POLICY
Regulation and supervision: RBI hits the nail on the head
The era of silo approach to regulation is long over and the team needs to look at regulation and supervision in a comprehensive manner
ECONOMY
Forget Greenspan standard; Draghi sets a new normal
Draghi and the ECB did a fine job in saving the Eurozone from disaster when few expected the central bank could do the job
CURRENT-AFFAIRS-TRENDS
Economics Nobel – Hail the trio, but the real party can wait!
One hopes that in future, the Nobel committee expands the scope of the prize to scholars and researchers outside the standard choices
TECHNOLOGY
Machine learning in economics: Should economists worry?
It is a good time for those with a computer science background to think of a career in economics!
ECONOMY
Agri finance: Another year, another panel. Will things change?
A new working group suggests a raft of measures to improve agri credit. Sadly, the previous results do not inspire confidence
ECONOMY
Housing securitisation in India – Build it block by block!
A market-based financial system is always welcome, but India would do well not to lose sight of the 2008 crisis
ECONOMY
Policy | Fighting bad loans? A shift to markets from banks holds the cue
Financial intermediaries can bear risks for a longer duration than banks and generate higher returns
ECONOMY
Jalan Committee: A case of both glass half-full and half-empty!
The Jalan panel has said interim dividends should be resorted to only in extreme cases, but the definition of extreme lies with the government
BUSINESS
Policy | Are central bankers staring at a bigger hole for economies?
Each of the Jackson Hole symposiums since 2008 has led to more questions than answers
POLITICS
Policy | No RTI lessons for financial regulators
The RTI Act had elements of a proper design of tenures of officials. Sadly, these very elements now stand amended.
ECONOMY
Price stability or financial stability? RBI’s difficult balancing act
The Shaktikanta Das-led RBI is making the right noises, assuring stakeholders of stable markets, though clouds are gathering on the horizon
ECONOMY
Policy | Who regulates public sector banks: Government or RBI?
The web of the finance ministry and the RBI on regulation of PSBs is making things murkier.
BUSINESS
Policy | Offshore to onshore forex market: A bridge way too far
The Usha Thorat committee on the subject stops short of suggesting capital account convertibility.
BUSINESS
GIFT City gets a second life after SGX deal
It is only when financial activity crosses a certain threshold can one expect talent to settle in this new centre. It will be this talent that will drive future activity and make it a virtuous circle of financial development.
INDIA
Obituary | Subir Gokarn, the RBI deputy governor when economy was in doldrums
As RBI searched for answers for elevated inflation, Subir Gokarn came up with the idea of protein inflation. In a controversial speech in October 2010, he said with rising incomes Indians were consuming more proteins in the form of dals, eggs and meat.
BUSINESS
The parting shot | Viral Acharya, the Deputy Governor who spoke his mind
Known as someone who calls a spade a spade, the fearless RBI deputy chose not to play second fiddle to the Governor and instead make his own mark
BUSINESS
Private crypto ban: Has India gone overboard?
One comes back with a feeling that banning private cryptocurrencies is harsh. Historically, governments barely budged, citing all kinds of fears as they do today
BUSINESS
Bretton Woods@75: A few surprises here, some similarities there
J M Keynes, a key architect of the modern monetary system, may have a mixed feeling if he were alive now. The global economic coordination is anything but smooth
BUSINESS
SEBI’s transfer of surplus to government raises more questions than answers
SEBI’s funds transfer to the government is nothing new. The oddity is the amendments in this regard are inserted in the Finance Bill. A mention by FM or a separate Budget proposal would have just done the job
BUSINESS
Budget 2019| Measures to strengthen NBFC and Banking sector
Measures proposed in Budget 2019 do give teeth to the RBI for regulating NBFCs and HFCs. The question of execution will remain
BUSINESS
Facebook’s Libra Currency – Will it rewrite the crypto playbook?
The cryptocurrency from social media giant is an interesting mix of free and fiat currencies. However, niggling doubts over privacy and other issues remain
BUSINESS
Glide path to solve NPA maths? RBI can give it a try
We all know how the inflation targeting framework set the gold standard to bring prices down. To stretch it a little further, why not apply it to break the back of the NPA problem? Over to RBI
BUSINESS
NSE Case | The Indian financial sector story is unravelling
The only saving grace in the Indian story is that recent events have not led to a systemic crisis like in other countries. But we have seen that systemic risks materialize much faster than anyone can imagine.
