TMS, Ep 10: Oil on the boil, superior voting rights, global travel hassle

Oil prices have climbed steadily in the past few weeks, with Brent crude crossing the $80-a-barrel mark recently for the first time in three years. Research houses like Goldman Sachs expect the Brent to hit the $90-a-barrel mark by the end of this calendar year. So, why is oil on the boil? How are the demand-supply dynamics shaping up? What does all this mean for the Indian markets and the government's revenue maths? Listen to this podcast for the answers and an exclusive interview with Dr Kang Wu, the head of global demand and Asia analytics at S&P Global Platts.

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It's the IPO season. A bunch of listings like Zomato's have been stellar. And another group, including Paytm, Oyo and Policybazaar, is ready to hit the gong. For countries like India, it is pertinent to attract tech start-ups to list in India and Not go overseas. So, India is tightening the lever on policy. Markets regulator SEBI has eased the rules for issuance of shares with superior voting power - a long-time ask of the tech ecosystem. India is now on a par with start-up rules in the US and broader west. Is it enough to spur start-up IPOs? Or is it an incremental step? 

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Did you know that people from 18 countries, including Denmark, Canada, and Antigua and Barbuda, who are vaccinated even with Covishield can travel to the UK without following mandatory quarantine protocols? But not Indians... they will have to go through a 10-day self-isolation. Many countries are adopting different sets of rules to allow foreigners to enter their territory. Does this not impact the global business prospects at a time when we all are looking for stronger and faster economic recovery? Isn't it time to have conformity and trust in approved vaccines? 

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We hear a lot about 5G telephony these days and come across so many devices that claim to be 5G-ready. But what is 5G really? And how does it work? Learn about 5G and the three basic parameters that define 5G.

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Listen to these and more in today's edition of the Business Standard Morning Show podcast.