AMCs look strong but high valuations risk sharper fall in downturns

Companies have strong cash conversion, predictability and growth runway

Amazon is in the news again for exploitative work conditions. The company’s warehouse and delivery workers in India have alleged inhuman corporate practices employed at its facilities, including not being allowed enough time to take restroom breaks and a lack of financial assistance for work-related injuries.

Amazon is in the news again for exploitative work conditions. The company’s warehouse and delivery workers in India have alleged inhuman corporate practices employed at its facilities, including not being allowed enough time to take restroom breaks and a lack of financial assistance for work-related injuries.

As many as 1,838 participants alleged dire working conditions at Amazon’s facilities in India, in a survey conducted by UNI Global Union in partnership with the Amazon India Workers Association (AIWA). The survey was published on Wednesday, prompting the e-commerce firm to deny its claims.

The funding support from asset management companies to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) has grown in the six months until May 2024 after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked the risk weights on bank loans to NBFCs in November 2023.

According to CareEdge Ratings data, the total debt funds deployed in NBFCs via commercial paper and corporate debt rose from Rs 1.6 trillion at the end of October 2023 to about Rs 2.1 trillion at the end of May 2024.

“The overall economic environment globally and in India is so uncertain to talk about interest rate cuts. Second thing is CPI headline inflation continues to be close to 5 per cent and according to surveys done it is expected to be close to 5 per cent [for June]; I think it is too early to talk about an interest rate cut,” he said in an interview with CNBC TV18. “I would rather not give any kind of forward guidance which may lead the market players, stakeholders and others to board the wrong train," he added.

Two of the six members of the RBI's monetary policy committee voted last month to cut the policy repo rate, arguing that an overly tight policy might hinder economic growth.