My 2006 predictions

The positive ones

1) Indian stocks will continue the rally at least till the first quarter end. P Chidambarm will present yet another dream budget, predicting fiscal deficit at 2.5 percent of GDP

2) Mobile tariffs , air fares will slide further

3) Bihar will have one full year of governance without lalu

4) America will not invade another country under the global war on terrorism banner/ India may win the Security Council seat

5) Sania Mirza will reach the quarterfinals of a major, probably Australian Open and Indians will go gaga. And ET will have a Sania brand story Tendulkar will surpass 40 centuries and ET will have, you know what Tendulkar Brand6) offshoring, outsourcing in the manufacturing space will begin

7) India will have 30 new car models, especially from the Merc, Audi, BMW, Nissan stables/ Tatas will finally replace the Sumo

8) FDI in Indian media will scale the 26 percent, FDI in Indian retail

9) Toyota overtakes GM as the largest car maker

10) I’ll lose weight and earn a fatter paycheck

The negatives

1) Stock market closes 2006 at 6000 points (sensex). PC budget remains a dream once again

2)Indian cricket gets caught in the dada et al controversy forgets cricket. Jagmohan Dalmia stages a comeback into BCCI.

3) India economy starts floundering. Some industries enter the decline space

4) Call centers start migration towards other low cost English speaking nations

5) Left pulls the rug under Congress feet. American economy continues decline. China finally accepts growth numbers were cooked

6) Some of the upstart airlines in India, start fading out. Infrastructure woes are not addressed in the country

7) A coup in Pakistan

8) East Europe grapples with more regime changes, which is as usual backed by the America

9) Indian media loses some of its best brands, TV continues its clown act.

10) I’ll grow an year older.

And finally Happy new year