stock market

Amazing and interesting Cricket Facts

2008-02-07T02:03:00.000-08:00

I found some amazing and interesting things happend in cricket, just wanted to share with ya all!

No one has completed an innings at the score of 228!

South Africans were the first to introduce TV run outs!

Graham Yallop, in 1978 was the first man to wear a helmet!

Wasim Akram is the first (an only?) man to perform a hat-trick in both one days and tests!

England and Australia played the first ever one day international at Melbourne in 1971!

Sachin Tendulkar was the first victim of the third umpire. In the Test match!

Hollywood actor Russell Crowe is Martin Crowe's cousin!

Vikram Solanki is the first ever SuperSub player in ODIs.

Sourav Ganguly is the only cricketer to have won four successive Man of the Match awards in One-day Internationals.

The first Twenty20 international was between Australia and New Zealand in 2005.

The Test match between England and South Africa at Durban in 1939 was finally abandoned as a draw on the tenth day because England players had to catch their ship home.

did you know there are "10 ways" a batsman can get out?

here we go:

There are 10 ways a batsman can be declared "out" in cricket:
1. Caught
2. Bowled
3. Leg Before Wicket
4. Hit Wicket
5. Timed Out
6. Handling the ball
7. Obstructing the field
8. Hit the ball twice
9. Run Out
10. Stumped

how many of u did know that?

Multi Bagger: Hindalco Industries

2008-02-06T20:39:00.000-08:00

Aluminium capacity to boost revenues
Hindalco is on a massive expansion plan in its aluminium business with capacities increasing 3x over the next 3-4 years. The company has announced expansion projects, both greenfield and brownfield increasing its aluminium capacity to 1.5 million tons. Most of the large projects are likely to go on stream only after FY09. These expansions provide high growth visibility over the longer run. Further, with captive access to coal reserves, Hindalco's cost competitiveness is expected to improve further. We expect aluminium prices to stay around the current levels of $ 2,300-2,600 in the near term.

Novelis acquisition leads to forward integration of aluminium division
Acquisition of Novelis gives Hindalco an instant access to world class technology for rolled products. Novelis follows a pure conversion model and operates in a segment that demands stringent customer qualification standards along with high capital outlay and longer lead time. With Novelis, Hindalco would have access to regular cash flows because Novelis business model is pass through business i.e. its sales realizations are not affected by volatility in LME prices. This acquisition would give Hindalco regularity in its cash flows.

Copper business to generate a steady cash flows
Hindalco's Birla copper unit at Dahej is the world's largest single location custom copper smelter with smelting capacity at 0.5mn tons. The plant is backed by captive power plants, oxygen plants as also by product facilities for fertilisers and precious metals. Though Tc/Rc margins are subdued currently, going forward we expect the company will be in a position to charge higher margins from the current levels.

Valuation and recommendation:
We have valued Hindalco based on EV/EBITDA multiple on aluminium and copper business as also for Novelis. The stock is trading at a discount to its peers, i.e. NALCO and MALCO. We expect the stock to consolidate in the near term, and may gain as its capacities start production. On a sum of parts valuation method, we recommend a BUY with a target of Rs 220.

Company Background:
Hindalco Industries, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group is the largest aluminium producer in India, with a market share of 45% and is the only player that converts 67% of metal production into value-added products including high-end products like aluminium foils and packaging material. Copper smelting capacity of 500ktpa is the largest in Asia.

source...poweryourtrade.

How the Budget affects the Sensex

2008-02-06T03:39:00.000-08:00

It's back to square one for the Indian markets. After the bloodbath they witnessed in January this year, the scenario changed for the better for the first two trading days in February when the markets recovered from the huge fall. However, the markets have once again turned bearish following a steep fall in global stock markets.

In January, the Sensex and Nifty crashed as investors panicked following weak global cues amid fears of the US recession. The index shed 1408 points (7.1 per cent) to close at 17,605.40 on January 21, the biggest-ever loss in absolute terms and also the first-ever four-digit loss for the index at close.

With the Budget around the corner, how will the days ahead be? Last year, the Sensex saw the biggest fall on Budget day in five years. How will the markets behave this year?

Will the Budget have a positive effect on the Sensex?

Sensex in Feb 2007

On Feb 28, 2007 the Budget failed to cheer investors on a choppy day. The Sensex shed 541 points to wind up the day at 12,938. It was the biggest fall since the May 18, 2006, and it was the lowest close since December 12, 2006.

The announcement of indirect tax and increase in excise duty on cement prices followed by the extension of minimum alternate tax (MAT) for the IT sector dampened market sentiment.

Outlook for the day - 06.02.08

2008-02-06T02:18:00.000-08:00

Sensex will open with a gap down in sympathy with the world markets. Lower levels will attract bargain hunting and short covering. As FII’s are expected to pump in huge amounts, this opportunity will not be missed by them. Also, investors who received back the Reliance Power IPO money are just waiting to find an opportunity to invest. Selling is not advisable as Market will bounce from lower levels. Buying is recommended just above the lower levels of index suggested by me(18192) or when the Sensex go above 18538. Strong Support exists at 18174-18192 range and nominal support at 18413. Investors are advised to attempt bottom fishing, as US Market itself will bounce on Wednesday as it seems oversold too. One may concentrate on momentum stocks which showed tremendous strength yesterday like, RNRL, JP Hydro, Indus Banks, NTPC, GMR Infra, IFCI and many more. Various other short term tips are given below:

Expected open (First 5 minutes) 18290-18330

Recommended BUY (at lower levels today): (In order of Priority – Best Buy on Top)

IFCI : 66.40 Target 85-95 by end Feb. SL 59 on a closing basis. Good chances of IFCI meeting the February target in a single session even.

Unitech: CMP 412.20 – Target 445-450 in two weeks, SL 390 on a closing basis

RCom : CMP 677.15 – Target 790 by end Feb, SL 649

ICICI Bank: CMP 1191 –Target 1360-1400 by end Feb, SL 1172 on a closing basis.

ACC : CMP: 768.70 – Revised Target 850-860 in two weeks. SL 749 on closing basis

ONGC: CMP :1075 –Target 1184 by end Feb. SL 1035 on a closing basis

Silverline : CMP: 59.20 – Target 92 by end April . SL 48

Chennai Petro: CMP 324.50–Target by end Feb.385 SL 309 on a closing basis

Shiva Cement: CMP 13.82 – Target 18 by end Feb. SL 12.95

DCB: CMP 115.65 – Target 155-160 by end Feb. SL 108

Your Health and the Wine Buddy System

2008-02-06T02:08:00.000-08:00

I recently came across a slew of great research on the Wine Spectator website indicating the positive effects of wine, especially red wine, on reducing health risks. The idea I want to share with you is an easy way to start a practice of drinking one glass of wine a day without wasting the rest of your bottle of wine.

Its called the Buddy System.

The way I get my one glass a day is to plan my meals ahead and use a meal 'buddy system.' Basically, I choose two or three meals that pair well with the same bottle in on my wine rack and serve them for dinner back to back!

A great way to brainstorm ideas for meals is by using a wine and food pairing website, like the one at Canadian Sommelier Natalie MacLean's website, but there are a few wine and food matching websites out there, so use your favorite.

For instance, a bottle of Pinot Noir can match with:

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Grilled Vegetables

Hamburgers

Meatloaf

Pot Roast

Pork With Hoisin & Honey Sauce

Lasagna

Risotto With Mushrooms

Grilled Salmon

Grilled Tuna

Bean-Based Dishes

I’m single, so I choose three meals in a row that match with a wine. For that fourth glass of wine in every bottle, I can use it as the wine in a wine sauce for one of the dishes, as an ingredient in a red wine vinaigrette salad dressing (make leftover wine into red wine vinegar by adding one part wine to three parts white vinegar), or invite a friend or neighbor over for dinner or a glass of wine on the porch one night a week.

Cooking for two is even easier, just plan your wine friendly meals back to back and save the wine bottle overnight in the refrigerator. When you and a friend or loved one share a glass of wine each night, you'll be using your wine wisely and possibly improving your health!

The Wine Industry Uncorked!

2008-02-06T02:07:00.000-08:00

By the process of osmosis, you’re not instantly an expert because you live in Northern California when it comes to distinguishing the good, bad and the ugly when it comes to wines. Most can’t even tell the difference between a bottle of “Two Buck Chuck”(Charles Shaw Wine Sold at Trader Joes) and “KJ” (Kendall Jackson). While the bottles look alike, they’re different in many ways. This article is intended to give the basic wine consumer a little peek into the world of wine.

MAGNETS

Labels have a lot to do with the success of a bottle of wine. A good picture, graphic and of course a distinguishing or catchy name really impacts the popularity of a vineyard. Could a name like “Opus One” attached with hefty price tag be a bad bottle of wine?

If you’re into Zinfandel wines, you can’t help but to lured to the near naked body on the label of “Sin Zin”.One can’t help but to hope that there’s something in the wine that makes one lose all of the inhibitions. Perhaps best uncorked on a Saturday Night!

The large winemakers have the big bucks to make their way to the shelves of your nearby Safeway, Albertson’s or Raley’s. As we pass by and see the bottles of “KJ” (Kendall Jackson), Robert Mondavi, Clos DuBois marked down to 25% off their typical retail price, we can’t help but to take a gamble that it’s a good wine and if it’s priced right. It’s a $25 bottle of wine marked down to $9.99 and you have a dinner party that evening! We also tend to buy the label that we recognize if it’s priced right at the grocery story.

The major wineries market their products the same way McDonalds’s fast food restaurant chains once did. In my opinion, McDonald’s used the get them hooked while they’re young strategy. No, I’m not saying the wine industry is marketing wine to minors, just the over 21 year olds purchasing wine for the first time. They’re hoping that once you’ve tasted their wine, you’ll be back for more and purchase their more expensive bottles.

Notably there are some of us that gained our knowledge of wines from family, classes, articles, and internet or by speaking with wine experts.

PEELING BACK THE GRAPE

In order to get an understanding of wine, let’s peel back the grape and see what’s inside of making wine. First let’s look at some of the economic factors that go into the cost of a bottle of wine:

Vineyard preparation for growing

Property Tax for the Acreage

Growing Costs

Crop Insurance to protect against insects, weather, crop damage,etc.

Name recognition and demand for product (Supply/Demand)

How much wine is produced and the potential profit from the lot sold

Does the wine have a history of selling or being a hot commodity?

If there’s a distributor involved, what’s their cut?

Barrel (Quality, What’s been done to it, Type of Wood, Age, Used)

How much manpower was utilized when picking the fruit

How long the wine was stored and the climate it was stored in.

The equipment used to harvest and produce the wine

Quality of cork

Quality of bottle

Taxes involved based on alcohol level

Insurance needed if it’s sold at a retail outlet (Wineries are sometimes required to have over a $1M in liability insurance, just in case)

Shipping and delivery costs

Potential costs involving retail displays

Monies used to pay stores to actually put the wine on their shelves.

Advertisement and Marketing Expenses

The list goes on…

Now when you factor in the costs of growing the fruit and storage after it’s been bottled and you’ll realize that you’re getting a heck of a deal when you’re purchasing a bottle of wine for $2!

Diamond

2008-02-06T02:04:00.000-08:00

Asia’s oldest publication on precious trade – Diamond World is an international magazine for diamonds and diamond-studded jewellery sector.

Established in Nov. 1973,-International Journal House are the publishers of Diamond World. The bi-monthly magazine is favorable read in more than 25countries of the world. To facilitate Gujarati speaking diamond manufactures, trades, artisans, ‘Angadias’-Diamond World is also published in Gujarati language.

It’s readership comprises diamond manufacturers, traders, dealers, importers, exporters, cutters, polishers, jewellers, jewellery designers, geologists, miners, students etc.

The magazine provides latest information about the diamonds & watches. Market trades, Eximport data, Official policies and Formulations, technological advancements, fairs-festivals-exhibitions across the world and much more are elaborately included in Diamond World.

Printed wholly on art paper - Diamond World is globally recognized as an effective media for publicity as it gives value for money.

When you buy something as significant and timeless as a diamond, for any occasion, it makes sense that you would like to know the history of that valuable memento.
In the late 1990’s, the world became aware of the existence of “conflict diamonds,” jewels that have been used to fund insurgent or invading army’s war efforts.
You slip the ring on your finger, or hold the earring up to your ear, and you can’t believe the flashes of light shimmering off that diamond. “It’s stunning,” you think to yourself, “and I don’t ever want to take it off.”
A diamond is a treasure that should last a lifetime, and with the right

Dear Diary... {Sensex, the story so far...}

2008-02-05T03:17:00.000-08:00

If you've been following some Indian business news, this one's for you... but do read it till the end!!! This is awesome!!!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

May 2nd, 2003
Dear Diary,
I have just returned from the office after a long and exhausting day. I had to sit through several senseless marketing meetings and one sales forecasting workshop. Honestly, I am getting a little sick of this company. I would have quit it long ago if it were not for the fact that the salary is good, the canteen is awesome and I know the combination to the petty cash safe.

Mr Ramanathan next door made Rs 100,000 rupees on the stock market yesterday. He bought his wife a new saree and a new fridge. My wife seems to know. She has not spoken to me all evening.

August 21st, 2003
Dear Diary,
Ramanathan just bought a new car. Apparently he had invested in Infosys. The wife is now spending all day in Ramanathan's house. This is bothering me. The least she can do is tell Mrs. Ramanathan (Miss Versova 1978) to spend equal time in our house.
Maybe I will also do some stock market. Or something.

March 3rd, 2004
Dear Diary,
I made Rs 600 profit in one day itself! And I don't even know what I did! I sold some shares of Reliance. Or maybe I bought it. I have no idea. But I made 600 rupees! Yahoo! I am taking out the family for a movie tonight.

p.s. Saw Mr Ramanathan standing outside the Oberoi while driving back home. The wife was not impressed. I need to beat that man. I will put another Rs 10,000 in the market tomorrow. I will buy something. Or maybe sell it. I don't know. I will do something. Reliance maybe.

December 21st, 2004
Dear Diary,
I have not traded in six months. I have no idea what I am doing. So far I have made an overall profit of three rupees in the market. Also I have a few Reliance shares which I bought in July.

Should I trade? I don't know. I know nothing about the market.

Ramanathan bought a new car. Accord. Bastard.

June 21st, 2005
DEAR DIARY!!!
I love the Ambanis! I love you! I love the Market! I made Rs 100,000 in profit today! I am rich! Now I will show my wife what I can do. I will go online and buy her a surprise gift. Maybe a cool new ipod. Or even a cellphone!

Woohoo! I am going to trade all day. Tomorrow I am also going to get cable at home with CNBC! Everyone who does stocks watches CNBC!

p.s. I was almost going to buy an ipod when suddenly I decided to buy 1000 Cipla. Wife has not been informed.

August 20th, 2005
Dear Diary,
There was a big problem in the office today. The complete petty cash vanished without a trace. Nobody knows what happened. (Hee hee.) We immediately had an inquiry team setup. I will be leading the team.

Bought 1000 Cipla. And a little bit of Reliance. My new Demat account is working awesome on my new computer and broadband connection at home.

September 8th, 2005
Dear Diary,
The Sensex crossed 8000! The market is booming! Everyone on CNBC is talking about the India story! Growth of more than 8% in GDP! What an awesome time to be in India.

p.s. I lost Rs 300,000 today. Petty cash might get stolen again next month.

January 1st, 2006
Dear Diary,
Today I made the smartest investment move ever. I withdrew full amount on my credit card and put it into my Demat account. I have a feeling that the market is going to boom today! I will pay my credit card bill in one or two days at the latest.

I saw CNBC all day today and read Economic Times cover to cover.

March 3rd, 2006
Dear Diary,
The people from the credit card company met me today. We had a conversation involving my mother. I am very upset. I will never again invest in "Uday Shankar Transport and Software Company Pvt. Ltd."

IT is supposed to be booming, no?

I may have some problems with finances. But thankfully I have been doing a lot of overtime in the office and should be able to sell all the equipment from the Server Room next week.

March 11th, 2006
Dear Diary,
Our company is being closed for police investigations. Someone stole everything from the server room.

I will be paying off my credit card bill today.

p.s. I was being such an idiot. Why would I want to waste that cash on bills when Udayan Mukherjee said that the market is buoyant and that positive signals are coming from western markets on the back of good numbers in the US markets? I can easily pay off the bills next week.

March 14th, 2006
Dear Diary,
No power today. I used the BEST bill money to buy Reliance. The wife is upset. She does not understand that the positive signals from the US housing market means that the Sensex is going to boom soon.

March 15th, 2006
Dear Diary,
Telephone got cut today. Wife has gone to native place with the children. I was very upset before I realised that I can use the savings from groceries, food and fees to buy into three new IPOs.

p.s. Warren Buffet wallpaper on desktop for inspiration.

May 22, 2006,
Dear Diary,
Market crashed 1100 points. Oh shit.

On the bright side I have discovered how much more efficient it is to buy fruits and vegetables every day instead of depending on the fridge. I don't think I need that any more.

June 2, 2006,
Dear Diary,
Wife and children came back today. And left immediately when they realised that I had sacrificed, in my fervour for participation in the capital markets, our furniture and kitchen appliances. She has moved to Mr. Ramanathan's place.

I think I will stay off the market for a while till things improve.

p.s. L&T is rocking. Sigh.

September 26th, 2007
Dear Diary,
Mr. Ambani is worth 50 billion rupees. I know that if I got one more chance at the markets I would make a few millions myself.

Wife and children are back home. Things are going fine.

Maybe if I buy just a little ICICI. Just a little. Promise.

November 11th, 2007
Dear Diary,
I've been thinking a lot of how much my wife loves me these last few days. Does she even remember the romance we used to share? The evenings we spent holding hands in that caf�? That diamond ring I gave her at our engagement?

I hope not.

January 21st, 2008
Dear Diary,

Sub-prime something. Oh shit.

ypical Novice Mentality Of A Investor In Stock Mkt - Well Explained - taratele

2008-02-05T03:12:00.000-08:00

what do u say guys?

ipo information

2008-02-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

Wockhardt Hospitals IPO :

Wockhardt Hospitals IPO was supposed to close today.
it has extended the date of the issue by two days, now it will close on 7 feb.

Tulsi Extrusions Limited IPO :

Tulsi Extrusions Limited IPO closes today.
Subscription will be average in the retail category, Around 2 to 3 times.
Subscription will be reasonable in the HNI & QIB category.

IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited IPO :

IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited IPO closes today.
It can subscribe 3 to 5 times in the retail category.
Subscription will be good in the HNI & QIB category.

Gss America Infotech Ltd IPO :

Gss America Infotech Ltd IPO opens 11 feb and closes on 15 feb.
Price band - Rs 400/- to Rs 440/- Per Equity Share.

Reliance Power Allotment :

Reliance Power listing date - 11 Feb.

How to buy a stock index future

2008-02-04T19:39:00.000-08:00

For all the hype and publicity that attended the launch of trading in equity derivatives on the two premier bourses in the country - the and the National Stock Exchange - the nitty-gritty of this rather arcane concept is simplicity itself. Provided one is familiar with the system.

Here is how the derivatives trading works in practice:

Step 1 In this example, the BSE's 30-stock index, the Sensex, is the underlying asset.

Step 2 You feel that the Sensex will close at 5000 on the last Thursday of July (all the contracts whether for one month, two month or three month expire on the last Thursday of the month) for the one month contract. Then, you have to choose the minimum quantity of transaction akin to market lot in the spot market. In the case of the Sensex, it is fixed at 50 times the index. In other words, you are required to buy a minimum of 50 contracts of Sensex futures.

Step 3 At this stage, you have to calculate what is called the Tick size which is nothing but the minimum movement of the Sensex futures. This is taken at 0.1 percent which is equivalent to Rs.5. That is to say, the price of each contract is Rs.5.

Step 4 You decide to buy 50 July contracts of Sensex futures. With the Sensex futures for July pegged at 5000, your contract value is Rs.12.5 lakh (5000 x 50 (contracts) x Rs.5)

Step 5 You are not required to pay the entire money now as all that is needed from you is the initial margin which is fixed at 5 percent. i.e., Rs.62, 500 on the total value of the contract of Rs. 12.5 lakh.

Step 6 On the next trading day, if the Sensex rises to 5200, your July futures contract will have gained 200 points and you will have made a profit of Rs.50, 000 (200 x 50 x 5) which the seller will pay you. On the other hand, if the Sensex falls by a similar margin, you are obliged to pay the seller a similar sum.

Step 7 This kind of transaction can be undertaken on a daily basis till the July contract expires. Alternatively, you can carry on in this fashion till the final settlement is done.

Step 8 When the final settlement falls due, one fact must be borne in mind. On this day, the actual Sensex is related to the Sensex futures of the preceding day, which is the last Thursday of July. Even if the actual Sensex is at 5400 while the Sensex futures is fixed at 5200, you stand to gain Rs.50, 000 (200 x 50 x 5), this being the sum payable by the seller.

Happy Trading!

Mkts open with a gap up: Nifty above 5400

2008-02-03T22:07:00.000-08:00

The markets opened in green with a gap up after ending higher on the Friday which was the first day of the new series. The cues from global peers were strong as most of the Asia was trading higher. Wall Street also ended in green with moderate gains on Friday; Dow was up 92 points. The broader markets also trading firm giving markets positive breadth. Sensex was up nearly 450 points and Nifty was up nearly 150 points.

Among the major gainers were Rel Communication, , Reliance, ABB, Siemens, BPCL, Infosys, Sterlite, ONGC, Idea Cellular, ICICI Bank, Tata Power, Tata Motors, Rel Energy, ITC.

Real Estate stocks like Parsvnath, Unitech along with bank stocks like Uco Bank opened strong.

The Indian Rupee was at Rs 39.33-39.35 per dollar versus Rs 39.35 Friday.

At 10:00 am, Sensex was at 18,697 up 455 points and Nifty was up 140 points at 5457.

Asian markets were trading higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 3.71%, Japan's Nikkei gained 2.48%, Singapore's Straits Times shot up 2.40% and South Korea's Seoul Composite was up 3.47%.

Market cues:

* Global markets stable; US mkts gained on Friday, Asia trading in green
* FIIs net sell USD 841.2 million in equity on Jan 31
* NSE F&O Open Int up by Rs 2,601 crore at Rs 63,244 crore

F&O cues:

* Futures Open Interest up by Rs 1,888 crore, Options Open Interest up by Rs 713 crore
* Nifty Futures shed 6 lakh shares in OI; at 4-pt premium Vs 54-pt discount
* Nifty Open Interest Put-Call ratio at 1 Vs 0.81
* Nifty Puts add 13 lakh shares in Open Interest
* Nifty Calls shed 1.7 lakh shares in Open Interest
* Nifty 6050 Call sheds 14.8 lakh shares in Open Interest
* Nifty 5000 Put adds 3.1 lakh shares in Open Interest
* Nifty 5200 Put adds 2.3 lakh shares in Open Interest
* Nifty 5200 Call adds 2.8 lakh shares in Open Interest
* Stock Futures add 1.5 cr shares in Open Interest

ipo information

2008-02-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

Reliance Power Allotment :

Reliance Power allotment is out.
Click here to check your allotment status.
Rs 71,000 crore was disbursed to unsuccessful applicants by HDFC Bank on a single day on Friday.

Reliance Telecom Infrastructure (RTIL) IPO :

Reliance Telecom Infrastructure (RTIL) is planning up to raise nearly Rs 5,000-6,000 crore through an IPO.
Reliance Telecom Infrastructure is going to file the draft red herring prospectus with Sebi this week.

Market.....

2008-02-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

Dear ALl, MARKET WILL BE GOOD FOR THIS WEEK, STEBILIZE at 18,000 to 18,500 KEEP BUY GOOD FUNDAMENTALS AND Good FINANCIAL STOCKS LIKE 1) ALPA LABORATORIES at 33/- 2) IFCI at 57/- 3) IDBI 4) BHAGYANAGAR INDIA at 50/- 5) GULF OIL CORPORATION AT 200/-

How to spend wisely. 4 tips

2008-02-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

Today's youth have higher disposable incomes as compared to their counterparts in earlier generations. The same has resulted in a significant change in lifestyles.
Objects that were considered luxury goods say a decade ago have become necessities for the present generation. In fact, the young population has been a major contributor to the India growth story. It is widely believed that spending habits of the youth will play a major role in vitalising the economic cycle, going forward.
However, there is a need to understand that spending in an unrestrained and haphazard manner could spell disaster for your finances. Spending should be done with a degree of discipline and planning. We present four tips which will help you master the art of spending.

Spend in line with a budget
Remember the longstanding method of making a budget and then spending in line with the same. That is still the right way to go about spending. Having a clearly laid-out budget will help you prioritise your spending. For example, the highest priority must be accorded to investments that have to be made in line with investment plans and commitments like life insurance premiums. Only when the high priority needs have been taken care of, should the balance funds be used for other expenses. Although the idea of abiding by a budget for spending may seem "uncool", it is nonetheless, the right thing to do.

Track expenses
Again, tracking where you have spent your money may not qualify as an interesting way to spend time, but it is important nonetheless. It will provide you an unambiguous picture of your cash flows; this will put you in better control of your finances. More importantly, it will provide you an insight into your spending habits. This in turn can help you understand the areas that account for a significant portion of your expenses and give you the opportunity to do a reality check on their utility.

Don't succumb to impulse spending
It is now considered trendy to hangout at malls, coffee shops and lounges. And window displays and latest blockbusters are known to test the resolve of even the strongest. A young individual with access to disposable funds can be rather vulnerable in such a situation. Resist the temptations and don't succumb to impulse spending. This is especially pertinent if the spending will come at the cost of your monthly investment towards your retirement/home building corpus. Always try to spend in line with your budget.
For example, while it's good to take your friends to the movies or for a dinner once in a while, we recommend that it not be overdone. Movies/dinners can be very expensive propositions these days, which means that you stand to gain significantly if you cut down these outings even by say 20%.
For example, even if Rs 1,000 were to be saved on these outings and invested in a diversified equity fund over 20 years as a one-time investment, it would mature into Rs 16,366 (assuming 15% compounded growth).

Beware of credit cards
Easy availability of credit cards has provided a major boost to spending. A credit card gives you access to high spending limits; also it liberates you of the worry about handling cash. But credit cards have their downsides as well. For example, making the "minimum payment due" could get you entangled in a debt trap and force you to make interest payments at obscenely high rates. In fact, credit cards are so pervasive in the present day context that we have chosen to dedicate an article to the same in this guide.

GPS Navigation for India

2008-02-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

Its finally made. Now you can go to cities with out getting screwed by the drivers. I think this one is the best. It sort of looks like Garmin. Has anyone tried these brands? Does it cover all the states as it mentions? Also, if you want to get the whole city, the price can go up to Rs. 20,000 ($500). This probably nothing for us westerners huh. ?

http://www.gogoindia.in/products.php --- Soon to be released.

So, what do you say? Would this make you more confident to explore all over India by yourself the next time you visit?

shares...for small investors

2008-02-02T00:12:00.000-08:00

KEEP BUY GOOD FUNDAMENTALS AND Good FINANCIAL STOCKS LIKE 1) ALPA LABORATORIES at 33/- 2) BHAGYANAGAR INDIA at 50/- 3) GULF OIL CORPORATION AT 200/- Better to Enter good fundamentals & less PE scripts like ROCKET STOCK IN THIS CURRENT MARKET BHGAYNAGAR INDIA LTD at 49/- Double your Money within 2 Months Time. Take the Delivery Position Hold 2 Months, You will get 100% returns. ITS very safe bet. Lot of Accumulation By Foreign Investors, Corporate Bodies. See the delivery Positions for the last 3 Days.BHGAYANAGAR INDIA Vey good Financials & Good fundamentals. BHGAYNAGAR INDIA Ltd placement of 55 Lac Warrants to Non-promoters at 90/- Issue warrants, convertible to one share.EGM on 31 s January 2008. Valuation of this share was 150/-. MULTIBAGGER COMPANY in FUTURE. Don’t Miss this Oppertinity. Promoters Holding 55%. Foreigm Institutions & Central Govt.15%, Indian Corporate Bodies 5%, Overseas Corporate Bodies 7% Public only 18%. Check the recent Share holding Pattern in bseindia site. There is No worry about this share market UP’S and DOWN. Company having 550 Crores Land Bank. (This 550 Crores value number announced in CNBC Conference call with company MD). Total shares 7.45 Crores (2/- Face Value) Each share Land value is 560/7.4 = 75 Rupees (his Value is only Land) And Company Running with good profit CABLE Industry per share value 75/- as Industry value (based on the EPS). SO Share value is 75/- + 75/- = 150/- Minimum. So Safe investment Oppertinity at current Price 49/- Valuation of this share was 150/-, But Now trading at 49/- Company Planning to Demerging of Infrastructure Bussiness. Bhagyanagar India Ltd. is a Hyderabad based company which has forayed into real estate and infrastructure development to unlock the value of its existing land bank of 3 million square feet. The new development projects include integrated residential townships, IT parks, and hardware parks. The present value of the undeveloped land bank and tenanted property of the company is Rs 6,160 mn. The one million square feet technology park in Uppal is the likely to complete in 15 to 18 months. Early next year we would have launched our housing project in Vizag in 52 acres, with 1.2 million sq ft. The revenues are likely to increase to Rs 3,591 mn in FY08 and Rs 5,021 mn in FY09 and the net profits likely to grow at a CAGR of 53.34% to Rs 936 mn by FY09. The company is valued at Rs 65 a share with an upside of 57% from the current stock price of around Rs 40. For the next 4-5 years we see the company grow at 40 to 50 percent and expect 150 crores in infrastructure sales next year, said Narendra Surana, MD, Bhagyanagar India. Outright sale of small parcels and development of residential townships, IT parks and hardware parks on the larger land parcels is the route that works best in Hyderabad, for the company. It plans to sell the residential constructions and retain portions of commercial properties for the reason of higher rental yield on the latter. Over 6 Mn Sqft of net saleable area is likely to be developed over the next five years. A tourism project representing miniature monuments in India, a multiproduct SEZ and a resort complex are at different stages of finalization. Bhagyanagar India has shown good Q4 Fy 07 results due to extensive real estate and infrastructure sales. The topline showed a YoY growth of 66.7 per cent and a QoQ growth of 90.02 per cent. The company showed operating margins of 62.97 per cent as against 20 â€“ 25 per cent in the previous quarters. Consequently the net profit jumped to Rs 487.86 mn, showing a YoY growth of 442.19 per cent and a QoQ growth of 609.31per cent in Q4 FY07. On a consolidated basis, BIL showed a YoY growth of 35.96 per cent in the net sales in FY2007. The bottom line showed a YoY growth of nearly 170 percent. The real estate and infrastructure division showed an impressive YoY growth of 452.68 per cent in its topline in FY2007. As the real estate and infrastructure division accounting for over 58 per cent of the companyâ€™s top line in Q4 FY07, it will remain the key area of focus. On a consolidated level, the division contributed 28 percent to the topline and nearly 76 per cent to the PBIT of the company in FY2007. The company is also keen on selling some of its unused land bank for which it is getting handsome price and subsequently investing the amount in development projects. Estimated EPS for this year was 8/- (Annualised). Company Proposed EPS for 2008-09 is 15/- Karvy & other brokerages also acquiring this stock. Lot of Accumulating is going on last 3 days. Sell All Penny stocks Buy Bhagyanagar India. Enter current price at 49/- Target 95/- 155/- within 6 months time. Just invest and get 100 to 200% profit within 6 months time. THERE is NO RISK at 49/- IF Market crash also It will get Immediately go to 60/- Just Buy and Hold, SAFE BET at 49/- and you will get appreciation 100% within 2 Months Time.

and 1 can also look 4

1- lokesh machine
2-jhunjhunwala vanaspati limited
3-zen technologies

Do u hav ne words 2 describe dis?????

2008-02-01T18:43:00.001-08:00

Todays Market Watch....

2008-02-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

The rupee may inch higher on Friday, buoyed by gains on Wall Street and other Asian markets and hopes hefty U.S. rate cuts will to draw investments into higher-yielding Indian assets.

* The partially convertible rupee ended at 39.38/39 per dollar on Thursday, a shade stronger than the previous close of 39.39/40. It has hovered in a broad 39.34-39.48 band for most of the week.

* The U.S. Federal Reserve cut rates by a half-percentage point on Wednesday as part of an ongoing effort to halt a sharp slowdown in the world's largest economy, a move which could attract investment flows into India.

* Asian stock markets rose on Friday after one of their worst months on record as concerns eased about the outlook for top bond insurers which have been hit by the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis and credit-related losses.

Today Markets Closed at

BSE 18242.58 + 593.87

Microsoft offers to buy Yahoo for $44.6 bn

2008-02-01T09:06:00.000-08:00

IT giant Microsoft Corporation on Friday announced that it was planning to acquire all the outstanding shares of Yahoo! common stock for per share consideration of $31 representing a total equity value of approximately $44.6 billion.

Microsoft's proposal would allow the Yahoo! shareholders to elect to receive cash or a fixed number of shares of Microsoft common stock, with the total consideration payable to Yahoo! shareholders consisting of one-half cash and one-half Microsoft common stock.

The offer represents a 62 percent premium above the closing price of Yahoo! common stock on Jan. 31, 2008, says a release issued by Microsoft on Friday.
Commenting on the proposal, Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft said, "We have great respect for Yahoo!, and together we can offer an increasingly exciting set of solutions for consumers, publishers and advertisers while becoming better positioned to compete in the online services market."

The online advertising market is growing at a very fast pace, from over $40 billion in 2007 to nearly $80 billion by 2010. Microsoft believes this is the time for consolidation and convergence.

Together, Microsoft and Yahoo! can offer a competitive choice while better fulfilling the needs of customers and partners. The combination will create a more efficient company and will generate at least $1 billion in annual synergy for the combined entity.
Microsoft has developed a plan and process that will include the employees of both companies to focus on the integration of the combined business.

"We believe our combination will deliver superior value to our respective shareholders and better choice and innovation to our customers and industry partners," Ballmer said.

The company plans to offer significant retention packages to Yahoo! engineers, key leaders and employees across all disciplines.
Microsoft believes this proposed combination would receive all necessary regulatory approvals and expects that the proposed transaction would be completed in the second half of calendar year 2008.

more movies

2008-01-31T23:24:00.000-08:00

other movies

2008-01-31T23:22:00.000-08:00

movies download...in less than 50 mb.....

2008-01-31T23:13:00.000-08:00

Investment ideas

2008-01-31T21:53:00.002-08:00

From time to time, I have been recommending scrips for investment. My perspective is a hold of 12 to 18 months for decent return. I am looking for wealth creation. While there are large numbers of good companies in the market, we need to be interested when they are priced attractive, have a potential for at least 30% growth in a year, and their downside should be within 10 to 12% from CMP.

While none of us can assure the perfect risk-reward ratio, in the underlying business, there needs to be a sustainable income model; reasonably assured earnings visibility; EPS needs to grow year on year (preferably every quarter); sturdy profit margins; and if possible, high entry barriers.

While we can keep expanding our wish list and seek better corporate governance, improving market share, core values, and several other attributes, I believe the performance results would translate the business performance, and ground realities in the long run.

After examining a large number of scrips, from both fundamental and technical levels, I find the following attractive for investment:

1. BHEL

2. Hind Zinc

3. ICICI Bank

4. Mahindra & Mahindra

5. ONGC

6. Reliance Industries

7. Tech Mahindra

8. Allsec Technologies

9. Maharashtra Seamless

10. Neuland Laboratories.

These are not for traders or short term plays. Do not watch the moves or volatility on a week to week basis, but watch them on month to month or quarter to quarter levels.

There are other good scrips such as Bharti or SBI or L&T or Siemens which meet every requirement except price. They have run up, and would become a compelling buy if & when they are cheaper.

A few sectors such banks, ball bearings, cement etc are attractive, but valuation needs to be in our favor. I wish to see the risk-reward ratio in our favor, before I prefer to buy.

Some sectors such as sugar, textiles etc are going through pains, and I believe the worst is not over for them.

The list suggested above would be updated from time to time, and I suggest you to examine their fundamentals, price trends and market sentiments before you rush to place the buy order. Be convinced that it is a bargain, and in your time scale.

31st jan

2008-01-31T21:53:00.001-08:00

UPDATED ON 31 JANUARY 2008. Dear ALl, MARKET WILL BE STEBILIZE at 18,000. KEEP BUY GOOD FUNDAMENTALS AND Good FINANCIAL STOCKS LIKE 1) ALPA LABORATORIES at 33/- 2) BHAGYANAGAR INDIA at 50/- 3) GULF OIL CORPORATION AT 200/- Better to Enter good fundamentals & less PE scripts like ROCKET STOCK IN THIS CURRENT MARKET BHGAYNAGAR INDIA LTD at 49/- Double your Money within 2 Months Time. Take the Delivery Position Hold 2 Months, You will get 100% returns. ITS very safe bet. Lot of Accumulation By Foreign Investors, Corporate Bodies. See the delivery Positions for the last 3 Days.BHGAYANAGAR INDIA Vey good Financials & Good fundamentals. BHGAYNAGAR INDIA Ltd placement of 55 Lac Warrants to Non-promoters at 90/- Issue warrants, convertible to one share.EGM on 31 s January 2008. Valuation of this share was 150/-. MULTIBAGGER COMPANY in FUTURE. Don’t Miss this Oppertinity. Promoters Holding 55%. Foreigm Institutions & Central Govt.15%, Indian Corporate Bodies 5%, Overseas Corporate Bodies 7% Public only 18%. Check the recent Share holding Pattern in bseindia site. There is No worry about this share market UP’S and DOWN. Company having 550 Crores Land Bank. (This 550 Crores value number announced in CNBC Conference call with company MD). Total shares 7.45 Crores (2/- Face Value) Each share Land value is 560/7.4 = 75 Rupees (his Value is only Land) And Company Running with good profit CABLE Industry per share value 75/- as Industry value (based on the EPS). SO Share value is 75/- + 75/- = 150/- Minimum. So Safe investment Oppertinity at current Price 49/- Valuation of this share was 150/-, But Now trading at 49/- Company Planning to Demerging of Infrastructure Bussiness. Bhagyanagar India Ltd. is a Hyderabad based company which has forayed into real estate and infrastructure development to unlock the value of its existing land bank of 3 million square feet. The new development projects include integrated residential townships, IT parks, and hardware parks. The present value of the undeveloped land bank and tenanted property of the company is Rs 6,160 mn. The one million square feet technology park in Uppal is the likely to complete in 15 to 18 months. Early next year we would have launched our housing project in Vizag in 52 acres, with 1.2 million sq ft. The revenues are likely to increase to Rs 3,591 mn in FY08 and Rs 5,021 mn in FY09 and the net profits likely to grow at a CAGR of 53.34% to Rs 936 mn by FY09. The company is valued at Rs 65 a share with an upside of 57% from the current stock price of around Rs 40. For the next 4-5 years we see the company grow at 40 to 50 percent and expect 150 crores in infrastructure sales next year, said Narendra Surana, MD, Bhagyanagar India. Outright sale of small parcels and development of residential townships, IT parks and hardware parks on the larger land parcels is the route that works best in Hyderabad, for the company. It plans to sell the residential constructions and retain portions of commercial properties for the reason of higher rental yield on the latter. Over 6 Mn Sqft of net saleable area is likely to be developed over the next five years. A tourism project representing miniature monuments in India, a multiproduct SEZ and a resort complex are at different stages of finalization. Bhagyanagar India has shown good Q4 Fy 07 results due to extensive real estate and infrastructure sales. The topline showed a YoY growth of 66.7 per cent and a QoQ growth of 90.02 per cent. The company showed operating margins of 62.97 per cent as against 20 â€“ 25 per cent in the previous quarters. Consequently the net profit jumped to Rs 487.86 mn, showing a YoY growth of 442.19 per cent and a QoQ growth of 609.31per cent in Q4 FY07. On a consolidated basis, BIL showed a YoY growth of 35.96 per cent in the net sales in FY2007. The bottom line showed a YoY growth of nearly 170 percent. The real estate and infrastructure division showed an impressive YoY growth of 452.68 per cent in its topline in FY2007. As the real estate and infrastructure division accounting for over 58 per cent of the companyâ€™s top line in Q4 FY07, it will remain the key area of focus. On a consolidated level, the division contributed 28 percent to the topline and nearly 76 per cent to the PBIT of the company in FY2007. The company is also keen on selling some of its unused land bank for which it is getting handsome price and subsequently investing the amount in development projects. Estimated EPS for this year was 8/- (Annualised). Company Proposed EPS for 2008-09 is 15/- Karvy & other brokerages also acquiring this stock. Lot of Accumulating is going on last 3 days. Sell All Penny stocks Buy Bhagyanagar India. Enter current price at 49/- Target 95/- 155/- within 6 months time. Just invest and get 100 to 200% profit within 6 months time. THERE is NO RISK at 49/- IF Market crash also It will get Immediately go to 60/- Just Buy and Hold, SAFE BET at 49/- and you will get appreciation 100% within 2 Months Time.

Men who killed Gandhi

2008-01-30T23:41:00.000-08:00

Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte together decided that Mahatma Gandhi had to be killed. As to which of them first thought of the plot, however, remains a mystery, says a book to be released on Wednesday on the 60th anniversary of the assassination of the Father of the Nation.
The resolution to kill the Mahatma was made by the two as they read on the teleprinter the news on Gandhi's decision to go on a fast to force transfer of Rs 55 crore to Pakistan.
In Pune, the two men, sitting in their non-descript newspaper office read the news and suddenly make their decision – Gandhi had to be killed, says the revised edition of The Men Who Killed Gandhi by Manohar Malgaonkar.
The 94-year-old author, who is an ex-serviceman and a civil servant, first published The Men Who Killed Gandhi in 1978. The new edition of the book carries, according to the publisher, hitherto unpublished photographs and documents including the Bombay-Delhi air tickets and bills of the hotel used by the two in Delhi while on their mission.
“Of the six men who were finally adjudged to have been implicated in the murder conspiracy, two were hanged. The other four – the approver Badge and the three who got life sentences, Karkare, Gopal and Madanlal talked to me freely and at length,” says the author in his note to the first edition of the book. "All the four gave me much information that they had never revealed before,” he claims.
The book has some rare photographs including one of Jinnah and Mahatma Gandhi having a heated argument and Godse and Apte in Pune during the trial. Malgaonkar describes Godse as a voracious reader, his interests being mythology, scriptures and Marathi history.

After he met VD Savarkar, Godse was never the same having been transformed into a fiery champion of all the causes that Savarkar stood for, political, social, religious, freedom from British rule, abolition of the caste system and re-conversion of Hindus who
had been enticed into Islam or Christianity.
At 31, Godse was a quiet man of simple and almost austere tastes. Pledged to celibacy, he shied away from the company of women. His secret pride was his ability to sway crowds with his speeches.
In contrast, Apte was quick witted, lively and well educated. He smoked and drank, wore expensive clothes and was fond of all the good things in life.
"The two men who were so different should become the closest friends seems almost unnatural, but people who knew them will assert that neither was a homosexual and that the friendship was due entirely to their total identity of views on the Sanghatan movement", the author says.
Madanlal Pahwa, another accused was a refugee from Pakistan who had experienced the atrocities first hand. He was accused of throwing a bomb at Gandhi's prayer meeting on January 20. Pahwa came in touch with Godse and Apte through Vishnu Karkare who took him from am refugee camp in Bombay to Ahmednagar and helped him earn a living, the book says.
Digambar Badge, one of the four accused was not the kind of a person who inspired confidence. He was owner of 'Shastr Bhandar', a storehouse of weapons. An inveterate name-dropper and a big talker, Badge came in contact with Godse and Apte through one Dixitji Maharaj, the author says.
After the two made up their mind to kill Gandhi, Godse and Apte set a target date – January 20. To accomplish their task the team set out to kill or maim scores of men and women, who, they knew, would be crowding around Gandhi.
"As it crystallised in the MarinaHotel in Delhi’s Cannought Circus on the afternoon of January 20, it was a horrifying mixture that was part farce,” the book says.
The plans, however, changed and on January 30, when a man wearing a grey shirt walked in through the service gate of Birla House and no one checked him.
Godse later told his brother Gopal that he was put off by the two girls walking in front of Gandhi. As Gandhi raised his hand to greet the crowd, Godse slid forward the safety catch on the Beretta while it was still in his pocket and then stepped up to him, the author says.

Sarkozy visit: Style but no substance

2008-01-30T20:32:00.000-08:00

A couple of years back, just after the football World Cup final, the press attache of a European embassy in Delhi explained to me that Zinedine Zidane's coup de boule (head butt) could be considered as the dream 'coup' in terms of communication. Without judging the right or wrong of the gesture, the fact that the entire planet spoke about it for one week, forgetting the poor Italians who hardly got any coverage for their victory, was a real publicity 'coup'. Even people who had not the faintest clue of what football is about, were commenting on the Frenchman's action (or reaction).

In a way, President Nicolas Sarkozy'S visit to India was a mini media coup de boule. Even the most austere newspapers, without a famous (or infamous) page 3, covered the French president's visit, speculating on a daily basis if the fiancee would be in the presidential plane (or later join him) for a darshan of the Taj Mahal .

In this sense, the presidential visit was a great success; whether or not orchestrated, Sarkozy's trip got it hundred-fold more publicity that Francois Mitterrand's in 1982 and 1989 or in 1998 and 2006.

Now there is another criterion to judge the success of foreign trip by a head of State: It is the billions of dollars of contracts signed. On this account President Sarkozy's visit to India lags far behind his visit to Beijing two months ago (contracts worth 20 billion euros were signed). That is probably why his Elysee palace office had termed the visit 'more political than economic.'

The main outcome of the State visit seems to have been that both sides reemphasised the importance of the strategic partnership: 'To enhance their strategic dialogue, both countries will hold regular consultations between high ranking officials of their respective foreign ministries on issues of mutual interest,' says the joint statement.

But this strategic partnership is not something new. It was put in place after President Chirac's visit in 1998. At that time it was quite unique, though today India has 'strategic partnerships' with all and sundry.

For the past 10 years, the partnership has helped institutionalise a dialogue by putting in place structures like:

A Strategic Dialogue at the level of the national security advisers provides both sides an opportunity to review the evolution of the overall global security situation (17 rounds have been held so far).

A High Level Committee for Defence at the level of defence secretaries, works through its three specialised sub-committees, dealing with issues related to defence cooperation.

A Joint Working Group on Terrorism has been established to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.

Not new also is the position of Paris about the expansion of the United Nations Security Council and the G8. Sarkozy reiterated in strong terms French policy: 'I do not see how we can wait and wait for the reform of the Security Council... We have to increase the seats and India has to be a member," and it would be India's 'rightful place'. The joint statement confirms that 'the G-8 needs to be expanded over time to G-13 including India.'

France might be 'India's best friend' as the French president put it, but the fact remains that the share of France in India's foreign trade is today only 1.8 percent -- awfully low as the British would say. Though Sarkozy declared that he would like at least 1,000 small and medium size companies to enter the Indian market, it is easier said than done.

In this context, the last minute absence of Christine Lagarde, the French finance minister, in Sarkozy's entourage is most regrettable. The pretext was that the largest fraud ever was detected in the accounts of the prominent bank Societe Generale leading to a loss of 4.9 billions euros. Her presence in France cannot change the wrong-doings of a junior trader, while if she had come to India, it would have given a strong signal that Paris means business.

The personality of a French president who does nothing in half measures led many observers to expect a greater and perhaps out-the-box new impetus to the bilateral relations. Many thought his energy would translate into a new dynamism in the relations between Paris and Delhi. But was it possible in the present circumstances?

His trip came hardly two months after the regrettable and unexplained cancellation of the purchase of 197 helicopters by the Indian Army from the French-based European consortium Eurocopter. If it has not affected the rapport between the two nations, it has definitively hampered the contract 'tally'.

The annulling of the Eurocopter deal was a pointer to the unfortunate way things are planned in the land of Bharat. It is only after a soldier dies that someone starts thinking that coffins are urgently needed. Coffins are then quickly purchased, but soon the CAG enters into the picture and objects: 'Illegal! The three statutory quotations were not obtained and field trials not conducted.' It becomes a major scam and the ministry decides to draft new rules and regulations, more rigorous to avoid future scams. The new rules are so stringent, that hardly any deal can pass through the net.

Even if Dassault, the manufacturer of the famed Mirage fighter planes offered to sell 40 of its new generation Rafale fighters to New Delhi, it is doubtful if a 'fast track' deal can go through the net of the defence ministry's procurement policy.

Another deception is the last minute cancellation of the presidential visit to Mumbai or Bangalore. This could definitely have brought some substance to the visit and planted seeds for future collaborations.

Added to this, one fails to understand why Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was invited to Paris a few days before Sarkozy's arrival in Delhi. It was an unnecessary and ill-timed gesture, although Paris does not equate India and Pakistan anymore.

Before Sarkozy's visit, I had gone through all the clippings of previous presidential visits. One article in Le Monde attracted my attention.

Written before the 1989 Mitterrand visit, it quoted an Indian businessman dealing with France: 'You are able to demonstrate true solidarity (with India); sometimes strike great commercial 'coups', but between these sudden initiatives, you don't work, you let the links loosen. This is the quality and the flaw of the French.'

I thought that was exactly what would happen. Sarkozy, the dynamic president, would pull out a 'coup', return to France and forget about India. Now, he has come, but pulled no rabbit out of his hat (not even his fiancee), though he seems to have been touched by India and its people: "C'est fantastique", he said about his visit to the Taj.

So why can't the relations between India and France bloom without a media 'coup' or immediate large contracts. In any case, the conditional agreement on the civilian use of nuclear energy will hopefully translate into win-win contracts in the months to come. A day before the visit, Le Monde wrote, 'India, an El Dorado for French atomic energy.' With the comrades willing, France could make of India a land without power cuts. Will the prime minister have the courage to go ahead, call the Communist bluff and sign a deal in Vienna? It is another matter!

Tail end: About the usual turban interlude, my information is that this 'serious' problem in France concerns less than a dozen Sikh students. Further, an enquiry by a French newspaper two years ago had revealed that the fathers of these students were mona (cut-hair) Sikhs. Having lived more than thirty years in India, I believe that one has to respect the laws, the customs (and also the difficulties) of the country where one has chosen to live. Why should senior leaders like L K Advani intervene in this matter?

IPL: Sachin, Sourav may pocket Rs 2-3 cr

2008-01-30T20:31:00.001-08:00

The Indian Premier League, promoted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, will be quite a money spinner for cricketers playing in the Twenty20 league.

The auctions are slated sometime in February, though the exact date is yet to be announced. Expectations are that stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh will rake in close to Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore in just one season of 59 match-days.

Under the rules, the four top stars will be bound to play in their home grounds in Mumbai (Tendulkar), Kolkata (Ganguly), Mohali (Singh), and Bangalore (Dravid), and will not be a part of the players' auction.

But their prices will be fixed so that they are paid 15 per cent more than what the most expensive player fetches through the auction process.

Industry sources estimate that the other Indian players like Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, Robin Uthappa and S Sreesanth will command around Rs 40 lakh for one year. M S Dhoni, the captain of the Indian Twenty20, may go in for Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1.2 crore.

Overseas players are expected to rake in between Rs 1 crore and Rs 1.5 crore each season.

The teams have a lot to choose from. Among the international stars to play in the IPL will be Australian fast bowler Brett Lee and retired spinner Shane Warne, stars from Pakistan like Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi, Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya and South Africa's Shaun Pollock, among others.

A team also needs to include emerging local talent, and young regional players may earn close to Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, said sources.

It is said that the BCCI has informed the eight team-owners that each of them has to spend $50,000 on each player in 2008, and a total of $3.3 million in 2008 on the entire squad.

At the moment each senior cricketer plays up to 45 match days in domestic cricket (if his team is successful), taking the annual match fee earnings of local players up to Rs 16.2 lakh.

The BCCI announced that domestic cricketers would be paid Rs 36,000 per match day in the current financial year, from around Rs 26,000 per match day in the last fiscal.

Spending Spree:

Each team owner to spend a minimum of $3.3 million on the entire squad of 16 in 2008.
Each player should get a minimum of $50,000 in 2008.
Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid to earn 15 per cent more than the highest player fee. Expected to rake in Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore.
M S Dhoni to get around Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1.2 crore per season.
International players like Shane Warne will earn in the range of Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore per season.
Players like Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, Robin Uthappa and Sreesanth are expected to command around Rs 40 lakh for one year.
Young regional talent may get nearly Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.

Note: The bidding process will be held only in the first year of IPL. In the years that follow, team owners will have to source players directly.

Greater Indo-US space cooperation needed: ISRO chief

2008-01-30T20:30:00.000-08:00

India on Thursday said though its understanding with the United States at the political front is good, there is a need to expedite the process of moving forward on the issues of space cooperation and space commerce.

"At the political level there is a good understanding. In 2005, our prime minister visited the US and with President Bush agreed to strengthen the relations in space cooperation, space commerce and so on. We are trying to move forward on this," Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization G Madhavan [Images] Nair said in Washington.

Nair was participating in a seminar on 'Global Space Agenda' under the aegis of the Space Initiatives of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a top think tank in Washington, DC.

"There are positive signs and there are negative signs," he remarked going on to make the point that recently there was success with Raytheon on GPS, but with "another" company on semiconducter fab, the export control regulations kicked in.

There are pluses and minuses. But we have to be patient. The process is rather slow and I wish it was faster," the ISRO chief said.

Brushing aside the apprehensions that military programmes could siphon funds out of the ISRO, he said, "Right from its inception, ISRO has been working on the peaceful application of outer space. There can be no weaponsiation of outer space. That has been our stand."

"As far as far military programmes are concerned, we have another organisation, the Defence Research and Development Organisation. We are de-linked and there is no commonality," Nair added.

Nair, who is also the chair of the Space Commission and secretary in the Department of Space, denied having any formal relation with China in the space programmes.

"On a commercial basis Chinese space agencies use us. But otherwise we do not have any formal cooperation with China," he said.

The ISRO chief is scheduled to meet senior officials of the Bush administration, including NASA administrator Michael Griffin, during his visit. The fine tuning of America's involvement in Chandrayan 1 will be discussed.

Nair maintained that a probe of Mars by India is very much on the agenda, but the details of what the Indian scientific community wants is under study.

"Our scientific community would like to see what new things we can find. It is not just for the sake of sending a probe to Mars. Yes, we have an agenda by 2012 we should have a Mars mission," he said.

Nair stressed that India's space programme has proceeded with focus to harmonise technology for the benefit of the common man.

ISI hires Dawood to kill Advani, Modi {ASIAN BOX}

2008-01-30T20:20:00.000-08:00

Security around senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was reviewed on Tuesday following intelligence inputs that global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim has been asked by Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence to assassinate them.

The inputs to central agencies have come from various sources indicating that Dawood had been approached by ISI to carry out the plot, sources said.

Immediately after receiving the inputs, the review of security of Advani, who is a 'Z-plus' protectee was done, and was found the arrangements satisfactory.

The Centre also sent an advisory to Gujarat government for taking necessary steps to beef up the security of Modi who also enjoys Z-plus category security.

The intelligence inputs suggested that Dawood, who has been designated by the US as a global terrorist having links with the Al Qaeda, had been roped in after several sleeper cells of various terror groups failed to execute the plan.

Default Current WrestleMania Plans; Vince's Match, HHH and Gold

2008-01-30T20:11:00.000-08:00

Early plans for WrestleMania 24 have Triple H facing John Cena for the WWE Title, which would mean Triple H wins the Elimination Chamber and Cena takes the belt from Orton at No Way Out. There also has been rumblings of a 3-way with Orton, Triple H and Cena at WrestleMania. Either way, Triple H is likely to be wrestling for the gold in the main event at WrestleMania. It's being said Triple H has politicking backstage in WWE very hard since the Rumble on Sunday night.

The expected SmackDown main event is still Edge vs. The Undertaker, which would mean both men win their matches at No Way Out. MVP vs. Matt Hardy for the WWE United States Championship is still being planned and of course the Money in the Bank match. The rest of the big stars such as Hardy, Kennedy and Orton (if he's not in the main event) are expected to be thrown into the MITB match.

What about Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania? There has been talk of doing something between him and Finlay over Hornswoggle, although not necessarily a singles match. Possible matches are Vince vs. Mick Foley, Foley vs. Shane McMahon or Finlay & Foley vs. Shane & Vince.

************************************************** ***************************************

Acoordin to yea....

WAT SHUD BE THE RAW WMANIA MAINEVENT??????????

My pick HHH V/s CENA "HELL IN A CELL"(I know chances are very less but still love to see it)

Get into Shape like Khali

2008-01-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

For many – possibly you included – such a pledge entails physical change, getting in shape. But, before you join the one-quarter of Americans who ditch their resolutions within a matter of days, why not consider training like a 7-foot-3 Punjabi giant?

“The Great Khali bears the most extraordinary physique in WWE history – let alone the planet,” Ranjin Singh declared. “The Great Khali's muscles are at least four times the size of an average man. He is a natural marvel – not some ordinary wrestling fan.”

Initially, Singh admonished WWE for trying to interfere in The Great Khali’s matters and snickered at the thought of any human trying to exercise like the Punjabi Warrior. Still, Khali’s translator relished in the opportunity to boast on behalf of the 420-pound goliath.

The former World Heavyweight Champion works out in private facilities, maintaining his inhuman frame and might using free weights. While fortifying his extraordinary physique, Khali also does a minimum of 60 minutes of strictly cardiovascular training, primarily on a custom-built, oversized elliptical machine.

To begin his week, Khali’s bodybuilding regimen includes 600-pound bench presses, 300-pound shoulder presses and arm curls using weights of 150 pounds – “all humble feats for him,” according to Singh.
The next day, Khali stacks weights to the max for his lats workout and also focuses on his biceps, pulling an incredible 300 pounds on the rowing machine. On a completely separate day, the colossus centers his attention on his lower extremities with leg presses, leg extensions and calf workouts – all in “repetition for countless hours until he just starts to break a sweat,” Singh affirmed.

Unlike the “chocolate laden cookies” that Singh argued “most average individuals fancy,” Khali’s diet is greatly comprised of the finest, freshest vegetarian produce. From broccoli hearts to whole carrots to rare vegetation found only in his native Punjab, the 7-footer is fed nearly a dozen servings of greens, occasionally garnishing full roasted chickens. This feast is also very similar to the meal that the mammoth Superstar devours just prior to a match.

This physical exercise procedure wouldn’t be complete without the leviathan’s more ethereal daily routines. Each day, Khali spends 90 minutes in very deep, undisturbed meditation. Seated on the floor with his legs crossed, he brings his gargantuan frame to a still position and channels deities of Indian lore – many of which Khali himself has been compared to in his native city. This “spiritual nirvana,” Singh claims, commences Khali’s training regime and prepares the towering Superstar for “WWE domination.” Impressive as Khali is, most ordinary folk are far lesser beings (in size) than the towering 400-pounder – as Singh reinforced.

BSE bronze bull caused crash? Superstition, says sculptor

2008-01-30T09:05:00.001-08:00

The man who made the bronze Big Bull, installed outside the Bombay Stock Exchange, has said the sculpture is being unfairly blamed for last week's market crash. "It is all superstition. I pity people who are holding the sculpture responsible for the crash," Solapur-based sculptor Bhagwan Rampure told PTI.

His comments follow reports in a section of media that several brokers had sought removal of the bronze figure, holding it responsible for the onslaught of 'bears' last week.
"I don't have any objection. It is BSE's property now and if they want, they can shift it slightly," Rampure said responding to reports that the position of the Big Bull would be changed to appease the brokers who even went to the extent of calling the sculpture a 'panuati' (bad omen) after the Sensex came tumbling down.

The Bull was installed amid fanfare, outside the imposing building of India's largest stock exchange on January 11. It is five ft high, eight ft long and weighs over a tonne. The inspiration came from the Wall Street bull installed in New York 19 years ago.

"The market crash soon after installation of the Bull is a coincidence. People should see the sculpture as an artistic creation," Rampure said. "The stock exchange bull is a symbol for money and power and that is why the charging position of the bull was retained," Rampure, who was given pictures of the Wall Street bull before beginning his work, said.
"It is a question of one's beliefs. Based on the advice given by a big astrologer, there was a demand to change the direction of the sculpture and reinstall it on a fresh 'muhurat'. I have agreed to this as a sculptor," he added.

The bronze Big Bull outside BSE stands in a charging position

Shaun Tait quits cricket indefinitely

2008-01-30T09:04:00.001-08:00

Shaun Tait has walked away from cricket indefinitely, citing physical and emotional exhaustion. Cricket Australia announced that Tait will be rested from all levels while he undergoes a programme to help him recuperate, and the length of it will be dependent on his progress.
"This is a very difficult situation for me to be in at this time, this is not an overnight decision but something that I've been struggling with for sometime," Tait said. "A break from professional cricket will hopefully give me a clear mind and a chance for my body to rest and recover.
"My love and enjoyment of the game is struggling due to these issues and if I continue to go on it will be unfair on my team-mates and support staff of both the Australian and South Australian cricket teams - and most importantly my family and close friends."

During an up-and-down past 12 months, Tait made his ODI debut, played a key role in Australia's World Cup triumph, finishing the tournament with 23 wickets, had elbow surgery, and returned to the Test team against India in Perth. However, he was nowhere near as destructive as Australia had hoped at the WACA and failed to claim any wickets.

Trefor James, Cricket Australia's chief medical officer, said: "After discussions with Shaun and the South Australian Cricket Association medical staff it is clear that Shaun needs a break from cricket at all levels. We'll be working with Shaun going forward to ensure that whatever assistance he requires is provided to him. Shaun's personal welfare is our primary concern as well as his return to cricket at an appropriate point."

The South Australian Cricket Association's medical officer, Terry Farquharson, said Tait felt he needed to get away from the game. "Shaun has experienced recurrent injuries dating back to 2005 with a shoulder injury requiring surgery, an elbow injury in 2007 also requiring surgery, which has caused him ongoing pain as well as suffering intermittent low back and hamstring injuries," Farquharson said.
"The combination of his injury history and the demands of being an elite professional cricketer has affected his physical, and significantly, his emotional well-being. Shaun feels he needs a rest from cricket, and I support this, which will allow him to recover both physically and emotionally."

Tait was expected to be a key part of Australia's CB Series squad after his World Cup success. However, his absence will leave Australia with an even more inexperienced attack, with Glenn McGrath already missing from the side that triumphed in the Caribbean.

__________________

Todays Market Update.......BE Carefull

2008-01-30T08:58:00.000-08:00

12:26 PM - One can look at buying Ashok Leyland for 6-8 months, if it comes down to Rs 30 or below, says MB Singh, technical analyst, on NDTV Profit. The stock is currently trading at Rs 36.35 on the BSE.

12:20 PM - There is nothing positive for Bharti Airtel in the short to medium term, says Anu Jain, technical advisor, on CNBC-TV18. Unless it does not trade above Rs 892 decisively, it will not gain momentum, she adds. The stock is currently trading at Rs 858.10, up 0.9% on the BSE.

12:13 PM - IOC has support at Rs 470 and resistance at Rs 510, says MB Singh, technical analyst, on NDTV Profit. The stock is currently trading at Rs 468, down 1.5% on the BSE.

12:07 PM - The market is trading close to the day's lows. Sensex is currently at 17,857, down 234 points from the previous close. Nifty is at 5201, down 79 points. CNX Midcap index is down 0.7%, and BSE Smallcap index is down 0.5%. NSE advance-decline ratio is at 5:8.

12:03 PM - If Tata Steel falls below Rs 680, then it can fall further, says Sachin Chavhan, technical analyst, on CNBC Awaaz. To buy into this counter, wait till the market stabilises, he suggests. It is currently trading at Rs 734, up 2.5% on the BSE.

11:56 AM - Angel Broking recommends Orchid Chemicals with a target price of Rs 300, reports CNBC Awaaz. The stock is currently trading at Rs 248, up over 2% on the BSE.

11:48 AM - A cut in interest rates is expected in the next quarter and this may boost real estate stocks going forward, says PK Agarwal of Bonanza Portfolio, on Zee Business. Ansal Housing can easily go up to Rs 300, he adds. The stock is currently trading at Rs 227, down 4.3% on the BSE.

11:41 AM - Union Bank has a target price of Rs 240, says Ashwani Gujral, technical analyst, on CNBC-TV18. The stock has support at Rs 193, he adds. It is currently trading at Rs 204.70, up 1.3% on the BSE.

11:33 AM - Rajesh Exports is certainly a long term hold, says PK Agarwal of Bonanza Portfolio, on Zee Business. The stock is currently trading at Rs 144.80, up 2.4% on the BSE.

11:26 AM - The market will remain mostly rangebound as it is a result-heavy day today, says Sharmila Joshi of Prabhudas Lilladher Securities, on CNBC-TV18. But the market may witness volatility tomorrow, following the Fed's decision on interest rates, she adds.

11:19 AM - The market is still trading lower. Sensex is at 17,994, down 97 points from the previous close. Nifty is at 5244, down 36 points. Metal stocks are seeing significant buying interest. Market breadth is weak with 463 advances against 691 declines on the NSE.

11:17 AM - Banking stocks may probably sell for a couple of days, but it still remains very strong, says Ashwani Gujral, technical analyst, on CNBC-TV18. So get back into these PSU banks, on all declines, he suggests.

11:10 AM - Bank of India can touch Rs 460-465, says Ashwnai Gujral, technical analyst, on CNBC-TV18. The stock has support around Rs 350-360, he adds. It is currently trading at Rs 375.75, down 1.4% on the BSE.

11:04 AM - HDFC Securities recommends Tata Steel with a target price of Rs 1,038, reports CNBC Awaaz. The stock is currently trading at Rs 730.40, up 2% on the BSE.

10:56 AM - DLF has announced its third quarter numbers. The companyhas posted consolidated third quarter net profit of Rs 2145 crore versus Rs 2018.6 crore, reports CNBC-TV18. Net sales for Q3 is at Rs 3,598.4 crore versus Rs 3,249.9 crore (QoQ). Operating profit margin stands at 69.5% versus 69.7%. The stock is currently trading at Rs 893.95, up 1.2% on the BSE.

10:46 AM - Bharti Airtel has declared its third quarter results. The company's Q3 net profit is up at Rs 1,722 crore versus Rs 1,614 crore, QoQ (US GAAP), reports CNBC-TV18. Q3 net sales stands at Rs Rs 6,964 crore versus Rs 6,337 crore. OPM is at 42.6%. Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) is at Rs 358 versus Rs 366. the stock is currently trading up over 1% at Rs 859 on the BSE.

10:37 AM - Bharti Airtel seems to have topped out, says PK Agarwal of Bonanza Portfolio, on Zee Business. It has broken major support levels and therefore, if on any rally, it comes to Rs 880-900, one should look at exiting the stock, he suggests. It will take a long time to resume an uptrend now, he adds. It is currently trading at Rs 857, up 0.8% on the BSE.

10:28 AM - The market is trading in the negative terrain, though off the day's lows. Sensex is currently trading at 18,009, down 82 points from the previous close. Nifty is at 5248, down 32 points. CNX Midcap index is almost flat, while the BSE Smallcap index is down 0.1%. Capital goods and oil&gas stocks are witnessing selling pressure.

10:21 AM - Nalco has ouperformed in the last few months and still looks strong on the charts, says Anil Maghnani, technical analyst, on CNBC Awaaz. So every fall in the stock can be seen as a good trading opportunity, he suggests. It is currently trading at Rs 407.55, down 1.4% on the BSE.

10:13 AM - One should not panic if banking stocks fall, because they still look very strong on charts, says Anil Maghnani, technical analyst, on CNBC Awaaz. Whenever the market falls, say 4900 on the Nifty, then one can focus on SBI, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India and Punjab National Bank, he adds.

10:05 AM - Sugar stocks may not see their earlier highs soon, says Ashwani Gujral, technical analyst, on CNBC-TV18. Bajaj Hindusthan may stay in the range Rs 160-170 and Balrampur Chini in Rs 70-80, he adds. Sugar stocks are not expected to show strength for maybe another 2-3 months, he adds.

9:58 AM - The Nifty seems to be stuck in a range of 5000-5400 now, says Ashwani Gujral, technical analyst, on CNBC-TV18. If it falls to 5000, then one can initiatea buy trade and if, for some reason, it rallies to 5400, then one can maintain short positions, he suggests. But currently, the market looks pretty choppy, he adds.

9:54 AM - The market has opened slightly higher on Wednesday. Sensex is currently at 18,104, up just 12 points from the previous close. Nifty has slipped into the negative terrain, down 16 points at 5264.

9:46 AM and - The market may have a strong opening today and may see 2-sided movement, says an NDTV Profit Poll. Nifty may trade in the range 5225-5360. Stocks to watch today are Cairn India, Bharti AirtelTata Power.

2008-01-28T04:46:00.001-08:00

Je connais vous..... (I Know You......)

2008-01-28T04:43:00.002-08:00

Yes, you. I know you. We've met, infact. You are probably thinking that this is just a gimmick to catch your eye, aren't you? But think, just think for a moment. Remember that day, just like any other, when I passed by you on that busy road? You caught a whiff of the wind that waved the locks on my face as I receded into the turbulent waves of the mass. A tangy breath.......... the cheap perfume unconsciously putrefied by the salinity of my existence, struggling for its life against the suffocation of the city odour. Your nose crinkled at the obstrusive smell, unaccounted for. Ten or a dozen days after or before, the cruel sunrays that made you squint at the bus number as it rumbled past you, glinted in the frame of my glasses as I tried to read the manifesto outside the league office. Yesterday, or perhaps everyday before that, you were at lunch, surrounded by known faces. Your thoughts were busy unravelling their masks, but, your senses devoured me, as my hands flavoured the semi-solid so urgently dissolving within you, in my stove. The water flowing over your skin cleanses my sheddings hidden in the city dust. Our breath mix into each other, the proximity vilefied by the polluted air. Our innermost secrets are exchanged every moment in the crowded thought waves of every inhabited places on this earth. And still, you avert your face as I get reflected in the obscenely bright lipstick and loose blouse, standing in the rose evening of the dead-end alley.

Harry Podder - Chapter Ten - Floo Powder Flu Gets The Best of Terra

2008-01-28T04:43:00.001-08:00

Sickness ravages the studio. Stupid Floo Powder Flu. While Terra recuperates, Teria sets off on a new assignment!

It's a Christmas Miracle!!!

2008-01-28T04:42:00.001-08:00

Unbelievable! We actually recorded a new chapter. Chapter Eleven, part one, is almost ready to post. Just a few post-op tweeks and it'll be up before Monday evening. I bet you thought we'd forgotten about you? Actually, Terra forgot how to use our muggle equipment. She tried over and over again to pull out some weird floating green quill and wondered how to plug it into the iBook. Silly witch. While Terra was recuperating, I couldn't help myself and kept twiddling with the script, so it's 93 pages long now and square bound. Terra says it's too big so I've broken the next chapter up into three parts to be finished from now to the end of Christmas vacation. Be sure to spread the word on online forums and at school. Thanks! ~Perth

Harry Podder - Chapter Eleven - Terra's Back!

2008-01-28T04:41:00.001-08:00

Back from the dead but not nearly as icky as inferati, the Harry Podder Players bring you more Wizard News and a touch of drama. Hopefully today's chapter was worth the wait. Be sure to let us know what you think!

Today's chapter is just Wizard News. We had THAT much of it. We had many field reporters send in their own segments, too. So cool! Thanks, guys! Chapter 12 will be here soon with the Muggle news and the letters section - still featuring our very impressive letter guy, Mr. Bart Fargo! BTW, we are so happy Mr. Fargo finally got a girlfriend. She's apparently a really big fan of his letter readings. Teria gets all weak in the knees when she hears him, too! (I do not!)

Chapter 13 will be out at the end of Christmas break featuring the ever popular but annoying (Hey!) Teria. Spread the word! Let people know about our podcast. And Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas!

2008-01-28T04:40:00.001-08:00

We're so happy many of you enjoyed our latest chapter. We're looking forward to producing the next chapter next week, right after Christmas. In the meantime, pop on over to JK Rowling's web site for a Christmas surprise! Happy Christmas to all! ~The Harry Podder Players

An Update of Sorts

2008-01-28T04:39:00.001-08:00

Been a long year. Lots of events happening and things. I personally remember many days going by. Very exciting stuff. But no podcasts. We will have an explanation later today. Thanks for those who have stayed subscribed. You guys rock. Perth

Want to be stock market boss? Try this

2008-01-28T04:38:00.000-08:00

Cautious investors should consider a number of strategies that are formulated to enter and exit the market in a predetermined manner.

First, by buying shares on a periodic basis, it is possible to accumulate more low-priced shares. This dollar cost averaging requires constant purchasing with a fixed sum for a year or two to be effective.

Second, consider balancing your portfolio between stocks and other fixed-income securities. Whatever ratio you decide on, the success of the plan rests on your ability to monitor and act on imbalances.

Third, reinvest your dividends to purchase new shares. This is a painless way (if you do not need the dividend income) to increase your stake in the company. Remember that in the long run, a stock's value is a reflection of its dividend stream.

Earnings and projected future earnings are all important in the stock market. Get the consensus earnings estimate before you buy a company, and then monitor those earnings (and future earnings) to see that there are no surprises.

Averaging up
Paying attention to the business cycle is a classic approach to the key problem of timing purchases and sales. However, there are other equally successful ways to invest that rely on different techniques and philosophies. Some investors use one method, some another, but there is no reason not to mix them.
One truism that appears valid in the investment world is the simple observation that no one technique works all the time. Just as you diversify a portfolio with 8, 10 or 15 companies in order to eliminate company risk, it is wise to consider and implement different approaches.
One answer to the problem of timing is to pass: It is too difficult and too tenuous to place much faith in it in the view of some. Ignore timing and implement a strategy that does not rely on the vagaries of the business cycle and a host of sometimes confusing leading indicators. By using a fixed formula, the issue of when to buy and when to sell is not subject to a judgment call.

Dollar cost averaging is perhaps the most popular of these plans. By regularly purchasing the same dollar amount of securities over a long period, it is possible to buy more shares at low prices than at high prices. Thus the investor accumulates more low-priced shares than high priced shares. This is a systematic method of buying shares at an average cost that is lower than the average price of those shares.
For example, an investor decides to buy $ 1,000 of stock each quarter of the ABC Company. Its shares are $50 each at the start of his dollar cost averaging. His program might look like the one inAt the end of two years, the investor spent $8,000 for 125 shares worth (@$90) $11,250. With $8,000 he or she could have bought 160 shares at $50 initially (if the money had been available), which would have been worth $14,400.
At the other extreme, an investor could have bought 89 shares for $8,000 at the end of the period, Clearly, low stock prices, are better than high stock prices since more shares will be accumulated. This form of investing also works best when there is predictable growth and a real likelihood of higher prices. It works best with volatile issues and it can be used easily with mutual funds in order to provide diversity.
This system ensures that the investor will not load up with high-priced issues. When prices decline, the damage to the portfolio will not be as great as it otherwise might have been.
There are some disadvantages as well: Commission charges for odd lots (less than a hundred shares) can be high; there is a natural reluctance to buy when prices are high; there is also a natural sense to sell out when prices are depressed rather than maintain the program; and dedication to constant buying of a company's shares may blind one to problems that develop within that firm over time.

Other formula plans

Other formulas are also useful to the passive investor. The constant ratio plan is a simple way to keep equilibrium between common stock and fixed-income investments.
You could start a program by dividing your portfolio (or intended portfolio) in half: 50 per cent of the value in common stock and 50 per cent in bonds. The holdings are evaluated on a regular basis, say, every three or six months.
If the stock side increases beyond a given point, say, 60 per cent, some stocks are sold. If it declines below 40 per cent, some stocks are bought. As prices rise, the profit from the sold stocks is converted into bonds. As stock prices fall, some bonds are sold to buy more shares.
This system keeps the investor balanced and allows for profitable, programmed trading. Obviously a judgment on asset allocation has to be made as to whether 50-50 is appropriate or 90-10 would better serve.
This judgment must also be made by employee-shareholders of company pension plans. Many company income-sharing plans require or request the participants to select how their retirement funds are to be balanced for the forthcoming year.

Another variation of a passive investment program is the constant dollar plan. An investor establishes a safety point in dollar terms above which he or she will not venture any further funds in common stock. Whether it be $20,000 or $100,000, the safety point is one that keeps his or her portfolio from experiencing too much exposure.
The portfolio sells shares if that point is crossed, reinvesting in the more conservative fixed-income side. On the other hand, the portfolio sells bonds and buys shares when the stock side is substantially below the safety point.

Dividend reinvestment plans

Dividend reinvestment plans, under which dividends are used to purchase additional shares of stock, are a convenient and inexpensive way to add to holdings. The vast majority of companies do not charge fees for joining the plans; some even offer a discount from the market price.
Dividends reinvested through these plans are taxable to the participant (unless they are in tax-deferred accounts), as is the difference between the fair market price and the discounted price. For more information about these plans, contact the company's shareholder relations department for a copy of the plan's prospectus.
Timing in these formula plans is predetermined by the market's actions. It removes the possibility of active intervention on a whim if the plan is rigorously followed. Critics object to the mechanical artificiality of these schemes.

They keep investors from fully participating in long and sustained trends in a business cycle. But then, investors wish to be protected from such participation by definition. They wish to make progress slowly and methodically: the tortoise, after all, did beat the hare.

Todays Market News....(Asian Box) (Keep Updating)

2008-01-28T04:36:00.000-08:00

Capital goods stocks can fall another 10-15% from the current levels, says Gautam Shah, technical analyst with JM Financial Services, on NDTV Profit. But the brokerage is bullish on the banking sector, which can give 30-35% returns,

Aban Offshore has bagged an order from ONGC for deployment of Drillship - Aban Ice for a period of 3 years. The total value of the contract is approximately Rs 657 crore. Aban Offshore is currently trading at Rs 3,710, down 1.5% on the BSE

Trade is expected to be choppy for the next few trading sessions, says Deven Shah, technical analyst, on NDTV Profit. So don't book losses yet, he sugests. One can expect an uptick in the market soon, he adds. And if you must trade now, then put only about 10% of your money, he suggests. Be patient and have atleast 3-4 days' view, he adds

Every rally should be sold and weakness close to 16,500 should be bought, says Gautam Shah, technical analyst with JM Financial Services, on NDTV Profit. The brokerage maintains the short term target for the Sensex at 17,300, he adds. Worst for the US markets is yet to come and the brokerage has a target of 11,300 for the Dow, he says. So the downtrend may spill over to February too, on weak US cues, he explains

Bharti should be avoided at current levels, as it looks exhausted and overbought on the monthly as well as weekly charts, says Deven Shah, technical analyst, on NDTV Profit. The stock is currently trading at Rs 851.30, down 6.9% on the BSE. » Send to friends

If Unitech does not fall much lower from the current levels, then it can provide a buying opportunity, says Rajat Bose, techncial analyst, on CNBC-TV18. If the market moves up, then it can go to Rs 450-480, he adds. The stock is currently trading at Rs 405.80, down 7.6% on the BSE. » Send to friends

RPL will be a good buy for the long term at Rs 135-140, says Deven Shah, technical analyst, on NDTV Profit. The stock is currently trading at Rs 162.10, down 6.3% ont the BSE.

market on monday

2008-01-28T04:28:00.000-08:00

guys on monday market will b volatile cuz of on friday no1 can sell the stocks which bought frm thursday it was deal done by NSE SEBI tht s y on friday market was up 1000 points cuz nothing gonna sell on tht day

so watch out on monday it sud b solid profit booking will b see frm FIIS
and on 29th jan its RBI meeting on rate cut so its crucial time

wish u happy trading

__________________