Indian toy story

You must give it to the BJP for aiming high. After overseeing and enabling a turnaround of sorts in the fortunes of the domestic toy industry, it has now in its manifesto promised to transform Bharat into a global hub for toy manufacturing. Going by this Modi Guarantee (as all promises in the manifesto are), don’t be surprised if India comes out triumphant on this goal, said an industry observer.

The BJP’s manifesto has sent a clear message not only to domestic stakeholders but also to our neighbour who already enjoys a global standing in toy manufacturing and exports.

Wise advice

The one question mutual fund CEOs do not like to be asked is “kya lena chahiye” (loosely translated as what shares to buy). When confronted with a similar question in a forum of investors, Kotak MF chief Nilesh Shah, batted the bouncer without a wink.

“Nowadays we have come to a level where my cousins are saying buy it today. You will not get an opportunity tomorrow. And it actually goes up. So I am at the receiving end. I am sure the audience has made far more money than my funds. So I will take their advice.”

Name games in politics

In the corridors of power, where every detail matters, a simple mix-up of names thwarted a significant political rendezvous. The much-anticipated meeting between Delhi’s jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan was abruptly cancelled.

The reason? A bureaucratic blunder listed the visitor as ‘B. Maan’, leading to a cascade of confusion. This incident amusingly echoes Shakespeare’s musings — what indeed is in a name, and can brevity sometimes muddle more than clarify? In the world of politics, it appears, both are true.

Economic enigma

In the intricate ballet of financial and commodity markets, a curious spectacle has emerged: US stocks, bonds, gold, global crude oil, and the US dollar are all ascending simultaneously, defying conventional economic wisdom.

This rare alignment sparks debate among financial elites — could this surge be attributed to superior US labour productivity setting a global benchmark?

Or are we witnessing a unique anomaly where traditional market correlations have temporarily unravelled? As analysts pore over data, the financial community remains captivated by this unfolding economic mystery.

Bharat everywhere

If there is one aspect of the BJP manifesto that has caught the attention of several hacks, it is the same old Bharat vs India debate.

The entire BJP manifesto (Sankalp Patra) has used ‘Bharat’ (rather than India) and how BJP plans to take ‘Bharat’ to greater heights in every field in the next five years if voted to power.

The icing on the cake is Modi’s Guarantee that Viksit Bharat will be an inclusive Bharat; also that Bharat will be the third largest economic power in the next five years and Bharat will be made a global manufacturing hub.

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