High freight rates hurt India Inc, but no panic yet
Despite paying higher tariffs, some customers are unable to secure time-bound shipments. Transportation constraints are weighing on exports
Google vs Australia in a game of ‘Chicken’
Both players have so far refused to budge from their respective positions. But eventually, one will need to swallow its pride
Koo is a cool addition to the dictionary of bizarre social media names
With zillions of sites in the digital universe, standing out isn’t easy. Finding names that are unique and memorable can be a real challenge.
Amazon and The Washington Post | Two sides of the Jeff Bezos coin
Contrary to the dark underbelly of the business model practised by Amazon for two decades and its ruthless and predatory practices, the story of The Washington Post under Jeff Bezos’ ownership presents an entirely different picture
The Reading List: February 12, 2021
A selection of articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance
Shell, in a turning point, says its oil production has peaked
Shell’s “total oil production peaked in 2019” and will now drop 1% or 2% annually, the company’s statement read
The coming technology boom
The current technological lull may be ending. Suddenly, a lot of smart people are writing about many opportunities that look promising
An unresponsive bureaucracy is weighing down Modi’s push for reforms
Modi has reasserted that he wishes to go down in history as the harbinger of change. The bureaucracy needs to align its focus with that of the government’s agenda for change
In push for privatisation, create fair markets and competition
It is not ownership but governance which should impact businesses. Unfortunately, successive governments have not been able to reform the governance mixing it with ownership
Magma Fincorp and the financialisation of the Indian economy
The financial sector is growing in size and throwing up opportunities. Billionaires have been quick at spotting them
Is the party over for top tech stocks?
Here’s a reminder of a possible problem: the overexposure of global investors to the US market and hence to a few huge technology companies
Uttarakhand Tragedy | Climate change and its imperatives for energy security
Natural calamities cannot be controlled, but we can better adapt our communities, our constructions, and our resources balancing the economic growth with environmental conservation
Telangana Politics | YS Sharmila’s indecipherable political move
How does YS Sharmila build a party in Telangana from scratch? She knows only too well the odds against her. So, why is she posturing? What is her real game?
Market share gains give Adani Ports and Concor an edge
Adani Ports and Concor gained market share in key business segments last quarter. Recovery in trade and commissioning of dedicated freight corridors can help them maintain volume momentum
Compensating investors for technical glitches is a good start but difficult to implement
The regulator will have to clearly define what qualifies as a glitch for the retail client who may not understand the technicalities involved
The current semiconductor shortage can be a blessing in disguise for India
Currently nearly 70 percent of the semiconductor chips imported in the country originate from China.
Interview | If this is a cyclical recovery, current rally is not the peak, says MD of Sanford C Bernstein
There is more steam left as macroeconomic factors have not played out fully yet, says Venugopal Garre
A Modern Money Theory view of the Union Budget 2021
One of the important revelations in India and across the world this year is the critical role of fiscal policy and the misplaced paranoia over fiscal deficit target numbers
China’s emissions of ozone-harming gas are declining, studies find
The findings ease concerns that increased emissions of the gas would slow progress in the struggle to repair the ozone layer, which blocks ultraviolet radiation from the sun that can cause skin cancer and damage crops
Jane Fraser has to fix Citigroup. It will be a tough job.
The incoming CEO’s skills, attitude and global perspective will come in handy as she turns her attention to what could be one of the biggest clean-up jobs of her career
PM Modi’s defence of the much-demonised private sector comes at the right time
It is strange that the current Congress leadership should decry the role of corporates when its own government in 1991 made the economy leapfrog, thanks to decisive liberalisation measures that unshackled entrepreneurs
COVID-19 | The growing challenge of biomedical waste disposal
There are several lessons India must learn from the pandemic; bringing reforms and implementing better biomedical waste management techniques should be at the top
Tata Steel: Why an endgame for Europe matters to the India business
While Tata Steel is shedding debt faster, finding a solution for the European steel business remains a long term imperative
Why PM Modi's private sector defence is a watershed in India’s political economy
The government no longer thinks it’s necessary to camouflage reforms. That is a momentous change
The ‘stonk’ bubble poses significant global risks
GameStop illustrates clearly that capital markets are driven by flows and investor positioning, rather than by the underlying fundamentals of businesses
