Tag: as

AU Small Finance Bank gains as Edelweiss initiates coverage, sees 24% upside

Loknath Das

Edelweiss Securities has initiated coverage on AU Small Finance Bank with a buy rating and target price of Rs 880 apiece, implying 24 percent potential upside from current levels. At 0916 hours IST, it was quoting at Rs 712, up Rs 3.85, or 0.54 percent on the BSE. The non-banking finance company continues to deliver high loan growth without any asset quality incident and 30 percent-plus asset CAGR remains plausible for an extended period, the brokerage said. It feels operating and financial leverage will continue to play through and return on average…

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Central banks push green finance as global warming losses rise to $160 b

Loknath Das

With insurers shouldering a record $160 billion in climate-related losses from last year alone, a group, including 30 central banks, called for measures to spur green finance and better assessment of the risks from higher global temperatures. The move, led by the Bank of France, Bank of England and People’s Bank of China, draws the group deeper into a controversial area of policy-making, where they advocate funding for alternatives to fossil fuels. They set out a road-map for authorities to use in prodding executives and investment funds to weigh up…

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[Validity Of Finance Act 2017- Day-3] Majority Judgment In Aadhaar Case Covers My Case, Submits AG As Constitution Bench Reserves Judgment

Loknath Das

As Attorney General K. K. Venugopal resumed his submissions on the constitutionality of the passage as a Money Bill of the Finance Act of 2017 on Monday, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked for a copy of the Supreme Court’s order in Rajiv Garg, where the court had considered whether different conditions of service could be prescribed for different tribunals. In that case, the court had taken on record the assurance of the then-AG to speak with the different ministries as to uniformity in the retirement, functional facilities and accommodation of…

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China bans 23m from buying travel tickets as part of ‘social credit’ system

Loknath Das

Beijing railway station. Local governments and agencies have been piloting aspects of the system. Photograph: Roman Pilipey/EPA China has blocked millions of “discredited” travellers from buying plane or train tickets as part of the country’s controversial “social credit” system aimed at improving the behaviour of citizens. According to the National Public Credit Information Centre, Chinese courts banned would-be travellers from buying flights 17.5 million times by the end of 2018. Citizens placed on black lists for social credit offences were prevented from buying train tickets 5.5 million times. The report released…

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Technology as an enabler in the social sector

Loknath Das

There are hundreds of NGOs in India that are striving to make a measurable impact for the greater good. But running an NGO comes with a number of challenges – of which raising funds is a major one. Other issues linked to this are getting volunteers on board and maintaining a long-term relationship with them. Unfortunately, this sector has lacked substantial transparency, and not all NGOs are involved in serious work with large-scale impact. Technology has helped organisations take a step in the right direction and has enabled ease of…

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Coolpad A1, Mega 4A Launched in India as Offline Exclusives: Price, Specifications

Loknath Das

HIGHLIGHTS Coolpad A1 and Coolpad Mega 4A have been launched in India The new smartphones are available as offline exclusive offerings Both will go on sale in the country through 3,000 multi-brand stores Coolpad A1 and Coolpad Mega 4A have been launched in India. Coolpad has brought the two new models to the country as offline exclusive offerings. While the Coolpad A1 price in India has been set at Rs. 5,499, the Coolpad Mega 4A price in India has been set at Rs. 4,299. Both smartphones in Gold colour option will be available for purchase…

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See N Chandrasekaran as a software man with niche in finance: Vallabh Bhanshali

Loknath Das

N Chandrasekaran completes a year as Tata Sons’ Chairman and keeps to his promise of stabilising the conglomerate by simplifying the structure. In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Vallabh Bhanshali, Chairman of Enam Securities shared his views on the same. Bhanshali said that would rate Chandra’s performance as 9 on 10 this year, as Tata Group Chairman. He further said that Chandra provides an exemplary depiction of an uncluttered mind. I see Chandra as a software man with niche in finance, he added. He also mentioned that subject to external limitations,…

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India will have to wait longer for Android Pay as Google shifts focus to Tez, its digital payment app

Loknath Das

Google is not going to roll out its Android Pay service in India any time soon. The company is rather focused on pushing its new app – Google Tez, a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based digital payment application, in the country. During a Q&A session following the launch of Google Tez app on Monday, company’s senior executive Caesar Sengupta told the media that the company has no immediate plans to launch the Android Pay service in India. He cited lack of wider availability of (Near Field Connectivity) NFC-enabled smartphones and penetration of…

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Economics and finance as a career for science and tech students

Loknath Das

The post-2008 crash business world has taken a quantitative turn, focused on data driven and analytics led search for uncovering complex feedbacks that operate in the highly networked economy. The modern economy is a network of multiple markets that connects individuals, small businesses, banks, corporations and governments. Understanding the architecture of the network and how feedbacks operate between these entities has become imperative for businesses. Since consumer choice is both informed and shaped by peer networks, understanding how feedbacks operate in this network of opinions and a perception has become…

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From a snake as snack to crocodile meat as an antidote for a bad heart — in the Philippines

Loknath Das

In the Puerto Princesa Public Market, pink duck eggs lay stacked next to white hen and pied quail eggs, eggs so pink that a flamingo would want to borrow it for its plumes. The crowd was milling in the Philippine island of Palawan and I heard a voice piping in the clamour of a marketplace. “Want an embryo for a snack?” After a long day rowing inside an underground river, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, I sure required nutrients. But an embryo? I thought my ears were…

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