In this week's wrapup we talk about National Asset Reconstruction Company, semiconductor shortage, internet outages, the inclusion of petrol and diesel under GST and Apple’s wearables domination.

But before that, you may want to check out this week's Markets edition where we talk about "Toothpaste wars" and how Colgate is trying to hold its fort in an increasingly competitive landscape. Full story here.


Policy

NARC—The last hope?

Everybody knows we have a massive problem at hand. We saw the growth numbers last week — a GDP contraction of 7.3%. It was unimaginable only a couple of years ago and yet, here we are. And while you could attribute a large part of this capitulation to Covid induced lockdowns, it’s safe to say that we still have a herculean task in front of us.

A task that will probably begin with a cleanup of the banking sector. And if you're wondering how this is connected to the National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARC), then look no further because we have a really good story for you here.


Business

How Covid is now threatening to disrupt the Electronics Industry?

There’s a global chip shortage— the kind that affects the production of phones, gaming consoles, and cars. However it just got that much more worse thanks to Covid. And if you're struggling to put together the pieces here, our story from Tuesday will do all the heavy lifting for you. You can read more here.


Business

When the internet went down yesterday, sort of

What if we told you it's possible to take out large parts of the internet almost instantaneously?  Well, that's precisely what happened on Tuesday when users were no longer able to connect to their favourite websites — including Amazon, Reddit, Stackoverflow, and Pinterest.

So we dedicated Wednesday's newsletter to talk about how vulnerable the internet is and how costly its outages can be.


Policy

Why isn't fuel under GST?

A few days ago, the union minister for petroleum and natural gas said that he would like to see petrol and diesel included under the ambit of the GST. The reason being that it would probably bring down fuel prices. And while the suggestion does deserve merit, we have to ask - What's really stopping us from actually implementing this.

So on Thursday, we discussed this and more.


Business

How Apple came to dominate the wearables industry?

Wearables have changed the way we interact with technology. Fitness trackers, smartwatches, wireless headphones — These were items that were once fashionable only among a select group of people. Today, however, they have gained mainstream acceptance.

And one company seems to be dominating everyone else — Apple. So if reading about Apple and Tech fascinates you, then you should definitely read our Friday Newsletter.


That's it from us this week. We will see you on Monday. Until then, don't forget to share this article on WhatsApp, LinkedIn and Twitter.