Deep Dive with AKB

As the Indian economy is reopening after several months of no activity amid strict coronavirus-induced lockdowns, some indicators are pointing to an economic recovery of sorts. But there also are some very confusing paradoxes and mixed signals. For instance, even as demand in the economy is squeezed, inflation continues to be high and food prices are going through the roof. In fact, retail inflation climbed to an eight-month high in September, and wholesale inflation to a seven-month high. Why? What explains high retail prices in these times? What impact will it have on interest rates? And when could we expect food prices to see some cooling? Let’s take a deep dive with AKB to understand.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently announced a two-pronged stimulus package to step up capital expenditure and stimulate consumer demand during the coming festival season. But how effective will these steps prove in boosting consumption? Who stands to gain the most? Are the measures indeed the most fiscally prudent in these times? Let's take a Deep Dive with AKB to understand.

When the Narendra Modi-led central government rolled out the goods and services tax, or GST, in July of 2017, it was pitched as the greatest indirect tax reform in India. It was meant to streamline processes between the Centre and states and further the cause of what is touted as ‘one nation, one tax’. But the sailing since then has not been as smooth as one would have liked it to be. Even if its intent has been backed by most, the Centre has often been criticised for the messy rollout of GST. And now, when the coronavirus pandemic has hit the Indian economy hard and squeezed government revenues, we are seeing quite a row between the Centre and states over GST compensation. We are also hearing the questions of cooperative federalism being raised. So what is the whole controversy about? Why are some states miffed? What is the government’s solution to the problem? And what could lie ahead? Let’s take a Deep Dive with AKB to understand.

In five press briefings held in as many days, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced several measures to provide support to individuals and the economy, which have been hit severely by successive nationwide lockdowns to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that his govt would provide a massive Rs 20-trillion economic stimulus package to help make India ‘atma-nirbhar’ or self-reliant. In her five-tranche package, the finance minister covered measures and reforms for the MSME sector, agriculture & allied sector, the Essential Commodities Act, migrant workers, labour codes, coal and mining, power distribution, defence production, employment generation, civil aviation, PSU rationalisation, insolvency and bankruptcy code, among other things. Are these measures going to be enough to tide over the crisis facing the economy at present? What will be their short-term and long-term impact? Financially speaking, what will all this mean for the government? Let’s take a Deep Dive with AKB to understand these and more.

Prime Minister Narendra #Modi on May 13 announced a Rs 20-trillion package, worth nearly 10% of India’s GDP, to boost the economy amid a slowdown made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. The PM also emphasised the opportunities that lay in this crisis and called for India to work towards becoming ‘atma-nirbhar’, or self-reliant, and being “vocal about local”. A day later, in the first of a series of briefings to detail the economic package, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures to boost the country’s #MSME sector, besides other steps to spur demand. How large Modi’s economic package really is? From where will the govt get the money to finance it? What did the PM really imply when he spoke of ‘Atma-nirbhar’ Bharat? Let’s take DeepDiveWithAKB to understand.

The oil market recently saw something that it had never seen before. For the first time in history, the prices slid to less than zero on 20th April. Because of a supply glut in the wake of the global coronavirus crisis, and a demand slump, US crude oil futures collapsed to less than $38 per barrel. Desperate traders were paying to get rid of oil. So much so that President Donald Trump had to intervene and announce that the US would add 75 million barrels to its strategic petroleum reserves. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), also stepped in along Russia and other allies, and announced a cut in production. The shock of the “negative oil prices” was felt across the world, with stock markets globally reacting negatively to the development. For perspective, it should be noted that crude oil prices hovered around $100 a barrel in international markets between 2010 and 2014, even going as high up as $128 in 2012. Even at the start of this year, they were close to $67 per barrel. So what has happened lately to cause such a massive drop? How bad is the global outlook? And what does all this mean for India, which is a major importer of petroleum products? Let’s take a Deep Dive With AKB to understand.

The Indian economy was already bearing the brunt of a global slowdown and the Narendra Modi-led central government's finances were under stress since at least the first quarter of FY19. Now, the coronavirus crisis has forced the government to impose a nationwide lockdown and economic activity in the country has nearly come to a halt. The government also had to offer a relief package to help individuals and the economy. How has the government's response to the crisis been so far? And what will be the impact on its finances? Let's take a Deep Dive With AKB to understand.

While the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc globally, the 21-day lockdown in India to control the spread of the virus has been extended by another 19 days till 3rd May. Most of the restrictions imposed in the first phase of the lockdown will remain in force in the second as well. But, to limit the impact on the economy, the government has allowed some sectors to resume their activities partially. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a set of lockdown guidelines on 15th April detailing some relaxations that would be allowed from 20th April. What do these guidelines really mean?  What impact will these interim measures have on the key sectors of the economy? Let’s take a Deep Dive With AKB to understand.

On 24 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day national lockdown to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. With people staying indoors and only essential services being allowed, economic activity in the country has taken a major hit. Worse, this has come at a time when India was already battling with an economic slowdown. When Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had presented her Budget for FY21 on February 1, 2020, the impact of Covid-19 in India was limited. What impact will the coronavirus crisis have on India's Budget? In this episode of DeepDiveWithAKB, Business Standard Editorial Director A K Bhattacharya examines if the numbers assumed in Budget 2020 are still relevant. Meanwhile, as India stays locked down, Business Standard is providing free access to its premium content free for a month on business-standard.com. Claim your free subscription by clicking on the link below: business-standard.com/FreeAccess -- Coupon code: BS30FREE

The world is reeling from the coronavirus shock right now. The disease, also known as #Covid-19, has sent countries across the world scampering for safety in the confines of social distancing. While China has been dealing with the challenge since December, the situation has turned grim in Europe recently and is reaching there in the US as well. India has also been seeing a rapid increase in the number of infections. The impact has been seen across sectors of the economy, and by extension stock markets, which have seen a rout globally in the past few days.   In this episode of Deep Dive with AKB, Business Standard Editorial Director A K Bhattacharya looks at the pandemic and its impact on global supply chain and India’s economy and markets.