What BHP’s commodity outlook says about copper, iron ore
The near term outlook appears to be soft as China’s economic recovery is not helping, although the longer-term outlook may remain bright due to the green transition
China’s debt divide is hurting its economy
Beijing’s refusal to surrender control to local government or take on more responsibility is key to the country’s challenges
E-commerce sector: A boon for small, made-in-India sellers
The shift for SME’s to online platforms is not just a significant driver of employment, it has also enabled small sellers to expand their business, increase market presence, and compete with big companies
Positive cash flows drive DLF towards gross zero debt
DLF’s unsold inventory dropped steadily from a high of 70 months in FY2017 to the present level of 16 months, a big relief to carrying cost and interest outflow
SME IPO frenzy is the norm rather than the exception
This enthusiasm for SME IPOs is not new. The chart below illustrates the SME IPO index's surge, rising from 24,184 at the start of 2023 to its current level of 113,056—a gain of over 4.5 times in less than 20 months
What the income tax data tell us about the premiumisation trend
If there was ever a shade of doubt left about the K-shaped recovery and the consequent premiumisation trend, the income tax data for FY2023 should clear it
Ensuring responsible AI in finance: A suggested regulatory framework for India
The current situation highlights the potential dangers and ethical issues that can arise from unregulated AI use, from decision-making biases to data privacy violations
Shifting goal posts on inflation targeting will be unfair to India's poor households
For the average Indian, inflation essentially means prices of most consumed food and vegetable items.
Phaseout of buyback tax will complicate matters for companies
The proposed changes to the buyback tax regime are poised to impact both resident and non-resident investors in India. Further, with companies being obligated to withhold tax on distributions made on account buy-back, the compliance burden of such companies would also increase significantly
Great Stagnation: When did it actually begin?
The economic malaise that afflicted the US from the 1970s onward may have taken root decades earlier — and its causes may be more health-related
Cracking cancer: A $1tn race for treatments is excluding some forms of the disease
GDP set for a fall in Q1 which may nudge RBI’s MPC to look at monetary easing
GDP growth in the April-June quarter likely decelerated to 6 percent, a six-quarter low. It’s most likely because of temporary factors and the second half of the fiscal will see a rebound to over 7 percent
Political dynasties in Southeast Asia are keeping it all in the family
From Indonesia to Thailand to the Philippines, ties bind powerful political dynasties together. That’s a threat to democracy
What politicians forget in the immigration balancing act
Working from purely economic or electoral motives neglects the key to integration
Skill or Luck: What is the true source of your investment success?
To assess your investment success evaluate your portfolio’s performance over time. Compare randomly picked portfolios and ask questions like the process used, consistency of profits, and risks taken
Unfazed by low prices, cement makers firm up capacity addition plans
Although prices have bounced back from lows it is unlikely that they will go so high that companies can clock huge profit margins
What really happens when the RSS top brass meets BJP during co-ordination meetings?
In the meeting scheduled at the end of this month, RSS will review the progress and practices of organisation inspired by it, including the BJP. The aim is to enhance co-ordination and effectiveness among all RSS-inspired groups, reflecting the ongoing collaborative relationship between the RSS and BJP
Decoding Economics: Who uses Generative AI and for what?
A World Bank research paper on Generative AI examines the adoption rates of various generative AI tools, identifies the factors influencing usage, and explores the impact of generative AI tools on traffic to other websites and on people’s online activities
Rules key to the success of personal data law
The implementation framework is important as the DPDP Act gives the Centre discretionary power on many issues
The red herring of bank deposits being diverted to mutual funds
RBI has slowed money creation dramatically which has crimped deposit growth.
Chart of the Day: Large companies are getting stronger in Indian pharma market
Six of the top 10 companies by sales gained market share in the India pharma market in July 2024 on a moving annual turnover basis
ULI can make the credit process quicker; the tricky part is recovery
Technology platforms, as envisaged by the RBI, can smoothen the credit process and cut time delays. The difficult part is recovering the small loans
US Federal Reserve’s criticism is cheap, and it’s mostly mistaken
The central bank should get more credit for the stable prices and low unemployment it has fostered over three
War in Gaza: Is it time for Israel to break Iran’s ‘strangling loop’?
Support for Netanyahu is rising, but wars are unpredictable and rarely end as hoped
Unified Pension Scheme: Old, bad ideas in a new package
If actual market performance is short of the government’s assumption, the union budget will have to make good the shortfall to honour its commitment. That’s the risk of a guarantee which is what the 2004 pension reform bypassed. UPS effectively takes on the risk again which has to be backstopped by tax payers
