Govt directive to banks to lend raises question, OECD slashe estimate of global growth; all this and more on Moneycontrol Pro

Finally, some great news! India’s fastest-growing financial subscriptions service, Moneycontrol Pro, is available both on the website and mobile apps. Moneycontrol Pro offers curated markets data, independent equity analysis, insights into investment styles and exclusive trading recommendations. In sum, all the information you need for wealth creation. The directive to banks to lend raises a question: At what cost, loan growth? The finance minister’s new scheme to boost economic growth is to have banks and NBFCs organise loan melas in 400 districts. It is nothing but a continuation of the government’s efforts to induce a debt-fuelled spending binge, its single trick in the absence of resources for a fiscal stimulus. While a crisis is an opportunity for change and reform that lead to better future outcomes, read here to see how the government has fared on this front. [caption id=“attachment_6847201” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image[/caption] The OECD adds to the doom and gloom The OECD slashed its estimate of global growth for 2019 to 2.9 percent, the lowest since the financial crisis. What is more ominous is its assertion that the slowdown in global growth could be persistent, thanks to rising trade and political tensions. Read our analysis of what its revised projections mean, whether it could get worse, the chance of another financial crisis and finally, where does India figure in all this. IRCTC IPO: Built for a long ride IRCTC’s IPO is set to hit the market despite poor market conditions. The company has several factors going in its favour, such as a monopoly in railway e-ticketing and offers other travel-related products and services too. Its financial position is good and its various divisions are doing well but one issue could be an overhang on valuations. Read here to know what. Consistent strong show makes this stock an attractive pick Bharat Rasayan’s pesticides business did well in the June quarter despite a delayed monsoon, with both sales and profitability increasing. Good prospects for its international business and a healthy balance sheet that is supporting a capacity expansion are some of the highlights investors may like. Read here to see what our analyst makes of the outlook for this stock. The ethanol business of sugar companies adds a different dimension to their investment case India’s sugar sector is enduring a challenging period as it is battling a problem of plenty. One of the government’s measures to support the sector and the sugarcane farmers who depend on it is to promote the production of ethanol. This nudge is making companies set up sizeable capacity to produce ethanol from cane juice, thereby allowing them to limit sugar production. Our analyst expects sugar companies to benefit from this shift, read here to know more. Guru Speak: How to uncover hidden gems in an unloved sector The companies and sectors that are least covered by the media or by analysts tend to do the best. How do we discover the hidden gems? Learn from our expert, read here.