opinion

From risk aversion to risk phobia

Bank investments in government securities has soared

Is fear of rupee depreciation holding back a fiscal stimulus?

A Bank of America report analyses whether monetary easing will lead to systemic risk in emerging markets

How to prepare for a W-shaped economic recovery and beyond

We need nuanced policy making to straighten the W over time

Security | Terror groups are gaining ground in India’s neighbourhood

New Delhi must not ignore the twin threats — of Al-Qaeda from the Af-Pak region and Islamic State from the Maldives

Franklin shocker: The reality is investors are left holding the baby

Given that credit cycle risks were apparent for a while, risk aversion is not unreasonable

COVID-19 | A boon and boost to the surveillance state

It is mass testing for detecting the virus that is the answer, not mass-surveillance. The collective resources of the planet should be directed towards this end

There is no free lunch with high-risk debt funds. Ask Franklin

As a result of the higher risks taken in the chase for yield, credit defaults that were earlier rare became increasingly commonplace

NBFCs will play a pivot for growth revival. Let more liquidity flow

The RBI needs to develop ‘Emergency Credit Facilities’ for the non-bank financial system similar to what the US Federal Reserve had done in 2008

Will changes in FDI policy meet India’s long-term strategic needs?

The proposed amendments might save Indian firms for the time being, but, more than geographic restrictions, it is sectoral restrictions that may play the desired role

Flash PMIs point to enormous cost of lockdowns

The March numbers had provided a glimpse of how bad things were, but the April data can only be described as horrific.

Fitch Ratings revises GDP forecasts for the second time in a month

It’s very likely they will have to revise them again very soon

World Bank says remittances will fall sharply this year

Remittances accounted for 2.8 percent of India’s GDP in 2019

A flight to the safety of bank term deposits

There has also been a jump in currency holdings with the public

Facebook-Jio Deal | A big boost for India's retail sector

Millions of kirana stores are likely to become part of JioMart and reap benefits of scale and convenience for their customers. This will set an example of how, with clean practices, both physical and digital retail can co-exist and flourish.

COVID-19 | Private sector is caught between a rock and a hard place

The government must take proactive measures such as providing subsidised financing and tax breaks for corporates to pay salaries and compensate for loss caused due to government’s measures to tackle COVID-19

President Trump turns to the one issue he knows best

The temporary ban on immigration stems from the fact that Trump is using the issue as a re-election ploy

Debt fund closures are symptoms of an illness that can be cured only by a strong stimulus

Investors in debt funds will be frightened by what's happened at Franklin Templeton. The RBI and the government need to step in with strong financial measures to restore confidence

Tough days for debt mutual fund investors when RBI’s moratorium period ends

Some Indian companies have approached courts to stall rating agencies from downgrading their debts

COVID-19 presents an opportunity for reforms in the real estate sector

Now might be a good time to relook at the overall costs regime. Concessions might help restart the real estate sector

Facebook-Jio Deal has the potential to change India’s e-space

This partnership has the potential to deliver significant results for India across multiple domains. Vision and ambition aside, both the companies need to realise each other’s strengths and core competencies to deliver on their promise.

FMCG retail sales develop cracks

Late-March retail sales shows a sharp deceleration. Investors should pay close attention to what HUL’s management says after its results next week

COVID-19 | India needs to trust its states to fight the virus

Decisions needs to be taken at a state-level or even district-level. The aim should be to contain future COVID-19 outbreaks to local clusters, which do not bring the whole nation to a grinding halt

Kerala model — hard to replicate but possible to emulate

Other states should learn from their southern peer to better prepare themselves for handling pandemics in the future

Policy | RBI’s functioning requires more clarity

Central bankers across the world, including the RBI, suffer from a lack of clarity when it comes to appointments. This must change, and the governments can help in bringing in much-needed transparency