L03 ( Finance Iceberg )
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Decoding “China as Currency Manipulator”
The “currency manipulator” label represents one of the most politically charged accusations in international trade. While the U.S. declined to officially designate China as a manipulator in its latest 2025 report, the underlying tensions over yuan devaluation, export competitiveness and global trade imbalances remain acute—with significant spillover effects for India’s export competitiveness and currency management… Continue reading
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Demystifying Modern Monetary Theory
Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) reframes sovereign government finance: countries issuing their own fiat currency cannot “run out of money” but face real-resource constraints. For India—wrestling with growth, inequality and infrastructure gaps—MMT’s prescriptions for employment-focused spending and strategic taxation offer provocative insights, yet demand caution given external vulnerabilities and inflationary risks. 1. What Is Modern Monetary… Continue reading
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Debunking the “Bitcoin Origin Myth”
The mystery of Bitcoin’s creator—Satoshi Nakamoto—has spawned countless theories, from lone genius coders to elaborate government plots. Understanding these origin myths helps demystify cryptocurrency’s emergence and underscores the importance of transparency and evidence over speculation. 1. The Birth of Bitcoin: From Whitepaper to Genesis Block On October 31, 2008, a mysterious author using the pseudonym Satoshi… Continue reading
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Decoding “Swiss Banking”
Swiss banking’s evolution from fortress-like secrecy to a model balancing confidentiality with transparency offers vital lessons for India’s wealth management, offshore regulation, and cross-border capital flows. 1. Switzerland’s Asset-Management Powerhouse Swiss banks managed CHF 8.39 trillion at end-2023, a 6.9% year-on-year gain, led by a rebound in equities and renewed bond demand. By mid-2024, total… Continue reading
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Understanding “SPACs”
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) offer an accelerated route to public markets but carry unique governance, valuation and regulatory challenges. While SPACs have surged globally—accounting for over a third of IPOs in H1 2025—India is still designing safeguards to balance capital access with investor protection.stout 1. What Are SPACs? A SPAC is a “blank-cheque” shell… Continue reading
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Unveiling “Tulipmania”
Tulipmania was the world’s first recorded asset bubble—an allegory of collective irrationality. For modern India, where episodes like the dot-com boom and crypto frenzy echo similar patterns, its lessons in market psychology, regulatory foresight and investor education remain vital. 1. The Birth of a Bubble (1634–1637) In the Dutch Golden Age, tulips transformed from exotic… Continue reading