Cooperatives: A scam-ridden cooperative ‘bank’ in Kerala and the state government’s proposed ‘bailout’ is undermining public trust
Bailing out banks with taxpayers’ money is acceptable up to a point when failures happen after adverse economic or business circumstances or to avert a larger systemic collapse. But when ‘bailouts’ attempt to mollify public anger over malfeasance, it becomes a perverse incentive, especially when those piloting the escape route are themselves in the dock
Apply behaviour science to improve competition in digital markets
Dominant firms have rapidly set up embedded behavioural insights units or contracted external behavioural consultants to better influence consumer behaviour. A behavioural lens is imperative for regulators to understand and evaluate digital antitrust
Can oil demand weather the $100-a-barrel punch?
Let’s hope the treatment for the ailment won’t kill the patient
Can China overcome its demographic deficit?
As things stand, a declining population is set to slow the growth of the economy
Is restaurant music too loud, too divisive, too gritty — or all of the above?
The playlist is often the uninvited and unruly guest at your restaurant table. How should you deal with it?
Chief executives really need to lengthen their attention spans
Their horizons are now often shorter than those of the shareholders they work for
Global sluggishness to affect India on the margin
This is not to suggest that India is immune to any global crisis and the economy is completely decoupled. The country can be expected to continue on a robust growth trajectory even when many G20 countries are faced with growth issues
Motorcycle sales are jumping but chip shortage is a roadblock
Emerging-market demand is a chief engine of motorcycle velocity. Increasingly mobile populations coupled with crowded cities make motorbikes the preferred choice of transport for millions of people, while the advent of on-demand services has given commercial impetus to buy a new model and make money as a delivery driver
Japan is making beer cheaper, encouraging better taste and business
When Japan's economic bubble burst in the mid 1990s, brewers took advantage of lesser taxes for cheaper alternatives to malt, which rapidly took over the market. But this hurt Japanese beer's global competitiveness. Now tax on real beer has been cut, but brewers argue the prevailing rate is still 14 times Germany's and seven times that of the US
Resources giant Vedanta is splitting to overcome debt overhang
With a $3 billion iceberg of dollar bonds due over the next two years, Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Ltd, the Indian publicly traded firm controlled by privately held Vedanta Resources, has announced a plan to split itself into six companies. It is going to be a touch-and-go affair for the Indian billionaire
Fortis and Apollo: Scale economics underpins Kolkata acquisitions
Expansion plans of hospital chains are centred on building large format facilities and business clusters
What China’s missing officials tell us about its politics
With Xi Jinping elevating himself to a stature only enjoyed by Mao in the past, there is greater possibility of tumult and personnel purges at different levels of the Chinese party-state system. While these have created ripples across the Chinese system of elite politics and among its observers outside, they are unlikely to undermine Xi’s authority in the near term
Chart of the day: Coal is here to stay
Until we find a solution to stabilising solar and wind supply, coal-fired power plants will continue to supply energy to the country
Are the markets heading for a perfect storm?
Multiple factors have lined up to suggest tough days ahead for the markets
Can India shield jobs from GenAI disruption?
The proposed Digital India Bill can use WEF inputs while considering AI regulation so that least harm is done to human labour
India’s policies must be more nuanced to fight poverty
According to some number crunching done by Business Standard, OECD data indicates that the average Indian in a low-income household will take seven generations to reach median income levels!
India will drive global aluminium growth, but challenges remain
India’s per capita aluminium consumption is just 2.5 kg against the global norm of 11 kg and is poised to grow. The challenge is to increase domestic capacity but with a low carbon footprint
A bird’s eye view of what RBI and its MPC can do
The policy stance gives the RBI freedom to play with liquidity, which it has been doing. Its market interventions make the central bank look like a duck, working furiously underneath a tranquil front
India’s growth a global standout with China slowing and US recession still likely
World Bank projections reinforce India’s position as a global growth engine. The world will lean heavily on India to pull the global economy in an uncertain period
Private equity indigestion relief is meant to hurt
It’s commonplace now for investors to sell their stakes in buyout funds before the vehicle matures. But with better risk management, they shouldn’t need to
Nobel for mRNA vaccine shows power of perseverance
The Covid-19 shots that seemed to appear overnight built on decades of work by Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman
Moneycontrol Pro Panorama | Why are auto stocks sulking despite festive cheer?
In this edition of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: China’s real estate woes, changing Maldivian politics a new challenge for India, how to stay ahead despite market volatility, RBI needs to check the rise of neobanks, and more
Leverage derivative markets to ensure MSP delivery to farmers
Leveraging derivative markets to deliver the MSP to Indian farmers is a transformative approach that can potentially mitigate the challenges associated with price volatility and income stability in the agricultural sector
Why the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor is a poor alternative to the Suez Canal
The IMEEC has kicked up a lot of excitement given the possibility of a new trade route that can rival the Suez and the BRI. But the logistics industry is sceptical about whether it can offer cheaper and quicker cargo transportation
ESG Ratings: whose interests do they serve?
Regulators and politicians are focusing on the accuracy, transparency and potential for conflicts of interest with sustainability scores
