Jack Ma vs Xi Jinping: the future of private business in China
Taken together, the regulatory measures amount to an unprecedented squeeze on a business empire whose ubiquitous services are central to the functioning of China’s pioneering online economy
Budget 2021 | Time to fuel long-term credit growth through Alternative Investment Funds
In order to promote investments in infrastructure and other sectors that require long-term capital, the government should reduce the tax rate for locked-in, closed-ended structures that invest in such key sectors. This can be our ‘Atmanirbhar capital’
Why assembly polls in Assam are important for BJP
The BJP looks invincible when it is the challenger to the throne, but seems vulnerable while defending governments in the states
Maharashtra shows how to achieve housing growth
Whether builders pass on the benefits will depend on the rising prices of steel and cement
Why the Budget should be delayed
If the government wants to make realistic revenue projections and a proper expenditure plan, it needs to wait for better data
He created the Web. Now, he’s out to remake the digital world.
Berners-Lee, 65, believes the online world has gone astray
The business rules the Trump administration is racing to finish
Some of the changes are clearly aimed at making it harder, at least for a time, for the next administration to pursue its goals
RBI signals return to normalisation. What does it mean for rates?
Short term rates could rise, not much impact on 10-year yields
The steel industry has formed a cartel: fact or fiction?
Nitin Gadkari believes the steel industry has formed a cartel that is hiking prices in a concerted manner. His call for regulatory action is worrying investors
Twitter vs Trump: Has Big Tech gone too far?
The moves have added fuel to the debate on a tech company’s right to censor users who breach their content policies and an individual’s right to freedom of expression
Budget Chart Point | Effective tax rate was declining even before corporate tax cut
Don’t expect any changes in corporate tax rate this Budget
Creative destruction in India’s stock markets will yield better results
One of the basic lessons of economics is that increase in competition leads to better market outcomes. Incumbents initially complain, but those who adopt the changes and fight new competition eventually grow as a firm. SEBI is trying to do the same in the MII sector
BFSI powers TCS’ stellar comeback
BFSI, which generates about 30 per cent of TCS revenue, grew 2.4 per cent in the previous quarter. Order inflows from the segment stood at a strong at $2.6 billion
SEBI’s plan for new bourses overlooks ground realities
The advantage of bringing in a foreign player in the exchange business is more than allowing a domestic player to start an exchange
Aurangabad or Sambhajinagar: AMC polls will test the strength of Maha Vikas Aghadi
Managing the political developments before the Aurangabad Municipal Corporations elections is not going to be an easy task for any party. How well the Maha Vikas Aghadi manages the contradiction will determine the future of its partnership
WhatsApp’s new privacy rules are no surprise, but reveal opportunism
With a stark threat to users, the Facebook-owned app has stolen a march over global regulators and sets the stage for likely rapid commercialisation of the platform
Assam microfinance crisis revalidates first principles
Microfinance institutions serve as a key instrument in removing income poverty and laying low cost foundations for improving human development indicators
The very real fear of artificial intelligence
By 2030, thousands of jobs in India, including those of call centre executives, translators, bank tellers and secretaries, could be lost to intelligent agents and robots.
How 2021 will reshape travel for the years to come
In 2021, we’ve realised that what we called the ‘new normal’, is now the ‘next normal’; perhaps the way of the world in the near future. Even with the constant reminder of the latest mutant virus making its way across countries, the spirit of travel seems unhampered
The Reading List: January 8, 2021
A selection of articles and social media gems from the world of economy, business and finance
Unemployment claims show continuing pressure on job market
Of the more than 22 million jobs that disappeared in the spring, 10 million remain lost
Paul Krugman writes: Appeasement got us where we are
Donald Trump is indeed an authoritarian willing to use violence to achieve his racial nationalist goals. So are many of his supporters. Giving in to fascists doesn’t pacify them, it just encourages them to go further
Capitol Hill Violence | US is a democracy manipulated by lobbies
Donald Trump sees his supporters who invaded Capitol Hill and attempted to stop the final certification of Joe Biden as the next US President merely as one of his lobbies. It is not a coincidence that a succession of Trump’s campaign managers in both elections have been lobbyists, not political strategists
Foreign Affairs | Two missteps in Joe Biden’s China agenda that require repair
The incoming Joe Biden administration’s use of the expression ‘Asia-Pacific’ instead of ‘Indo-Pacific’ signals a lack of commitment to the initiatives and concerns of allies, such as India and Japan, despite Biden’s talk of taking them along
Budget 2021 | Four points to reset India’s school education
We risk losing hard-won gains in school education and ending up with a lost generation of children if education financing is not prioritised in the upcoming Budget
