indianotes

  • Are we still stuck in a socialist trap?

    A couple of days back, a headline in the Mint caught my attention: “Profiteering casts a cloud over GST cuts”. The article suggests that long-overdue GST rate cuts and rationalisation might be delayed once again. Apparently, members of the GST Council and the government are concerned about “profiteering” – specifically, companies not passing on rate… Continue reading

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  • Trump’s gift to Indian education

    Policy reforms opened the door to foreign universities in India. Trump may have provided the push that finally gets them through it. According to official estimates, around 1.33 million Indians were studying abroad in 2024. That’s a pretty large number, but not at all surprising. The bulk of these were in Anglophone countries – Canada,… Continue reading

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  • Market Cap Muddle

    Do large-cap or mid-cap definitions make any sense? Before 2017, there was no “official” definition of mid-cap or large-cap stocks. Different analysts, brokers and fund managers used their own definitions, leading to considerable confusion. Non-standard definitions meant that similar mutual fund schemes, e.g., large-cap funds, used different norms. This not only made it difficult to… Continue reading

  • Why do we need Algos?

    Thoughts on high frequency trading after SEBI took on Jane Street In recent days, the ban on Jane Street has re-ignited discussions on scams and the much-scammed retail trader. Much of this follows a familiar script – either blame SEBI, or the foreign manipulator, or inadequate regulation. And as usual, everyone, including politicians of all… Continue reading

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