“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” Those are the golden words of the anti-apartheid activist and African hero Desmond Tutu who in Barack Obama’s words could “find humanity in his adversaries”. Tutu passed away this week, but he has left us inspired to seek hope.

Let’s set the anxieties aside for a moment and look at all the things that we already know are gonna be better in 2022.
SIMPLY PUT: There are a few things you can take for granted in 2022
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No one knows what variants COVID-19 will throw up, but we can expect ⁠— in fact, we should demand ⁠— that our political leaders will know better than to downplay the effects of the pandemic and take precautionary measures. Let’s pray there are no election rallies helping the virus mutate further.
SIMPLY PUT: There are a few things you can take for granted in 2022
BI India
More people are likely to be vaccinated curbing the growth of the virus. We already have one drug for COVID-19 treatment and India has approved its use in case of emergencies.

As the virus becomes less severe, more people are likely to travel both for leisure and for work.

It may not show up in January or February but over the course of the year, everyone from hotel owners to travel operators, from railways to tour guides and local vendors at tourist destinations can expect a better year, even if it is just a little bit better.

Global trade is more likely to pick up pace next year and that would mean the global shortage in everything from chips and ships to cars and containers, may ease. Again, the darned virus has to remain contained.

By the way, did you know, there is a Nutella shortage, as we speak?
SIMPLY PUT: There are a few things you can take for granted in 2022
BI India
Students craving for the campus feels, particularly those waiting to join foreign universities, people waiting for their new cars, and sales guys waiting to network at ground events have something to look forward to in 2022.

Once the movement of people and products eases, the cost of production may ease and corporate profits can then expand without adding to the cost on the consumer.

But not everything is getting better. Globally, food prices are very high and they are likely to get worse before they get better. So much so that Jeffrey Kleintop, chief investment strategist at financial services firm Charles Schwab, has recently argued that the world may even see some social unrest because of this, much like the early part of the 2010s, when food prices were sky high, and we saw it mutate into upheavals in many parts of the world including the Arab Spring.

Inflation is a worldwide issue now and whenever that happens, it is safer to invest in gold than other riskier stuff like equities. Many argue that cryptocurrencies are as good as gold, but honestly, the jury is still out on that.

Those with more dollars than rupees in their kitty will be better off because the greenback is going to get stronger as America tries to tame inflation.
SIMPLY PUT: There are a few things you can take for granted in 2022
BI India
Unlike in countries like India with large populations of poor people, the current bout of inflation in America and other developed countries, is not entirely bad news. While high inflation hurts poor people in every country, moderate increase in prices that is well managed can actually be a good thing.

Why, you may ask? Here’s a short explanation.
SIMPLY PUT: There are a few things you can take for granted in 2022