Investment in stocks, debentures and mutual funds grows by 51%

According to the Reserve Bank of India’s annual report, though net household savings in absolute term went up by 8.18 per cent to 5,26,033 crore in 2007-08, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) it is estimated to have fallen by 50 basis points (100 basis points equals one per cent) to 11.2 per cent during 2007-08.
The reason: a robust growth of about 9 per cent boosting GDP during the year.Investments in shares, debentures and mutual funds have seen a healthy growth last year. It also highlighted growing investor preference for riskier but high-yielding investment instruments compared to bank deposits.
The report said that investments in stocks, debentures and mutual funds grew by nearly 51 per cent to Rs 77,073 crore during 2007-08. In terms of share in the household savings it constitutes 10.5 per cent against 6.6 per cent at the end of previous year.
“The flow of household investments into mutual funds and growth in number of accounts with the industry in 2007-08 reflects this trend,” said AP Kurian, chairman, Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI).
However, growth is marginal when pegged to GDP—1.6 per cent against 1.2 per cent in 200607.This growth is also not phenomenal when compared to global standards. “In the US, mutual fund corpus size is equal to over 70 per cent of the US GDP,” Kurian added.
Among the other components of household financial assets, assets in cash and investments in insurance, provident and pension funds went up by 21 per cent and 1.72 per cent respectively. But deposits (including bank, nonbank and trade debt) fell by about Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 4,15,245 crore, while claims on government became negative at Rs 27,042, against a positive figure of Rs 40,627 for the previous year, the central bank’s report said.

Travel India

Travel to India and experience a land like no other. The amazing diversity of the different regions of India makes a journey in India an adventure that you'll remember forever. A traveler in India can choose to visit the snow-clad Himalayas in the North of India or the sunny, palm-fringed beaches of the South. The contrast between the undulating sand dunes of the Rajasthan Desert in West India and the dense tropical forests of Eastern India, gives a traveler in India the experience of spanning a subcontinent. Along the way, there's the amazing monumental heritage of India, seen in its glorious temples, magnificent forts, grand palaces and beautiful tombs - best exemplified by the enchanting Taj Mahal in Agra

Travel across India and feel the warmth of the friendly people, the spiritual ambience of religious places, the energy of the vibrant cities, the serenity of the backwaters of Kerala, the holiday atmosphere of the beaches of Goa and the tranquility of the hill stations of India.

Experience the thrill of climbing a mountain, trekking across a snowy ridge, rafting down a flowing river, or scuba diving off coral islands. Feel the excitement of riding an elephant through a forest and seeing a wild tiger. Be soothed by the healing touch of Ayurveda and sense the inner calm of meditation and yoga in India. Feel at home, feel at peace, feel at one with India. India awaits your voyage of discovery.

Its Man World

“Winners never quit and quitters never win.” That is the mantra our men who've made a name for themselves in todays world seem to follow. Be it small town boys making it big in the cricket arena or a young entrepreneur leaving his mark in the international market. Today, Indian men are everywhere- the international business market, actors involved in international projects, writers , scientists and singers who have garnered international acclaim and also sportspersons in international sports. They have followed idols and today they themselves are inspiration for the youth. Know about their struggle, achievements, failures and journey to the top.

ICICI Direct's Pathetic Customer Service

I had only good things to say about ICICIDirect until I ran into a problem and had to contact their customer service! Well, the less said about my experience, the better! But that's what I'm here for, isn't it?
So here's the story. When I opened an account with ICICIDirect, I did so because their website is the most easy to use for starters. Everything is very well organised into different, relevant sections and adequate explanation is given. The speed is also decent.I had heard that their website loads very slowly (or doesn't load at all) in peak conditions, but that doesn't really matter to me since I don't indulge in day trading or BTST trading. I buy shares based on long term recommendations, take delivery and sell when my target is met, or when I don't see any potential in the company's future.I also know that their brokerage is probably the highest in the industry, and the ease of use doesn't entirely justify the excess charges. But I don't trade frequently or in large volumes, so this was fine too.So then what went wrong? ONE DAY i had to transfer my other account share to icici diresct but some people were unaware of the procedures or were casual in their work.But the guys at ICICIDirect just took the cake! No one - and I mean no one - knows exactly the procedure to transfer share of other existing account on a demat account. A new account has to be opened and the shares transferred to it. But the ICICIDirect folks didn't know the exact procedure to go about it. Specifically, I have the following questions:
account can't be transferred. Why is this so?Can someone (preferably from ICICIDirect) please clarify the procedure for me, and for others like me? Not that it matters anymore, because my patience ran out finally and I opened a new demat account with Sharekhan. I will be transferring all my shares to it in the next few days.Sorry ICICIDirect, but incompetence doesn't pay in the long run!

A NEW HOPE FOR A NEW DAY

On a clear day - On a clear day Rise and look around you And you'll see who you are On a clear day How it will astound you That the glow of your being Outshines every star You feel part of every mountain Sea and shore And you can hear from far and near A world you've never heard before And On that clear day You can see forever and ever more You feel part of every mountain Sea and shore And you can hear from far and near A world you've never heard before On that clear day You can see forever and ever and ever more

Morya Re

Of all the multitudes of deities and gods that constitute the Hindu religion, Lord Ganesha is probably one of the most loved and revered of all, regardless of individual beliefs and customs. Considered the god of good beginnings and wisdom, it is in his name that new ventures are undertaken and important life decisions made. Ganesha, the lord of success and the destroyer of obstacles, is brought home and honoured with prayers, sweets... and lots of love.One of the other names Ganesha is known as is Vinayak, meaning master of oneself. This signifies independence in thought and action. Whether in one's professional or personal life, one must act on one's beliefs after due consideration of relevant factors. Take ownership and responsibility for your actions and their outcome. Just knowing that you alone are responsible will make you take the decision that much more seriously

.So Wishing u all Happy Ganesh Chauturti

Cognitive Waste

Generation Kill. It's a new series from HBO. Worth watching. One of the more interesting aspects of the show, at least to me (which will probably be lost to many), is how well it depicts a 2GW command/control system in a modern context.
It also shows how all of that brainpower at the bottom of the pyramid goes to waste. Unfortunately, this brainpower/cognitive capacity in combination with unique situational data is several orders of magnitude superior (both in quality and quantity) to that available at the top of the hierarchy (where all the decision making is being made). Perhaps the fatal flaw in classic conventional militaries is that they waste nearly all of their cognitive capacity...