opinion

Comment | Automakers bypassed in Budget, new challenge lies in wait

Despite the FM’s statement that India will lead the ‘transportation drive’ at the forefront with ‘electric vehicles’, the Budget did not do much by way of specific measures.

Opinion | Mamata Banerjee’s dharna is a high-stakes political game

If Mamata Banerjee is in her elements as a protester, the BJP is a party that itches for a confrontation, especially in West Bengal. By now it is clear that the BJP is betting big on West Bengal.

Opinion | Interim Budget: Great for elections, but worrisome for the economy

The real worry is the absence of incentives for job creation

Opinion | Bubbles are pricked, not deflated

Central banks seem to have no idea how to get back to normal conditions. It’s back to business for risk assets.

Opinion| The need for restoring faith in the Indian statistical system

What is damaging is that the controversy around the jobs report is not an isolated incident

Loose Canon: The Mystery of the Missing Poet in the Budget

Everybody who heard the speech knows that towards the end Goyal talked of a poet of Maharashtrian origin who wrote in Hindi

Opinion | A sting in the FMCG tale

Expensive valuations of FMCG companies make them vulnerable to even small shocks. The implementation of the revised FDI guidelines by e-commerce companies could disrupt sales growth in the near term.

Opinion | Expected focus on farmers, unexpected bonanza for urban rich

The new government would do well to understand that farm sector faces peculiar challenges in different regions of India and they need to be understood and tackled differently.

Opinion | The Budget signals a bumpy ride for the market

The Budget held out the promise of spurring consumption but investors were left with heartburn after riding the fine print

Opinion| Budget 2019: Farm income support will change India’s political economy

It will be interesting to watch how this scheme is implemented in such a short time.

Opinion| A smartly packaged and a please-all Budget

It will be able to augment purchasing power in the most stressed segments of the economy

Opinion | Say bye bye to lower interest rates for now

This fiscal math is clearly shaky and it will have a market impact through increased government borrowings.

Opinion | How will the finance minister fund his giveaways?

Opinion | Budget 2019 sets sight on ambitious fiscal targets

The finance minister has made a compelling case for direct income transfers. Hopefully this will overhaul India’s notoriously leaky subsidy regime.

Comment | This Interim Budget was no dead rubber

The interim budget has taken the wind out of the Opposition’s sails — at least for the time being. However, does the government’s offensive move betray the BJP’s fears about the upcoming Lok Sabha polls?

Opinion | Why investors may be overestimating the Budget’s impact

Consumption and real estate are two sectors that have been targeted with sops in the Budget and investors seem to be buying into that. Here's why they should be careful

Comment | An election budget with some disappointments

It was not easy, even for the strongest government in three decades to ignore politics in an election year.

Tax breaks for middle class, boost for farm income: 10 takeaways from Budget 2019

A populist budget on the face of it raises more questions than answers

Comment | GDP does not stand for ‘Grossly Distorted Picture’

The real GDP growth rate for 2016-17, the year of demonetisation, has been revised upwards from 7.1 percent to 8.2 percent.

Comment | What you should look out for in Budget 2019

The government is likely to address rural distress. Some are also talking about poverty alleviation schemes which could even include Universal Basic Income.

Comment | Ahead of Budget 2019, how is the market positioned?

Data from the options markets provide some clues

Opinion | How the govt has left the solar sector in darkness

Most state grids are near bankrupt and cannot pay for the ever-increasing subsidy amounts doled out. Once the elections are over, they will have no option but to stop these freebies.

Opinion | Why Arvind Subramanian’s quasi-universal basic rural income idea will not help

The biggest risk of a quick fix solution like cash transfer is that it might take political attention away from structural problems in the sector.

Opinion | Accounting fraud and liquidity crunches are bedfellows

Major accounting frauds typically come to light when liquidity tightens. Given the over 2% point jump in money market rates in India in the 12 months to September the probability of major accounting fraud coming to light in the Indian stock market is growing.

Opinion | Kochhar indictment a wake-up call for boards and victory for whistleblowers

The board failed in its duty by giving Kochhar a clean chit. Sitting fees and perks of members should be clawed back as well.