opinion

If steel output is down why are iron ore prices hot?

The answers to that question lie in China and Brazil

India-Nepal Ties | A border dispute is the new normal

The dispute over the Lipulekh Pass may quite possibly turn into a permanent lever that Nepal’s governance deficit politicians and their allies in China and Pakistan can turn against India at will

Wield the magic wand to trigger demand

Central government needs to tap all available resources and do more to salvage the economy as quickly as possible

Could inequality provide an unexpected support for consumption?

The relatively well-off have a disproportionately high share of consumption

An agriculture index can shake up the commodity market

For equity market traders, the agriculture index fund is the simplest way to play the impact of the monsoon

A Chinese elephant in the India-Nepal room

To keep Nepal on its side is in India’s interests, especially in the face of a rising Chinese presence in South Asia. This presence is not just economic and military, but increasingly involves strong political commitment

Modi Govt 2.0 | India at the cusp of a new growth story

PM Narendra Modi’s focus remains on big reforms, structural changes and in the ease of doing business. This will help India in the post-COVID-19 world

Why risk-on sentiment is back in the markets

Markets are merely following an explosive rise in central bank assets

Chart of the day | Liquidation trumps resolution under IBC

Even as the number of cases filed under the corporate insolvency process keeps rising, liquidation occurs more often

Modi Govt 2.0 | Centre-state ties go downhill

COVID-19 was a good opportunity for the Centre to repair relations with the states and rebuild trust. Instead, it seemed keener to use the crisis to emphasise its dominance, and show who the boss was

Should we celebrate the rise in the number of demat accounts opened during the lockdown?

Newbies need to realise that trading is a zero sum game, fraught with risk

Policy | India’s e-commerce is COVID-19 resistant, but reforms are required

Regulators must ensure a level playing field for all e-commerce players. This will benefit the consumer and turbo charge the MSME sector, and the Digital India and Make In India components of the government’s vision

Modi Govt 2.0 | A tumultuous year for India

For the past 12 months the BJP-led NDA government’s actions have been bold, and have seen strong and polarising reactions. Its response to the Coronavirus crisis has left a lot to be desired

FMCG demand crumbled in April but with a twist in the tale

A sharp decline in FMCG sales in April puts a question mark over the one sector that was providing a defence against a slump in consumption demand

Chart of the Day | Signs of improvement in diesel, petrol demand

Migrant workers’ return to their homes may affect some sectors such as construction

Why the migrant worker exodus is not a failure of the system

The grimy underbelly of the Indian economy is now bared for all of us to see.

Borrowing riders — a test for Centre-state ties

Reforms to make states more fiscally responsible are welcome, but not at a time when they need immediate cash support

COVID-19 | That women leaders are faring better is simplistic and flawed thinking

Attributing the accomplishments of women leaders to just their sex detracts from the value of their contribution. It’s furthers the same sexist stereotypes that have historically held women back

Tryst with destiny, planning and deficit financing

The Indian government has been able to wean itself off its addiction to deficit financing from the central bank only after liberalisation. Will it now go back to monetising deficits?

Sports during COVID-19 is missing a part of its soul

Football is not just sport, or a means to keep people entertained during COVID-19. It’s also business, and the focus of the international market will be to better the home viewing experience

India-Nepal ties | New Delhi must rejig and strengthen its neighbourhood first policy

The current Kalapani border dispute is only incidental in a greater design to destabilise New Delhi's ties with its neighbours

RBI does what it can. But will it be enough?

The central bank needs more support from the government

Jio dials it right. Investors queue up to take the call

The latest KKR deal goes on to prove investors can’t take their eyes off India’s single-largest opportunity

India-Nepal ties cannot be left to the vagaries of miscommunication

Nepalese Prime Minister KP Oli has upped the ante by being undiplomatic at a time when diplomacy should have been the channel between Nepal and India. New Delhi, too, has not managed the episode well