Mint Primer

Domestic pump prices of petrol and diesel have remained unchanged since May 2022, the longest freeze in India. With the Centre netting buoyant tax revenue and global crude prices benign, can consumers hope for a cut in the run-up to the elections next year?

India’s weightage on the MSCI emerging markets (EM) index is tipped to rise to 16.3% from the current 15.88% with nine fresh stock inclusions in the gauge. The addition, effective 30 November, will take India’s representation to an all-time high of 131 stocks.

On 10 November, India’s currency touched an all-time low of ₹83.5 against the dollar. It has now recovered a little, closing at ₹83.1 on 15 November. Mint explains the reasons behind the rupee’s slide in the recent past and gives a peek into the future.

A mix of solutions has helped sharply reduce crop stubble burning by farmers in Punjab and Haryana. But some still resort to the polluting practice because of a shortage of machines to manage crop residues, causing the air quality index (AQI) to worsen

The growth of India’s labour productivity—output per person per hour—has been tepid. And working longer hours is not a solution. Mint looks at the reasons for the low productivity growth and what needs to be done to improve it.

With AI tools becoming more accessible, deepfakes are a rising threat in audio, video, and photo formats. But, catching the actual perpetrators is next to impossible, thanks to how cyber tools allow people to obfuscate the traces of origin.

India’s co-working sector, also called the flex workspace sector, modelled itself on WeWork Inc., the SoftBank-backed startup that filed for bankruptcy in the US this week. How does this development impact WeWork India and other companies?

Home sales in October-December are expected to clock the best-ever festive period sales. October was already a blockbuster month in some cities, triggered by Navaratri. Now, developers expect Diwali to catapult the real estate industry to a new high.

With elections looming, the prime minister has extended the free foodgrain scheme, which was due to end after December, by 5 years. The announcement, made at an election rally, is being viewed as a political move. What does it entail?

The central government last week notified a regulation to allow unlisted Indian companies to be listed on foreign exchanges. Until now, only companies already listed in India were eligible for a secondary listing. In this context, Mint provides a detailed explanation of this recent development and its potential ramifications.

The US Federal Reserve has decided to hold the federal funds rate steady at 5.25-5%. This is the second meeting in a row the Fed has maintained the status quo on the funds rate. Why did the Fed do this and what are the implications of this decision?

The government has asked Apple to join its investigation into allegations that the iPhones of some opposition leaders and journalists could have been compromised by “state-sponsored” hackers. Is your phone hacked? What can you do about it?

Demand for smartphones dropped in 2022, with the market shrinking 10%. In the first six months of 2023, it dropped another 10%. Premium phones, priced at $400 or more, are bucking the trend—shipments grew 75% in H1 this year. Are premium phones more affordable now?

Domestic overall two-wheeler sales increased 4% in the first half of FY24, and estimates suggest they will easily top 17 million units by the year-end. Yet, sales would be significantly below the peak levels of the pre-covid era.

GM’s autonomous vehicle startup Cruise has slammed the brakes on its driverless cars, as US regulators investigate alleged safety breaches. Will this move put a spoke in the wheel of driverless cars globally? Or is this a step in the right direction?

The yield on 10-year US treasury bonds crossed 5% on Monday—the first time since 2007. It closed at 4.95% on Wednesday. This bond yield is important in influencing the direction of interest rates not just in the US but all across the world

Demand for IT services has slumped amid a global slowdown. India’s IT companies have, therefore, clamped down on their hiring plans. In fact, FY24 could turn out to be the worst year for IT sector hiring in a long time.

Data released last week by the agriculture ministry shows food production touched record highs in 2022-23. The robust numbers are at variance with India’s decision to curb exports of wheat and rice, and the trajectory of food inflation across multiple crops.

At the recently concluded International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank meetings in Marrakesh, officials fretted over the new trend of interest rates remaining high for a long period. Mint looks at how it will impact the world at large and India in particular.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday confirmed that India will formally bid for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. How much does it cost to host the 16-day event and is it worth the effort? Mint evaluates the economic implications of a successful bid.

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are headed for assembly elections amid varying retail inflation numbers. Rajasthan’s at 6.53% is above the RBI’s upper tolerance band. Mint explains the relevance of inflation to the elections.

Earlier this month, carmaker Hyundai announced plans to offer advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across its entire product range in India. Why has it become fashionable to talk about ADAS and what is spurring its growth? Tune in Now.

Southern states are on a borrowing spree. In the second quarter of 2023-24, all of them—barring Karnataka—have gone way beyond their planned borrowing limits. Why is this so? And how have the other states fared?

Israel is at war with Hamas, the latest chapter in an enervating cycle of violence. Why has the Palestine question remained unresolved for so long? Mint takes a look at the past, present, and future of this festering conflict and its implications for the world and Indian economy.

Claudia Goldin, an economic historian and professor at Harvard University bagged this year’s Nobel prize in economics for her pioneering research that advances our understanding of labour market outcomes for women.