Bhatt says policy rate hike may not impact cost of funds.

SBI hints at holding rates

Business Standard

Investors have various options, but the risk-return game must be played carefully.

Getting real on real estate

MFs see Rs 35,000-cr inflow, as call rates slide and Sensex rises 323 points.

Liquidity returns to market

Banks may review their pricing strategy; may discontinue the product.

Teaser loans to get expensive

A month and a half back, Vipul Mahadik purchased a universal life policy (ULP). Had he waited for a few more months, he would have saved a considerable amount on his first-year expenses.

Don't exit till you recover costs

Our brain always takes short cuts while processing information, which results in flawed thinking and faulty decisions. We make our decisions based on the most readily available information or recent events. Here newspapers and other media play a big role in the way we think.

Stocks the best hedge against inflation

Discounts, both in cash and kind, are out there to lure the consumer this Diwali.

A journey through deal street

Diwali, the festival of lights, brings a smile to everybody&rsquo;s face. There are bright lights, brighter clothes and to top it all, fire crackers. But on the flip side, a little error in dealing with the lights and fire crackers can cause a lot of anguish. And sometimes, damage to oneself, neighbours and property, as well.

Cover for the festive fever

During a boom, wealth management firms try various means to attract the wealth of high networth individuals (HNIs). One such way is &ndash; structured products. And, there are variants for all kinds of investors. For ones with high exposure to equity, there are hedging products. For conservative investors, there are capital protection plans.

Incorrectly structured products can hurt badly

Financial inclusion can begin at home. Enable a zero-balance bank account for your household helps and drivers, by taking time out to go to a nearby bank and completing the paperwork.

Capital Account: Uma Shashikant

Several Fixed Maturity Plans (FMPs) have been coming into the market for over three months. Let us examine what these are and why they may be useful.

The case for FMPs

A house is among the most expensive assets an individual owns. Which is why, one can&rsquo;t be careful enough while purchasing one. From title clearance to getting it registered, there is plenty that one needs to keep an eye on.

Anchoring your property

Warren Buffet, the legendary investor, says: &ldquo;Be greedy when everyone is fearful and be fearful when everyone is greedy.&rdquo; However, it is very difficult for the average investor to apply this gospel in practice. He or she usually invests at market peaks during times of exuberance, following the herd and ends up with burnt fingers, vowing never to look at a capital market again.

Protect your capital while investing

Between foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and domestic investors, it is the latter who have shown far less conviction and confidence in India&rsquo;s markets. When the foreigners invest their billions, thereby driving prices up, we tend to jump on the bandwagon and enjoy the joyride. And, when the foreigners liquidate their holdings, thereby driving down stock prices, we stampede out, trying to beat them to the exit.

Don't worry about Sensex

A strong rupee may be great news for importers, but for moneychangers Cox &amp; Kings, Thomas Cook and others, it is proving to be a headache. The reason: A scarcity of dollar notes. &ldquo;We find it difficult to cater to customers, who want dollar notes because they aren&rsquo;t available easily in the open market,&rdquo; confirmed Aashutosh Akshikar, CEO of Mercury Travels, which runs Bureaux de Change.

Dollars dry up in fund flood

With the stock market benchmark indices touching new highs, it is difficult for retail investors to resist the lure of direct equity investment. But this has its own risk, especially if the stocks are not fundamentally sound.

SIP stocks for high returns

I am a high net-worth individual. I want to invest my surplus funds temporarily. My agent has offered various fixed maturity plans (FMPs) as investment options. Since these plans do not give any indicative returns, on what basis should I choose a plan? I am flexible with regard to the time frame. It can be two-three years.

Investing: Paras Adenwala

SKS Microfinance, the largest and the only listed microfinance institution (MFI) in the country, on Tuesday said it was planning to further reduce interest rates to 24 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and 18 other states.

SKS to reduce interest rates to 24%

A rise in the home loan interest rate is a cause of worry for borrowers. But many may not even realise it until they read the letter from their lender carefully. Typically, if age is on your side, the tenure is increased. If not, the equated monthly instalment (EMI) is raised.

To raise loan tenure or EMI?

You may need to be extra careful while writing cheques in future. Bank regulator Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as well as banks are becoming more strict about individuals issuing cheques.

Banks propose closing accounts with insufficient balance

A few months ago, I opened a savings account with a public sector bank for my son. My purpose was that the money awarded to him for clearing a scholarship exam could be deposited in it. Recently, the bank debited Rs 160 from the account, saying it had been inoperative for six months. But according to the bank&rsquo;s website, there were no charges for an inoperative account for a year.

Banking: Prashant Joshi

Personal Finance: Read about the smart strategies for Personal Finance Planning, Investing, Insurance, banking, budgeting, loans Tax Planning, retirement and insurance. Browse Business Standard to learn more on Personal Finance.

Personal Finance: Investing, Planning, Retirement, Loans, & Insurance | Business Standard

Read about the smart strategies for Personal Finance Planning, Investing, Insurance, banking, budgeting, loans Tax Planning, retirement and insurance. Browse Business Standard to learn more on Personal Finance.

Page 865 - Personal Finance