Bond market boost, jewellery for the ages: Top personal finance stories

Our top stories this week tell you about how to enter the bond market and how traditional jewellery is being redesigned

The Securities and Exchange Board of India has reduced the minimum ticket size of privately placed nonconvertible debentures from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10,000. This step is likely to result in greater retail participation in the bond market. In this week's lead story, Sanjay Kumar Singh and Karthik Jerome examine the opportunities in bonds and also offer advice on the precautions retail investors must take.

The second article, by Namrata Kohli, explores the historical importance and evolving trends in jewellery making. It examines the shift towards more accessible and affordable options.

Investors with a one- to three-year investment horizon and who also want liquidity may consider investing in a short-duration fund. Consider Morningstar's review of Nippon India Short Term Fund if you want to invest in this category.

Term and health insurance are two policies that everyone must have. If you are a 30-year-old living in a metro city, look up Policybazaar.com's table to know how much it would cost you to buy a health insurance policy with a Rs 10 lakh cover.

Number of the week

18.2, peak value of India Vix

The Indian volatility index, or India Vix, rose for a ninth straight day on Tuesday to end at 18.2, the highest close since January 30, 2023. From the best bid-ask prices of Nifty options contracts, a volatility figure (in percentage) is calculated which indicates the expected market volatility over the next 30 days.

This is the longest gaining streak for the index since the pandemic began in March 2020. The index, also known as the fear gauge, had finished at a record closing low of 10.2 on April 23.

Market experts say the low voter turnout in the first two phases of elections has triggered speculation that the ruling coalition’s seat tally would be lower than 2014.

The uncertainty around rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve is also keeping the markets on tenterhooks.

Experts recommend reducing highly leveraged positions and utilising hedges to manage volatility effectively to counter the rise in Vix.