Murders usually stoke a rush of sympathy for the victim and her/his family, as it should. But the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, on a New York street on December 4, 2024, instead brought to the surface the simmering public anger against insurance firms which “deny, defend and depose” as a strategy to...
I have answered reader, viewer, and listener questions about money for a long time. I have seen them change over time. There used to be entry-level questions about what to do with ₹50,000 in the bank, what stocks and funds to buy, portfolio questions around asset allocation, strategy questions — a whole range of questions around...
From September 1, Russia legalised the use of cryptocurrencies to settle international trade accounts and wants to create an “experimental infrastructure” for such payments. India has at least $900 million stuck in unpaid dividends in Russian investments that are unable to be repatriated due to the sanctions faced by Russia. India has allowed the Chinese...
The age cohort that began work in the decades surrounding 1991 is now in its 50s and 60s. This is the urban mass affluent population slice that saw its boats lift with the giant wave of economic growth and prosperity that the economic reforms of 1991 unleashed. You just had to be in the right...
Alarm bells rang earlier this year within the ministry of finance and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) over slowing deposit growth at a time when credit growth was robust. Banks need the fodder of fresh deposits to keep lending going. As Indian economic activity picked up after the Covid shock, and with both bank...
Budget 2024 came at a rare moment in the history of Indian budgets. Tax revenues are up, bank and corporate balance sheets are cleaned up, reserves are looking good and a surprise bonus from the Reserve Bank of India has bolstered the ability of the government to spend without compromising the fiscal consolidation process. But...
Opinions on taxes on assets almost always depend on one’s position in life. Those without assets see the merit in taxing the asset-rich and those who have built or inherited assets will argue for no or low taxes. After all, they argue, that tax on the income has already been paid and then the assets...
Suppose you have a sudden inflow of money. A bonus at work, a tax refund or an inheritance that gives you a one-time boost. As an individual, you have three decisions in front of you — spend it, pay off your debts, or invest it. Smart people would use a mix of the three options,...
We must view the current uproar in the ₹53.4 trillion mutual fund industry over a Know Your Customer (KYC) update in the larger context of the issue. This capital market event, where some investors are facing difficulties in accessing their accounts, is a consequence and not a cause. The root of the issue stems from the...
In today’s Hindustan Times Amitabh Dubey, a member of the Indian National Congress party’s manifesto committee has implied that I am a scaremonger. You can read this 23 April 2024 piece here. I have a few questions on this name calling. How is a citizen asking genuine questions about the intention of a political party...