The 150-year trend that could help

Commercialisation of leisure could be the solution to many economic problems Neelkanth MishraLast Updated at August 2, 2021 23:16 IST This appeared in the Business Standard on August 3, 2021 (link). In 1930, the great economist J M Keynes wrote in his essay “Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren” that in a hundred years, the average … Read more

What to look for in the upcoming budget

This appeared in the Explained section of the Indian Express (link) on 26-January-2021. On February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present what could turn out to be India’s most consequential Budget in years. What is the status of the post-Covid recovery process, and what are the concerns going forward? What should you look for … Read more

The post-lockdown scars

As economic indicators and tax receipts improve, evidence of stress begin to appear tooNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at November 3, 2020 03:08 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) While assessing the post-pandemic economy, last month’s Tessellatum (“After the Storm”, October 6), expected upper-income wage earners to exit the lockdown with higher … Read more

After the storm: Taking stock of the economic scars of the pandemic

Now that the steep decline in economic activity is behind us, it is time to assess what parts of the economy have the worst scarsNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at October 6, 2020 06:47 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) Even as the number of cases and daily deaths are at unacceptably … Read more

An Expert Explains: Decoding India’s GDP contraction by 23.9%

The contraction seen in first-quarter GDP data is severe, but not unexpected. What should be done — or not done – at the level of govt policy so that the economy gets a chance to rebound as quickly as possible?Written by Neelkanth Mishra | Updated: September 13, 2020 11:43:51 am (This was published in the … Read more

Untested Covid control

Will the strategy of society instead of the State controlling the virus be tested by rising deaths?Neelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at June 3, 2020 00:04 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) “Countries would be assessed on State capacity,” said a New York-based investor who specialises in trading on macroeconomic trends. This … Read more

Who should bear the losses?

It may be better for governments to bear the losses upfront than after the damage is doneNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at May 5, 2020 23:53 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) It now looks clear that we must learn to live with coronavirus, as the active case count is unlikely to … Read more

Can we stop the clock?

To minimise economic damage during the lockdown, focus on cash flows, promise of growthNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at March 31, 2020 23:49 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) “I have seen power blackouts as enemy bombers flew overhead, have stood in long queues to collect kerosene, and have lived through food … Read more

Signals from the market

The narrower stock-market indices may stay disconnected from prospects of the Indian economyNeelkanth Mishra | Last Updated at February 12, 2020 22:23 IST (This was published in the Business Standard: link) The stock market is widely believed to be a forward-looking indicator of the economy. While one may struggle to find an individual who has … Read more