BlackRock believes India's equity market is 'over-punished' due to lack of direct AI plays and oil price exposure. Despite foreign outflows and a tough macro environment, the asset manager sees strong medium- to long-term prospects driven by demographics, infrastructure, and indirect AI opportunities.
New research suggests population ageing's economic impact may be less about labour shortages and more about its effect on total factor productivity (TFP). The "silver dividend" of older workers staying in the labor market longer could offset negative growth impacts.
The Trump administration is proposing to end a decades-old mandate requiring companies with 100+ employees to report race, ethnicity, and sex data of their workforce. The EEOC used this data to identify and prosecute discrimination cases, like the one against Bass Pro Shops. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, however, believes the data is shared too widely and can lead to race-motivated decisions.
The National Audit Office has warned that England's falling birthrate is creating a surplus of school places and will lead to a £1bn reduction in pupil funding over the next three years. The DfE only began specifically tracking demographic risks in 2024, despite primary enrolments falling since 2018, with a further 7% decline expected by 2030. The report forecasts funding cuts of £288m in 2027, £410m in 2028 and £334m in 2029, prompting concerns about school closures and mergers affecting educational quality.
