India has begun its long-delayed national census, a policy-shaping exercise that will collect a wide range of data and, for the first time since independence, include citizens’ caste. The population count — the country’s first in 15 years — will deploy about 3.3 million officials to collect information on more than a billion people, covering everything from marital status to mobile connections. Or...
India has begun its long-delayed national census, a policy-shaping exercise that will collect a wide range of data and, for the first time since independence, include citizens’ caste. The population count — the country’s first in 15 years — will deploy about 3.3 million officials to collect information on more than a billion people, covering everything from marital status to mobile connections. Originally scheduled for 2021, it was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and national elections. The government describes it as the world’s largest of its kind. India’s last official count in 2011 recorded 1.21 billion people, and the population is now estimated at over 1.4 billion, making it the world’s most populous nation, according to the United Nations. Officials say the updated data will inform decisions on welfare spending, urban planning and electoral representation as New Delhi seeks to sustain rapid economic growth while managing stark regional disparities. Conducted digitally in two phases, the exercise will include caste data for the first time in more than seven decades. “Government will come to know which caste has how much population, and can tailor welfare measures accordingly,” said Sanjay Kumar, director at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, a New Delhi-based research institute. As it is a digital census, the time needed to compile consolidated data will be shorter, giving a boost to the government’s policymaking, he added. The first phase of the census, which began Wednesday, focuses on housing and related infrastructure, while a second phase, starting in February next year, will cover population enumeration, including caste. Complete data is expected by March 2027, offering granular insights into metrics such as employment, migration and household incomes, closely tracked by investors assessing the country’s consumption story. The exercise also carries political implications, as updated population figures will feed into the redrawing of parlia...
XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) is one of the 7 Fastest Growing Asian Stocks to Buy. On March 22, 2026, Bernstein raised the price target on XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) to $22 from $21 and maintained a Market Perform rating, noting the company reported its first profit in Q4 and guided to a recovery in March. Bernstein said […]
XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) is one of the 7 Fastest Growing Asian Stocks to Buy. On March 22, 2026, Bernstein raised the price target on XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) to $22 from $21 and maintained a Market Perform rating, noting the company reported its first profit in Q4 and guided to a recovery in March. Bernstein said […]
Remi Olu-Pitan, multi-asset growth and income head at Schroders, discusses the outlook for stocks, bonds and commodities after President Donald Trump again signaled the potential end to the Iran war that’s roiled markets. "We are in an environment of heightened geopolitical risk," Olu-Pitan tells Bloomberg Television. "And so there is a case for having some exposure to commodities in portfolios. Y...
Remi Olu-Pitan, multi-asset growth and income head at Schroders, discusses the outlook for stocks, bonds and commodities after President Donald Trump again signaled the potential end to the Iran war that’s roiled markets. "We are in an environment of heightened geopolitical risk," Olu-Pitan tells Bloomberg Television. "And so there is a case for having some exposure to commodities in portfolios. You'll need it." (Source: Bloomberg)
Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.
Aehr Test Systems (AEHR) witnessed a jump in share price last session on above-average trading volume. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions for the stock doesn't suggest further strength down the road.
Thailand is turning to its billionaire-led conglomerates to help contain rising living costs, underscoring both the urgency of inflation pressures and the outsized role of big business in the country’s economy. Major retailers — including those controlled by tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi , as well as the Chearavanont and Chirathivat families — have agreed to roll out house-brand food, toiletrie...
Thailand is turning to its billionaire-led conglomerates to help contain rising living costs, underscoring both the urgency of inflation pressures and the outsized role of big business in the country’s economy. Major retailers — including those controlled by tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi , as well as the Chearavanont and Chirathivat families — have agreed to roll out house-brand food, toiletries, and other essentials at discounts of 25% to 50%. The initiative is part of a government-backed campaign dubbed “Thais Helping Thais.” CP All Pcl and CP Axtra Pcl , controlled by billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont ; Central Retail Corp Pcl , run by the Chirathivat family; and Charoen’s Berli Jucker Pcl are among the companies participating in the campaign to keep prices in check. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul , whose party won February’s election partly on promises to ease the cost of living, formally launched the program Wednesday. His government has spent recent weeks trying to shield households from rising prices while preserving already strained public finances. “This is an important step in cooperation between the public and private sectors,” Anutin said in Bangkok. “What will happen for sure is that consumers will be able to save money,” he said. While the government maintains price controls on dozens of essential goods, rising energy and production costs have already pushed up prices of staples such as pork and eggs. Households are also grappling with higher fuel costs, squeezing incomes at a time when economic growth is expected to slow as tourism and exports weaken alongside global demand. Anutin’s push to get corporations to keep prices in check highlights a defining feature of Thailand’s political economy : the close alignment between the state and a handful of powerful conglomerates that dominate key sectors. While such partnerships can deliver rapid relief in times of stress, they also reinforce an oligopolistic structure that limits competition and concent...