TMS Ep527: Akasa Air trouble, Twitter paywall, markets, household savings

Just over a year after taking off, Akasa Air has hit turbulence. It had to cancel several flights after over 40 pilots hit the eject button recently. Reports of fund crunch are also doing the rounds. But the budget carrier looks unperturbed. It has moved Delhi court seeking action against the pilots, and is planning to double their strength. So exactly what is going on in the airline which was a dream project of late billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala? 

Twitter, now referred to as X, has also, it seems, run into turbulent weather since its hostile takeover by Elon Musk in October last year. His dramatic entry into Twitter’s headquarters is still fresh in people's minds. So is the blue tick, verified accounts saga. And later, the name-change. And now, Musk is toying with yet another idea. He is mulling turning the platform into a paid site. But will you pay for it? 

Thanks to Musk, life of X users has indeed turned eventful. Meanwhile, Indian investors too are getting the same sense. Last week was eventful for Indian markets. While equities took a hit on bearish US Fed commentary and India-Canada rift, bond markets cheered the inclusion of domestic debt securities to JP Morgan emerging market index. So what’s on cards for the Indian financial markets this week? 

But not all is well outside the glittering Dalal Street. Soaring inflation and almost stagnant income is hitting the common man hard. Household savings have fallen to nearly five-decade low. A recent RBI report revealed this. But what do net household financial savings mean? And why is it important? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.