Your Wallet

Bargain buy: washing machine
Here we highlight the most and the least expensive models in a product category. This time it's washing machines.

Purchasing power
Fibres are fuelling the wholesale price inflation, currently at almost six times the WPI growth rate. Milk prices have again witnessed a small spike. But thankfully, other food articles have shown a marginal decline, helping contain the overall inflation at 3.83%.

2008-02-21

Digital

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Stocks

Riding the market swing

Retail investors, who were expected to make a beeline to the exits when the markets crashed, stayed put and actually considered cherry-picking.

Market Watch as on Jan 30, 2008

We scan dozens of research reports from investment houses every fortnight to present you the six most relevant stock recommendations.

Financial sector back in favour

Despite volatile markets, financial sector companies are back in favour, with three of them in the top 10.

Where's the value today

You know you should buy, but what should you bet on? We asked some leading brokers to stick their necks out and recommend stocks that can ride out volatile phases. Here’s what they suggest.

Is price loss value gain?

Advice to buy is coming in thick and fast. But how do you decide what to buy? Is price the only yardstick? We look at the third-quarter results to find how value also matters.

Easy come easy go

When markets were booming, Dipen Sheth warned against overleveraging. Now that his fears have come true, he elaborates. Sudhir Gore spoke to investors who suffered.

No cut, no sweat. For now

The RBI’s reluctance to cut interest rates might not affect your investment, borrowing or spending much. Besides, banks will lower rates sooner rather than later.

Mutual Fund

Stan Chart Premier performs well

Tata AIG has the best returning equity fund on a 2-year frame, better than even equity-diversified schemes espousing longterm investing.

'Focus on the long term'

The  Executive director and CIO, HDFC Mutual Fund, shares with us his investment mantra.

Mutually inclusive

The Indian investor appears to have come of age, with the focus now shifting to looking at mutual fund schemes with an established history and track record.

Safety in diversity

Morgan Stanley, amongst the largest fund houses in the world, has been a spectator in India for quite some time now. Now it’s gearing up for the big game and the structure is in place.

Expert View

Calm amid the storm

The model portfolios contained the downside during the crash.The continued rise in corporate profits shows that fundamentally we are on a sound footing.

Indian equities - a definite buy

January 2008 will be remembered not just for market declines; it is also the month when the US Federal Reserve decreased the overnight lending rate (Fed Funds rate) by a rather large 125 basis points, the largest such cut since 1982. It’s time to be fully invested because the worst news, for both India and the world economy, is behind us.

Tax on your rent

There is no rule of thumb to determine which option is more tax beneficial. It depends on the city, rent, type of accommodation and your salary break up.

A value-added printing story

Repro India’s compounded annual growth rate of over 16.2% is more than twice the GDP growth and eight times the global print industry growth.

Real Estate

Dehradun: Real estate rising slow and steady

After Uttaranchal became a state in 2000, areas in and around the capital Dehradun have witnessed steady demand.

Travel

Fine print in fares

Unable to raise the base fare in the face of increasing competition, airlines are introducing a slew of surcharges that are rarely reflected in the advertised fare.

Technology

Small and light laptops

When you have to lug your work around with you, a feature-rich laptop that weighs a tonne is not quite what you need, is it? The MacBook Air, which fits comfortably in a business envelope, is more the thing, although there are complaints that its anorexic looks mean that it comes without a DVD writer, Ethernet and FireWire ports.

Tax

Can disabled avail tax deductions

You are eligible for deduction under Section 80U of the Income Tax Act. You will have to enclose a valid medical certificate with your return of income.

Talk Back

Latest issue on tax planning was very timely and informative

We are glad you found the story useful. Tax saving should no longer be separate from financial planning. Hopefully more people will now plan their taxes along with other investments for optimising returns.

Sector Scenario

Betting on blue chips

JM Financial ASK Securities expects policy issues to keep telecom stock prices volatile in the near term.

Portfolio Doctor

Just goals, no strategy

Mumbai-based Ashfaque Ahamed must re-strategise his investments for achieving his financial goals. Read why and how.

Now and Then

Firming prices

Your dream home becoming very expensive? The culprits are not demand pressure and local infrastructure improvements alone. The factor you’re overlooking is construction costs.

Upfront

Gold rush ahead

At over Rs 11,800 per 10 gm, you would think that gold is expensive. But analysts don’t think so.

My Story

Wealthy voice

Being a part-time radio jockey helped Raman Bhanot, 31, develop an alternative career that pays well.

BASICS

Scanning the financial results

It's that time of the year when quarterly reports flood mailboxes and newspapers. Chances are that you'll ignore them. But with the markets resembling a yo-yo, and everyone saying it's a good time to buy, these reports may help you pick up a good stock.

Editor's Note