In the pits?

At the start of the results season, brokerage firms typically put out reports that indicate what to expect, and the cover page designs usually convey the mood. Anyone in doubt about the prospects for the season ahead should look at the cartoon on the cover page of Motilal Oswal's April report (pictured). The damaged Formula 1 car with the India colours that has veered off the racing track is an apt metaphor for the predicament of the Indian economy, with Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Chief Economic Adviser Raghuram Rajan and Reserve Bank of India Governor D Subbarao sweating over the wheel changes. The tagline reads: "Pit-stop... prolonged".