BUSINESS
Manufacturing PMI weakens in festive season
The PMI data highlighted a particularly marked slowdown in the consumer goods sector
BUSINESS
Average working hours per week a mere 42.5, far lower than Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour benchmark
The government’s Periodic Labour Force Survey says the average workweek was 42.5 hours in April-June 2023, compared to 52.6 hours in April-June 2018
BUSINESS
Moneycontrol Pro Weekender: Now is not the time for forward guidance
It’s pointless to ascribe day-to-day movements in the markets to the fundamentals — all that may have happened is that bond shorts were covering
BUSINESS
India’s festive demand a sign of increasing consumer confidence
Unlike the export-oriented economies of East and Southeast Asia or investment-driven China, it is domestic consumption that has powered India’s growth.
BUSINESS
US bond yields dip despite better-than-expected flash PMI
Although bond yields have come down since Bill Ackman and Bill Gross said the US economy was slowing, the advance PMI for the US shows surprising strength
BUSINESS
Is higher household borrowing a sign of consumer confidence or consumer distress?
The MPC minutes imply that while lenders should be cautious, an increase in household borrowing is not a sign of distress, but instead a signal of increasing confidence that will support consumption and also increase capex, which in turn could power the economy
BUSINESS
Moneycontrol Pro Weekender: Push Me Pull You Markets
Why does the global policy regime resemble the Pushmi-Pullyu of the Doctor Doolittle series? Read on to know
BUSINESS
Fund managers’ allocation to China falls, but India and Japan gain
If the conflict in Israel-Palestine does not spread, we could have a Santa rally at year-end
BUSINESS
Can Joe Biden ensure the Israel-Palestine conflict doesn’t escalate?
The US president will be going to Israel on Wednesday, in an attempt to ensure the war does not spill over to the rest of the region. But US actions so far do not hold out much hope
BUSINESS
Moneycontrol Pro Weekender: The Mighty Bulls
The bulls are a courageous lot. Probably, that explains why the stock market is holding up despite the flow of adverse news
BUSINESS
IMF: Soft landing hopes propel rally in risky assets
The IMF’s Global Financial Stability Report says, ‘the belief that aggregate demand will gradually slow, labour market tightness will ease, and price pressures fade—has boosted investor risk appetite, fuelling the rise in risk asset prices seen since April 2023’
BUSINESS
Unemployment much lower than pre-pandemic levels, but fine print throws up many questions
The PLFS survey shows that while the unemployment rate has improved, there has also been a rise in the proportion of unpaid helpers in household enterprises. The increase in the proportion of such workers, the higher proportion of workers in agriculture and the higher proportion in the informal sector may have reduced the unemployment rate, but it may also be a symptom of disguised unemployment
BUSINESS
IMF forecasts 6.3 percent GDP growth for India, but no big investment jump
Surprisingly, the IMF projects a very modest rise in investment and savings as a percentage of GDP over the next few years
BUSINESS
If real rural wages have stagnated for a decade, how has private consumption growth been so strong?
Does the consumption of rural labourers really matter? Or can the economy do perfectly well even without them?
BUSINESS
Indian economy: 4th largest in 2026, 3rd in 2027. Just ask IMF
While the Indian economy will overtake both Japan and Germany by 2027, its per capita GDP in that year will only be 9.1 percent of Japan’s and 5.7 percent of Germany’s
BUSINESS
The connection between this year’s Economics Nobel and India’s female labour force participation rate
Claudia Goldin, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics, says female participation in the workforce follows a U-shaped pattern as economic development occurs
BUSINESS
Recent IMF report warned of high risk of Palestinian conflict with Israel
The report said Israel’s blockade is responsible for the economic stagnation and high unemployment in the Gaza strip
BUSINESS
RBI survey paints dismal picture of discretionary consumption growth
Only a third of urban consumers surveyed plan to increase their spending on discretionary items during the next one year, a finding hardly conducive to consumer confidence
BUSINESS
Hamas opens another geopolitical front in the Middle East
So far, much of the talk in the markets has been about the effect the conflict will have on oil prices. Far more important is the resurrection of the Middle East as an arena of conflict and the threat of the conflagration spreading
BUSINESS
Moneycontrol Pro Weekender: Das Bond Slayer
The markets didn't expect the OMO announcement -- hence, the panic. If the transmission of the policy rate is to be completed, lending rates need to go up
BUSINESS
Why the Centre may continue with the free foodgrain scheme even after December
Why -- when growth is stronger this fiscal year than in 2019-20 -- is demand for work under the rural employment guarantee scheme higher this year?
BUSINESS
Even before the festive season, PMI shows India’s economy is booming
The signal from the PMI data to the MPC is of very strong growth with muted inflationary pressures, which will reinforce the widely expected decision to keep the status quo on the policy rate
BUSINESS
Just before MPC meet, manufacturing PMI shows higher selling price inflation
Greater labour costs, upbeat business confidence and buoyant demand facilitated a sharper increase in factory gate charges
BUSINESS
Moneycontrol Pro Weekender: India in The Time of Monsters
The Era of Markets is over, says McKinsey. Therein lies India's opportunity
