A selection of articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance, curated by our research and opinion teams
The year 2024 belonged to gold loans clearly. From one of the largest players, IIFL Finance, being banned for a little over six months this year to the regulator waking up the irregularities in the sector, gold loans have become the product everyone wants to focus on. But if unsecured loans are being realigned as secured gold loans product, is that proposition well thought through?
Platforms are intermediaries matching demand with supply. GST law however puts the onus of tax collection from both sides of the transactions on platforms. But the law doesn’t cover gig workers who deliver. Authorities are reluctant to let this service go untaxed. There’s a way out to balance all interests
The Fed chair’s apparent cooling on further interest rate cuts has gone down badly with markets
RSSFACTS: Dr. Ambedkar resigned from Nehru's cabinet in 1951, criticising his treatment and neglect of Dalit welfare. He expressed frustration over lack of portfolio assignments, cabinet committee exclusions, and the Congress's failure to address the needs of Scheduled Castes
Despite retail investor support through mutual funds as well as directly in equities, fundamentals will need to show signs of improvement
Balancing optimism on growth with a focus on quality investments, diversification and realistic expectations will help investors capitalize on India's growth story while mitigating risks effectively
Nehru’s record on economic growth was worse than that of most comparable countries
Volatility will rule and investors are clueless on EM trades
Have the Fed members made a mistake, thinking they know what Trump’s policies will be, and how they will impact the rate trajectory?
The volume of shareholder activism and dealmaking by private equity has mushroomed
With increased amount under the Mahila Samman Yojana, AAP aims to boost its popularity among women voters. Timed before the Delhi Assembly elections, it reflects AAP’s strategy to strengthen its appeal amid national party challenges, and position itself as a champion of economic equality for women
The retail investors and traders that regulators aimed to protect are now falling victim to various dabba operators, over whom the authorities have no control.
With the US raising tariffs on Chinese imports, there could be a flood of Chinese goods to other Asian economies. While countries such as Thailand and Indonesia are particularly vulnerable, sectors such as metals in India may be hit
In India’s evolving startup ecosystem, investors prioritise sustainable growth by focusing on customer acquisition, retention, and monetisation. With a shift towards revenue milestones over unicorn valuations, this approach aims to build resilient businesses capable of long-term success and scalability
Antimony is at the centre of US-China trade war, ironically also of their mutual dependence
Indian startups can bank on another blockbuster year in 2025
The falling prices can pose headwinds to API producers but can benefit final drug manufacturers
The Bank of America survey of global fund managers says that the only times cash allocation among global fund managers was near December 2024 levels were back in January -March 2002 and in February 2011, which were huge tops in risk assets. Wednesday’s sharp fall in the markets supports the BofA view
The RBI’s liquidity play entwined with its forex interventions could be a boon for bonds
Delhi’s air pollution problem is not insolvable. Beijing represents a prominent success story of a city that cleaned up its act. Vehicular emissions are primary cause of Delhi’s poor air quality. Therefore, public policy which encourages adoption of electric vehicles in place of combustion engine powered vehicles is the key to changing things for the better
VFS Global performs what used to be a sovereign function of consular, passport and visa services. The law gives it a de-facto monopoly, making it impossible for competition to come up. Given this context, there’s a strong case for the competition regulator to investigate the company’s practices to see if the consumer is really the king here
Investors can ask which companies will be disrupted — or receive unexpected windfalls — as Chinese firms rush abroad
Interest rates might need to fall further in 2025, but it’s too soon to say
It’s not just Trump — elections around the world may produce a new crop of net zero critics in 2025
