opinion

WhatsApp Pay | What a 30 percent cap on market share means in the UPI market

With about 400 million users, many of whom are actively engaged, WhatsApp is well-placed in P2P payments. However, roughly half the UPI payments are for commerce, and this is where WhatsApp will have to think through new use cases to take on the incumbents

The Vaccine rally

Vaccine rally can lift old economy stocks and cause portfolio churn

A new three-way trade initiative —  Make the best use of it

The emerging trade bloc will benefit India if it can address structural issues to make global supply chains set up base here 

Pfizer vaccine big achievement, but will India benefit?

There are several ifs and buts about the Pfizer announcement of a vaccine and there are question marks over affordability and the availability of cold chains in India

ITC: If smokers are not lighting up, valuations won't

While ITC’s FMCG business is on the path to growth, emerging from COVID's shadow, the demand for cigarettes is down

Air Pollution | The burning issue of crop residue

A possible solution to this annual problem can be through creating a monetary value for straw

In a divided Washington, Biden could still exert economic power

As President Donald Trump has demonstrated time and again, Biden has the power to pull some levers unilaterally, without congressional approval

WhatsApp Pay | Let a hundred flowers bloom

Imposing a market share cap on UPI is a retrograde step that will restrict customer choice and stifle innovation

Why the Biden economy could be the same slog as the Obama economy

The reaction to the election in financial markets in recent days suggests that something like the Obama recovery is more likely: in short, a long slog back to health

What Wall Street would make of a Biden presidency

US bank investors care less about the prospect of a Trump defeat than the outlook for interest rates

US Elections | Donald’s trump card failed and it’s tough times ahead for Joe Biden

Joe Biden won by mobilising the Democrats’ core demographics of college educated people, minorities, and women, and traditionally conservative elderly Whites looking for stability after four years of Donald Trump

The Drinking Man’s Guide to the Bihar Elections

A chat over drinks with a self-styled political pundit on potential reasons for Nitish Kumar's declining popularity

Flexi Cap Fund classification is old wine in a new bottle

Fund managers can now simply reclassify their old multi-cap fund as a Flexi cap fund without realigning their portfolio

Biden win brings reprieve for Indian IT, but major visa relaxations not guaranteed

A Biden administration may take a more balanced approach to US immigration and visa policy, but a split Congress and a weak US economy are risks

Job reservation for locals in Haryana looks backward

The good thing is the bill is unlikely to get the President's assent

Ending the tyranny of online packaging

One of the major complaints customers have against online retailers is the kind of packaging they use.

A whistleblower policy every central bank could adopt

Central banks across the world should look at the European Central Bank whistleblower policy and bring themselves under a similar one. There are several benefits of such a policy

The Reading List: November 6, 2020

A selection of articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance

Dabur: Horses for courses

Dabur is seeing a huge demand spurt for immunity-related products and it's trying to make the most of this opportunity

Cement sector revival gives reason for cautious optimism

The uptick in cement sales, by and large, reflects actual consumption. Moreover, construction activities are not undertaken on impulse. Hence, cement has been a reliable indicator of economic activity

US Elections | Results to the Senate bring good tidings for the US-India ties

While much of the attention in India has been on the US presidential race, results of the biennial elections to the Senate have put India on a strong wicket America-wide, and on Capitol Hill

Is America becoming a failed State?

At the moment, it seems likely that the Senate will remain in the hands of an extremist party that will sabotage Biden in every way it can

Is it time to sell gold?

Both ETF flows and central bank buying suggest demand slows down when gold prices cross the $2,000 mark