New Delhi, Aug. 4 -- India's white-collar job market is under strain. As large IT firms cut costs and deploy automation, hiring has slowed and layoffs are beginning to rise. The human and social costs of these developments are well known-but how do they play out in the stock market? Do job cuts boost a company's share price, or do they signal deeper uncertainty?

That's the beauty of capitalism: asking such questions is not only possible, but in some cases, heartily appreciated.

Mint sets out to do just that.

India's largest private-sector employer, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), dropped a bombshell last week by announcing plans to lay off 2% of its global workforce, over 12,000 employees, in phases this financial year. The move comes...