What does the index of industrial production say about consumption?
The IIP data show that while the production of consumer non-durables has been sluggish, the numbers on the domestic production of consumer durables are downright alarming
Of Pepsodent & Portfolios: The habit loop in equity investing
Habits influence not only on our daily routines, but also extend to other activities, including the decision-making process for investments. The current market dynamics reinforce the habit loop, and a transformation in this pattern is foreseeable only when the rewards derived from the habit become unfavourable — i.e., we see negative returns
UPI is more than ease of payments. It is adding to GDP too
Ease and convenience of spending has lowered the economy-wide cost of transaction. The resultant saving is triggering incremental spending. UPI is also enabling easier credit-driven household spending
WEF report — Can global risks clear this year’s poll-vault events?
Misinformation and disinformation can affect election outcomes in the US and India in 2024 and remain principal risks to a stable global order along with climate and economic challenges
The Eastern Window: Taiwan election proves to be a loss of face for Chinese leadership
Taiwan’s election results are a vote against China’s plan to merge the island region with the Chinese mainland. It is a major loss of face for China which might consider new ways to curb Taiwanese aspirations for complete independence. However, it is unlikely to use military force in the near term
Stockology: As markets scale new highs, rebalancing portfolios is the most critical task
Investors uncomfortable with the current level and valuations of the markets can reduce or exit altogether; those who feel optimistic and bullish can remain long and hold 10-20 percent cash to look for switching opportunities
Rahul Yatra: Congress’s political strategy faces too many constraints for a successful execution
Social justice for vulnerable groups is the ideological plank and a focus on tribal, OBC and Dalit voters is the electoral strategy underpinning the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Pulling it off for the 2024 Lok Sabha election looks a tall order
Budget 2024: India Inc looks for a consumption boost
Corporate India is facing challenges in capital raising due to high credit costs. The primary anticipation from India Inc is that the government will convey a positive sentiment and send the right signals for encouraging economic consumption
The Reading List: January 12, 2024
A selection of articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance, curated by our research and opinion teams
Moneycontrol Pro Panorama | Budgeting for healthy banks
In this edition of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: Investors await Q3 earnings, time for a second green revolution, don’t buy the multi-asset funds story blindly, Ram Mandirand the electoral gain for BJP and more
Reasons to be optimistic in 2024 — despite everything
Are you optimistic about 2024? The answer from the World Economic Forum would seem to be “heck, no”
Why PepsiCo’s patent win is no small potatoes
The PepsiCo case marks a watershed moment in India’s agri and bio-technology innovation sector
Personal Finance | Multi-asset funds: Don’t blindly buy the story
Besides addressing an investor’s need to put money across asset classes, it also takes care of diverse taxes
Will Q3 earnings provide a reality check or cheer investors further?
Investors should remain prepared for a mixed bag. While some pockets may disappoint, it is important for investors to stay focused on long-term prospects. And keep some powder dry
The Silicon Valley Founder-CEO is no longer indispensable
A recent analysis found that between 2018 and 2021, companies led by founders in the BVP Nasdaq Emerging Cloud Index outperformed those that weren’t by about 50%. But by the beginning of 2022, that edge had evaporated
We don't know how worried we should be about nanoplastics
Tackling the plastics problem requires more information about sizes and kinds of particles that are most dangerous and where they come from. But enough alarming data has now amassed that it’s time to move from fear and outrage to action
Budget 2024: Look beyond sops to energise RE growth
More than budget incentives, the massive financing need has to be addressed to take care of the snags that dim the progress of clean power
Ram Mandir: How much electoral gain can BJP expect
CSDS surveys noted increasing religiosity among Hindus, correlation between this increasing religiosity and voting for BJP, and this correlation becoming progressively stronger in the 2014 and 2019. These big numbers came much before the present day euphoria around Ram Mandir, which suggests that this will be the biggest votecatcher for BJP in 2024
Budget 2024: How Indian Railways smartly improved passenger revenues
Budget 2024: Revenues from passenger services exceeded pre-COVID levels despite a gradual recovery in rail passenger volumes
Time for a second green revolution, this time a sustainable one
Current policy exercises seek to lay down a roadmap for a switch to sustainable farming. This can be done by moving to high value crops like millets, which allow for the minimum use of pesticides and greater use of organic inputs
Ditch green-shaming for positive effort to achieve sustainability goals
Companies, akin to individuals, frequently boast about their dedication to sustainability and environmentally conscious practices. Green-shaming arises when these claims don't align with the real environmental impact of their operations
Budget Snapshot: Healthy banks make for a wealthy government
The government is confident that its banks can run and grow on their own without help from it for funds. In fact, several public sector lenders have tapped the bond market and have plans to explore equity issue to raise money to grow.
Infrastructure and the Union Budget: Beyond numbers, a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat
Budget 2024: India will need to invest around Rs 880 lakh crore in infrastructure projects over the next 23 years to achieve the high growth rate required to meet its 2047 target of a developed country. The infrastructure requirements are also complex and dynamic with capital creation and destruction happening rapidly
Congress’ failure to differentiate between ‘religion’ and ‘Dharma’ will cost it dearly
The struggle for the Ram Mandir was a larger civilisational issue for a majority of the people of this country. Congress, bereft of any sense of Indianness, has failed to understand this
Shadow banking won't give Jamie Dimon a rest
The latest data from the Federal Reserve reveal that bank assets grew by just 2% in 2023, constrained by an evaporation of deposit funding, where volumes were down 2%.
