NBCC: the government’s newest milch cow
The market reacted negatively to the news of NBCC getting the Jaypee Infratech project, taking the stock to Rs 26, a level it had last seen in August 2014
Future of central banks: Do all roads lead to Federal Reserve?
It’s interesting to note that central banks are reviewing and changing their objectives to resemble the Fed, apart from following the top US banking body in terms of policy action
PMIs show Indian private sector activity accelerated in February
If the expansion is sustained, GDP growth in the current quarter should show a rebound
Chart of the Day | Green shoots in the power sector
Utilities still face a lot of stress
Brace for more currency volatility
While low oil prices and expected portfolio inflows provide support for the rupee, this is all contingent on the coronavirus being contained in both India and abroad
Politics | Trump’s Afghan deal gives Taliban the upper hand
Though India's absolute hesitations in dealing with the Taliban is a thing of the past, the contours of the US deal in Afghanistan doesn’t augur well for New Delhi in any way.
Coronavirus epidemic: rate cuts are not enough
We should have a contingency plan for the corporate and financial sectors in place
Coronavirus | The COVID-19 outbreak may slow down globalisation further
Even if there is a limited outbreak outside China, a sharp slowdown in global growth is expected. The OECD now predicts that both China and India are expected to grow around 5 percent in 2020.
Politics | Nitish Kumar gives a sneak peek into his election strategy
The JD(U) leader’s strategy appears to be to retain the Hindu votes by riding piggyback on the BJP and, at the same time, winning over the minorities by passing the resolution against the NRC.
Connect the dots for infrastructure growth
Blue Dot Network, led by the US, provides an opportunity to get big-ticket projects off the ground
Why did the OECD slash India’s growth forecast so brutally?
If the OECD projections are right, the Indian economy will continue to be in dire straits even in 2021-22
Legal Matters | It’s an irony when death penalty saves lives
Many murder convicts, are left rotting in jail for life because unlike in death penalty cases, life sentences hardly evince judicial interest.
Trade | Impact of Coronavirus on global trade and India
As of now, trade between China and its partner countries has not been impacted significantly in terms of volumes; however, the burden on suppliers has significantly increased.
Hope makes an appearance even as fear rules the Street | Markets
While the growing spread of Covid-19 continues to be a source of worry for global investors, the prospects of a concerted policy response is giving rise to hope
India’s manufacturing PMI shows robust recovery continued in February
India tops Asian manufacturing PMIs
Politics | The Afghan deal is a delicate balance
The next 14 months will be crucial for the deal, during which the talks between the Taliban and Kabul need to fructify and peace must prevail. India could be more proactive in its Afghan policy.
Macro Matters | No green shoots, only slowdown blues in GDP numbers
Private sector gross value added was the lowest in the new GDP series
Auditors are watchdogs, not handmaiden
A major thrust of the new rules seems to be to ask auditors to hunt down information which a range of official agencies like Registrar of Companies, SEBI, Enforcement Directorate and of course, the banks ought to be doing
Politics | Two issues testing the Thackeray government’s strength
Other than the Bhima Koregaon case, the more crucial difference in the Maharashtra coalition is over the triple issues of the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens, and the National Population Register.
Airport privatisation — the more the merrier
Multiple entities running different airports will help mitigate financial risks and enhance performance
Only a cure for the virus can revive markets
Earlier instances show that the correction from such emergencies is sharp and short, but this time the virus seems much more contagious and has spread rapidly across the globe
Politics | Why criminalising black flag protests is outlandish in a democracy
The British never liked the idea of being shown black flags in India when they were ruling the subcontinent. Their bias against black flags in India was passed on to the new rulers, who lapped up some of these unreasonable rules without giving them a thought.
Politics | Why delimitation could finally be a reality in Assam
A section of government officials and functionaries cutting across party lines and civil society groups feel that delimitation can be a tool to check the debilitating impact of the rapid demographic change in Assam.
Is the startup ecosystem maturing in India?
The number of new startups dropped to a nine-year low in 2019, but overall fund inflow jumped to a five-year high
