Cover Story

Teena Jain Kaushal

NPS has miles to go before it succeeds

The National Pension System (NPS) is a low-cost, tax-efficient retirement savings product. Its fund management charges are as low as 0.01 per cent - much lower than mutual funds.

• Gold's status as preferred investment option falls The recovery in the US economy, a strengthening dollar and surging equity markets weighed on gold, resulting in a sharp drop of 18 per cent in the yellow metal prices between September 2013 and March 2015.
• It's the right time to buy a house; bargain hard Experts say it is the right time for end users to get into the market as buyers may get a good deal due to low demand.
• Investment returns likely to be muted in 2015 As the euphoria of the Modi government taking over subsides, investment returns are likely to be muted in 2015. Asset allocation premised on riding the next wave in a not-too-distant future is the key.
• Equity, debt funds find favour among investors While equity funds have done even better with the category average returns ranging from 35% to 75%, debt MFs also gave 25% returns, compared to gold funds losing 9% during the last one year.