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Hyderabad is among Top 7 cities in India with $2.24 billion Investment in real estate during 2018-22

Hyderabad is among Top 7 cities in India with $2.24 billion Investment in real estate during 2018-22

Between 2018 and 2022, Hyderabad expects to attract equity investment of US$ 2.24 billion in real estate, which is 7% of the cumulative Investment in India.

As many as 24 land deals were closed and 970 acres acquired in Hyderabad on Tuesday, which saw a total investment of $900 million, according to findings of ‘Indian Real Estate: Betting on a Capital’ Future’ published by CBRE South Asia Pvt Ltd. Inland/site acquisition during 2018-22.

The city also recorded the second-highest land acquisition activity in the country, accounting for over 14 percent of the total land acquired since 2018. As per the report, across India, the total Investment in the land sector ER between 2018 and 2022 was $43,300 million. Equity investment during this period stood at US$31.8 billion, while debt investment stood at US$11.5 billion.

The CBRE report said that since 2018, most of the capital deployment has been through the core and core-plus investment strategies. However, the city has seen an increasing number of bets made through opportunistic routes for greenfield development.

Institutional Investors Entering India ( IIEI):

As per the report, intra-regional investors (outside the APAC region) have contributed around 47% of the total investments in India since 2018. Domestic investors (mainly property developers) have invested over USD 13 billion, representing about 42% of investments. , Total Investment during this period.

Institutional investors have invested more than $17 billion over the past five years, and North American investors account for the largest portion of these investments.

Sector Bets ( SB):

The office sector received more than 56 percent of institutional inflows and pent-up demand, and improving employee occupancy levels in business parks fueled a strong rebound in office leasing.

Land/parcel acquisitions were another favorite bet, with total institutional inflows exceeding $2.5 billion, representing a share of nearly 15 percent.

Among cities in India, Hyderabad ranks among the top five for real estate investment. Worth noting that over $2 billion of capital inflows into the retail sector took place, which is over 11% of total institutional Investment. This indicates the growing importance of retail in the real estate sector and the potential of Hyderabad as a retail hub.

CBRE President and CEO for India, South East Asia, Middle East and Africa told Anshuman Patrika: “Over the next two years, we expect investment flows to remain stable with cumulative inflows of $16-17 billion.”

Gaurav Kumar and Nikhil Bhatia, managing directors of capital markets and residential business at CBRE India, attributed this growth to sustained demand across sectors and the spectacular returns witnessed by investors.

Rami Kaushal, Managing Director, Valuation and Advisory Services, India, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, said: “The REIT landscape will expecting to become more diverse this year, as we may soon see the listing of the first Indian retail REIT, which REITs in India can add more depth to the market.”

Investment in sites in the top 7 cities (2018-2022)

Urban land acquired (acres) Investment in land deals (US$ billion)

  1. Delhi-NCR 1760 67 3.8
  2. Mumbai 960 73 3.8
  3. Bangalore 700 44 1.1
  4. Hyderabad 970 24 0.9
  5. Madras 500 47 0.9
  6. Puno 450 27 0.6
  7. Calcutta 110 4 0.1

According to CBRE India, this has led to an influx of new investors seeking to set up large investment platforms in the country. This is a clear indication of the positive impact of the Hyderabad property market on the overall economy of India.

With the increasing demand for residential and commercial properties, Hyderabad has emerged as one of the top five cities in India for real estate investment. This trend will expect to continue as the city continues to attract investors from around the world who see the potential for high returns on their investments.

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Samsung Phones to Bypass Google, Switch to Bing as Default Search Engine: Report.

Samsung Phones to Bypass Google, Switch to Bing as Default Search Engine: Report.

Google is the leader among search engines, but its dominance may soon be affected.  This will be a big blow for Google, as Samsung is the second-largest smartphone maker in the world.

Microsoft revamped Bing earlier this year and integrated it with OpenAI’s GPT model, which also powers the popular and popular ChatGPT. How is it better? With AI-powered Bing, you can ask it more complex questions and assign tasks.

The smartphone market is constantly evolving, and there have been reports in recent news that Samsung phones may change their default search engine from Google to Bing. However, negotiation is essential to note that this decision is still and that Samsung may ultimately choose to stay with Google. If Samsung switches to Bing, it could significantly impact the smartphone market.

Google dominated the search engine market for a long time, and many smartphone users are using Google as their default search engine. However, if Samsung were to switch to Bing, it could open up new opportunities for Microsoft to gain a foothold in the search engine market. This could also lead to differences in how people use their smartphones as they will have to adapt to using a different search engine.

While whether Samsung will ultimately choose Bing over Google has yet to be determined, the prospect of such a shift is certainly intriguing. It could have far-reaching implications for the smartphone industry.

Also, Samsung may consider it, but it will take a lot of work to execute. As Andreas Proshofsky explained on Twitter, all Android OEMs are require to sign MADA (Mobile Application Distribution Agreement) to have apps from the Google Play Store, including Google Search, on their phones. Now, removing Google Search would mean losing access to the Google app ecosystem, which seems like there are more viable options.

Google pays Samsung and Apple to be the default search engine.

Both Samsung and Apple are known to have paid a hefty amount for Google to remain the default search engine. The tech giant reportedly pays Apple $20 billion per year and Samsung $3.5 billion per year. With that said, there has yet to be a word from Microsoft on the matter and whether the company would be willing to shell out as much money as Google.

Microsoft is currently busy updating Bing with more features and the latest GPT-4 model of OpenAI. Those with access to the preview version of Bing can access the updated search engine. Microsoft has also integrated the OpenAI DALL-E image generator with Bing. Through this feature, users can generate images directly from Bing Chat. It’s called “Bing Image Builder,” and you can tell it to generate an image based on the details you provide.

Google has been one of the main pioneers in the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning. The search giant is working to integrate its AI chat technology into the search engine, which could revolutionize the way we search. Although there is no official verification yet, the AI-powered smartphone search engine will be a game changer in the industry.

With the integration of AI, search engines will be able to understand the intent behind a user’s search query and deliver more personalized results. This can result in a more effective and efficient search experience, saving users time and frustration in finding the information they need.

However, with Samsung phones ditching Google and switching to Bing as the default search engine, it remains to be seen if Google’s AI-powered search engine is coming soon. Whatever the outcome, competition among search engines will only fuel further innovation and progress in AI and machine learning.

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SBI approves long-term fundraising of up to $2 billion

SBI approves long-term fundraising of up to $2 billion

State Bank of India (SBI), one of India’s leading financial institutions, has announced its plan to raise $2 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, 2023-24, through the issuance of senior unsecured notes. The move is part of SBI’s long-term fundraising plan, aimed at strengthening its balance sheet and supporting future growth plans.

The senior unsecured notes issued by SBI will have a minimum maturity of three years and a maximum maturity of 10 years. The bonds will be issuing in one or more tranches depending on market conditions and SBI’s funding requirements. This move by SBI is a clear indication of the bank’s commitment to its customers and stakeholders, as well as its faith in the market and the economy.

With this long-term fundraising plan, SBI is well-positioned to continue its growth trajectory and provide innovative and reliable financial solutions to its clients. It also signifies the bank’s strong financial position and ability to raise funds from global markets to support its growth ambitions.

At the recent Central Board Executive Committee meeting on April 18, SBI announced that US dollars or other convertible foreign currencies would use for senior unsecured notes. This announcement indicates that the Board is preparing to offer new senior unsecured notes. Details of the offer remain uncertain as the Board also mentioned that the notes could be offering as a public offering or a private placement.

A public offering would involve the sale of notes to a wide range of investors, such as retail investors. By contrast, a private placement would involve the sale of notes to a select group of investors, such as institutional investors. The decision to make a public or private offering will depend on several factors, including the size of the offering, the level of interest of potential investors and current market conditions.

In addition, the use of US dollars or other convertible foreign currencies indicates that the Board is seeking to expand its international reach and attract a broader range of investors. It also shows that the Board has faith in the stability and strength of the US dollar and other foreign currencies.

State Bank of India (SBI) recently raised Rs 3,717 crore by issuing its third additional Basel III compliant Tier 1 bonds for FY23. This is complete at a coupon rate of 8.25 percent. , making it one of the most successful bond issues of the year. These bonds have a fixed term, which is good news for investors looking for long-term investments.

In addition, there is a call option after ten years and on each anniversary after that, giving investors the flexibility to sell or hold their investments as they see fit. The success of this bond issue reflects investors’ confidence in SBI, India’s leading bank.

The funds raised through this bond issue using to finance various business ventures and initiatives of the bank, which will ultimately benefit its customers and shareholders.

State Bank of India (SBI) has announced plans to strengthen its capital adequacy by increasing its Additional Tier 1 capital and its overall capital base, as well as in line with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. To achieve this, the bank plans to use the proceeds from the bond issue.

The bonds will help the bank meet its regulatory and compliance obligations while ensuring long-term stability. Proceeds from the bond will go towards boosting the bank’s capital position so that it can continue to provide financial services to clients across India.

By strengthening its capital base, SBI will be better able to absorb any potential risk in the market and continue to grow its business while maintaining its strong reputation as one of India’s leading banks. With its dedication to maintaining its position as a strong and reliable financial institution, the State Bank of India continues to prove itself a pillar of the Indian economy.

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Blinkit permanently shut down a few dark shops amid delivery strikes.

Blinkit permanently shut down a few dark shops amid delivery strikes.

Zomato-owned fast-trade company Blinkit has told delivery workers, who are on strike against low wages, that some of its dark shops in Gurugram will closing permanently.

“Dear Partner in Blinkit, We value the service you provide to clients from your store. Despite many discussions, none of you have been working at the shop for the past three to four days. Because of this, the business must permanently close this store.

“Since this store will be closing permanently, we are disabling all your IDs. For any issues, you can raise a support ticket.”

We have seen two screenshots of such messages for Gurugram’s Sector 43 ES32 and South City 1 ES30 stores. Although drivers said more of these stores are closing permanently, we were unable to determine the exact number.

Only a few of the 31 dark shops serving Blinkit in Gurugram are currently operational with the protection of local police and security guards deployed by the company, a union leader said last week.

Unlike food delivery, where delivery executives may have to take orders from multiple restaurants spread across a city, the express trade model relies on temporary workers assigned to a specific dark shop in a neighborhood from where delivery is makes.

Around 2,500 Blinkit couriers in Gurugram have been on strike since last week after the company reduced the fixed delivery payment from Rs 25 to Rs 15. More workers are on strike in Delhi and Noida to protest against the move.

We have sent an inquiry to Zomato and Blinkit regarding the same. We will update the article with your feedback when it is receive.

According to an industry official, the way the hyperlocal delivery sector works is to reduce the delivery fees paid to commuters when the order volume in an area increases.

Companies give a rough estimate that a delivery person in one of the major metropolitan areas earns around Rs 15,000 per month. This calculation is again based on the assumption that the gig worker is online for 10-12 hours per day for 26-27 days per month.

“When total orders for rigs in a region increase, as the number of deliveries per employee increases, companies want to make their orders more profitable,” the industry executive told us.

As per a reliable source, Blinkit is all set to introduce its new rate cards across all dark stores in every city it operates in. While a timeline for the release has yet to confirming, the source suggests that Blinkit is actively working to bring the change to its entire Dark Store network. The move is in line with Blinkit’s commitment to providing a transparent and reliable delivery service while offering competitive pricing to customers.

With this new initiative, Blinkit aims to optimize its pricing structure and ensure consistency across all its dark stores, ultimately improving customer experience and cementing its position as a leader in the eCommerce delivery space.

Several couriers said Blinkit used to pay Rs 50 per order to its first batch of couriers last year and Rs 25 per order to those they joined a few months ago. Apart from payment per order, there used to be incentives based on fuel and delivery volume, which could go up to Rs 1,400 per week in some cases. The protesting workers are also upset that these incentives have phase out.

According to the company’s BSE filing, Blinkit booked orders worth Rs 3.2 crore for a revenue of Rs 301 crore in the December quarter, while it suffered an adjusted EBITDA loss of Rs 227 crore.

The company, earlier known as Grofers, was acquire by food delivery company Zomato in a deal worth Rs 4,447 crore in June last year.

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Amul vs. Nandini feud, Kerala milk federations bar Nandini’s entry into the state

Amul vs. Nandini feud, Kerala milk federations bar Nandini’s entry into the state

In an ironic move, the Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), popularly known as the Milma brand, is now opposing the entry of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) Nandini into the State.

Karnataka-based dairy brand Nandini has grown into Kerala by opening two platforms in the southern State. However, the move criticize by the local Milk Marketing Cooperative Union.

The move comes amid the ongoing controversy over the arrest of Amul in Karnataka, amid fears that the brand would affect KMF’s Nandini, a brand made by farmers.

Since certain state milk marketing unions tend to “aggressively enter markets outside their respective states,” the KCMMF has resisted the move.

The federation acknowledged that such a move would result in a complete departure from the cooperative principles upon which the country’s dairy sector is find and which have benefited thousands of dairy farmers.

Milma’s president calls the practice “immoral.”

In a statement, KS Mani, president of Kerala’s local brand Milma, called the practice “unethical”. The tendency to enter markets outside its domain by opening points of sale or attracting franchisees avoiding. Initially, they sold only value-added products but later expanded their operations to include liquid milk sales. Subsequently, they commenced delivering milk from shops to stores.

According to Mani, the attempt by the Gujarat Dairy Cooperative Federation (Amul) to promote its staple in Karnataka has elicited a strong reaction from stakeholders in the State. But the Karnataka Milk Marketing Federation recently launched its milk and other products and opened its outlets in some parts of Kerala to sell the Nandini brand.

How can this be justified? Whoever does this is an extremely unethical practice that undermines the entire goal of the Indian dairy movement and is detrimental to the interests of the farmers.

Mani said this trend would only fuel unhealthy competition among states, adding that the central and StateState governments should come together to reach a consensus.

“Some State Milk Marketing Federations have recently shown a growing propensity to offer their products outside of their geographic regions. The federal principles and cooperative spirit upon which the State Dairy Cooperative Societies of the nation find are gravely violated by this.

The operational movement is create and nurtured by pioneers like Tribhuvandas Patel and Dr. Verghese Kurien,” Mani said.

Cross-border Marketing of Milk

The Karnataka Milk Federation is criticize by Milma for expanding its stores into portions of Kerala, claiming that this was a flagrant violation of the cooperative principles upon which the nation’s dairy business was set up for the benefit of thousands of dairy farmers.

He also cited an agreement that establishes that the cross-border marketing of milk is a “serious encroachment on the territory of sale of the State in question.”

“According to the existing agreement and good business relations between dairy cooperatives, cross-border marketing of fluid milk avoiding, as it amounts to an open invasion of the sales territory of the State concerned.

In the spirit of cooperative principles, that they are base on mutual consent and goodwill was appreciate for a long time,” he said.

According to the Economic Times report, Mani has also written to KMF. “In the dairy sector, we all have to thrive by being ethical to one another,” Mani is quote as saying by ET.

Tejashwi Surya on Nandini vs. Milma

Tejashwi Surya on Karnataka BJP MP Tejashwi Surya made a hint to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who recently visited Karnataka.

The Congress Leader, State Party Chief DK Shivakumar and General Secretary KC Venugopal visited Nandini Milk Parlor in Bangalore. He bought Nandini ice cream and the flagship brand of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), calling it the “pride of the state”.

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Tata Technologies IPO: Why should you buy Tata Motors shares now?

Tata Technologies IPO: Why should you buy Tata Motors shares now?

Stock market observers have been analyzing the effect of Tata Technologies‘ IPO on Tata Motors since the company filed documents to begin its IPO. Tata Motors plans to sell 8,11,33,706 shares of Tata Technologies in this future IPO. The automaker purchased these shares at $7.40 per share (as detailed in the Draught Red Herring Paper, or DRHP).
Experts are quite bullish on both Tata Motors shares and the Tata Technologies IPO. He added that the market expects public issuance in the next two to three months, and although its price band has not announced, the market is expecting big profits for Tata Motors as it bought shares of Tata Technologies level of Rs.
 
Stock market investor is advise by Avinash Gorakshkar to start hoarding Tata Motors shares now, as recent global triggers such as the US Federal Reserve banking crisis are expect to benefit auto stocks.
 
On how the Tata Technologies IPO will affect the Tata Motors share price, Avinash Gorakhkar, Head of Research at Profitmart Securities, said: “The Tata Technologies IPO is expect to go well as the public issuance is back by the big brand Tata.
The public issue will generate cash inflows at Tata Motors, which is expect to improve the margin and balance sheet of the auto company. Since Tata Technologies Ltd. is an IT company, it appears it was solely an investment of the funds surplus available in Tata Motors when it acquired Tata Technologies Ltd. Shares were acquire.
Therefore, Tata Motors should see Tata Technologies’ IPO as profit booking.” He added that Tata Motors has reported strong figures in the third quarter of fiscal 23 and is expect to provide attractive figures in the fourth quarter.
 
How Tata Motors Will Benefit From Tata Technologies IPO
 
Gorakhskar said that Tata Technologies has yet to price the IPO. Still, he is confident that the Tata Technologies IPO will pricing at least 4-5 times the rate at which Tata Motors acquired a stake in Tata Technologies. Thus, Tata Motors is expect to earn big profits from Tata Technologies’ initial public offering, Avinash Gorakhskar said.
 
Tata Technologies IPO Valuation
 
Stating that the Tata Technologies IPO is a win-win situation for Tata Motors shareholders, Anuj Gupta, VP of Research at IIFL Securities, said, “The Tata Technologies IPO can unlock value for Tata Motors shareholders.” He said that Tata Technologies has yet to announce the IPO price.
Still, he is confident that its market capitalization will be around Rs 18 000 crore to 20 000 crores. Based on this, we expect Tata Technologies’ initial public offering price to be around Rs 40 per share. .it can wait.
 
Tata Motors shareholders to benefit from upcoming IPO
 
Avinash Gorakshkar advises stock market investors to start hoarding Tata Motors shares now as auto stocks are expect to benefit from recent global triggers such as the US Federal Reserve banking crisis. Dollar Gorakhskar said a fall in the US dollar could force FIIs to look at emerging markets, including the Indian stock market.
As Tata Motors is an FII and mutual fund preferred stock, it is also expected to benefit from the latest stock market triggers.
 
Therefore, near-term sentiment and fundamental developments such as the Tata Technologies IPO and quarterly results give bullish signals for Tata Motors shares.
 
Advising positional investors to buy Tata Motors shares, Sumeet Bagadia, CEO of Choice Broking, said: “Tata Motors has made a fresh break at Rs 460 per share at the close, and the stock chart pattern shows momentum extreme bullish.” buy the shares at current levels for a short-term target of ₹490 to ₹500 while keeping the stop loss near ₹450 levels.
 
For those who have Tata Motors shares in their stock portfolio, Sumeet Bagadia said: “Those who have Tata Motors shares in their portfolio can upgrade their trailing stop loss to ₹450 and move from ₹490 to ₹500.”
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World Bank reduces India’s growth prediction for 2023-24 to 6.3%

World Bank reduces India’s growth prediction for 2023-24 to 6.3%

The World Bank said India’s growth remains resilient despite some signs of slowing growth. The World Bank, in its most delinquent India Development Update, has lowered India’s growth forecast for 2023-24 to 6.3% from 6.6% previously.

India’s growth is predicted to be denied by slower consumption growth and difficult external conditions, the World Bank said.

He stated in a report on Tuesday that “rising borrowing costs and slowing revenue growth will consider on private consumption increase, and government consumption is forecast to increase at a slower pace due to the removal of tax-related fiscal support measures during the Pandemic.”

However, he said India’s growth remains resilient despite some slowing growth. He points out that although significant challenges remain in the global environment, India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

According to Auguste Tano Coume, the World Bank’s Country Director for India, “India’s economy continues to show strong resilience to external shocks.”

India’s service exports have increased despite external pressures, and the current account imbalance is decreasing, according to Koume.

On India’s inflation, he said that while headline inflation has risen, it is forecast to decline to an average of 5.2 percent in 2023-24 amid falling global commodity prices and some slack in inflation domestic demand.

“The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reversed accommodative steps to control inflation by increasing the policy interest rate. According to the statement, a substantial private sector credit expansion and better asset quality have helped India’s financial sector maintain its strength.

For the second straight month in February 2023, retail inflation in India decreased slightly but still exceeded the RBI’s upper tolerance band of 6%. The consumer price index ended the month at 6.44 percent. In January, the retail inflation figure was 6.52 percent.

In recent years, India’s retail inflation has been a significant concern for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI’s target for retail inflation is 6%, but the inflation rate has exceeded this target for three consecutive quarters. This has caused great concern among the Government of India and the central bank. However, there are signs of progress as the retail inflation rate returns to the RBI comfort zone in November 2022.

The RBI decided to increase the repo rate, which it loans to banks, by 25 basis points to 6.5 percent in order to control inflation at its most recent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in early February. The repurchase rate at which the RBI lends to banks has increased by 250 basis points since May 2022.

Furthermore, the World Bank said the Indian government would likely hit its fiscal deficit target of 5.9 percent of GDP in 2023-24.

The general government deficit is also expected to narrow. As a result, the debt/GDP ratio is expected to stabilize.

The current account deficit is an important economic indicator that reflects the difference between a country’s total imports and exports of goods, services, and investment income. A current account deficit generally means that a government is spending more than it is earning, which can lead to a weakening currency and higher borrowing costs.

However, according to a recent World Bank report, India’s current account shortage is projected to narrow to 2.1% of GDP in the recently concluded fiscal year 2022-23 from an estimate of 3%. This vital improvement is attributed to solid exports of services and a reduction in the merchandise trade deficit.

According to Dhruv Sharma, a senior economist at the World Bank and the report’s primary author, “recent developments in the US and European financial markets pose risks to near-term investment flows to emerging markets, including India.” However, Indian banks have adequate capital.

 

IMF: Indian economy is yet doing well and stands as one of the world’s fastest expanding.

IMF: Indian economy is yet doing well and stands as one of the world’s fastest expanding.

Facing global uncertainty and headwinds, the Indian economy will continue to perform well and maintain its position as one of the globe’s fastest-growing economies, a senior International Monetary Fund official said on Tuesday. The statement came when the IMF lowered its forecast for 2023-24 to 5.9 percent earlier.

Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf, deputy director of the Asia-Pacific Department at the IMF, said, “The Indian economy is doing well, and it remains the quickly developing Asian economy and one of the most rapid growth in the world.” ”

“However, we have revise our estimates to include the most recent data released earlier this year. Based on this information, we now estimate that the growth rate in the fiscal year 2023-24 will be 5.9%, slightly lower than our previous estimate of 6.1 percent in the January WEO due to an expected slowdown in consumption growth,” he said.

In answer to a query, Gulde-Wolf remarked, “In fact, we’ve seen evidence of this fall in consumption growth in the CY 2022:Q4 figures, as the massive rise in so-called “revenge consumption” has fade.

She added that with consumption slowing, the IMF sees investment as the main growth driver, as evidenced by double-digit credit expansion, strong PMIs, and an enterprising budgeted government spending program.

She said that infrastructure investment has a potentially large impact on long-term sustainable growth and is, therefore, a major policy priority.

Another positive contributor to growth has been net exports, especially services exports, which have shown very strong performance. An IMF official said the significant improvement in the current account in the last fiscal year would continue this year as commodity price was expect to decline.

“Risks are skew to the downside and stem mainly from external factors, including a stronger-than-expected contraction in external demand in partner countries, tighter global financial conditions, and stronger-than-expected contagion effects from the recent volatility of the global financial market,” Guldelobo said.

In response to a question, she said India and China, the world’s two largest and fastest-growing economies, can act as major economic engines, driving global growth through consumption, investment and trade.

He said that India and China are fast becoming centers of technological innovation, driving global progress in information technology, renewable energy and AI.

“China and India can help control economic fragmentation in the current geopolitical situation. The IMF has emphasize the potential costs and negative effects of economic fragmentation. India and China play a significant role in the international community, including the G20, which was compose of key members and key members. It may contribute positively to preserving global economic cooperation.

In the end, Golde-Wolf remarked, “China and India can expand South-South cooperation as major developing economies, encouraging economic growth and stability in other rising markets and developing countries.”

The IMF expect the growth rate in China to increase from 3.0 percent this year to 5.2 percent in 2022, he said. China’s growth alone was expect to explain more than a quarter of global growth in 2023.

It would also generate positive spillover effects around the world: on average, for every percentage point of growth in China, growth in other countries was project to increase by about 0.3% over the medium term.

China’s 2023 growth rebound will be driving by private consumption rather than infrastructure investment: the spillover effect on the rest of Asia from higher consumption in China was project to be larger than other growth drivers, such as investment. The IMF official said that the short-term impact on the rest of Asia would vary from country to country, with those dependent on tourism likely to benefit the most.

When asked about the major challenges facing Asian countries, Golde-Wolf said that in the short term, the economies face challenges from inflation: Inflation in most of Asia is not as high as in other countries, but it is more difficult to control by central banks remains above target despite fall in commodity prices.

The fact that core inflation has remain steady suggests that central bank interest rates may need to stay high for a while.

Asian economies also face challenges stemming from greater uncertainty in the external environment. He said there has been considerable volatility in exchange rates, financial conditions and capital flows over the past year as markets digested news affecting monetary policy decisions in the US and Europe.

New norms for debt mutual funds: AMCs open subscriptions to international schemes

Many asset management companies (AMCs) have started subscribing to international schemes to maximize cash flows ahead of the new tax rules on debt mutual funds that come into effect from April 1.

Fund houses that have made changes to their international schemes include Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund, Mire Asset Mutual Fund and Edelweiss Mutual Fund.

Edelweiss Mutual opened all seven international funds this Monday. It has started accepting switching or one-time transactions under these schemes.

“There were some restrictions on us, so we decided to let investors avail the tax benefit by investing till March 31,” Niranjan Awasthi, head of product, marketing and digital at Edelweiss AMC, told PTI.

Mirae Asset is now offering a one-time subscription for three international ETFs and three Funds of Funds (FoFs) based on these ETFs. This subscription will open until March 27.

The existing Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) and Systematic Transmission Plan (STP) will resume on March 29. However, the new SIP and STP will not allow it.

According to Siddharth Srivastava, head of product and ETFs at Mir Asset Investment Managers (India) Pvt Ltd, “Since we have limited headroom for fresh inflows, these funds are likely to close again for subscription in the future to comply with current regulatory controls and applicable guidelines for foreign funds.”

In the case of ETFs, investors can enter into swaps of any quantity or multiple basket sizes directly with the AMC. For FOF, he added that investors could use several methods, such as lump sum or rollover, to get a position in the underlying ETF.

The authority over capital markets, Sebi, granted permission for mutual funds to reinvest in foreign equities in 2022 up to a total of Rs 7 billion (USD). The regulator instructed fund houses to halt taking new subscriptions based on investments in foreign stocks in January of last year.

Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund has begun accepting new or one-time investments in three foreign programs. This move allows investors to put money into programs that may have more potential for growth than traditional investment options.

According to experts, investors who sign these foreign schemes by March 31 are reportedly entitled to indexation rewards. They also encourage investors to subscribe to debt, international, and gold funds in order to take advantage of indexation.

It should note that until 2023, existing debt funds, international funds, gold funds, and new investments will not be impacted by the proposed revisions. Friday, March 31, according to the statement.

The AMC’s decision comes after the finance ministry on Thursday amended the Finance Act, 2023, classifying income from debt mutual funds as short-term capital gains. The new norms will come into effect on April 1 2023.

According to the new rule, investments in debt investment funds purchased in 2023 on or after April 1 will tax as short-term capital gains at applicable tax rates.

This means that debt funds, international funds and gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), regardless of their holding period, will tax at the applicable individual tax rate.

Debt mutual funds held for over three years will no longer get indexation benefits. Besides, the existing LTCG (Long Term Capital Gains) benefits will apply to investments made in 2023 on or before March 31.

Indexing mutual funds take into account inflation during the unit’s holding period. Doing this increases the asset’s purchase price, and tax is reduces.

Budget deals last-minute blow to debt investors.

The Indian parliament has lashed out at the country’s burgeoning debt market. As part of the budget, he proposed an amendment to the Finance Act that would deprive debt mutual funds of the tax breaks they currently enjoy.

A debt investment fund is an investment fund with an equity allocation of no more than 35%. For shareholders who have invested in such funds for at least three years, returns will not be treated as long-term capital gains subject to a lower-than-investor marginal tax rate.

This means that debt mutual funds are now tax-equivalent to bank term deposits. Until now, banks preferred fixed deposits if they were untouched for at least three years, as long-term capital gains were taxed at 20% with indexation or 10% without indexation.

Indexing is the recalibration of the original investment value to account for inflation since the time of investment. This reduced the capital gains on which tax is payable.

The Income Tax Department provides an indexation table in which 2001-2002, the price level is 100. Suppose that in 2017-2018 you invested Rs 100,000 in a mutual debt fund and redeemed it in 2022-23. The index for 2017-18 is 272, and the index for 2022-23 is 331. So the inflation-adjusted value of Rs 100,000 for 2022-23 is Rs. 331/272 x 100,000 or 121,69121 rupees. Capital gains are calculated as if the initial investment was Rs 121,691.

This relief has been removed for debt mutual funds invested after April 1.

This primarily affects companies that are the biggest users of this asset class, using it to reduce their tax costs. Companies must store cash left over after dividends, taxes and other expenses. With some cash, they can move quickly when they see an investment opportunity, keeping a large amount on their books rather than immediately returning it to shareholders.

Debt mutual funds have proven to be useful assets for storing such corporate surpluses because they are sufficiently liquid, offer decent returns, and so far offer tax benefits if held for at least three years.

But the government decided it could not afford to give such tax breaks to wealthy companies and withdrew the tax haven. Businesses lose, and banks lose a bit.

Fixed deposits have lost their lustre in the eyes of middle-class savers since the low-interest regime ended just over a year ago. This has led to such low rates of return that savers have started to look for new ways to invest, such as mutual funds and equity-linked savings schemes.

Banks also did not lend much and did not face a problem due to the reduced flow of deposits. But if banks want to start lending again, they need deposits. Tax-favoured debt mutual funds have been an attractive alternative to bank deposits. You can’t blame the banks for hoping to end this deposit-killing mutual debt fund tax break.

Now the government has granted the banks’ wish and increased the tax. Of course, companies with large reserves will see their tax bill rise. The move will also affect the corporate debt market, and even successful debt packages like Bharat Bonds will find fewer borrowers.

A vibrant bond market is essential to finance projects with a long gestation period. Banks are ideal for short-term lending: their liabilities, mainly deposits, have short maturities and should ideally be invested in assets of similar maturities. On the other hand, bonds can have longer maturities and provide the option of financing on extended terms.

When bonds finance a project, the costs are scrutinized by several analysts, brokers and busy organizations like the Hindenburg. When it comes to a bank loan, some bankers decide on the project’s viability, reasonable costs, etc.

The bond market can certainly grow without tax relief, but it will take a long time. And bond markets thrive when the risks associated with investing in bonds — exchange and interest rates — are freely hedged using derivatives. However, in the recent budget, the government sharply increased the securities transaction tax (STT) on futures and options, further hampering hedging and growth in the bond market.