TMS Ep150: Inflation, green hydrogen, new-age tech stocks, on-device wallet

The writing was already there on the wall. Numbers just confirmed it. For consumers -- who were already reeling under high fuels and food prices-- the Tuesday evening news that March inflation has surged to 6.95% wasn’t surprising. Amid all this, chief economic advisor V Anantha Nageswaran’s statement offers some hope. He has suggested that the government may share some burden if oil prices remain above $ 110 per barrel mark. But is there a relief in the offing? 

High oil prices are the main driving force behind the rocketing inflation. For long, countries around the world have been working to switch to alternative fuel-- which is also environmentally friendly. Green Hydrogen is one of them, and fits the bill. And a lot is happening on this front in India too. Government had launched a green hydrogen policy in February this year. And giants of India Inc. like Reliance, Larsen & Tourbo and Adani have announced projects worth Rs 6 trillion. So how is this sector shaping up? And will promises turn into realty?

Soaring inflation due to high oil prices has led to a shift in RBI’s policy stance. After a gleeful rally that the new-age technology stocks saw in 2021, the uncertainty over gradual withdrawal of liquidity spooked investors as stocks collapsed below their issue prices in the later half of the year. However, after a long lull, a rebound visible in the market has lifted new-age technology stocks off their lows in the last one month. So, is the magic returning to new-age technology stocks or are investors witnessing a short-term euphoric overshoot? 

After the markets, let us see how technology is helping people transfer and accept money without any hassle. Following the RBI’s guidelines, India’s payments processor has designed an on-device wallet for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions up to Rs 200. What is it? And how will it make the life of people living in regions with limited or no internet connectivity easier? Listen to this podcast to know it all.