Hey Stacker,
🧵 Twitter v/s Threads: Who’s gonna win?
🍅 This vegetable is now pricier than gasoline.
📈 India's Demat Account Tally Tops 120 Million.
Read Time: 4 mins
Twitter v/s Threads
Instagram's Threads is a wannabe Twitter
Instagram's Threads is a new feature that allows users to share longer stories with their close friends. However, it is unlikely to kill Twitter because Twitter has a much larger user base and a stronger network effect. There have been a number of Twitter alternatives in the past, but none of them have been able to gain significant traction. This is because Twitter has a number of features that make it difficult to compete with, such as its live streaming capabilities and its ability to reach a global audience.
Threads needs to find a unique selling point
If Threads wants to be successful, it needs to find a unique selling point that will make it stand out from Twitter. For example, it could focus on providing a more intimate and personal experience for users, or it could focus on providing more creative and engaging ways to share stories.
Our Opinion: The rivalry between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk is stuff of legends! The launch of ‘Threads’ is certainly very interesting, particularly in the face of recent criticism that twitter is facing from its new policies which have alienated its loyal users. What’s going for ‘Threads’ is the huge optionality it presents with allowing users to import all their friends from Instagram in one click. Already at 30mn downloads, they are certainly off to a good start!
Tomatoes More Expensive Than Gasoline
Tomato Prices Soar 445%
The price of tomatoes in India has skyrocketed by 445% in recent weeks, making them more expensive than gasoline in some parts of the country. This is due to a combination of factors, including a poor monsoon season and rising transportation costs.
Government Scrambles to Address Soaring Tomato Prices
Some people have even taken to protesting the high prices, blocking roads and demanding government intervention. The government has said that it is working to address the issue, but it is unclear how long it will take for prices to come down. In the meantime, many Indians are struggling to afford tomatoes, which are a staple food in the country.
Our Opinion: Changing weather patterns have led to a sharp drop in output of the Tomatoes crop in this cycle. Abnormal surge in prices of certain vegetables is a pretty common phenomenon across India, with Onions being famous for the volatility in prices every few years. High prices are likely to continue until the next crop hits the market around Mid August. Until then, consumers will have to face the brunt of persistently high prices at their local Subzi-Mandis!
Demats on the rise
Demat Account Tally Soars to 120 Million
The number of Demat accounts in India has crossed 120 million, with June additions being the highest in 13 months. The two depositories, CDSL and NSDL, together added 2.36 million new accounts last month. The buoyancy in the demat account opening is being attributed to the rising popularity of stocks and mutual funds among retail investors.
Growth in Demat Accounts a Positive Sign
The growth in demat accounts is a positive sign for the Indian stock market. It indicates that there is a growing interest among investors in participating in the stock market. This is likely to boost the market's performance in the coming months.
Our Opinion: While the rise in Demat Accounts is certainly heartening, what would be a better statistic to monitor would be household investments in direct stocks as that would certainly reflect the true extent of financialization of household savings in India. What is more concerning is the increasing amount of retail participation in speculative activities particularly in option trading which is certainly not the right way forward towards long term wealth creation
