CATEGORIES

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE 2024 ELECTION

The financial and political worlds are becoming more closely entwined to the point that it’s almost impossible to treat them separately. That’s why we have to keep a close eye on political developments. They can have a major impact on your investments. For better or worse, the U.S. 2024 presidential election race is in full swing. James Rickards discusses here the early stage of the 2024 election cycle

Corporatism, An Attack On Liberalism?

Corporatism is anything but radical. The word is a perfect descriptive of the most successful form of statism of the 20th century. In the 21st century, it has been given new life and an ambition that is global in scope. Jeffrey A. Tucker feels that it is also the single most vexing problem we face today, far more of a going concern than old archetypes of socialism and capitalism. Corporatism began as a fundamental attack on what was then known as liberalism. Liberalism began centuries earlier with the end of the religious wars in Europe and the realization that permitting religious freedom was overall good for everyone. It lessens violence in society and still retains the opportunity for the vigorous practice of faith.

Byju Fiasco: A Blow To Start-Up Ecosystem

Byju's, which arose as perhaps one of the most dominant start-ups after Flipkart, is on a slippery slope. Issues like defaulting on loan settlement, handing over pink slips to thousands of employees, delayed release of FY22 financial statements, the resignation of the auditor, and, the exit of three external board members without giving specific reasons raise serious questions vis-à-vis corporate governance. And it does not augur well for the start-up ecosystem, which has thrived on easy money flowing in from foreign investors. Pathetic governance and scam will put off financiers making it all the more difficult for the honest ones to raise money.

Silence is Substance

Silence is not to be confused with being speechless. One may not speak. It does not mean one is silent.

Of An Unputdownable Book

Books, like their authors, are living beings. In spite of book burnings round the globe down the history of time, we know for certain that books cannot be killed by fire. They are, true to the words of Plato, immortal sons deifying their sires.

Loving & Convincing Difficult People

Are we supposed to simply overlook other people's faults and idiosyncrasies? Right relationships with difficult people can seem like an impossible standard to reach.

Enhanced Surveillance Measures (ESM): A Gloomy Framework & Unfair To Micro, Small-Cap Companies

The enhanced surveillance measure for micro and small-cap companies, put in place by the market regulator and exchanges from June 5, is in fact unfairly targeting one segment of the stocks. The new measure will cover companies on the main board with market cap less than Rs 500 crore and will be effected in two stages. For both stages, the companies will be shortlisted based on variations in high and low prices, or in close-to-close prices. For stage one or ESM-I, price variations over three to six months will be considered. In stage two or ESM-II, companies already in stage one and significant price variations over five consecutive trading days or over one month will be included. The surveillance mechanism should allow for trading of stocks and what if somebody wants to sell due to various reasons. The best practice would have been that the regulators penalise only the errant players whereas this action even penalises investors.

ELECTION AND EQUITY RETURNS

Once in Five Year Opportunity. Election Cycle Gives Exceptional Returns.

Impetus Arthasutra

A Portfolio Management Firm with Old-Age Sensibilities & New-Age Technological Capabilities

Successful Adoption of Generative AI in Business

Digital transformation' has been a catchphrase for a while now. Large, medium, and even small enterprises are transitioning to more tech-oriented operations and interfaces.

CENTRAL BANK DIGITAL CURRENCIES & PERSONAL LIBERTIES

Central bank digital currencies pose real danger to personal liberties... that allows governments to monitor every transaction you make, which basically means a surveillance state. This facilitates the creation of a social credit system that allows governments to punish those who engage in unapproved activity. The government will even know your physical whereabouts at the point of purchase. People could be denied employment opportunities, educational opportunities, and access to banking systems, even the ability to travel. China is well along the way to establishing a social credit system. Millions of Chinese have been denied the ability to travel by plane or train because their social credit scores are too low. James Rickards says that it could happen anywhere.

Twitter As A Free-Speech Platform!

Free speech depends fundamentally on alternative sources of news and other social platforms

Are We Facing A Severe Recession?

Are we facing a severe recession, a financial crisis worse than 2008? There are signals

What Is Poetry?

A poser indeed. Better to frame the question differently: what is Life? Any way both questions are posers that would make any listener to quiver before he finds an answer

Evolution of Narratives: Power of Creators in the AR/VR Era

Every year, the Cannes Film Festival in France steals the spotlight and captivates audiences worldwide

Direct Your Own Evolution

WE normally think of evolution in terms of physical changes. Some evolution occurs perhaps by need or desire

Q4 FY23 LEADERS & LAGGARDS

While Financials and Auto Lift the entire earnings, Metal and Energy dragged the earnings

SOLAR MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAIN IN INDIA

Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd. (SECI) has been accepting applications for incentives from solar manufacturers to set up gigawatt-scale manufacturing facilities for high-efficiency solar modules in India, under the second phase of the PLI Scheme

ASBA-LIKE FACILITY FOR TRADING IN SECONDARY MARKET

Sebi, though always acts late, has been consistently prioritized empowering investors and promoting fair practices in the securities market

Who Owns The Most Gold?

The gold industry is thriving, as this yellow metal is highly coveted and usually appreciates over the long term. So, who are the individuals and families that own the most holdings of gold in the world? Secondly, how much gold is there in the world? However, there’s only a finite supply of gold in the world.

Is Cook's Recipe Healthy For India?

Apple has opened its first retail store in India, spread over 20,000 square feet over two floors in the Jio World Drive mall in the Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. The store will provide customers with the opportunity to explore Apple products and services. Apple has leased out the space in the mall for 11 year contract. The company will be paying 42 lakh per month as a rental for the store, and will also share a part of the revenues with the space owner. The store will be operationally carbon neutral, relying on 100 percent renewable energy, and will have its own dedicated solar array, making it one of the most eco-friendly stores in the region.

Does AI Pose Dangers To Humanity?

John McCarthy, known as the 'father of artificial intelligence' coined the term "artificial intelligence" in the 1950s. Artificial intelligence is a field, which combines computer science and robust datasets, to enable problem-solving. It also encompasses sub-fields of machine learning and deep learning, which are frequently mentioned in conjunction with artificial intelligence. The goal of Al is to provide software that can reason on input and explain on output. Al will provide human-like interactions with software and offer decision support for specific tasks, but it's not a replacement for humans - and won't be anytime soon. Al is approaching a rough parity with human intelligence and therein lies the dangers it pose to humanity. Al is definitely something to keep an eye on, and we should be asking important questions. But James Rickards says, we shouldn't worry about it taking over the world anytime soon.

On Defeating Fate

Once St.Francis of Assissi visited the sultan of Egypt. Eager to insult the saint, the sultan laid a trap for him.

Importance of Self-Promotion

IF you are going to influence others and persuade them to your point of view, ideally it would be great to hold an important position, be highly visible, and know how to get your cause in the media, or even social media.

Berkshire Hathaway: Main Takeaways from the 2023 Annual Meeting

Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting has just concluded. Warren Buffett (92) and Charlie Munger (99) joined by Ajit Jain and Greg Abel on stage took questions from shareholders during a live event in Omaha. Berkshire Hathaway reported a $35.5 billion quarterly profit. Berkshire’s shareholder meeting always attracts throngs of people who admire Buffett and his longtime investing partner Charlie Munger.

TIME TO BUY NBFCs

The RBI's decision to halt the rate hike in the April MPC meeting is a welcome relief for NBFCs as it will prevent a decline in NIM and simultaneously boost loan growth.

Can India digitally leap-frog ahead?

Last year in October, the Prime Minister declared that in the last eight years, India has leaped from the eighth spot in terms of economic size to the fifth spot.

The Dangerous Illusion of Scientific Consensus

If there is a consensus, science challenges it with new hypotheses, experiments, logic, and critical thinking. Ironically, science advances because it believes it has never arrived; consensus is the hallmark of dead science.

White House Warns of 'Severe Damage' to Economy

New analyses by both the Congressional Budget Office and the U.S. Department of the Treasury suggest the United States is rapidly approaching the date at which the government can no longer pay its bills. History is clear that even getting close to a breach of the U.S. debt ceiling could cause significant disruptions to financial markets that would damage the economic conditions faced by households and businesses.

Fuel Your Portfolio With Gas Stocks

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved recommendations of the Kirit Parikh committee on natural gas and imposed cap or ceiling price to help cut CNG and piped cooking gas prices by up to 10%. From April 1, APM gas will be priced at 10% of the price of basket of crude oil that India imports. The rate such arrived at however will be capped at $6.5 per million British thermal unit as against current gas price of $8.57 per mmBtu.