BUSINESS
Flash PMI’s low selling price inflation will help MPC cut rates as Trump tariffs loom
India’s private sector continues to show strong growth momentum, according to the Flash PMI for March. But while domestic demand is robust, the Monetary Policy Committee must take into account the impact of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs
BUSINESS
Venezuela’s happier than India — Maybe, chaos is the key to happiness
India has inched its way up the World Happiness Report 2025, landing at rank 118 — a victory worth celebrating if you enjoy beating Burkina Faso and Chad. Clearly, all it takes to be happy these days is a sprinkle of chaos and a dash of despair
BUSINESS
Tariff Troubles: Why Trump’s trade war is more about politics than policy
Donald Trump’s tariff policies have long been viewed as impulsive, yet new research suggests a calculated strategy — rewarding allies and punishing opponents. A closer look reveals that political connections played a pivotal role in determining which firms secured tariff exemptions
BUSINESS
Trade Winds Shift: India’s services strength masks export concerns
India posted an overall trade surplus in February 2025, driven by a robust surplus in services trade that offset a merchandise trade deficit. While this provides some relief amid global trade uncertainties, weak merchandise exports, looming US tariffs and rising imports from China highlight lingering concerns in India’s trade landscape
BUSINESS
With inflation cooling, monetary policy will deliver growth support
India’s economic landscape is shifting as cooling inflation paves the way for a more accommodative monetary policy. With the RBI easing rates and liquidity conditions improving, policymakers are now focusing on reviving growth amid global uncertainties
BUSINESS
India’s share of global arms imports falls on local production boost
India’s declining dependence on arms imports reflects its growing defence self-sufficiency. As SIPRI’s latest report highlights, India’s efforts to boost indigenous production have steadily reduced its reliance on foreign suppliers
BUSINESS
Tuhin Pandey’s SEBI brings fresh hope with a focus on trust and transparency
In his first major public engagement, Sebi’s chairman laid out a vision. It promises to usher in a regulatory approach that is not overzealous. Instead, there will be a push to be mindful of trade-offs and a willingness to listen to feedback. He’s promised 'optimum regulation'
BUSINESS
Project 2025: Disowned by Trump, yet echoing his agenda
Despite Trump’s public disassociation from Project 2025, its policies mirror his administration’s priorities—from border security to economic nationalism. The document provides key insights into a potential second Trump term, with implications for global trade, defence, and U.S.-India relations
BUSINESS
China’s Two Sessions meeting: Domestic demand takes centre-stage in economic strategy
China has set an ambitious 5 percent GDP growth target for 2025, despite economic headwinds and rising global protectionism. To achieve this, Beijing is ramping up domestic demand, fiscal stimulus, and high-tech innovation, while pledging further economic openness
BUSINESS
The road to 2047: Can India break free from ‘Business-as-Usual’?
Twelve years ago, the Economic Survey foresaw India's economic trajectory with striking accuracy. Now, the World Bank's latest report echoes similar concerns, mapping out three possible paths for India's future—one of transformation, one of stagnation, and one in between. The question remains: which road will India take?
BUSINESS
Private sector non-financial firms’ share of capex tumbles in 2023-24
The uncertainties unleashed by Donald Trump’s unabashed mercantilism will likely weigh on private sector investment
BUSINESS
Manufacturing's share in economy in 2024-25 at same level as 18 years ago
The share of industry in GVA has come down from 33.04 percent back in 2009-10 to an estimated 30.58 percent in 2024-25. There does seem to be something in all the talk about premature deindustrialisation
BUSINESS
Economic momentum fades across major economies, but India shines in Flash PMI readings
Flash PMIs for February show that growth in India is gaining momentum, US activity is close to stalling, while the Eurozone and UK are barely keeping their heads above water
BUSINESS
Buffett’s Dilemma: Too much cash, too few investment opportunities
Berkshire Hathaway’s holdings of short-term US Treasury bills more than doubled in 2024
POLITICS
Amerika Uber Allies
The Munich Security Conference brought home to Europe the realisation that US policy had changed from being a friend and ally to that of ‘a landlord seeking rent’
BUSINESS
At Paris AI summit, it was US, UK versus the rest of the world
The US not signing the agreement was hardly unexpected. Indeed, the surprise was that the US attended the conference at all, given its track record of walking out of global treaties and institutions
BUSINESS
RBI Surveys show repo cut made to prop up growth, consumer demand despite rising household inflation expectations
At the press conference after the monetary policy announcement, a clearly worried RBI governor said that the pervasive uncertainty in global trade and economic policies is weighing weigh on consumption, investment and economic growth. That goes for markets too
BUDGET
The stark inequalities in consumption: What the numbers reveal
The top 5 percent of the urban population spend Rs 3,064 per head per month on consumer durables while someone in the top 40-50 percent bracket spends just Rs 758 -- a fourfold difference, according to the Survey on Household Consumption Expenditure in India, 2023-24
BUSINESS
Quick Take: January PMI shows slower growth, bolsters case for a rate cut on Friday
If the PMI and the corporate sector indicate a slowdown, then conditions in the rest of the economy must be even worse. Moreover, given the uncertainties in the external sector, there is all the more reason for monetary policy to give a boost to the domestic economy
BUSINESS
The US trade deficit with India is higher than that with Canada
Apart from China, US trade deficits with the EU, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India and Taiwan are larger than with Canada. Will these countries be next in line for Trump tariffs?
BUSINESS
Crunching the Numbers: Does Budget 2025 really boost consumption?
The share of GDP the government takes in taxes out of total income is expected to go up. That in turn means the share available for households for consumption or saving or investment is slightly lower than what it is in the current fiscal year
BUSINESS
Meets the Mark, But Misses the Magic: The Budget 2025 Big Picture
The Budget’s strategy is simple: maintain fiscal discipline, use tax cuts to boost consumption, and rely on incremental reforms to enhance competitiveness. It’s a cautious approach, but lacks ambition
BUSINESS
Economic Survey's plain truth: We need to go beyond 6.5% growth
With the Union Budget around the corner, the real question is this: how will the government prioritize these reforms? What are the immediate steps that can be taken to accelerate India’s journey towards 8% growth?
BUSINESS
Budget 2025: How does India’s fiscal position compare to its Asian peers?
Thanks to populist policies, India’s general government expenditure, as a proportion of GDP, is much higher than that of its Asian peers
