TMS, Ep 36: Muhurat trading, IRCTC U-turn, Rebel Foods Q&A, and AR-VR-MR

After a stellar liquidity-driven run in the traditional accounting year that ended yesterday, India’s equity markets entered Samvat 2078 with muhurat trading last evening. This token trading on the bourses set the tone for the new Samvat year. So, how should we expect the markets to behave this year? What will be the broader driving themes, and what will be the risks?
 
The shares of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) nosedived last week, just hours after the Centre announced taking half of its revenue from convenience fee. With this move, the government was hoping to collect between Rs 150 crore and Rs 200 crore annually. But the announcement led to a 29% drop in the PSU’s shares and a market cap erosion of almost Rs 21,000 crore. Forced by this, the government made a U-Turn within hours. Retail investors alleged that the government ignored the rights of minority shareholders. Now what does the U-turn mean for investors of PSU stocks? And will it affect the valuation of LIC in any way?
 
In 2011, when it was born as Faasos, Rebel Foods wasn’t the cloud kitchen startup it is today. In fact, cofounders Kallol Banerjee and Jaydeep Barman had begun with the idea of setting up a high-street quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain selling wraps. So, what did Rebel Foods do differently to become India’s first unicorn in the cluttered cloud kitchen market? In this exclusive interview, Kallol Banerjee recounts the journey and discusses the way forward.
 
Today, wearable headsets are bringing down the walls between physical and virtual worlds. You could shut out the physical world around you and take a ride through Hogwarts on a dragon, or you could find digital arrows overlaid on the building in front of your eyes, to help you navigate better. Let’s understand the difference between three path-breaking technologies with infinite possibilities.

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

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