TMS Ep357: Maruti Suzuki EV, bank workweek, Adani stocks, lab-grown meat

Late to the SUV party, India’s largest car maker, Maruti Suzuki, doesn’t want to repeat the same mistake for the next big event. In a surprise move, the Japanese company on Thursday announced that it will roll out its first electric car in FY24 -- a full year ahead of schedule. And it will keep on churning out a new model every year, till 2030. So what prompted Maruti to put its EV project in the top gear? And what does it mean for its competitors? 

Leaving the rough pandemic year behind, car sales in India broke all the previous records in 2022 as it surged by over 23%. India’s public sector banks, too, were not behind as they finally turned the corner last year. But it seems, a large number of its employees is not happy. They are now going on a two-day strike beginning January 30. Some of their demands include wage revision and five-day working. But, is a five-day work model feasible for banks? 

Exposure of Indian banks to the Adani Group is within manageable limits, global brokerage Jefferies said on Friday, even as the conglomerate was trying hard to assuage the nervousness of investors against the backdrop of US short-seller Hindenburg Research’s negative report. The group’s stocks have crashed by over 20% since the report came out. So will the days ahead see the carnage continue? Or things will improve from here? 

Meanwhile, after Singapore, the lab-grown meat will now find its way in the menus of US restaurants too in the next few months. Authorities in the US have found a meat product derived from animal cells to be safe for human consumption. In this segment of the podcast, we tell about lab-grown meat and more.