TMS Ep636: Private capex, Softbank AI, Novelis IPO, Mumbai Metaverse

The Reserve Bank of India recently urged the private sector to step up and take over the responsibility of driving capital expenditure, thereby relieving the government. An article authored by a team led by RBI Deputy Governor Michael D Patra said, expectation of a fresh round of capex by the corporate sector is likely to fuel the next leg of growth. Will private capex be able to offset the slowing momentum of government capex in FY25? 

While the government is expected to pull back on capex in FY25 due to concerns about fiscal consolidation, economists believe it’s time for the private sector to pick up the ‘baton’. Speaking of investment, India’s Artificial Intelligence landscape is set for significant growth. SoftBank Group, known for its substantial investments in tech companies worldwide, has recently confirmed a strategic shift towards investing heavily in artificial intelligence. The Japanese investor has now set its attention on India’s expanding AI market. But what does this move signify? 

Amidst the global race to harness artificial intelligence, Softbank has also targeted expanding its investment portfolio with next-gen technologies. Meanwhile, in the equity markets, aluminium player Hindalco is taking its key subsidiary Novelis public in the US by likely selling a partial or complete stake in the company. As investors await key details of the IPO, what could the monetisation of Novelis mean for Hindalco and its investors? 

Moving on, the city of dreams Mumbai has recently unveiled its ‘digital twin’ called the Mumbai Megapolis Metaverse, at a tech event in Mumbai. The project offers an immersive experience of the city’s future where people can explore the proposed transformation of Mumbai by 2025. But what exactly is Mumbai Megapolis Metaverse? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.