Moneylife News Bites

In 2018, a wave of corporate defaults — IL&FS, DHFL, Yes Bank — exposed deep cracks in India’s credit rating system. Ratings dropped from AAA to junk after defaults. Investors lost trust, regulators scrambled, and rating agencies came under fire.Now, in 2025, a Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) order has delivered a stinging rebuke to SEBI’s probe into CARE Ratings’ former MD, calling it a “colossal waste of judicial time.” What happened to SEBI’s regulatory crusade? Why have no senior executives been held liable?

India’s booming derivatives market isn’t the success story it appears to be. In this video, Debashis Basu breaks down why the Jane Street episode exposes far more than one rogue trader — it reveals deep flaws in how India’s F&O markets are structured, regulated, and used. From skewed indices like Bank Nifty to the illusion of liquidity and hedging, this is a sobering look at the hidden risks behind record-breaking derivatives volumes.🔍 Who benefits from these speculative instruments?📉 Are we mistaking frothy volume for market efficiency?📊 Why has SEBI looked the other way for years?Watch to understand why India’s derivatives boom might actually be a bubble.

In a high-stakes faceoff, India’s market regulator SEBI has impounded ₹4,843 crore in alleged unlawful gains from global trading giant Jane Street — a move that’s as dramatic as it is revealing. But beneath the headlines lies a deeper story of regulatory gaps, opaque trading practices, and questions about India’s derivatives market.In this video, Sucheta Dalal unpacks the full story:- How Jane Street resumed trading days after the crackdown- Why SEBI’s own surveillance capabilities are under the scanner- The role of exchanges like NSE, BSE, and MSEI- The glaring absence of political and parliamentary oversight- And what this saga means for investor protection and market reform

Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta empire is under fire after a scathing 87-page report by Viceroy Research accused the group of operating a Ponzi-like financial structure—one that thrives on debt and massive dividend payouts to sustain its parent company. The report alleges governance failures, undisclosed liabilities, and a pattern of treating public investors as a funding tool.Veteran journalist Sucheta Dalal breaks down the report, Vedanta’s long history of financial engineering, the eerie silence of Indian regulators—and what it all means for banks, minority shareholders, and taxpayers.

SEBI’s action against global trading giant Jane Street may have made headlines, but the real story runs deeper. Why does India’s derivatives market — where over 90% of retail traders lose money — continue to flourish? Who truly benefits from the F&O frenzy?In this sharp and thought-provoking analysis, Debashis Basu unpacks the institutional incentives driving India’s massive options and futures market — from the government’s exploding tax revenues, to the exchanges’ record-breaking profits, and even SEBI’s own financial stake.

SEBI’s explosive interim order against Jane Street—a US-based quant trading giant—uncovers alleged large-scale manipulation of India’s derivatives market. With Rs43,000+ crore in profits and Rs4,843 crore impounded as illegal gains, the case raises serious questions about the depth, fairness, and infrastructure of our markets.Veteran journalist Sucheta Dalal breaks down the complex mechanics of the alleged expiry-day rigging, compares it to the infamous NSE co-location scandal, and asks: is India’s capital market too shallow and surveillance too weak to handle global algorithmic players?

Can a ₹1,400 crore payout wash away nearly a decade of regulatory failure, whistleblower allegations, and inconclusive investigations?In this video, Sucheta Dalal unpacks the complex and controversial story of the NSE’s long-stalled IPO, the infamous co-location (Colo) scandal, and the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) role in what many see as regulatory drift.From token penalties to opaque settlements and a ₹20 billion valuation at stake, this is not just the story of one exchange—it’s a revealing look at how power, money, and market infrastructure intersect in Indian finance.

Industrial policy is making a global comeback—and India is no exception. From PLI schemes to the Make in India campaign, the country is trying to reduce dependence on Chinese imports and boost domestic manufacturing. But are these efforts working? This video breaks down Debashis Basu’s sharp analysis on why India’s approach still misses the fundamentals: ease of doing business, education, logistics, and institutional reform. Can we get it right this time, or will history repeat itself?

Vijay Mallya, once the symbol of corporate excess, is now attempting a surprising comeback — not to India, but in public perception. In a widely viewed podcast, he casts himself as a misunderstood entrepreneur who’s paid back more than he owed. But is this just slick PR or does it highlight deeper failures in India’s bankruptcy enforcement?