Israel and Iran have just delivered the US election’s ‘October surprise’
With American policy in the Middle East in tatters, Donald Trump could be the principal beneficiary of escalation in the region
Iran-Israel conflict is at a crossroads as old assumptions may not hold
Iran says that its attack on Israel is over after Tuesday’s missile barrage. But the battle of rhetoric between them carries on. Strategic restraint has characterised Iran’s approach so far, and its domestic vulnerabilities will be a critical factor in choosing its future course of action. However, the geographical spread of the conflict and Israel’s domestic politics indicate all bets are off
AI Agents: The future of task management and workforce productivity
AI assistants with agentic reasoning can work as human proxies which can help harness their potential to drive economic growth, and foster a more creative and productive society. The technology exists and now the responsibility lies with us to identify the tasks that can be delegated to these agents
The Arbitration Retreat: A short-sighted policy move?
The Indian government's decision to limit arbitration in public contracts to disputes under Rs 10 crore raises significant concerns due to its lack of empirical support. This policy shift could undermine the dispute resolution framework and negatively impact the investment climate and economic growth
Israel's devastation of Hezbollah puts Iran in a corner
A remarkable show of military prowess has altered the regional balance of power, put Tehran on the defensive and sent a message to the Gulf Arab states
Gold’s record run can’t continue forever, right?
The mostly useless yellow metal epitomizes an anxious state of mind. While there’s still plenty to worry about, most of it is now in the price
Platformisation is an effective vehicle to reach the net zero goal
National oil companies have ambitious renewable energy plans to help meet India’s net zero goal. They would do well to take a leaf out of concepts such as Norway’s Northern Lights project to pool resources to create a stand-alone entity to carry out plans to generate energy from renewables or sequester carbon
Private equity puts the L back in LBO
Interest of PE groups in Sanofi’s Opella highlights the renewed ebullience of debt financiers
Securing coastal communities’ livelihoods through mangrove conservation
Mangroves are vital to the coastal ecosystems they protect against storms, support fisheries, and provide economic opportunities through forestry and ecotourism. Despite facing significant threats from urban development and climate change, the Indian government has undertaken initiatives to conserve mangroves while enhancing livelihoods
Has the outlook for steel companies turned brighter?
China’s steady drip of stimulus measures has led to iron ore prices rising by nearly 23 percent in a week. Why that may be good news
Why is the Opposition so unnerved by the RSS and relentlessly attacking it?
RSSFACTS: The RSS's inclusive approach is seen as a threat by opposition parties which are reliant on caste and religion for support. As the RSS expands, these parties focus less on BJP victories and more on protecting their caste-based political fortunes from the RSS's influence
Will it be a festive season sans cheer for automakers?
Peaking of urban demand, waning of revenge spending and elevated inventories with moderating sales in recent months portray a dull festive season for autos
Chart of the Day: Stressed power plants get a fresh lease of life
Resolution of stressed thermal power plants is picking up pace on rising electricity demand and improving operating metrics
Banks have a new-found love for industries. Sign of a reviving economy?
The shift in lending patterns is indicative of critical undercurrents in the economy. Money typically flows more to segments where economic activity is strengthening
Has the stock market made Indian households rich, post pandemic?
Bullish equity markets make for great household wealth creation, but what goes up also comes down
Swiggy IPO shines the spotlight on Quick Commerce opportunity
The near-term growth rate of Quick Commerce in India is expected to be 80-100 percent annually for the next two years driven by higher user adoption, geographic expansion, expanding AOVs (Average Order Value), basket size and category expansion
Core sector production shrinks for the first time since February 2021
The contraction in the core sector in August is partly due to the base effect and if we consider April-August 2024, then growth has been 4.6 percent from the same period last year
Toxic work culture: How to stop product misselling in banks
We know the work culture in banks isn’t the best, but what is the solution? Here are five ways to address the problem of product misselling and toxic work culture in banks.
Buy the Dip or Buy the Breakout?
The answer depends on what type of a market player you are, a long-term investor or a short-term trader
Rethinking Education: Vishal Vasanthakumar’s book unveils the truth of India’s education system
Vishal Vasanthakumar's book, ‘Smart and The Dumb’, critiques India's education system, revealing deep socioeconomic barriers and questioning meritocracy while emphasising education's transformative power beyond job market demands
The Federal Reserve’s insurance policy
Its beneficial impact comes with the usual trade-off of generous insurance risking high moral hazard and adverse selection. Specifically, markets have translated this as signalling a low risk of inflation resurgence and disorderly financial instability
Secularism with Indian characteristics
Constituent Assembly had extensive discussions on secularism and all strands converged on two points: India’s legal architecture would not favour one religion over the other and the Western notion of separation of church and state was irrelevant here. Subsequent jurisprudence emphasised secularism with Indian characteristics is a part of the Constitution’s basic structure
Food adulteration must be addressed as a public health issue, not a political tool
Sanghnomics: An issue as serious as food adulteration is being used for political agenda. This kind of ‘politicisation’ and ‘communalising’ unfortunately puts the real problem on backburner
New titans of Wall Street: How trading firms stole a march on big banks
Handful of secretive businesses including Jane Street and Citadel Securities have seized market share from the old guard
Local manufacturing — Can India beat China at its own game?
Discouraging imports may not be the solution to cut the reliance of many Indian industry sectors on Chinese goods
