The government has hit 5 sixes in a row with this Budget: Shankar Sharma

The markets gave a thumbs up to the budget. In an interview with Business Standard, Vice-Chairman and Joint Managing Director at First Global, Shankar Sharma, shared his views on this year's budget

Topics
Union Budget | IPO valuation | cryptocurrency

Puneet Wadhwa  |  New Delhi 

Shankar Sharma
First Global's Shankar Sharma

Q1: Has the government batted on the front foot and hit a six as regards the Budget proposals or are they still playing a test match?
Ans:

  • The government his hit 5 sixes in a row with this Budget
  • Good work of the last few years continues
  • Global and domestic macros challenging, but the Budget has delivered
 

Q2: What is the one defining characteristic, according to you, that makes this Budget stand out compared to the ones presented over the last few years?
Ans:
  • New-age companies in focus: Drones, EVs, organic farming, 5G equipment, artificial intelligence, optical fibre
  • Sectors already on my ‘buy’ list
  • Maximum bang for the buck
  • Sharpened focus on the ‘new India’
  • India as a tech powerhouse instead of service economy
 

Q3: Start-ups also found a mention in the budget. Do you see more companies with vague revenue outlook approach primary markets at obnoxious valuation over the next few months?
Ans:
  • New listings: Some damage already done to the Indian startup ecosystem
  • Buyer’s beware - Investors need to be careful
  • New-age listings to take a backseat
 

Q4: As regards taxes, long-term capital gains for all assets have been capped at 15 per cent. RBI also plans to introduce a digital rupee. Budget also proposed taxing digital assets/ cryptos. How are you reading into this? Will it trigger a shift from digital assets to equities?
Ans:
  • Equity market will continue to get domestic retail inflows
  • Too early to assume a shift from cryptos into equities/ bonds
  • Tax on cryptos is par for the course
 
 
Q5: How will you, as a fund manager, approach the in the backdrop of the budget proposals?
Ans:
  • >Not buying large-caps: Banks, FMCG, oil and gas etc
  • >IT sector still holds promise
  • >India remains a great small-cap market, but choose wisely

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Read our full coverage on Union Budget
First Published: Wed, February 02 2022. 08:00 IST
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