Introduction The earlier generation of retail investors had their financial assets base spread across FDs, real estate, gold, EPF, PPF, Post Office schemes, etc. Nowadays, thanks to technology and financial awareness, the current cohort of retail investors have diversified their financial portfolios to include MFs, equities, commodities, bonds, insurance, ULIPs, etc. With this diversification, even […]

The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) conducted its monetary policy meeting from December 6-8, 2023. On the basis of an assessment of the evolving macroeconomic situation, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) made the following announcements: Part A: RBI’s Policy decision Rationale: 1. Inflation CPI headline inflation fell by about 2% points since the last meeting […]

Glossary 1. Accrued Interest Accrued interest is the interest that accumulates on a bond between coupon payments. For example, if you buy a bond between its payment dates, you may owe the seller accrued interest for the time they held the bond. 2. Accretion of Bonds Accretion of bonds means that over time, the value […]

Introduction It’s remarkable how online shopping has seamlessly integrated into our lives. A decade ago, many were hesitant about making online purchases. Now, we buy everything from clothes to groceries, medicines, jewelry and even Gangajal online (yes, look it up). The advancement of technology and increased earning power, accelerated by the pandemic, has expedited this […]

The only free lunch in finance is diversification – Harry Markowitz How impactful is the quote by the Nobel Prize laureate and pioneer of the Modern Portfolio Theory in today’s world? Portfolio diversification is at the heart of a successful investment strategy. By spreading investments across various assets, one can navigate the ups and downs […]

“The big money is not in the buying or selling, but in the waiting.” –Charlie Munger– In this era of instant gratification and easy money, this quote emphasizes the importance of humility and patience in both life and investing, coming from one of the key figures behind the remarkable success of Berkshire Hathaway. Whether dealing […]

Introduction Bonds are like the steady hand in your financial journey, providing a reliable stream of revenue and helping to shield your investments from the ups and downs of the market. They’re like your safety net, ensuring that even when other assets in your portfolio are fluctuating, you have something secure to rely on. Just […]

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the interim Union Budget for FY 2024-25 on February 1st, 2024. Here are some excerpts from the presentation: Fiscal Deficit In the Interim Union Budget of 2024-25, the government has revised India’s fiscal deficit target downwards to 5.8% of GDP for FY24 from the previously estimated 5.9% of GDP. It […]

Financial Planning 101 A notification buzzed, and both your mobile screen and your eyes lit up! (Dear Customer, Your Salary of Rs 1,82,336.00 is credited to you’re a/c no. XXXXX876 on 30-Nov-2023.) Perhaps the only text message that brings a smile to your face and a sense of relief amidst a barrage of OTPs, EMI […]