Thematic schemes are booming, performance is not
In December 2024, twelve new thematic fund NFOs mobilized more than Rs 11,000 crore in AUM. But eight of these 12 new thematic funds have underperformed the Nifty 50 index since then
Chart of the Day: Is the gold rally a warning about inflation ahead?
Markets have not priced in a sharp uptick in global inflation
EPL sets an ambitious plan to improve return ratios
Hemant Bakshi is set to take charge as managing director and global CEO of EPL from January 2026
OPINION | All-rounder or all-round confusion as India and South Africa face-off?
Indian cricket appears to have a surfeit of all-rounders. Only appears as it’s not clear what Washington Sundar, for example, is primarily picked for. A batsman who can bowl a bit, or the other way around. Sundar and Reddy would do well to take a leaf out Jadeja’s book and focus on one skill right now to nail down a safe spot
Does the K-shaped economy theory even make sense?
Plus, more on memory stocks
OPINION | Addressing the NEET challenge in India’s youth population
India’s large youth population presents both challenges and opportunities. Government initiatives like PMKVY and ITIs aim to enhance employability. Tackling gender disparities and integrating youth into the workforce can drive economic growth
OPINION | Breaking Through the Mid-Scale Barrier: Lessons from India’s consumer brands
Consumption makes up about 60% of India’s GDP, providing domestic companies with opportunities. Many start off well but then fall into the mid-scale trap. It need not be permanent, there’s a way out
Chart of the Day | The growing case for InvITs in infrastructure financing
The relative outperformance of InvIT returns to other comparable instruments such as REITs, debt instruments or corporate bonds, is seeing retail investor appetite grow for these instruments
OPINION | India’s foreign policy has become merely a domestic performance
Foreign policy isn't about theatrics, but endurance. True power lies in consistent influence. It's time for India to shift from performance to rebuilding quiet regional trust
Multiple headwinds pose risk to ABB’s margin outlook
Apart from subdued order flows, margins could be weighed down by several factors including rising competition
Why India's stock lending mechanism remains a failed experiment
Despite being introduced nearly two decades ago, India's securities lending and borrowing scheme has failed to gain meaningful traction due to prohibitive margin requirements, high costs, and inflexible rules, prompting SEBI to plan its first major overhaul in nearly two decades
No country for working women
A data-driven analysis revealing why India's marginally improving female unemployment rate masks a deeper crisis of scarce, precarious, and often unpaid work for women
India’s Power Tightrope: Growth, vulnerabilities, and opportunity in IEA World Energy Outlook 2025
The IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2025 sees India as the world’s biggest driver of energy demand growth — yet import dependence, mineral shortages and climate stress could threaten its momentum
Why is an early, blanket trade deal with Australia important?
The remit of the proposed India-Aussie CECA extends beyond commerce and can increase New Delhi’s heft in the Indo-Pacific
October CPI hits rock-bottom 0.25%: GST cuts shine, but food deflation rings alarm
October’s CPI just hit 0.25%—the lowest since the 2011-12 series began. A triumph of policy? A statistical mirage? A rate cut in December? Or a warning bell for rural India?
OPINION | India’s tokenized rupee moment is here
Tokenised rupees can handle domestic and regulated flows, while Indian rupee (INR) stablecoins on public blockchains can power cross-border trade and programmable payments. They connect tokenized asset economy with the traditional fiat system
India demonstrates firm resolve: A chronology of how agencies cracked Delhi terror attack
India’s security and intelligence agencies have successfully dismantled the Faridabad module, foiling a major conspiracy intended to inflict large-scale damage
Mohamed El-Erian: Markets should pay heed to the affordability squeeze
Political pressure in response to public anxiety will demand policy responses
Sugar exports quota a balm, but not cure for industry’s ills
While a timely announcement of a sugar export quota is good news, what the industry needs is a lasting solution that frees it from policy whims
OPINION | Karnataka’s proposed law to aid domestic workers will end up hurting them
Well intentioned it may be but the wholly foreseeable consequences of the Bill may make people reluctant to hire domestic help. In addition, it sets the stage for another inspector raj
OPINION | India needs to rethink its Central Asia strategy after the Ayni airbase exit
India’s exit from Tajikistan’s Ayni airbase underscores the need for renewed, sustained engagement with Central Asia, leveraging trade, investment and connectivity to balance regional powers and revive strategic influence
Why is SEBI warning against digital gold?
SEBI has issued a stark warning about digital gold investments, revealing they operate in an unregulated space with no investor protections, despite their growing popularity among smartphone-savvy Indians
OPINION | Transforming real estate insolvency and recovery through IBC reforms
India’s real estate insolvency landscape under the IBC continues to evolve, balancing homebuyers’ rights, project-wise resolutions, and safeguards against speculative misuse, while reinforcing constitutional protections and regulatory coordination through recent judicial developments
Why investors are split over the dollar’s fate as US shutdown ends
The US shutdown may have given the dollar a break from volatility but its effect on the economy could hurt the greenback.
