opinion

What explains Tata Sons’ vote of confidence in Tata Chemicals?

Tata Sons has been raising stake in Tata Chemicals for a year now, which is witness to early results of a capacity addition-led business expansion plan

Martin Wolf writes: Milton Friedman was wrong on the corporation

The doctrine that has guided economists and businesses for 50 years needs re-evaluation

Defence in 2020 | It’s been a low key, but profoundly interesting year

The defence sector has seen considerable movement, from Boeing Australia’s ‘loyal wingman’ to Turkey’s order for its second batch of Russian S-400s, and from the Armenia-Azerbaijan war to Japan’s aircraft carrier

The danger from proposed hydel dam on Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet

Contrary to the concerns raised by some quarters, the water flow in the Brahmaputra River is unlikely to be affected to a noticeable degree, given that glacial melt in the river flow contributes only about 12 percent of the total volume of water

Investors bet ECB will do what it takes to keep borrowing costs low

Lagarde’s interventions have helped put a lid on bond yields even for weaker borrowers

Uber, after years of trying, is handing off its self-driving car project

The US company is paying Aurora, a startup, to take over the autonomous car operation, which had become a financial and legal headache

What should Franklin Templeton debt scheme unitholders do in crucial vote?

The worst case scenario for Franklin Templeton unitholders is far better than what it was in April, when the fund was arbitrarily shut. Unitholders can use the vote as a bargaining tool and demand more clarity.

Krishnapatnam port turnaround a shot in the arm for Adani Ports & SEZ

Adani Ports has scaled up Krishnapatnam port’s profitability significantly reducing costs and improving realisations

Warner Bros' movie streaming decision is a potential threat to Indian multiplexes

The pandemic’s impact on the cinema business may be felt for a long time to come

Allowing old coal-fired power plants to continue operations is a shocking proposal

Allowing polluting thermal units to operate beyond a stipulated time period contradicts the central government’s clean-energy drive

Politics | Have the KSFE raids exposed the fissures within the CPI(M)?

Of late, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government in Kerala is in the news for the wrong reasons: from the gold smuggling case to the KSFE raids, which seems to have opened rifts within the ruling CPI(M)

Why JSW Steel is keen on closing its Bhushan Power & Steel acquisition

A changed industry scenario makes it easier for JSW Steel to absorb the weight of the acquisition

Listen to Supreme Court comments on economic value of trees

Till now, the forest department has evaluated trees mainly on the basis of their timber value. But as knowledge about the positive impact of trees on the environment has grown in recent decades, the cost benefit analysis has changed

Airbnb IPO: a barometer for travel after the pandemic

Airbnb’s decision to list its shares is a significant moment for America’s capital markets, especially given the preference of many Silicon Valley companies for private funding

Factors that could halt the bull market charge

Investor hubris can be pierced when expectations of further gains are as strong as they are now

Legal Matters | A law to set communities against one another

While Uttar Pradesh’s new anti-conversion law is aimed at checking religious conversions, it will also ensure that religious communities are perennially suspicious of each other, and act even more exclusionary

Rallis India reaffirms positive farm sentiment, but expectations are tempered

Rallis India, PI Industries and Dhanuka Agritech are all optimistic of growth picking up, going forward. Progress in the rabi crop season and good water availability are giving hope to the farm sector

Bhopal’s long night of horror shows no signs of ending

Over three decades later, no one is guilty of perpetrating this terrible crime. It is important to recognise that Bhopal’s gas tragedy isn’t just about the sheer injustice meted out to the survivors

Legal Matters | Article 32 has outlived its original ideal

Whatever be the merits of the Supreme Court’s ruling, a system where judges can lay down law unfettered by independent judicial scrutiny, is antithetical to the rule of law

Paul Krugman writes: Learn to stop worrying and love debt

The new paradigm suggests both that public debt isn’t a major problem and that government borrowing for the right purposes is actually the responsible thing to do

A growth supportive monetary policy

There is no doubt that the RBI has done the heavy lifting to support growth in these exceptional circumstances. However, excess liquidity creation amid growing concerns about inflation and fiscal slippage will continue to interfere with market dynamics

Foreign Affairs | Winter has come on US-Iran ties

There are many winters’ tales about Iran and the United States, but unlike William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, none of them are either comic or romantic

Why Rajinikanth’s entry into politics is not exciting news

In the past, Superstar Rajinikanth has never missed an opportunity to procrastinate his entry into politics. So, this time let’s not get excited, and wait till he launches a party and takes the plunge