwhile, calmed on Monday after the initial shock of the discovery of the Omicron coronavirus variant sent investors scurrying for cover last week. While analysts advise investors to remain watchful of data points around the new Omicron variant of Covid-19, they believe most of the selling is done. Does this mean the worst is over for Indian equities? The indices and your stock values are likely to be volatile today, and if you are looking for stable return from your investments, nothing beats provident fund. In fact, those working in the private sector don’t enjoy retirement benefits like pension. The only retirement corpus that they build over the years is through the provident fund or PF. If you see your salary slip carefully, you will notice a tiny monthly deduction in the PF section. But, have you ever wondered what exactly is provident fund? Let us find out about it and more in this podcast. Watch Video
The government is going ahead with its plan to privatise two state-run banks by introducing a Bill in Parliament to amend the relevant banking laws. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that the Centre may not sell its entire shareholding and hold on to a 26 per cent stake in the banks. But what merits does the government see in not letting go of this stake and will this complicate its efforts to attract strategic investors? We will know the quantum of the government’s stake sale in the two public sector banks and data on these transactions in a few weeks. But the government’s relationship with data has always been complicated. When Covid-19 struck India, the only data available was information shared in social media posts by people declaring cases in their vicinity. It wasn’t until the announcement of a nationwide lockdown that the central government started publishing regular updates on its website. State governments took even more time to create their own dashboards. Since then, there has been some official flow of data, but that has been uneven across states. Business Standard’s Ishaan Gera assessed Covid-19 data made available by the Centre and 35 states and Union territories on 11 key criteria. Ishaan points out India has some course-correction to do, and the pandemic certainly presents an opportunity to do so. Talking of the pandemic, benchmark stock indices saw a major slide on Friday on reports of a new vaccine-resistant Covid variant. Now, they seem poised to log their first monthly loss in eight months in the current month. Will the market correction continue in December too? While the market remains sensitive to the panic triggered by the new Covid variant and other factors, Karnataka has sounded an alert in its districts bordering Kerala, where at least 13 cases of norovirus surfaced two weeks ago. Kerala’s health department -- which was already facing a tough time controlling the Covid-19 outbreak -- has taken all the measures to ensure that Norovirus does not spread. Find what the norovirus infection is and other news in this podcast. Watch Video
In an ageing world, its young population gave India an edge. More than 46% of the country’s total 1.3 billion people are below 25 years of age. But recent government data reveal that India’s fertility rate is declining. It is now lower than replacement levels -- implying a population decrease in the years to come. Will it hurt the economy in the long run? Does the concept of “the more, the merrier” doesn’t hold water any more? With India’s population growth stabilising, policymakers should capitalise on this opportunity and ensure that the country does not miss out on its demographic dividend. Entrepreneur and founder of Info Edge Sanjeev Bikhchandani expects better outcomes from Indian startups in the future driven by smart founders, new technologies and more capital deployment. He tells Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta that ambitious startups should aim at customer satisfaction and cash flow, where valuation is a byproduct in their journey to IPOs. In the market, even as benchmark indices have declined up to four per cent over the past one month, analysts say the correction is par on the course. Devang Mehta of Centrum Wealth and Varun Lohchab of HDFC Securities decode investment strategies to ride the on-going correction. Most of us must have heard about FDIs and FPIs, and know that they refer to investments from foreign countries. But what exactly are they? What kind of investment they bring in and what is the difference between them? We find out about these and more in this episode. Watch Video
The government is set to have a busy winter session at the Parliament with a number of important Bills coming up for discussion. While the cryptocurrency Bill has hogged the limelight after the session’s legislative agenda was released on Tuesday, some key Bills including the one on privatization of two public sector banks have gone under the radar. Apart from preparing the Bills and tabling them in the Parliament, there are some other key reforms which are keeping the government busy. Open Network for Digital Commerce or ONDC is one of them. Through this, the government plans to democratize ecommerce and end what it says monopolistic practices in India. Coming to the petroleum industry, the United States will release millions of barrels of oil from strategic reserves in coordination with China, India, South Korea, Japan and Britain, to try to cool prices. This comes after OPEC+ producers repeatedly ignored calls for more crude. India, on its part, plans to release about five million barrels of crude oil. But will this be a sufficient quantity of oil to control prices? How are market analysts reading into the joint effort which comes ahead of OPEC+ meet? While global crude oil prices are likely to remain volatile in the near future, India is seeking to reduce its dependence on crude oil. A step in the direction is building hydrogen-fuel capacities. State-owned Indian Oil Corporation floated a global tender recently to set up green hydrogen generation plants at two of its refineries. It came just days after PM Narendra Modi announced at the COP26 summit that the country will bring down its emissions to zero by 2070. Experts say that green hydrogen’s enhanced use will help India meet its clean energy goals. But they also point out the high cost of green hydrogen. So, what does India need to do here? Find the answer and more in this podcast Watch Video
Three iconic companies, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson and Toshiba, recently announced that they will each split into multiple entities. It raised serious questions about the future of multidimensional conglomerates in India too. Should large business groups, which share many similarities with traditional conglomerates around the world, reconsider their organisational structure? Or, do the demands of an emerging market like India require them to adopt a different approach? While experts in the West might have reached their conclusions, the debate for and against conglomerates still continues in India at least. Moving away from conglomerates, a clutch of smaller, independent and home-grown distilleries in India are brewing their success stories in different corners of the country. They are catering to the ambitious young Indians who also want to try local and ‘handcrafted’ premium booze. So, several new-age liquor brands have emerged in India with a focus on quality of their ingredients. In the market, after falling the most in seven months, the benchmark Sensex index oscillated over 1,100 points in intra-day trade and ended higher for the first time in five days on Tuesday. The Nifty50 index also gained half a per cent yesterday. On the other hand, the country’s march towards the digital economy gathered pace in the last two years, especially during the period marked by pandemic. And online payments, led by UPI transactions, challenged the monopoly of cash. But, at the same time, the country also witnessed a jump in online payment frauds. Listen to all these and more in this episode of the posdcast.
Airtel took a bold step of raising tariffs by 25% starting this Friday, notwithstanding risk attached to it. The telecom major’s decision will most likely prompt its rivals to hike their prices too, especially the struggling Vodafone Idea. Does this mean brighter days ahead for the telecom sector, which is saddled with high debt levels and not enough cash flows? Following the recent cabinet nod on tariff hikes and relief measures, the telecom sector is likely on a recovery path again. But how do you win government confidence? No one knows it better than Zoom India. Iravati Damle, director for government affairs, Zoom India, shares how she overcame government’s concerns about the videoconferencing platform to eventually emerge as the application of choice among students, professionals as well as the government. Video conferencing platform Zoom may be gaining steam in India and has an inspiring tale to tell, but the market is losing steam. The long-due correction seems to be playing out on Dalal Street as key indices have fallen over six per cent from record high levels. While the Sensex has plunged 3,772 points from its recent peak, the Nifty is down nearly 1,200 points. Next, imagine that after a recent promotion, you are planning to buy a new mobile device. And you discuss your plans with a friend. You may think of this as an everyday conversation, but would you believe that they can help economists and analysts gauge the health of the country’s economy? One such indicator, that is the result of a large-scale survey on people’s financial health and their plans, is the Consumer Confidence Survey. Let us find out more about these in this report. Watch Video
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scrapping of the controversial farm laws after persistent protests. Modi had hailed the laws as a watershed moment when they were passed last year, with the government arguing that they would bring private investments and FDI into the farm sector. However, the government was unable to onboard a section of farmers and caved into the political pressure arising from their protest. Now, what comes next? The lesson from this episode should be clear: No matter how strong the government might appear, major reforms cannot be pushed through without taking all stakeholders on board. Coming back to your living room, you could be one of the many who switched to DTH from cable. The lure of better picture and sound quality made people choose the broadband-from-space services over wired cables in recent years. The cable industry also could not keep pace with the clutch of technological shifts introduced by the government. So, what is the current status of the cable industry and what is its future outlook? While the country is steadily shifting from TV channels to streaming services, cable TV, as a standalone video service, is evidently on a decline. Let’s switch to the market channel now. Inflationary pressures and rising Covid-19 cases in developed markets are haunting investors. Besides, PM Narendra Modi has decided to withdraw the three contentious farm laws in the forthcoming Parliamentary session. How will all these developments affect the markets? Should investors be prepared for further downfall or will the markets see a bounce-back rally? Ever really liked your Zomato order and wanted to visit the restaurant you ordered from, only to realise that the said food joint has no dine-in facility? Such restaurants are called cloud kitchens. Today there are several food brands, leveraging digital branding and marketing strategies to create customer loyalty and brand recall. So, what is this cloud kitchen trend, and why is it gaining momentum in India? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
Hot on the heels of its strong public market debut, Zomato has outlined its new long-term strategy for business growth. Without losing focus on its core area, the company plans to expand into grocery, logistics and related businesses through the investment route. Zomato says it is investing in companies that have the ability to become market leaders in their category. In a recent interview, 10Club co-founder and CEO Bhavna Suresh shares the business model and prospects of the company that acquires and helps scale digitally native businesses in India. He tells Business Standard brands benefit from 10Club’s expertise and more Investors, on the other hand, lost nearly Rs 4,570 crore in wealth as Paytm shares tumbled 27% against its issue price post listing. Is there more downside to this fall? Or is there a way Paytm shares can swing to profit? Before the equity market, mutual funds and various other investment options became household names, FDs and RDs were considered the safest mode to park money. And pandemic made them more relevant as there was no risk attached to these saving instruments and they offered good returns too. Watch Video
The aviation sector in India is seeing a build-up of momentum – from a new entrant placing orders for aircraft to the Tata’s return to business. But, the question that remains is after being battered by two successive waves of Covid-19, is the sector headed for clear skies and a smooth flight? Well, as with everything else, in the immediate term, the pace of vaccination and managing the spread of Covid-19 will have the greatest impact on airlines. In the long term, hopefully, passenger confidence will keep growing and international travel will also pick up so that the aviation industry can fly high. After a sector badly hit by Covid, we now talk about another that actually got a boost. Online delivery of groceries became a necessity during the pandemic as people refrained from stepping out of their homes. And now, Indian tech startups are leading the race in taking online delivery to the next level. They are targeting a rising class of ambitious buyers in big cities with the promise of delivering their groceries within 10 to 30 minutes. It is being called quick-commerce or q-commerce. Speed, sure, is the catchword among technology and consumer internet startups in India. And in their race for capital, IPOs are a flavour of the season. While the rallying stock market has spurred multiple tech unicorns to raise funds by going public, market watchdog Sebi has proposed to tighten rules around the use of IPO proceeds, as well as the lock-in period for anchor investors. Now, this comes amid a record Rs 1-trillion-plus mop-up through initial share sales this year. Separately, global rating agency Fitch Ratings has retained India’s ratings at the lowest investment grade with a negative outlook. The grim investment outlook also seems to have found a reflection on the Delhi-NCR skyline. As the sky turned grey and the air started smelling of soot last week, all schools in Delhi were shut and the industrial activities were suspended. We were told that the Air Quality Index levels had gone past the dangerous level. Listen to these in this podcast. Watch Video
Winter in Delhi is not pleasant anymore. The nip in the air brings pollutants, smoke and soot with it, turning the sky of the national capital and adjoining regions toxic grey. People curtail their outings, schools are shut and the government looks for answers every time. It not only adversely affects the health but also derails a lot of economic activities. At a time when we are seeing post-pandemic economic rebound, it is worth examining how air pollution affects Delhi’s business climate. How did Udaan manage not only to sustain itself but also grow in spite of the pandemic disruption? What adjustments did it have to make? What is the B2B e-commerce retailer’s next big target? Is it planning to add new segments and areas? And what about taking the model to other countries? Udaan co-founder Sujeet Kumar answers these and more questions in an exclusive interview. Shares of cement companies have delivered up to 180 per cent returns on a year-to-date basis as rising input costs forced companies to hike prices. However, recent reports suggest that cement companies, especially in the Delhi-NCR region, are refraining from further hikes, with some companies already announcing rate cuts. Will this development halt the rally in cement shares? The soaring prices of petrol and diesel are forcing countries worldwide to cut dependence on gasoline and switch to some other alternative fuel. India, which imports about 80 per cent of petrol it consumes, is also following the suit. Union minister Nitin Gadkari said earlier this month that flexible-fuel engines -- or the flex engines as they are called -- will be made mandatory in India. What exactly are flex-fuel vehicles? What other fuel do they need to run? And how feasible are they? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
The UN COP26 climate summit in Glasgow has come to a close and it has been declared a success from the Indian perspective. India got its way through a last-minute change in wording about coal, but has been accused of weakening efforts to end coal power. Is the criticism towards India warranted? During the pandemic last year, when the lockdown was clamped and movement restricted, small business owners were looking for ways to stay afloat. And so were microfinance institutions which lend money to them. With a sharp dip in lending and a rise in the number of small units defaulting on payments, the microfinance sector had to weather a storm. As economic activities are gathering momentum again, how is the microfinance sector is faring now? After downgrading Indian equities recently, given their rich valuations, Morgan Stanley sees emerging markets ‘struggling’ for returns in calendar year 2022. They also expect only three per cent upside to their December 2022 target. What is the brokerage’s stance on each country and on which sectors is it most bearish? The long queues of vehicles dotting the highways at toll plazas have now vanished. And so are the travails of buying a pass at every booth. Vehicles now zip past the boom barriers as the hassle of purchasing tokens has now given way to smooth ride. Thanks to the FASTag technology. A small sticker glued on the vehicle’s windshield has changed the way we travelled on national highways. In October this year, the toll tax collection through the newly-introduced FASTag technology hit an all-time high of Rs 3,356 crore. So, what exactly is FASTag and how does it work? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
Facing flak from various quarters, the Haryana government amended its draft bill which sought to reserve 75% of private jobs for its residents. It brought down the salary ceiling to Rs 30,000 from the proposed Rs 50,000 and slashed the residency requirement from 15 years to five. The move allayed some concerns of private sector giants in Gurugram as most of their employees earn way beyond Rs 30,000. But what about the smaller industries, whose workers get less than Rs 30,000 and are from neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar? The RBI has launched a Retail Direct scheme, called RBI-RD, allowing retail investors to directly invest in govt securities. While this is being seen as a process towards making gilt investing hassle-free, analysts are a little cautious on the road ahead as equity investing remains the flavour on the Street. How does Ather Energy CEO Tarun Mehta see the EV two-wheeler space evolving in the coming months, and how is his company scaling up capacity to benefit from it? How did Ather Energy achieve $100-million annual run rate in less than a year to become possibly India's biggest EV two-wheeler maker by revenue? How close is the company to breaking even? In this exclusive interview Mehta discusses all these and more with Business Standard's Surajeet Das Gupta. India’s UPI system has pushed digital payments in a big way and we keep hearing every month about record transactions – both in value and volume terms – on this medium. But that system of payments requires a smartphone. Taking this a notch higher, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2021 launched e-RUPI vouchers to transfer the benefits of government welfare programmes. A person- and purpose-specific contactless digital payment system, these vouchers do not require beneficiaries to own a smartphone. But how does e-RUPI work? How would somebody using a simple feature phone use it for receiving funds and making payments? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
After a stellar liquidity-driven run in the traditional accounting year that ended yesterday, India’s equity markets entered Samvat 2078 with muhurat trading last evening. This token trading on the bourses set the tone for the new Samvat year. So, how should we expect the markets to behave this year? What will be the broader driving themes, and what will be the risks? The shares of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) nosedived last week, just hours after the Centre announced taking half of its revenue from convenience fee. With this move, the government was hoping to collect between Rs 150 crore and Rs 200 crore annually. But the announcement led to a 29% drop in the PSU’s shares and a market cap erosion of almost Rs 21,000 crore. Forced by this, the government made a U-Turn within hours. Retail investors alleged that the government ignored the rights of minority shareholders. Now what does the U-turn mean for investors of PSU stocks? And will it affect the valuation of LIC in any way? In 2011, when it was born as Faasos, Rebel Foods wasn’t the cloud kitchen startup it is today. In fact, cofounders Kallol Banerjee and Jaydeep Barman had begun with the idea of setting up a high-street quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain selling wraps. So, what did Rebel Foods do differently to become India’s first unicorn in the cluttered cloud kitchen market? In this exclusive interview, Kallol Banerjee recounts the journey and discusses the way forward. Today, wearable headsets are bringing down the walls between physical and virtual worlds. You could shut out the physical world around you and take a ride through Hogwarts on a dragon, or you could find digital arrows overlaid on the building in front of your eyes, to help you navigate better. Let’s understand the difference between three path-breaking technologies with infinite possibilities. Listen to these and more in today's Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
The finance ministry has issued a uniform staff accountability framework for bad loans of up to Rs 50 crore to protect employees taking bonafide business decisions. But is that enough to assuage the concerns of public-sector bankers? How does Volvo India plan to reduce emissions and achieve the net-zero target? What are the alternative technologies being explored? Which are the other countries where the company has tried these technologies and to what level of success? In this exclusive interview with Jyoti Mukul, Volvo India President and Managing Director Kamal Bali talks about these and more. Shares of Titan Company, Thangamayil Jewellery and Goldiam International have more than doubled since last Dhanteras as a strong bounceback in gold jewellery demand has brightened growth prospects of these companies. But will these companies replicate their returns this year as well? Apart from investors and speculators, there is also a third category of market participants. Known as arbitrageurs, they trade in the markets and make use of the differential in prices of the same stock on different exchanges to make a quick buck. Well, as tough as it sounds, their trading is based on opportunities arising out of price deviations between asset classes. Today, we explore the meaning, trading style, and limitations faced by arbitrageurs. Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
The 26th edition of the United Nations Conference of Parties, or COP26, started in the Scottish city of Glasgow yesterday. It would be no exaggeration to say that the fate of humanity depends on the outcome of this summit. With that in mind, we examine India's agenda going in and also delve into what New Delhi hopes to achieve in Glasgow and the challenges it will face. The government has extended the tenure of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das for another three years, signalling an endorsement of the policies pursued by him. The central bank under Das flooded the system with liquidity while keeping interest rates low to shore up growth during the pandemic. What does the extension mean for the markets? What does Samvat 2078 have in store for Indian equity markets? Which sectors look investment-worthy? Leading market experts answer these questions and help you better understand what lies ahead. From looking things up on search engines to ordering food, reading news, and booking cabs, we use web services every day. But do you know the web as we know it is just a fraction of the actual web space. Yes, and that is why it is called the surface web. It is available for access to anyone and everyone with access to the internet. But there is a whole lot more to the web which is not accessible to everyone. People call it the dark web. Curious to know what the dark web is, who uses it, and why it is a maligned space? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
Tata Group stocks have been on a dream run this year, and for a change the biggest group company TCS has lagged the market. The combined market cap of all listed Tata companies, excluding TCS, has shot up by 102% this year. This report examines how the fortunes of the Tata group companies are turning around under Chairman N Chandrasekaran. For the quarter ended September 2021, the demand for gold in India jumped 47% year-on-year to 139.1 tonnes, compared with 94.6 tonnes in the year-ago period, and higher than the 123.9 tonnes recorded in the September 2019 quarter. How will the year 2022 prove for gold? Is it a good time to buy? The action has shifted to the primary market now, with a number of initial public offerings vying for investor’s money. One of the most awaited offers – that of e-commerce player Nykaa – will open for subscription today. Is it worth your money? And what factors are likely to keep traders and investors busy today? There is a lot of noise at the moment about the connected ecosystem, including connected homes, connected offices, connected cars, and connected manufacturing facilities. The connected ecosystem is propelled by what is called the ‘Internet of Things’, commonly called IoT. But what is the Internet of Things and how does it work? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
From bringing people together and fostering friendships, to spreading misinformation and propagating hate and violence, the conversation around Facebook and social media at large has changed a lot. The Facebook papers, a set of leaked internal documents from former employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen talks about how Facebook should have done a lot more to curb the spread of hate and violence around the world, with examples from India and the US. It could well be the final nail in the coffin before countries around the world bring in regulations for social media companies. Dixon Technologies CMD Sunil Vachani has been a proponent of the performance-linked incentive scheme for IT and component manufacturing. And his company has straddled across various sectors. In an exclusive interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta, Vachani spoke about what Dixon wants to achieve through the PLI scheme, its planned investments and acquisitions, besides much else. The much-awaited IPO of FSN E-Commerce Ventures, which owns online e-tailer Nykaa, will open for subscription tomorrow. However, valuation concerns and the need to examine wellness products personally before purchasing are some of the factors that analysts are concerned about. They feel these could impact the company’s fortunes in the long term. In our next report, D-Street experts break down the risks for you. The complex world of startups is filled with an even more complex mini world of jargons. You hear about various kinds of fundraising – angel investments, series A, B, C, and more. And then there also are incubators, accelerators, PE-VC investors, and corporate investors. How do these differ from one another? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
From early-bird corporate results for the July-September quarter, it might appear that India Inc is doing well in terms of sales, but there is a squeeze on margins, especially for manufacturing and consumer companies, as a result of higher input costs. So what does that mean for companies going forward? In a recent industry event, RBI Deputy Governor T Rabi Shankar, said that India was on cusp of complete Capital Account Convertibility. While analysts see FPI inflows rising by $20 billion per year due to the move, there are a few red flags that the govt and the RBI need to address. Ratings downgrades continue to pour in for India as valuations remain exceedingly high. After UBS, now Nomura has cut Indian equities’ rating, as valuations have surpassed pre-Covid times. Will this valuation-based correction last? And which stocks are likely to be worst hit? If an app is free to download, does it mean it is really and truly free? Often, we see that an app is listed as free on the Apple App Store and Google Play, but they have something called in-app purchases. What are these in-app purchases? Are they essential or incremental to the user experience? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
Will the government be able to breeze through its privatisation plan after its successful sale of Air India? Privatisation of Bharat Petroleum, its next big-ticket sale, faces a crucial hurdle. It may have to let go of the unofficial price regulation as high crude oil prices threaten to keep potential buyers at bay. What will be the policy implication of the Rs 50,000-crore BPCL sale? Is too much money chasing too few stocks in Indian markets? Which themes and sectors will do well in the markets in Samvat 2078? How will the global equity markets play out? What are the risks to the rally, and are all those risks priced in? Avendus Capital CEO Andrew Holland answers these and more questions in an exclusive interview with Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa. India’s biggest online beauty and wellness products seller Nykaa will open its IPO this week. Will the issue drive investors away from the secondary markets, which are already reeling from the pressure of rich valuations and taper concerns? You may have heard that India’s recovery after the coronavirus pandemic is likely to be a K-shaped one instead of a V. And then we also hear about a U-, L-, and even W-shaped recovery. What are these? Well, economic recovery after a recession can be of various types, and these are understood using different letters of the alphabet. Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
India has reached a crucial milestone in its fight against Covid-19. This will not only help us come out of the pandemic faster, but will also give our economy a boost. Let's find out how. Social commerce platform Meesho has already established itself as an alternative to e-commerce platforms in India’s smaller towns. It recently raised $570 million in funding at a valuation of $4.9 billion. Now what is its next-stage plan? How does it plan to disrupt the grocery market? Will it have to go for another round of fundraising anytime soon? Meesho CEO Vidit Aatrey answered these and many more questions in this exclusive interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta. All eyes will be on Reliance Industries today, as the company is scheduled to announce its September quarter numbers. Will it spring a surprise? Let’s see what leading brokerages expect. We often hear about open-source and proprietary software – and indeed the concept of open source itself. What are these? How did the idea originate? And how is open source driving modern-day inventions? We answer all these questions in this explainer. Let’s listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
The optimism surrounding the Indian economy has gone up considerably in recent times. In fact, India is projected to regain the status of the fastest-growing major economy in the world. But, is all this optimism warranted, especially when we consider India's economic prospects in the medium term? Let's find out. Surrogate ads of liquor and tobacco products have been banned in India since 1995. But we still see celebrities indirectly promoting such products and courting controversy every now and then for their endorsements. How are companies and stars able to do this? What’s the regulation, and where are the loopholes? Let’s find out in this report The September quarter result of Hindustan Unilever has brought to the fore inflation-related concerns amid falling sales in rural India. Can all this dent the sentiment across FMCG stocks? Here’s what analysts have to say Metaverse is the hottest buzzword in the tech world industry right now. The world’s biggest social media company, Facebook, has also jumped into this space, proclaiming it to be the next big thing after the internet. We decode the concept in this report. Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
In a worrying development that could potentially hurt the Indian IT sector, high attrition rates are haunting the country’s big IT service providers. The war for talent has become an industry-wide phenomenon amid an acute shortage of digital skills. Let us look at the reasons for high attrition and the actions the companies are taking to tackle this. Passenger volumes on the Delhi Metro are still 45 per cent of their pre-COVID level, but what has come as an additional challenge is an adverse arbitration award which could lead to an outgo of over Rs 7,000 crore. Business Standard's Jyoti Mukul spoke to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director Mangu Singh on these twin challenges. The markets have rallied for seven straight sessions with select index heavyweights like Reliance, Infosys and select financials driving the index higher. The action today will shift to Hindustan Unilever and cement companies. Let’s see what’s in store. You may have heard mixed reviews about Unit-Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs). But do you know what ULIPs exactly are and how they work? Are they a good invest instrument? If so, why? Let's decode all of these in this segment. Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
Air India has returned to the Tatas’ stable after 68 years. The government recently announced the sale of the national carrier to the Tata Group at an enterprise value of 18,000 crore rupees. But, that's just the first step for the Tatas. Let's delve into the long flight to stability that the airline and the group will have to chart from here. Should we be concerned about the runaway rally in equity markets right now? Or should we be happy that retail investors have latched on to the equity bandwagon? And how is the retail broking business faring against this backdrop? Nirmal Jain, the founder & chairman of the IIFL group, gave answers to these and many other questions in an exclusive interview with Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa. The BSE Sensex and the NSE Nifty hit fresh highs last week. Is there more upside left? What are the key risks to the rally and where are the investment-worthy opportunities? Let’s find out. Using a model pioneered by Thrasio in the US, several startups like Mensa Brands and GlobalBees were born in India during the pandemic. As they buy out merchants selling through Amazon and Flipkart, not only do they provide profitable exits to small business owners, but also help their brands scale rapidly after acquisition. Let us understand the appeal of this new category of startups. Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
The fight between Zee Entertainment and its shareholder Invesco is showing no signs of abating. The two parties have dragged each other to court. And, in a new twist, Reliance Industries has also been drawn to the scene. Even as a legal battle is unfolding for the control of India’s biggest listed media company, we take a look at the latest turn of events. IT major Wipro recently reported crossing the $10-billion mark in annual revenue run rate. While it’s milestone for the company, the present high level of attrition is a worrying sign not only for Wipro but also the entire IT industry and its supply chains. In an exclusive interview with Business Standard’s Neha Alawadhi, Wipro CEO Thierry Delaporte spoke about his company’s business, its plans, the attribution problem, and what Wipro is doing to manage its human resources. Ahead of today’s market holiday on account of Dussehra, the BSE Sensex climbed above the 61,000 mark for the first time on Thursday. The NSE Nifty, meanwhile, sprinted beyond the 18,300 level. Let’s rewind this week’s major events and also look at how the Q2 report cards of HDFC Bank and Avenue Supermarts might look like. There is a lot of buzz around the central government’s production-linked incentive schemes for various sectors in order to make manufacturing in India globally competitive, build efficiencies and help create economies of scale. But how do PLI schemes really work? How do they spur production of goods? And how are the benefits passed on to manufacturers and consumers? Here’s an explainer for you. Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
Two of India’s richest men have outlined their very ambitious plans to build a green energy ecosystem. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries and Gautam Adani’s Adani Group plan to spend a combined $30 billion over the next few years on a renewables push. What does this mean for India’s green energy space? India’s red-hot IPO market has been on a roll this year. And, it was expected to gather more pace with the much-awaited offerings of Paytm and OYO. However, even as these companies await clearance from market regulator Sebi, they have been hit by some surprise lawsuits and complaints. Will this slam the brakes on India’s record run of IPOs? What are the issues in these cases? And what’s the standard time taken for an IPO clearance? It’s going to be an action-packed Wednesday today, with the markets set to react to retail inflation data for September and industrial output numbers for August, besides global cues. Back home, earnings of IT majors Infosys, Wipro and MindTree will be on trader’s mind. What else to look for in the markets today? In a year that has spelt doom and despair for so many people across the world, how do you reward the people who have managed to comfort the humankind with their intellectual achievements. Well, giving them a Nobel Prize comes to mind. As the world still reels from the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of advances in science, world peace and literature seem all the more important. What’s the history of the Nobel Prize? Why is it important for the world? Who are this year’s winners and why have they been chosen? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
You’ve probably made teams on Dream11 and earned some money too. Or maybe you’ve played poker online and won some cash. But if you’re in Karnataka, these online games are now out of bounds for you now. This despite the Supreme Court and the Madras HC recently calling games of skill perfectly legal and ‘constitutional’. What’s the regulatory scenario for the Indian online gaming industry? Will electric mobility truly seize the moment in India? If so, what’s the main reason for it? Is it the push by the government or have consumers become more conscious about clean mobility? Will the entry of Ola lead to a price war in the EV segment? In a conversation with Business Standard’s Arindam Majumder, Hero Electric Managing Director Naveen Munjal answered these and many more such questions on the present and future state of electric mobility in India. With markets at all-time highs, quarterly earnings and key macro-economic data due to be released will dictate the market trends today. What else may be in store for the markets today? Artificial intelligence is already a part of our daily lives, and you'd not be totally unfamiliar with the term. But do you know what exactly is AI? Are there different types of AI? And, why is it being considered a gamechanger? Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
With the successful sale of Air India to the Tata group, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has restarted the country’s long-stalled privatisation programme, which had been kicked off by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in the late 1990s. With several high-profile privatisation deals lined up, including the sale of Bharat Petroleum, can Modi replicate Vajpayee’s success? The monetary policy report of the Reserve Bank of India has pegged economic growth at 7.8% for the next financial year, assuming normal monsoon and full vaccination against the Covid-19 virus. What were the 10 most important takeaways from the report? How prepared is the mobile device ecosystem for the 5G technology, which is expected to be rolled out by next year? Will we again see the stutters that we had seen at the time of 4G? Will the prices come down in the sub-Rs 10,000 handset segment? When will India’s semiconductor chip shortage end? And is India ready to have its own fab ecosystem? Qualcomm VP and President for India and SAARC, Rajen Vagadia, answered all these questions in an exclusive interview with Business Standard’s Surajeet Das Gupta. With the RBI policy behind us, markets will shift their focus towards corporate earnings and macroeconomic data during this holiday truncated week. What are the key triggers for the week and what are tech charts suggesting for the markets? The Employees’ Provident Fund, or EPF, has traditionally been the most common tool for most Indians, especially the salaried class, to save for their retirement corpus. But what is provident fund? *** Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
As India’s economy bounces back from the pandemic, a severe power crisis threatens to derail the recovery, even as the festive season approaches. Power plants that burn coal are running out of stocks at a time when India’s industrial power demand has surged. What is causing this coal shortage? And does this mean massive power cuts might be in the offing? Even as businesses were recovering after the first Covid wave last year, the second one struck India earlier this year and hit all businesses, including ride-sharing platforms, as well as the broader economy. Now that the coronavirus situation is getting better and the economy is on a recovery path, how is the ride-sharing business faring? In an exclusive interview with Business Standard's Surajeet Das Gupta, Uber president for India and South Asia, Prabhjeet Singh, seemed upbeat about the business recovery. He said he was bullish on segments like autorickshaw and also spoke about his company's India R&D work, and the implementation of social security benefits for gig workers. Governor Shaktikanta Das will announce the outcome of the RBI’s three-day monetary policy meet at 10 am today. There are expectations that the central bank will keep key interest rates unchanged. However, volatility could be on the cards for D-Street, as the RBI’s views on policy normalisation, GDP growth, inflation trajectory, and G-SAP quantum will lay the road map for days ahead. That apart, IT major TCS will kickstart the Q2 earnings season later in the day. What could the company’s numbers look like, and what are the other key drivers for the markets today? India wants data related to Indian users stored and processed within India’s borders. Under its data localisation plan, which first made headlines in early 2018, it will be mandatory for companies collecting critical consumer data to store and process them in data centres present within the country’s borders. So, what is a data centre and why is it important with respect to India’s data localisation plan? Get answers to all these questions and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
The services of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram were disrupted for at least 6 hours on the night of October 4th India time. This was because of the collapse of Facebook's global system. And this had an impact on millions of people, if not billions. How are businesses, particularly in India, affected by such events? And what can regulators do about them? === After a 7% economic contraction in 2020-21 financial year, India is eyeing over 9% growth in FY22. However, with extreme job losses, migration of labour from high-productive to low-productive jobs, and high inflation, policy makers may have to rethink the target of a $5-trillion economy by 2025. Why does former Reserve Bank Governor D Subbarao think doubling the economy in 4 years might be too ambitious? === The Reserve Bank of India’s three-day monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting ends on Friday. The consensus view is that of a status quo on key rates, though the central bank could tinker with policies to help suck out excess liquidity from the system. How will the markets react to a surprise? What’s priced in and what’s not? === There has been a lot of activity in India's primary markets this financial year, with as many as 24 companies raising a total of Rs 47,000 crore through the IPO route in the first six months. At least two issues, Paras Defence & Space Technologies and GR Infraprojects, have listed at a premium of more than 100%, more than doubling investors' wealth. So what is an IPO? How does the process work? How much time does it take for a company to go public? === Get answers to these questions and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
The RBI recently superseded the boards of Srei Infrastructure Finance and Srei Equipment Finance. These firms will now be taken up for insolvency proceedings. While the situation is still developing, we delve into the background of the family behind the business and how the crisis unfolded. === Market regulator Sebi has approved guidelines for setting up of spot gold exchanges. The move will help bring a transparent price-discovery mechanism, besides creating liquidity for retail investors. Let us take a look at how the exchange would work and how it compares with other gold instruments. === Amid volatility in the global markets, the focus will now shift to the RBI's three-day monetary policy review meeting, which kicks off today. Watch this report to know the issues that will guide the markets on today. === From being a mythical creature to a regular feature in business and financial discussions, unicorns certainly have come a long way. Now we hear the term unicorn so very often for startups that are doing very well. And, as if unicorns were not enough, now we also hear of decacorns and hectocorns? So what are unicorns in the startup universe? Can only startups become unicorns? Let’s understand all of these in this primer. === Listen to these and more in today’s Business Standard Morning Show podcast. Watch Video
The Q2 earnings season of FY22 is kicking off this week, with IT bellwether TCS slated to post its results on Friday. Overall, expectations are that the earnings momentum of the last few quarters will continue in the September quarter as well. But analysts warn that any disappointment on the earnings trajectory might roil the markets. In this segment, we take a look at what to expect from India Inc in Q2 of FY22, the sectors that can shine, and how investors can play the earnings season. === India will soon see two used cars being sold for every one new car. This market of pre-owned vehicles, earlier the domain of unorganised players with limited inventory, has seen the entry of tech-enabled startups like Cars24, Olx Autos, Droom and CarTrade. But there's still a policy vacuum here. Let's understand the loopholes in this report. === Investors who held on to their mutual funds and stocks after last year's market crash have enjoyed handsome gains. The story is not much different for some of the top members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Council of ministers. And those without exposure to equity have lost out on potential gains. Let us take a look at how these ministers' portfolios have fared. === SPAC is the new buzzword in the deal-making space. It stands for a special-purpose acquisition company and it is a new way for a company to list in public markets. Amid the recent IPO frenzy, Renew Power stood out as the solar energy company took this route to list on the Nasdaq. SPAC is becoming very popular with founders in India and abroad. So, what is a SPAC and how does it work? Let's understand. === Listen to these and more in today's episode of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
We often hear of a growing trend in India Inc that could bode well for shareholders going forward but presents a set of unique challenges for companies involved. Yes, we are talking about shareholder activism, many instances of which we have seen lately at several top companies. So, why is India Inc seeing a surge in shareholder activism? Facebook, along with WhatsApp and Instagram, now has a user base of about 400 million in India. Now how does it plan to tap the next 800 million. Facebook India Managing Director Ajit Mohan discusses the social media giant's plans in the country with Surajeet Das Gupta in an exclusive interview. Most markets across the globe witnessed profit booking as developments in China and a spike in crude oil prices dented sentiment. China's power crisis is hitting Asia's largest economy. Back home, increased power and gas prices have fanned inflation fears just when the RBI is scheduled to meet for its bi-monthly policy meeting. Against this backdrop, what lies ahead for the markets this week? If you are a market investor, it's unlikely that you wouldn't have heard of Warren Buffett, the ninth-richest man in the world who has made a fortune by investing in stock markets. And Buffett understands that stock picking is not everyone's cup of tea. In fact, according to him, most average long-term investors would benefit from a much simpler strategy: investing in low-cost index funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). So what are ETFs and how could you invest in them? Listen to these and more in today's Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
The Reserve bank of India's latest rules on auto-debit transactions come into force from today. What will change for the consumers? Will their recurring payment mandates fail? One of the world’s largest institutional investors has locked horns with RIL over its appointment of the Saudi Aramco chairman as an independent director. Do they have a real case, legally speaking? The equity markets have put up a strong showing in H1 of FY22. Analysts remain convinced that the bull run will continue for the rest of FY22, but will minnows manage to trump their larger peers? Looking for investment options for high returns? P2P lending could get you 9-12% interest rate? Appealing, right? But there are some riders. What exactly is peer-to-peer lending and how does it work? Let’s understand these and more in today’s edition of The Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
Oil prices have climbed steadily in the past few weeks, with Brent crude crossing the $80-a-barrel mark recently for the first time in three years. Research houses like Goldman Sachs expect the Brent to hit the $90-a-barrel mark by the end of this calendar year. So, why is oil on the boil? How are the demand-supply dynamics shaping up? What does all this mean for the Indian markets and the government's revenue maths? Listen to this podcast for the answers and an exclusive interview with Dr Kang Wu, the head of global demand and Asia analytics at S&P Global Platts. It's the IPO season. A bunch of listings like Zomato's have been stellar. And another group, including Paytm, Oyo and Policybazaar, is ready to hit the gong. For countries like India, it is pertinent to attract tech start-ups to list in India and Not go overseas. So, India is tightening the lever on policy. Markets regulator SEBI has eased the rules for issuance of shares with superior voting power - a long-time ask of the tech ecosystem. India is now on a par with start-up rules in the US and broader west. Is it enough to spur start-up IPOs? Or is it an incremental step? Did you know that people from 18 countries, including Denmark, Canada, and Antigua and Barbuda, who are vaccinated even with Covishield can travel to the UK without following mandatory quarantine protocols? But not Indians... they will have to go through a 10-day self-isolation. Many countries are adopting different sets of rules to allow foreigners to enter their territory. Does this not impact the global business prospects at a time when we all are looking for stronger and faster economic recovery? Isn't it time to have conformity and trust in approved vaccines? We hear a lot about 5G telephony these days and come across so many devices that claim to be 5G-ready. But what is 5G really? And how does it work? Learn about 5G and the three basic parameters that define 5G. Listen to these and more in today's edition of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast.
Has life come full circle for the Nanda family of Escorts? Existing investor Kubota Corporation is said to be in talks to become a controlling shareholder of the tractor manufacturer. What does it stand to gain? And what will this means for the Nanda family? Punit Goenka, chief executive of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, keeps his smile – both in good times and bad. The 46-year-old remained calm even when foreign investors tried to unseat him from the company founded by his father, Subhash Chandra. Goenka's ability to stay at ease in difficult times is probably what helped Zee Entertainment rise from a financially stressed broadcaster to one of India's largest, steadiest and most profitable media companies. What differentiates this unflappable CEO from his father? Rise in US bond yield and crude oil price, along with concerns over the Chinese power crunch, dragged the benchmark Indian indices lower for the first time in 4 days on Tuesday. The Sensex fell nearly 1,000 points yesterday, while the Nifty50 fell to 17,750 levels intra-day. Will bears tighten their grip on the markets on Wednesday or will market bulls wrestle their way back on Dalal Street? The World Health Organization has so far approved Covid vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, US pharma majors Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, China's Sinopharm and Oxford-AstraZeneca for emergency use. And there is this term 'Emergency Use Authorisation', or EUA, which is being used for vaccines or drugs that get the drug regulator's nod. But what does EUA for Covid vaccine mean? Find answers to all these questions in this podcast.
Market regulator Sebi is holding a crucial meeting of its board today. Among the most important topics on its agenda are measures to allow private equity firms to acquire or set up their own asset management companies. In a move that could give the founders of new-age companies more flexibility to raise capital before going public, the regulator is expected to ease the framework governing superior voting rights. It may also operationalise the framework to allow setting up of gold spot and social stock exchanges. Markets will be keenly watching the decisions taken at the meeting today. Emission reduction is the need of the hour as we face a climate change challenge. And electric vehicles are going to play a pivotal role in this. However, the government's recent policy decisions might leave the electric two-wheeler industry, which has seen a lot of action recently, out in the cold. The power, fame and following that come with the captaincy of a cricket team often make a cricketer a darling of brands in India. But Virat Kohli has chosen to relinquish a part of that glory. Will it affect his popularity? Will there be an impact on the advertising sweepstakes? Moving to a new city is not easy. From finding a house to figuring out the commute and language, among other things, can all be a bit too much. And, if you happen to own a vehicle and are moving to another state, the paperwork gets multiplied. But now there's a new system of vehicle registration to make life simpler for vehicle owners: The BH-series vehicle registration plates. Listen to this podcast for insights into all these.
There seems to be a difference of opinion within the government on the proposed e-commerce rules. The finance ministry, the ministry of corporate affairs, and NITI Aayog have all raised objections to certain clauses in the new draft eCommerce rules, especially those related to associated entities being listed as sellers on e-commerce platforms, and the potential abuse of dominant position by companies. How serious are these differences? Or is it just part and parcel of any robust policy-making process? Climate change has thrown up key challenges for power companies and there is an urgent need for them to limit their coal-based production and increasingly move to non-carbon generation. And as the power sector moves to renewables, there is bound to be some disruption. Business Standard's Jyoti Mukul spoke to Tata Power CEO Praveer Sinha on how his company is addressing the concerns around carbon emissions, what are the challenges being faced, and the need for flexibility in the power market. Listen to this exclusive interview. Our benchmark indices scaled fresh lifetime highs last Friday, defying a weak global mood. But, in recent weeks, global analysts have scaled back their bullish bets in view of a likely spillover of the potential default at China’s Evergrande. And there also are the imminent taper by the US Fed, and a rise in infections due to the delta variant of coronavirus. So, does that mean a market correction is on the cards? And, should you really be worried? *** If your employer shut shop and did not issue you Form 16, does it mean that you do not have to pay tax or file a return? What should you do if your employer deducts TDS but does not issue a certificate? We explain all that you know, and you don't know, about Form 16, TDS certificate, Form 16 part A, Form 16 part B, Form 26AS, Income Tax portal, and things to remember as a taxpayer
The 70-year relationship between the Tata group and the Shapoorji-Pallonji group has gone from sweet to sour in the past few years. The latter has already expressed its intent to exit the former and liquidate its 18.4 per cent stake. Its efforts to do so did not succeed last year. Will it work out this time around? Some of the recent developments can potentially alter the strategic picture of the Indo-Pacific region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a visit to the US, where he will participate in the first in-person Quad summit today. What should India expect to achieve from this summit? It has been a topsy-turvy week for the global equity markets, having to deal with the Evergrande crisis in China. Will this event prove to be a catalyst triggering a market correction? Or is the worst over? What does Kotak Mahindra AMC Managing Director Nilesh Shah have to say on the matter? Be it Evergrande or the US Fed's taper timeline keeping markets on edge, we often hear about volatility. What does it mean? And what's the barometer to measure it? Listen to this podcast to get answers to all these questions.
After the govt’s relief package for the telecom sector, Vodafone Idea appears to be back on track for a fresh innings. So is the pain over for Vi, or does it await a bigger battle? India needs to create a semiconductor ecosystem to avoid being crippled by the kind of shortages that have hit industries across the globe. But is the plan sound enough this time? Does the current market level have you worried? Are you wondering where to invest? What will be a wise investment bet given the elevated levels in equity markets? Which are the sectors that still hold promise for the medium to long term? When the JAM trinity was announced in 2014, the idea was to link mobile phones with Aadhaar and bank accounts. After UPI and wallets, now we have BharatQR and e-Rupee. Who has gained the most from these? Launched in 2016, UPI is a revolutionary technology framework used for mobile payments in India. We are all familiar with Paytm, PhonePe and Google Pay. But how does UPI work? Listen to this episode of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast to get answers to all these questions.
The 45th GST Council Meet, the first physical one since the coronavirus outbreak, will be held in Lucknow today. What are the key issues the Council is likely to address? The govt report on Air India plane crash at Kozhikode airport squarely blames the pilot for “misjudgment”. But there are serious questions on institutional failures. Where does the blame really lie? And what should be done to prevent such mishaps in future? From hefty discounts to ironing out supply bottlenecks, India Inc is betting on revenge buying this festive season to perk up sales. But will this translate into gains on Dalal Street? As fears of a third Covid wave loom, some relevant questions need answering. What do virologist Gagandeep Kang and Public Health Foundation of India President K Srinath Reddy think about the present state of the pandemic and the way forward? The remaining matches of IPL 2021 are going to be played in the UAE from September 19, and we are hearing a lot about safety protocols and the ‘bio-bubble’. What exactly is a bio-bubble and how does it work? Listen to this episode of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast to get answers to all these questions.
Ford is the fourth US automaker to shrink India operations – after Harley Davidson, UM Motorcycle, and General Motors – in less than 5 years. Is this a comment on India as an investment destination? Cairn Energy has said that it is ready to settle its decade-long tax disputes with India. But what about other disputes and how has the government move to scrap retro taxation panned out so far? Market is likely to eye movement in the stock of Reliance Industries this week, as lack of fresh triggers has kept indices range-bound over the past couple of days. What more should we expect in equity markets this week? What is 15th Finance Commission Chairman N K Singh advice on three key issues that India needs to tackle – institutional reforms, geopolitical challenges and climate change? Sebi has proposed a T+1 settlement cycle for stocks from 2022 on an optional basis, instead of the mandatory T+2 at present. What will change for Indian stock markets, investors and companies? Listen to this episode of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast to get answers to all these questions.
What will be the implication of the Equitas-Google Pay deal, or the Kuvera-Amazon Pay deal, on the banking landscape? What is the Reserve Bank of India worried? The JioPhone Next, arguably the world’s cheapest 4G smartphone, will launch soon. There is a lot of speculation on the internet – some of them quite unreasonable. What should you reasonably expect from the phone? The prices of gold have corrected a lot lately. The metal has offered negative returns in five out of eight months this year. Given this, should you continue to invest in gold or look elsewhere? For most employers, getting employees to return to office is a conundrum. Some are even lining up a slew of incentives and freebies to lure them back. Will this work? What’s the way forward? You provide your data to entities like banks and insurers. Why should you not be able use this data to access credit? Soon, there will be an account aggregator framework to help you do that. How will this framework operate? Listen to this episode of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast to get answers to all these questions.
Over two years after its operations were suspended, Jet Airways is ready for a take-off again. Will its second take-off be smooth or a turbulent one? The economic revival may now seem real – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said it may have started in the first quarter itself – but is this recovery at the expense of the Indian middle class? The BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 have been hitting record highs. But is this rally sustainable? What is driving retail investors? Is it fundamentals or just misplaced exuberance? The Indian economy is recovering. But can we settle into a long-term high-growth trajectory? What does former deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, think about the present state of Indian economy? The govt has notified rules to tax the interest you earn on provident fund. How will these rules impact your income? Listen to this inaugural episode of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast to get answers to all these questions.