Finshots Daily

A concise walk through how ETFs get priced and why current reference days can leave them out of sync with true value. An explainer on arbitrage, market makers and how they keep prices aligned. A look at SEBI's proposed shift to T-1 pricing, tighter price bands and a short pre-open for commodity funds. A brief discussion of potential benefits and the risks of trading pauses.

A clear run-through of why India updated its inflation measure and moved the base year to 2024. Short takes on which goods were dropped and which modern items were added to the CPI basket. Notes on how weight shifts for food, housing, healthcare and education change headline inflation. Quick explanation of adopting COICOP 2018 and new price-collection methods for better comparability.

Discussion of a draft bill that would give electronic trade documents the same legal standing as paper. Examination of how paperwork like bills of lading and certificates slow cross-border shipments. Look at mechanisms for digital signatures, trusted providers, and cross-border recognition. Exploration of distributed ledgers, hashing, and smart contracts as tools to streamline trade and boost clearance speed.

Analysis of a major bank’s blockbuster quarter and whether headline profits tell the whole story. Discussion of one-time items that boosted earnings and how margins shift after adjustments. Deep dive into low-cost deposit trends and why CASA levels matter for funding costs. Examination of scale, branch network and strategies the bank uses to hold on to deposits.

A deep dive into century bonds and why firms sometimes borrow for 100 years. A look back at Motorola’s 1997 bond boom and the risks of very long-term debt. Coverage of Alphabet’s recent £1bn 100-year issue and what motivates companies to lock in rates. Exploration of who buys these bonds, how they’re used by pensions and insurers, and how price sensitivity and duration matter.

They explore why a luxury carmaker is choosing to build a big plant in India now. The discussion covers India's high import duties and how trade deals change the calculus. They walk through long-term risks of relying on open markets and the economics of importing versus local production. The advantages of a Tamil Nadu facility for EVs, exports and supply‑chain resilience are highlighted.

A deep dive into how China built a chokehold on critical minerals and the historic breakthroughs that enabled its rise. A look at the US-led Pax Silica plan to forge allied supply chains for silicon, chips and AI infrastructure. Discussion of India’s strategic role, investments by cloud giants, and the environmental and industrial hurdles facing alternative producers.

They dig into how hyperscale AI campuses demand city-scale power and why per-request energy for chat models dwarfs a simple search. They cover slow grid upgrades versus rapid AI buildouts and the IEA’s staggering electricity projections. They describe jet engines repurposed as quick power, the health and climate trade-offs, and tech firms turning into power producers while eyeing small modular reactors.

A breakdown of Fractal Analytics' IPO size, pricing and how the proceeds will be used. Discussion of Fractal’s journey from analytics to enterprise AI products and its Congentic platform. A look at revenue growth, profitability, client concentration and geographic mix. Examination of enterprise sales dynamics, high customer satisfaction and key risks like US exposure and valuation uncertainty.

A look inside how traditional leather cricket balls are handcrafted and held to strict standards. Exploration of a new vegan synthetic ball that claims 50-over durability and why academies might pay more. The episode examines environmental pressure on leather supply and how mechanised synthetic production could threaten cottage-industry livelihoods.