Indiabulls real estate business sale unlikely to improve its chances of getting a banking license
The market prices of Lakshmi Vilas Bank and Indiabulls Housing Finance do not suggest a merger is likely to happen anytime soon
Corporate Corridor | ITC's shares are at a discount to its peers but that could change
ITC’s sales growth may have been unimpressive but margins in cigarettes have improved and barring punitive taxes or policy actions it could sustain
Policy | Asset quality review for NBFCs: If not now, then when?
No amount of liquidity - and rate cuts – will help unless the structural problems in the NBFC sector are resolved
Politics | An ominous new chapter begins in Jammu & Kashmir
The government must be seen to be upholding the rights of Kashmiri people and correct the impression that Indians love Kashmir but hate its people, a majority of them Muslims.
Monetary Policy | RBI poised for more easing; bonds volatile with a dovish bias
Signs on the ground don’t point to a meaningful growth recovery. With prices posing no immediate threat, RBI has its task cut out.
Monetary Policy | Rate cuts passé — the RBI must address ‘deflation’ in sentiment too
While a rate cut by itself will not solve sector specific issues, a rate cut along with the right communication and cues on liquidity could go a long way in boosting confidence given the current context.
Policy | National Medical Commission: You win some, you lose some
The new medical body promises to redefine the way healthcare is practised in India. But then, it’s not without its share of scepticism.
Politics | Revoking Article 370 is the Modi government’s biggest surgical strike yet
At a time when sub-nationalism is assuming dangerous proportions not only within the country but in different parts of the world, a state within a state, as is the case with Jammu & Kashmir, cuts at the very concept of nationhood.
J&K and Article 370 | Narendra Modi and Amit Shah keep their promise; what next?
Those who agree with the government’s decision feel that it will usher in development, but those who are opposing this feel that the Modi government has opened a tinderbox.
Look beyond rate decision this monetary policy review
Financial stability, liquidity stance and transmission are other important factors in the central bank radar.
Chart of the day | Market ignores good news, for good reason
The IHS Markit India Composite PMI for July at eight-month high
Corporate Corridor | CSR law gets more teeth, but it is too harsh on India Inc.
Altruistic activities undertaken by the government and NGOs carry more sense. After all, the business of a business is business.
Drivers beware! Govt is getting back a lot harder on you
The new-look Motor Vehicles Act is a stern reminder that there is zero-tolerance for road safety violations. Implementation will make all the difference
Corporate Corridor | Hindalco found a good match in Aleris, securing EC approval is vital
The European Commission appears hesitant to approve Novelis’s bid for Aleris. The success of this bid is crucial for parent Hindalco Industries’ plans
A crisis of confidence in market is what government needs to address
The government needs to signal to the business community that they are collaborators in India’s growth
Ayodhya Case | Will day-to-day hearings bring an end to the dispute?
Once the Supreme Court gives its verdict in the case, implementing it will be a challenge and so will ensuring that there is no fallout on Hindu-Muslim ties.
Digital tax | India wants to fix loopholes in the law to tax local income of global tech giants, before it is too late
Companies like Google, Facebook and Twitter, among others do not pay tax on income generated locally, including that from advertising revenue, as they do not have permanent establishments. But, that’s going to change soon.
MPC to give growth engine a push, but watch out for credit risks
A 25 bps rate cut in August policy will move the needle, but just about. Fixing credit supply and asset quality issues will do a world of good, too
Quality Matters | Don’t lose heart if market falls, make good use of it
It’s not a lost world. The moral is not losing big in corrective phases is the secret sauce to making money
Macro Matters | India one of a handful of countries where manufacturing sector is still expanding
The IHS Markit India survey says conditions in the manufacturing sector improved in July
GST matters: CAG hits the nail on the head. The realities back up
Billed as a good and simple tax, GST needs a feel good factor. The sooner the government realises, the better.
Siddhartha saga: Property attachment is by no means tax terrorism
Brand and job creation are all fine, but that’s no ticket to a compensatory legal reprieve.
Politics | The improved situation in Kashmir is but a mirage
The improved security situation in the Valley may delude the government that it’s hardline has paid off. An interpretation can be that the figures are evidence of Pakistani tactical restraint. It is demonstrating its control of the tap.
Corporate Governance | Light touch regulation for proxy advisers is the right approach
Proxy advisers are relatively new in India but play an important role in upholding governance standards. A SEBI working group seeks to ensure they practice what they preach.
