opinion

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

Why India is far from being a one-party state

Data shows that though the BJP is expanding its footprint across India, the regional parties are still a force to reckon with in Indian politics

No rate cut, but doves continue to coo during MPC meet

RBI maintains accommodative stance, ignores ultra-easy liquidity conditions

Chart of the Day: Food inflation is on a roll

International food prices hit a 6-year high

What puzzles and poker teach us about misinformation

We cannot escape our emotions, but clear decision-making requires that we notice them and take them into account

Interview | We will definitely grow better than 15% this year, says MD of Muthoot Finance

We have solid risk management capabilities and ample room for growth, as we have been a focused player in the gold financing business for many decades, says George Alexander Muthoot, MD of Muthoot Finance

Recovery signs visible at capital goods companies, government support crucial

With workers returning, execution is normalising. Customers are investing in efficiency improvement measures. Orders are emerging from new age industries and efficiency improvement investments by clients

Indian fliers need a revitalised Jet and Air India

A reasonable number of airlines, with healthy financials and sound management make for a consumer-friendly combination

FMCG: The small guys get their revenge

Contrary to what one would expect, small FMCG companies have done far better than the bigger ones during the pandemic

Top Democrats back compromise plan to revive stimulus talks

In a virtual event with laid-off workers and a small-business owner struggling amid the pandemic, Biden said the bipartisan package “wouldn’t be the answer, but it would be immediate help for a lot of things, quickly”

Is the farmers protest a silent revolution?

Beyond its core demands, the protesting farmers are also questioning the increasing centralisation of decision making in a federal structure, lack of consultations with stakeholders on the ground, including on subjects such as land

Political economy and fear of the future behind farmer protests

The roots of the APMC goes back to colonial rule to ensure the cheap supply of raw cotton to mills in Britain. Furthermore, the roots of price control go back to the infamous Khilji era when policy to ensure a cheap supply of agricultural produce

Chart of the Day | Composite PMI for November highlights inflation pressures

The MPC will worry that the data suggests inflation is not only persisting but becoming more broad-based

Two reasons why the banking sector is not out of trouble

Bounce rates in debit transactions are high; lenders want to extend restructuring window

The ‘everything rally’: Vaccines prompt wave of market exuberance

Retail investors led the dramatic equity market recovery from the Covid-19 shock, flooding internet message boards to share memes, boast of wins and lament losses

Autos: Headwinds lose speed, pave the way for a broader recovery

The upward trajectory may not, however, be a smooth one as seen by stuttering auto retail sales in October and November