TMS Ep600: PV growth, climate change authority, markets, Muhammad Yunus

Car showrooms were never so busy and bustling with curious buyers. A record four million passenger vehicles rolled out of these swanky outlets in 2023-- notwithstanding an average 10% jump in car prices. But will this feverish demand continue this year? Or will rising loan rates dampen the sentiments? 

While the impressive car sales numbers may reflect the prosperity of any nation, there is a flip side to it too. More cars also mean more air pollution. A recent study claimed that 30% of total Greenhouse Gas Emission in Delhi was due to vehicular emissions. And it was 8% for the country -- which is witnessing increased instances of extreme weather conditions like flood, drought and severe heat wave. So is it time that India has a dedicated climate change resilience authority? 

Let us now turn focus to financial markets. 2023 marked a remarkable turnaround for FPI inflows into the Indian equities. From net selling of 1.2 trillion rupees, FPIs pumped 1.7 trillion rupees into the market during the year. Going into 2024, the trend is expected to remain steady, but which equity pockets will FPIs keep on their radar in the new year? 

After big foreign investments, let us now move on to small lending. People who have fallen through the cracks, those who don’t have the access to banks and NBFCs, often turn to microfinance institutions for help. Our tiny neighbour Bangladesh has built a well-oiled network of such institutions, which has lifted millions out of poverty. But the man behind it is in trouble it seems. Muhammad Yunus was recently convicted for violating labour laws. Listen to this episode of the podcast for more about this Nobel laureate.