Something is gotta' give

As I sat listening to that lilting Phil Collins number – "One more night...."



"Please give me one more night, give me one more night
One more night cos I can't wait forever
Give me just one more night, oh just one more night
Oh one more night cos I can't wait forever...."

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Something rhymed deep inside... A chime....?

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Yeah, got it! My friends working in I-banks have just one prayer these days - God, give us just one more bubble - like that famous Phil Collins song... First, some M&A deal stats –

No. of transactions - 663 in the H1-07 to 467 in H1-08, with a sharp slump in deal value dipping by over 40% from US$38.4 billion in H1-07 to US$21.4 billion in H1-08. The active sectors include Pharmaceuticals, IT&ITeS, Banking & Financial Services (BFSI) and Real Estate. The outbound investments accounted for US$ 8.2 billion of M&A activity spread over 96 deals.

Financing overseas acquisitions has been tougher owing to the global market conditions and high interest rates. The global crisis sprang from expanding credit squeeze, high oil prices and rising inflation and now they cause slowdown in M&A activity in H1-08.

Even the macro numbers aren’t giving room for hope. The Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC) has revised the growth rate down to 7.7% for 2008-09 from its earlier estimates of 8.5% (and last 4 year average of 8.9%). Rubbing salt in the wound, It also expects inflation to scale 13% soon. Takeaways –

Trade deficit is likely to widen to 10.4% of GDP in 2008-09 compared to 7.7% in 2007-08. Merchandise imports would grow to $332 billion, Exports would grow to $205 billion, leaving a deficit of $127 billion. Export growth could be $22.5% while import growth would be higher, thanks to high crude prices.

High oil import bill and a decline in capital flows are pushing current account deficit to an all-time high of 3.2% of GDP during 2008-09. The estimated deficit for the year is $41.5 billion. In Q1/Q2 of 2008-09, deficit could be over 4.5% of GDP. The estimated 3.2% current account deficit for 2008-09 is more than double the deficit of 1.5% in 2007-08. The only year when it crossed 3% was 1990-91 — when it touched 3.1%, as we were facing a major foreign exchange reserve crisis. The silver lining now is that forex reserves stand at over $300 billion — far above the comfort level.

Capital flows would decline to $71 billion in 2008-09, far lower than the previous year’s $108 billion. Despite the decline, the net addition to forex reserves would be $30 billion.

Now to fiscal mismanagement. The government comes down heavily on private sector for not being transparent about its currency losses. But when it comes to its own affairs, it sweeps a lot under the carpet – think off budget Oil / Fertilizer subsidy funded by bonds that pose serious risks to the extent they are unfunded in the budget. But then you can’t speak much about that.

Just hope something is gotta’ give! Another bubble...? I don't mind... ;)
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