Sachin P Mampatta

Stories by Sachin P Mampatta

More than two dozen companies do the vanishing act

More than two dozen companies do the vanishing act

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2023

The companies on the list are from sectors including trading, finance, packaging, textile, realty, and others. Trading and finance companies account for half-a-dozen companies each.

Will Foreign Universities Set Up Campuses In India?

Will Foreign Universities Set Up Campuses In India?

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2023

The 38.5 million enrolled for higher education in 2019-2020 outnumbered Canada's entire population of 38.2 million.

As wealth inequality grows, is it time for an Indian inheritance tax?

As wealth inequality grows, is it time for an Indian inheritance tax?

Rediff.com   27 Jan 2023

Billionaire Bill Gates, in a 2019 interview, supported bringing back a regulation in the US to require the super-rich to pay a 55 per cent tax when they inherit their family fortune. Proponents of an inheritance or estate tax say it reduces inequality and creates a meritocratic society by chipping away at the enormous advantages the children of the wealthiest families enjoy by an accident of birth. Many large economies levy such a tax on their richest citizens; India does not.

Debt as investment avenue is more appealing for the wealthy

Debt as investment avenue is more appealing for the wealthy

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2023

Debt as an investment avenue for the wealthy has been attracting more assets than equity. The portfolio management service (PMS) industry, whose services require a minimum investment of Rs 50 lakh, has seen a 4.4 per cent decline in equity assets since March 2022.

Capex Crosses Rs 6 Trillion In December

Capex Crosses Rs 6 Trillion In December

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2023

'If private capex has to kick in, there should at least be 2-3 years of visibility.'

Gautam Adani's wealth up relative to India's GDP

Gautam Adani's wealth up relative to India's GDP

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2022

Amid increasing volatility and recession fears looming over global markets that has led to the decline in wealth of a number of billionaires, Gautam Adani was the only one to buck the trend. The billionaire added $43.3 billion in net worth between Diwali 2021 (November 4) and this year's Diwali (October 24) according to Bloomberg data. He added more wealth than the gross domestic product (GDP)of more than a dozen Indian states.

Capex on new projects declines further in Q2

Capex on new projects declines further in Q2

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2022

Expenditure on new projects slowed down for the second quarter in a row amid an uncertain global environment and higher borrowing costs. There were new projects worth a cumulative Rs 3.26 trillion in the July-September period, according to data provided by project tracker Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). This figure is much less than Rs 4.39 trillion in the June quarter (Q1FY23) and Rs 8.46 trillion in the March quarter (Q4FY22).

Explained: How India's crude import sources have changed over time

Explained: How India's crude import sources have changed over time

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2022

India's crude oil imports are coming in from a changing mix of countries, with the top three accounting for around 60 per cent of total imports. Russia emerged as the largest source of crude oil imports for India in June, as per the latest available data from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The data which is released with a lag, showed that Russian imports accounted for 24 per cent of the total crude imports into the country.

Businessmen suicides outnumber farmers' for 2nd year in a row

Businessmen suicides outnumber farmers' for 2nd year in a row

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2022

The states recording the highest number of such deaths include Karnataka (14.3 per cent), Maharashtra (13.2 per cent), and Madhya Pradesh (11.3 per cent). Tamil Nadu (9.4 per cent) and Telangana (7.5 per cent) were the other two in the top five.

Rs 1 Trillion Freebies By State Govts

Rs 1 Trillion Freebies By State Govts

Rediff.com   27 Aug 2022

'The power sector accounts for much of the financial burden of state governments in India.'

When Rakesh Jhunjhunwala used to get Rs 60 as trainee CA

When Rakesh Jhunjhunwala used to get Rs 60 as trainee CA

Rediff.com   22 Aug 2022

Nearly four decades ago, when Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was a young chartered accountant in training, he was paid a conveyance of Rs 60. Deductions would take away Rs 15 from this princely sum and he was left with Rs 45 by the time the allowance made its way to his hands. He would save as much as he could from this amount, so that he would have a small amount to spend when he met his friends on the weekend at Chicken Centre. This was an eatery popular with the young at the time, perhaps because food and drink were affordable even for those new to the workforce.

Foreign companies' interest in India fades, shows data

Foreign companies' interest in India fades, shows data

Rediff.com   19 Aug 2022

George Acland from Great Britain ran a coffee plantation in Sri Lanka and set up India's first jute mill in 1855. He raised capital and imported the machinery for the mill on the banks of the Hooghly in West Bengal. His company wasn't a great success, but his pioneering work paved the way for India to dominate the jute industry.

India Sees 8 Aviation Accidents Every Year

India Sees 8 Aviation Accidents Every Year

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2022

The number of serious incidents has more than doubled in the last seven years.

Investors pushing back more on top executive pay hikes

Investors pushing back more on top executive pay hikes

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2022

Investors are pushing back more often against companies' resolutions on what is paid out to top executives. In the first four months of financial year 2022-23 (FY23), there have already been five such rejections, according to shareholder voting data from tracker Adrian, a platform maintained by the proxy advisory firm Institutional Investor Advisory Services India (IiAS). Two of these have been at multiplex chain PVR and direct-to-home company Dish TV India.

Long-Short Funds Hold Fort In Turbulent Times

Long-Short Funds Hold Fort In Turbulent Times

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2022

Most of the long-only funds are closed-ended. This means that investors have to lock in their money for a fixed period before they can take it back.

Private placements at lowest since 2014; total money raised down 23%

Private placements at lowest since 2014; total money raised down 23%

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2022

The total amount of money various entities have raised through the private placement route is at its lowest since 2014. They raised a total of Rs 1.96 trillion in the first five months of 2022, revealed the numbers from PRIME Database. It is down 23.4 per cent from the Rs 2.56 trillion raised in the corresponding period in 2021.

Retail investors put over Rs 2,000 cr in bankrupt firms, hoping for revival

Retail investors put over Rs 2,000 cr in bankrupt firms, hoping for revival

Rediff.com   10 May 2022

Retail investors have put at least Rs 2,296 crore in listed companies facing proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). A median such-company had 16,163 retail investors as shareholders many of whom apparently have bought a stake on the hope of making money if the firm revives. They own a fifth of the total stake in the companies under consideration. The analysis looked at 75 listed firms for whom shareholding data was available for March 2022.

Does Monsoon Impact Market Returns?

Does Monsoon Impact Market Returns?

Rediff.com   6 May 2022

Many years during which monsoons were poor saw high returns, while normal or excess rainfall has also coincided with poor calendar year gains.

India's bond slump worse than others, issuance value down 10.1%

India's bond slump worse than others, issuance value down 10.1%

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2022

Indian issuers are borrowing lesser through bonds compared to their global peers. The total value of bond issuances was down 10.1 per cent on a rolling 4-quarter basis in March 2022, compared to a similar period in March 2019, shows an analysis of data from tracker Refinitiv, a London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) business. The four quarters ended March 2019 marked the last full financial year before the pandemic took hold.

Why Are India's Rich Reluctant Givers?

Why Are India's Rich Reluctant Givers?

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2022

A sudden surge in wealth because of stock market gains after the pandemic could be one of the factors behind the relatively lower share of philanthropy in total wealth.