The share of employment in non-farm establishments employing 5 workers or less has gone up in the past five years. Around three-quarters of workers in the non-agricultural sector are employed in businesses having 9 workers or less
Technology matters amongst military weapons only when they enjoy decisive edge over the existing weapons through a generational advantage. We, therefore, need to water down the enthusiasm over drones being a superior or transformative military technology to fighter jets. Drones, at best, will co-exist with other new generation weapons
Nepal’s PM Oli has signed an agreement allowing China to build connectivity infrastructure under the BRI scheme. This could pose a strategic challenge for India while Nepal risks getting into a debt trap
BJP in West Bengal is hunting for an issue to undermine the Mamata Banerjee government after successive electoral setbacks. The party has latched on to the goings-on in Bangladesh to call for a boycott of the country’s citizens. This is self-defeating as Bangladeshis, among other things, bring in significant business to India’s healthcare industry, particularly in Kolkata. India’s strategic interests need to be insulated from the ebb and flow domestic political campaigns
RBI is counting on a winter disinflation in perishables. But with risks to inflation lurking, MPC's guidance is best described as non-committal. For now, it restricted itself to boosting credit supply through a cut in cash reserve ratio
Half-a-percentage point reduction in cash reserve ratio will influence bond yields. The average repo rate over the last decade has been 6-6.5 percent. A new cycle could begin with cuts of 25-75 basis points, subject to the inflation trajectory
If no new risks emerge that derail the moderation in inflation to the projected 4.0% by Q2 FY2026, a repo cut in February 2025 could very well be on the table.
A look at some articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance, curated by our research and opinion teams for your weekend read
The infusion of durable liquidity, via the CRR cut, will help avoid any persistent liquidity squeeze, in turn giving MPC the time to assess the strength of the economic growth momentum and inflation pressures
Bets incoming administration will enact ‘pro growth’ agenda spur rush into Wall Street equities
RSSFACTS: Mohan Bhagwat's call for more Hindu children reignites concerns about India's changing religious demographics. Muslim population growth has outpaced others, raising alarms about future societal impacts, as historical trends show potential risks of religious conflict
A 50 bps CRR cut, and rates on hold is a safe play for the MPC, caught in a growth-inflation conundrum, at this point.
Europe contributes to around a fifth of India’s exports and political crises in countries such as France and Germany threaten to upend its economy in the near to medium term
Coastal Shipping Bill and two other proposed legislations to help India harness sea power to enhance commercial activities
Active allocation shifts require investors to jump in at the right time to grab returns, a hard ask
Transfer of B2C business for a minority stake has upset investors.
Swap rates have had a measured decline despite strong expectations of a series of policy rate cuts.
Any market that assumes that the liquidity will take care of investment mistakes, valuation errors and capital allocation risks will always learn old lessons in new ways.
Promoters have misunderstood that Rs 35 crore investment to support the B2C business is not the concern for minority shareholders. On the contrary, it is the 90 percent promoter ownership of a business that was incubated and will derive all resources from the listed company that is the concern
A familiar debate is playing out between representatives of fiscal authority in Delhi and monetary authority in Mumbai on whether the policy interest rate is too high. Linked to it is the question of whether the legal mandate RBI has to follow has picked the right measure. An economist provides food for thought on inflation measures.
The last five years have decisively brought one major change. Shiv Sena as a whole -Uddhav and Shinde factions together - has lost its pivotal role in right-wing politics. Arrogating the entire saffron space to itself is what the BJP always wanted. Reducing Sena to a non-entity was central to that project. Can Eknath Shinde now use his political skills to carve out a niche or be a mere shooting star?
It’s through the tussle between ensuring ‘communal harmony’ and correcting ‘historical wrongs’ that the Act has been scrutinised in the last three decades
And Trump’s cheap energy dream
The key to the future is events in geopolitics and pace of the rise of a China-led trade bloc. Will this lead to increased usage of the RMB in cross-border trade?
Despite improvements, women still face significant barriers in accessing credit. Initiatives such as alternative underwriting, customized loan offerings, increased awareness, and risk capital funds are essential to bridging the gender gap and fostering inclusive economic growth
