Best Idea Box Studios Podcasts (2024)

1
China Stocks and Boeing, And Whether To Venture Into Troubled Waters 1:17:30

5M ago1:17:30

1:17:30

Our second podcast of this week and 2024 covers companies not priced for perfection, but that instead have struggled. We start with China stocks, and the question of whether China is uninvestible. We go into Akram's July 2023 Alibaba trade views and how that was also an investment thesis. We also talk about the connected nature of global economics …

1
Semiconductors: The Hottest Commodity On Earth (Or At Least Trading Like It) 1:08:48

5M ago1:08:48

1:08:48

The chip sector has been Hansel-level hot to start 2024. AMD and Nvidia have jumped 14% and 21% respectively in 2024, the SOXX ETF is up 8% in the last week, and the AI theme of 2023 is still driving things to start 2024. What does this say about the sector, and why is it like being a favorite to win the Super Bowl? We discuss the excitement, the b…

1
2023’s Big Finish: Where do we Stand? Is this another 2021? What makes sense? 1:00:02

6M ago1:00:02

1:00:02

Hey! We're back! It's been a while, but with 2023 finishing in such a one-direction flourish, we wanted to pick up the mic again. Akram and Daniel talk about what to make of the market's triumphal 2023. We cover the overall vibes in the market, but also get into the weeds on stocks like Nvidia, Micron, Docusign, Zoom, and even Alteryx and Roku, as …

1
What Happens Years After a Cyclone Hits? (ft. Ruhie Kumar & Surabhi Gajbhaye) 1:23:29

12M ago1:23:29

1:23:29

Cyclones are a characteristic feature of the Indian coastline and every year we see a few cyclones create severe damage to the east as well as the west coast. As we deal with the havoc left by Cyclone Biparjoy, on this episode of The Big Story, we want to understand what happens to the communities, people, and their livelihoods once they are rehabi…

1
Can AI Revolutionise Mental Healthcare? Experts Answer (ft. Dr. Samir Parikh and Dr. Megha Gupta) 1:12:21

1y ago1:12:21

1:12:21

Are AI apps the future of mental health support? Can these applications truly understand and address the complexities of our emotional well-being? What can a user expect when they get on such an application? And perhaps the most provocative question of all—can AI truly replace human therapists? Join us as we unravel the captivating potential of AI …

1
The AI Rally: Sorting out Heft from Hype 1:07:54

1y ago1:07:54

1:07:54

It's been a while since we've posted a Razor's Edge episode, and a lot has happened! A whole banking crisis came and went and apparently is all resolved (?). More relevant to the sort of things we talk about, the Nasdaq has returned to full bull market mode, powered by the excitement around generative AI, as best embodied by Nvidia's smashing earni…

1
The Truth About HEATWAVES & Climate Change in India (ft. Aditya Pillai) 1:21:52

1y ago1:21:52

1:21:52

Heatwaves. Literally and metaphorically the “hottest” topic in climate change research. While heatwaves are becoming more and more common in India, are they still dismissed without proper knowledge? More than what we can as individuals do to save ourselves, what is being done at national and international levels? Have we understood it enough and ar…

1
Karnataka Results Analysis: Hindutva, Corruption & Local Leaders 37:27

1y ago37:27

37:27

What will be the consequence of Congress’ victory in the Karnataka elections? What are the prominent factors that lead to BJP’s setback in the south? What issues mattered to the voters? We are joined by Fatima Khan, principal correspondent with The Quint who was on the ground in the run-up to the elections, and Aditya Menon, our political editor to…

1
Are We Spending More Money Because of UPI? (ft. Ateesh Tankha) 1:21:51

1y ago1:21:51

1:21:51

In this episode of The Big Story, our hosts Anjali and Prateek talk about money. Now, we don't have a lot of money, but we do have a lot of questions about money. About UPI, precisely. Are we spending more money because of UPI? How does UPI make money? And is UPI just another startup that'll eventually flop? Because it used to give us so many freeb…

1
Understanding the Problems with the Indian Education System (ft. Ratna Vishwanathan and Neeti Bhalla Saini) 1:27:52

1y ago1:27:52

1:27:52

Do you sometimes look back at your schooling years and wonder if its changed at all? Do you wish you were taught differently? Have you ever considered the role a child’s environment plays in their education? And how different really are government schools from a private school? We know, education has become such a dynamic phenomenon that it’s hard …

1
Will Microplastics Enter the Human Brain? (ft. Shreya Sharma & Sadhika Tiwari) 55:26

1y ago55:26

55:26

Did you know microplastics are intentionally added in our products? Or the fact that neither non- vegetarians nor vegetarians are safe from microplastics being found in their food? And why did we discuss Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants? We bet you’re curious! So, on this episode of The Big Story, we attempt to uncover the truth about microplast…

1
Jaggery, Keto, and Other Food Myths Debunked (feat. Krish Ashok & Dr. Priyanka) 1:18:36

1+ y ago1:18:36

1:18:36

Have you been wondering if you should switch from white sugar to jaggery? Is fast food actually harmful? Do diets like Keto and Paleo work? In this episode of The Big Story, we try to find the answers. We discuss the changing food habits of young people in India with special guests Krish Ashok, a food influencer and author of 'Masala Lab', and Dr. …

1
How Media Trials Weaken Journalism & Judiciary (feat. Satish Maneshinde & Manisha Pande) 1:04:14

1+ y ago1:04:14

1:04:14

In the second episode of The Big Story, our hosts, Anjali and Prateek discuss media trials with Manisha Pande, the Executive Editor of Newslaundry, and Satish Maneshinde, a lawyer with more than forty years of experience. Media trials involve using the press and television to create a public opinion about an accused individual, which may influence …

1
The 2023 Market’s Squeezy, Trashy, Inevitable Start to the Year 1:07:29

1+ y ago1:07:29

1:07:29

It’s been a funky start to the year, as a dash for trash rally has extended into a not as bad as expected earnings rally, and now it’s easy to be wrongfooted. We dive into this market, including how markets don't go straight to zero, no matter what December felt like; how recessions take a long time to play out; what we can learn from moves in Twil…

1
We Are Worried About The Wrong AI (feat. Shamim Mokles & Anupam Guha) 1:02:53

1+ y ago1:02:53

1:02:53

If you've spoken to a friend or a colleague for over an hour in the past month, it is highly likely that the words Artificial Intelligence (AI) have come up. While we have been hearing about these technologies for a while, there are some new AI tools which have blown up in the social media world. Cases in point – Chat GPT, DALL-E, Mid Journey and m…

1
The Big Story 2.0 (Trailer) - New Hosts, New Formats, Bigger Stories 1:04

1+ y ago1:04

1:04

The Big Story is back with a second season! The news culture of our times is noisy, crowded, and honestly so confusing. This is why we are coming every fortnight on your podcast platforms to help you make sense of the new and now. With two new hosts, Anjali and Prateek, the second season of The Big Story will feature longer and well-rounded discuss…

1
Docusign, Zoom, MongoDB, and the SaaS Circle of Life 46:39

1+ y ago46:39

46:39

On this week's The Razor's Edge, we talk about software as a service and how the market seems to repeat the same patterns over and over. Those patterns include: Taking the last three months and the next three months and extrapolating far into the future Ignoring valuation until it's too late to ignore valuation Searching for silver bullet explanati…

1
Compound248 on Twitter’s New Era and the SBF/FTX Meltdown 1:42:47

1+ y ago1:42:47

1:42:47

All-star guest Compound248 joins us to follow up on a wild week in the markets. We talk Elon Musk’s high volume start as owner of Twitter and the SBF, FTX, crypto crisis. Akram's Razor and Compound go back and forth on the import for the cryptosphere, why Elon and team could have taken easier shots on goal, and break down what breaking the buck mea…

1
Meta’s Crash And Tricky Position, and the Slowing of AWS and Public Cloud Growth 1:39:32

1+ y ago1:39:32

1:39:32

Last week was a big week in tech, so we’re back with an episode on two of the biggest stories. First, (2:40 minute mark) we break down Meta Platforms’ bummer of an earnings result and why it shouldn’t have been so surprising. What choice does Zuck have and where is the business heading? We then (57:00) get into Amazon and AWS’s disappointing quarte…

1
The Latest SaaS Turns: Okta, MDB, Veeva, and Twilio and the Challenges for SaaS 2.0 1:10:07

2y ago1:10:07

1:10:07

Q2 earnings season has delivered many surprises on the one hand and continuations of trends on the other hand. For SaaS companies, that has meant continued drifting. Last week, Okta, MDB, and Veeva reported, and we break down each of those companies on this week's the Razor's Edge (you can also read Akram's take here). We get into the challenges ea…

1
Roku’s Wipeout and whether the Black Box will Open 1:13:02

2y ago1:13:02

1:13:02

Roku's dud of a quarter echoed both Snap's report from the week earlier and the start of the pandemic as the sudden advertising slowdown hit them as well. The issues with Roku go beyond the quarter, starting primarily with how much harder it is to understand the details of their business. Will this quarter force a change? And what else does the adv…

1
Twitter Trial Breakdown 1:44:54

2y ago1:44:54

1:44:54

It’s all happening: Elon Musk filed to terminate his deal to buy Twitter, Twitter sued him for specific performance, and now the trials begin. Today, not a trial actually but a hearing to see whether the trial should take place on Twitter’s requested timeline, in September, or Musk’s requested timeline, in February. Still, the two sides are startin…

1
The Bear Market Is Here: What Next? 58:53

2y ago58:53

58:53

On this week’s The Razor’s Edge, we talk about the bear market. It’s here, it’s real, so now what? Neither Akram nor Daniel are in an apocalyptic mood, so we explain why we’re not, what green shoots there are on the supply side, what risks there are on the demand side, how this echoes 2020 (or not), how much crypto contagion worries us, and why it’…

1
The 2022 Whipsaw Market and the Hedgehog: Retail Stocks, Tech, and More 1:12:09

2y ago1:12:09

1:12:09

This week's episode picks up where last week's The Razor's Edge episode left off. We talk the current whipsaw/whiplash macro environment, where a smaller, often over optimistic social media company can trigger a panic, and then news that is no worse than expected can fire up a bear market rally. We discuss tech stocks, retail stocks, and whether it…

1
The Twitter Endgame, Again: Logic & Legality 1:07:38

2y ago1:07:38

1:07:38

In part two of our recording this week, we get to Elon Musk and Twitter. Both because how can we not at this point, as the drama continues to unfurl, and also because Akram makes the case for this as a good merger arb play given the strength of contract law. We talk about whether Musk can work his way out of this and why Akram thinks he can’t, and …

1
Growth Stocks Approaching a Bottom? 1:07:54

2y ago1:07:54

1:07:54

Markets are in turmoil, and we almost busted out the siren. But instead of commemorating the second bear market in the Razor's Edge's lifetime, we focused on whether, actually, growth stocks might have bottomed. In an episode recorded Sunday, May 22nd, we talk about the growth stock washout, whether sentiment or operating momentum has bottomed, whe…

1
Nikhat Zareen's Journey to Gold and What it Means for Indian Boxing 16:27

2y ago16:27

16:27

After the marvelous Thomas cup win, India has another reason to celebrate as Telangana-born boxer Nikhat Zareen bagged the gold medal in the 52-kg category at the Women's World Boxing Championship after defeating Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas in the fly-weight final in Istanbul. With this, the 25-year-old became only the fifth Indian woman to bag a go…

1
How Can Hardik Patel & Sunil Jakhar's Exit Impact The Congress? 21:33

2y ago21:33

21:33

On 18 May, Hardik Patel who gained popularity during the Patidar agitation, quit the party. Taking swipes at senior leaders, he accused the party of lacking strong leadership both at the state and central levels. He said that Congress only plays the role of a “roadblock” when it comes to serious issues — be it about Ram Mandir, abrogation of Articl…

1
India's Rationale Behind Banning Wheat Exports & Its Impact On Markets 19:42

2y ago19:42

19:42

After enforcing a ban on wheat exports, India announced some relaxations on 18 May. The surprise decision had led to a lot of chaos as hundreds of thousands of tonnes of wheat were reportedly left stranded at Gujarat’s Kandla Port after the ban was announced. But the new notification from the Ministry of Commerce has said, "It has been decided that…

1
Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath Dispute: How It Started & Where It Stands Now 20:22

2y ago20:22

20:22

The decades-old Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath dispute has sprung back in the news once again. While there are several chapters to this long-drawn dispute, which goes back as far as 1991, let's look at the recent developments first. On Monday, 16 May, a Varanasi court directed for a spot within the mosque complex to be sealed after a court-appoin…

1
Underdogs to Winning Thomas Cup — How Indian Men's Badminton Team Made History 14:20

2y ago14:20

14:20

15th May was not just any Sunday, it was a historic Sunday for Indian sports as the Indian men's Badminton team defeated 14-time winners – Indonesia, to clinch their first ever Thomas Cup title in Bangkok. Praise is still pouring in for the players who together helped India win the prestigious tournament for the first time in its 73 year history. S…

1
Inflation at 8-Year High of 7.79 Percent – Who Will It Hurt the Most? 11:42

2y ago11:42

11:42

The RBI’s unscheduled hike in repo rates on 5 May confirmed that the central bank was behind the curve in controlling inflation and now new data released by the National Statistical Office on 12 May shows exactly how behind. Retail inflation in India soared to its highest since May 2014 to 7.79 percent in April, almost double the RBI’s mandate of 4…

1
Marital Rape Case: What Next After Delhi High Court Split Verdict? 15:24

2y ago15:24

15:24

On the long-standing question of criminalising marital rape, the Delhi High Court on 11 May delivered a split verdict in a batch of petitions challenging the exception provided to marital rape in the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Justice Rajiv Shakdher of the two-judge bench held that Exception 2 under Section 375, which says that any sexual acts by a h…

1
IndiGo Incident Shows Why We Need To Raise Awareness Around Disabilities 20:09

2y ago20:09

20:09

Are we as a society practicing inclusivity and showing sensitivity towards people with disabilities? A video from Ranchi airport that went viral on social media platforms recently is raising this question. This said video captured an incident where a teenage boy with disability was purportedly mistreated by IndiGo airlines. This incident took place…

1
Girls Out of School - The Faces Behind The Stark Numbers on School Dropouts 27:06

2y ago27:06

27:06

This time around marks a year to the deadly second wave of Covid. While officially 5.42 lakh people lost their lives to the virus in India since 2020, there have been many repercussions of the pandemic. This episode of The Big Story is not going to be about the headline making news, it's going to be about an issue which is very close to us here at …

1
Unpacking the Main Takeaways From PM Modi's Europe Visit 12:51

2y ago12:51

12:51

In the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his first foreign visit of the year to Europe on 5 May with visits to Germany, Denmark, and France. PM Modi’s first port of call was Berlin, where he met the new German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose government has decided to make economic sacrifices by r…

1
What Explains RBI's Sudden Hike in Repo Rate? Rising Inflation or Catch Up? 15:08

2y ago15:08

15:08

In a surprise move on Wednesday, 4 May, the Reserve Bank of India hiked the benchmark repo rate for the first time in four years by 40 basis points to 4.4 percent. Alongside this, the central bank also raised the cash reserve ratio or CRR by 50 basis points to 4.50 percent. Unveiling the new policy on Wednesday, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said th…

1
LIC IPO Listing: What Are The Pros and Cons of Investing? 13:54

2y ago13:54

13:54

The wait is over! India’s biggest ever Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) kicked off for subscription for retail institutional investors today, that is on 4 May. Since it's completely an offer for sale, all the proceedings will directly go to the government which is expecting to raise Rs 21,000 crores by sell…

1
Unpacking the State of Freedom of Press in India 20:25

2y ago20:25

20:25

A month after taking office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India's "democracy will not sustain if we can't guarantee freedom of speech and expression". However, 8 years on, the freedom of one of the fundamental pillars of democracy – the press – has taken a nosedive. In 2015, the World Press Freedom Index, which is compiled annually by …

1
'Hoping for More': Fans Speak on MI, CSK, KKR Performance in IPL 2022 23:36

2y ago23:36

23:36

The IPL 2022 saw quite a few overhauls- two new teams being added, the mega auction where teams splurged close to Rs 550 crore for 204 players to construct some new squads. We also saw iconic names going missing and some new captains being announced. There seems to be a lot of change this season and a quick glance at the points table tells the same…

1
Explainer: Why India Is Witnessing Power Outages in a Heatwave 12:00

2y ago12:00

12:00

If you, like me, have caught yourself multiple times a day complaining about how this year is hotter than the last, you are not alone. March 2022 has been India’s third warmest March since 1901 and there have been at least 26 heat waves since the start of March, which can last for anywhere between 4-10 days. On 11 April, Delhi broke a 72-year-old r…

1
Looking at Virat Kohli's IPL 2022 Dry Spell Through a Mental Health Lens 18:17

2y ago18:17

18:17

Things seem to be going from bad to worse for Virat Kohli as his poor performance continues to haunt him in the ongoing IPL 2022 as he got out on the first ball for the second straight match and scored less than 10 runs in the match subsequent to it. The former Indian captain, who has scored over 23,500 international runs for India, was out on the …

1
Is Elon Musk’s Idea of 'Freedom of Speech' Right for Twitter? 13:41

2y ago13:41

13:41

Only a few days ago, Elon Musk's bid to buy Twitter was thought to be long shot but his offer has ben accepted by the social media platform. The billionaire will now pay a cool $44 billion to take the company private. In his statement on Tuesday, 26 April Musk said he wants to "make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new feature…

1
What Does Macron's Close Win Say About France's Changing Political Landscape? 17:47

2y ago17:47

17:47

Assured of another five years in office, French President Emmanuel Macron made history on Monday, 25 April, by beating his far-right rival Marine Le Pen. This was the second straight fight between the two politicians and Le Pen’s third shot at presidency. But there is something deeply unsettling about these results — how close Le Pen, a long-time s…

1
India-UK Relations: Unpacking Main Takeaways from Boris Johnson's India Visit 13:10

2y ago13:10

13:10

In his first visit to India since being elected United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson on 22 April said the relationship between the two countries is stronger than ever. It has taken three attempts for Johnson to finally arrive in India, having cancelled his earlier trips as the chief guest of the 2021 Republic Day and then calling his trip…

1
The Changing Story At Juniper, A Rare 2022 Tech Winner 45:10

2y ago45:10

45:10

Tech as a sector has been a theme of the Razor's Edge from the beginning. Tech as a sector to avoid has been a theme of the Razor's Edge for at least the last few months. While there have been exceptions and nuances to the sector, the market has shown little interest in nuance, as this week's earnings have made clear. Juniper Networks, an old dot c…

1
How Jahangirpuri Demolitions Went On Despite Supreme Court Orders 15:20

2y ago15:20

15:20

Hit by communal violence just days before, Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on 20 April saw seven bulldozers roll into the neighbourhood accompanied by heavy police deployments as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation razed parts of shops, carts, tin sheds, homes, and the gate of a mosque. The demolition, which started around 1…

1
Will Congress Give Prashant Kishor The Mandate Over Election Strategy? 14:54

2y ago14:54

14:54

It’s been a busy few days at 10 Janpath with political strategist Prashant Kishor meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders, with the former reportedly looking to join the party full time. With three high level meetings since 16 April, Kishor reportedly gave a detailed presentation on the roadmap to the 2024 Lok Sabha e…

1
COVID-19 Cases Rise in Delhi: Should the Mask Mandate Return? 14:22

2y ago14:22

14:22

After close to a two-month decline in COVID-19 cases, as we were getting back to our pre-pandemic lives with state governments lifting restrictions, the rise in COVID-19 cases in the national capital has started to sound alarm bells once again. Since 11 April, Delhi has witnessed a whopping 265.69 percent surge in daily new cases, according to data…

1
What Led to Communal Tensions in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri? 13:55

2y ago13:55

13:55

On Saturday, 16 April, violence broke out in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri following a Shobha Yatra organised to mark Hanuman Jayanti. The Delhi Police have so far arrested 24 people and apprehended two juveniles in connection with communal clashes that broke out in North Delhi’s Jahangirpuri after a religious Hindu procession allegedly attempted …

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