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October 31, 2007
Has Sebi done the right thing on PNs?
Volatility will rise in the near term as not more than 40% of an FII's assets can be invested via P-Notes

Why MFs find banking sector attractive
Three MFs - Benchmark, Lotus and Tata MF - have filed draft offer documents for their upcoming banking sector schemes.

After FBT, are ESOPs attractive?
If companies recover the fringe benefit tax on employee stock options from the beneficiaries, does it still make sense for employees to go for them?

Insurance policy: Buy from an agent or broker?
Before buying a life insurance policy, weigh the pros and cons of who you are buying from—an agent, broker or bancassurance.

October 30, 2007
Going abroad? How to take care of your finances
Going abroad to work is not just about the correct stamps on your passport. Your investments, in India or abroad, need to go through the appropriate entry and exit points.

How niche TV channels compete with giants
The Indian cable and satellite universe is already packed and in the coming months it will only get further crowded. Over the next 12 months, another 100 channels will be added to the existing 230 and according to industry estimates, by 2009 a staggering 700 channels could be beamed into Indian homes.

'Attitude can't be taught in B-schools'
Information, attitude and wisdom are to me the common ingredients of most successes. Aspiring professionals often ask me which B-school would be the best for them.

October 29, 2007
How to pick hot realty stocks
For valuing real estate businesses, the devil sure lies in the detail.

To retire or not to?
While all of us have those lovely visions of walking on the beach or roaming around the world, most go through a rude awakening when it actually happens. Imagine after over 35 years of working, there comes a day when there is nothing to do and that too, every single day. Most professionals cannot visualise such an eventuality.

October 27, 2007
The new face of Hyundai India
Ashok Kumar Jha will step into a role that BVR Subbu, a powerful and seasoned corporate campaigner, had demitted over a year ago.

October 26, 2007
Auto loans: Are floating rates good?
Some banks have come up with the novelty of auto loans on floating rates. Is it worthwhile to go for them when some lenders are offering loans at lower fixed rates?

20 ventures you can start with Rs 5 lakh!
It's much easier to be an entrepreneur now -exciting areas are opening up in a brave new India and you do not need a pot of gold to make them fly.

The Sensex story: From 1K to 19K
The Indian markets achieved another milestone on Friday. The Sensex conquered the 19,000-mark. The Sensex exhibited high volatility in early trades. After opening with a positive gap of 53 points at 18,824, the index tumbled into red to a low of 18,630. The index rebounded sharply and rallied to a high of 19,047 -- up 417 points from the day's low.

October 25, 2007
A guide on how to invest abroad
You can now remit up to $100,000 abroad per year to invest in a range of options such as stocks, indices, derivatives, currency and real estate. Here's how you can go about it.

MFs: Bigger funds may not be better
It's good to see your fund's corpus rise over time, but when funds become too large, their performance can be adversely impacted. And mid-cap funds are more prone to this phenomenon.

'Organised retail will grow in India'
Per capita income in India is increasing, including in tier-II and tier-III cites. In these cities the competition is less, as are the rentals. It is very viable as a business proposition to open showrooms in these cites.

Why Ulips are the best bet
A smart investor buys a term cover for life insurance and invests in funds independently. But for those who cannot, Ulips are the best bets.

Dealing with your stock broker? Remember this!
The agreement between you and your broker is skewed towards the broker. When you sign, what you effectivelly do is sign away many of your rights. But, is there any recourse?

Net-savvy? Read this!
They would get off the hook only if they prove that the offence or contravention was committed without their knowledge, or that they had exercised due diligence to prevent its commission. The issue was tested in late 2004, when a Baazee.com (now eBay India) user tried to sell a pornographic video clip. Its then country manager, Avnish Bajaj, was arrested and later released on bail, but not before his arrest triggered a diplomatic spat between the US and India.

October 24, 2007
The merits of payroll donation
A payroll donation programme could be the right answer for people who have everything but time.

Buying MFs? What you have to pay
Mutual fund houses manage your fund for you, but at a price.

Should Indian pharma firms chase new drugs?
High risks and higher costs associated with drug discovery and development are the principal reasons for Indian pharma not being more forthcoming and aggressive on this value creator.

Investment blues? Help is just a click away!
Investor Helpline, a portal dedicated to resolving the small investor's complaints, boasts a success rate of 62 per cent. And, it's free.

Want big salaries? Become a pilot
A first officer (junior and senior) can earn in the range of Rs 1.2 lakh to 1.8 lakh per month. The commander commands anywhere between Rs 2.5 to Rs 4 lakh a month.

Want a loan? Credit scores soon!
The Credit Bureau of India (Cibil) is set to launch a credit score database that will reflect the creditworthiness of every borrower in the country.

October 23, 2007
Quitting? How to make a smooth exit
So how to be the employee colleagues are sad to lose and organisations glad to welcome back? Follow this road map.

Tips for a portfolio makeover
rebalancing is what you do when a particular investment's allocation has become large and you offload some of it. The biggest benefit of this technique is that it offers an automated method of booking timely profits.

The future of management
The way forward is management innovation: new ways of mobilising talent, allocating resources and building strategies.

Best channels to remit money to India
While choosing a channel to remit money to India, don't evaluate the ones available just on the parameters of cost, convenience and speed, also see which one best suits your needs.

India, be the party pooper
The Bush meeting was strategic: it was an attempt (and a successful one) to remove the difference between the two categories -- those who need to make deep cuts in their emissions and those who need the space to grow. If the Indians (and the Chinese) were looking for a place at this high table of polluters, they certainly got their wish. What Bush did should not surprise us.

October 22, 2007
How to take good financial decisions
The inability to take a call on investment decisions can hurt your finances. One for the perpetual fencesitter.

Buying a house? Beware of builders' tricks
Builders have a variety of ways of catching the unsuspecting homebuyer on the wrong foot. Here are eight common ones and ways to counter them.

Get a piece of sunny Florida, for $1 mn
A US resident has advertised to sell land in that country to Indians here. In the process, the seller may have started a trend of US owners turning to overseas buyers as local demand for housing dries up following the serial bankruptcies from the sub-prime mortgage, or high-risk home loan, crisis.

October 20, 2007
Check out the Scorpio Getaway!
While India gets only the double-cab, international markets will get single-cab versions of the Scorpio pickup. My crib with the Getaway is that seen front on, it does not look any different from the SUV.

Low cost housing attracts realty cos
Private equity funds and real estate companies are cementing and creating strong foundations for low cost housing in India.

IIT Madras: A hotbed of innovations
A clutch of innovators, entrepreneurs and researchers are heralding a revolution that combines the academic and the real world within the IIT Madras campus.

October 19, 2007
Are tax saving MFs a good option?
Tax saving mutual fund schemes invest in the stock markets and therefore carry risk as compared to say a PPF or a NSC.

Indian banking software, a hit abroad
The size of the banking software application market globally is estimated to be at about $75 billion in 2007. The market is growing at about 5 per cent a year.

E-commerce catches on despite concerns
Despite being an over Rs 7,000 crore (Rs 70 billion) sector, e-commerce is not the main driver of internet usage. In fact, it comprises only 4 per cent of internet usage.

Sebi boss: Saviour, with a bit of luck
Meleveetil Damodaran seems to have a knack of setting things right wherever he goes. While his formidable abilities have no doubt played a big role in this, circumstances have also helped him greatly.

October 18, 2007
'Sensex likely to hit 20K this year'
One could enter at dips or corrections with a longer term view but the markets will remain volatile for a while.

October 17, 2007
India in a changing world: The next 20 years
Independent India is very young, aspiring to remove poverty and bring dignity to all of the billion of its people by achieving an inclusive and rapid growth, says RBI Governor Dr Y V Reddy.

The 10 biggest falls in Sensex history
The Sensex plunged by 1,743 points, the largest fall in a single day ever witnessed in the history of the Indian stock markets.

What are P-Notes?
So what are these participatory notes? And why do they have this huge impact on the Indian securities markets? Read on

October 16, 2007
Branded jewellery is going to small towns
Jewellery brands are reaching out to small town India - with a tip or two from FMCG companies.

How a doctor plans to set up a hospital chain
Umkal plans to set up 10 more hospitals in and around Gurgaon.

A guide to hot stocks from each sector
Q2 FY08 will be yet another milestone with skyrocketing growth in sales driven by strong growth in subscribers (33 per cent q-o-q and 50 per cent y-o-y) for the telecom sector.

October 15, 2007
Slum-dwellers run a health insurance fund
When the rest of the country is going in circles seeking health insurance for the society's most vulnerable, these slum-dwellers are part of a health security fund to which each person contributes Rs 60 annually.

The Sensex story: From 1K to 19K
The Sensex has conquered the 19,000-mark backed by revival of funds-based buying in blue chip stocks in metal, capital goods and refinery sectors.

How Bakul Dholakia nurtured IIM-A
Under him, IIM-A went from having 12 partner institutions for student exchange programmes to 50 by 2006-07. The icing on the cake was the one-year programme for management executives, and students in this batch got the highest salaries offered that year, right from the first batch itself.

Festival shopping? Some great tips
Already there are offers galore for everything, from loans on lifestyle products and even homes. Confusing it is, when you have to choose from the multitude of promotional offers to get the best product. A few guidelines before you go on that festival binge.

October 11, 2007
Learn to develop, the IIM-Calcutta way
As the IIM at Kolkata has shown, it is possible to make the most of its own resources and capabilities to fulfill a much-needed agenda.

How <i>Chandamama</i> plans to revive its glory
New management chalks out plans to revive the 60-year-old storybook.

October 10, 2007
Making dough the French way
Alexis de Ducla is a chef with a degree in business management. But what sets him apart is the fact that he uses his culinary skills to help poor children in India.

Can the Railways sustain the turnaround?
With traffic growth slowing despite the economy doing well, and the minister saying he won't hike passenger fares, things don't look as good.

Want to motivate people? Read this!
Although most organisations have some form of process management, few can specify their behavior management process. Indeed, supervisors and managers are often advised to find a management style that fits their personality and the situation. Because there are so many different personality types and possible situations in an organization, there will be many different solutions to the same problem.

The success story of Hanung Toys
It's already India's largest manufacturer of soft toys. Now Hanung Toys plans a fairy tale-like foray into home furnishings as well.

Caste in the job market: A knotty affair
The easiest way to explain this away is by dismissing it as a non-representative sample, for such it is in the broad national context. But that would be to miss the point. Admittedly, a database of 10 million résumés from educated people who have access to computers, in a total labour force of 470-odd million and a workforce of 458 million (the difference between the two is the number of unemployed people), is not the ideal database to use for assessing a national problem.

Tips for a stress-free corporate life
Take leave every year, at least two weeks at a stretch. Recharge your batteries regularly - or run the risk of an early burnout.

October 09, 2007
The Sensex story: From 1K to 18K
The BSE Sensex has conquered the 18,000-mark.

Performance-linked pay? Not an easy task
It is not that the government has not done anything to change the format of the annual performance appraisal report, but it is hard to tell what difference these will make.

October 08, 2007
Software companies are in a soup
Software companies could deliver the numbers in Q2 FY08, but the sector may not outperform over the next year.

Floating car loans: Good or bad?
First, let us look at the interest rate differential available between the floating rate and fixed rate car loan offered by ICICI Bank. The differential is only 50 basis points (100 basis points make 1 per cent). That is, if you can get a fixed rate car loan from ICICI Bank for 14 per cent, then if you are opting for a floating rate, you could get the loan for 13.5 per cent.

Senior citizens shine post retirement
With rising competition and dearth of qualified professionals, employers are increasingly considering senior citizens as a part of the workforce or consultants because of the experience they bring to the work place.

October 06, 2007
Super bikes: A rage among middle-aged Indians
Middle-aged Indians are succumbing to an adolescent passion for superbiking.

October 05, 2007
Meet Nasscom's new boss Som Mittal
It's for the first time that someone from the industry will hold the position of president at Nasscom.

Hutch or Vodafone? What's in a name?
A name change is quite a tedious thing. And nearly all companies undertake the same exercise to go all out to assure their customers of the same fact -- that nothing has changed, except the name. So amongst the plethora of work all making the same declaration, it is quite difficult to be memorable.

Why the markets are on a roll
Global liquidity, which dried up after the turbulence in the US credit markets, has returned big time following the Fed rate cut of 50 basis points on September 18. In the secondary markets alone, FIIs have pumped in over $4.5 billion in about 11 trading sessions, data from the BSE show.

October 04, 2007
Private <I>mandi</I>s? Most welcome
While prospective investors in new retail chains are up against the odds in several states, those wanting to invest in primary level agricultural marketing may find the going easier.

Looking for a maid? Now search online
Three individuals, two former employees of Microsoft and a friend of theirs, have networked to help people find jobs as drivers, domestic helps, gardeners and watchmen. Out of these three, two are Americans.

October 03, 2007
Is the Indian economy slowing down?
Credit growth has slowed down from around 32 per cent (year-on-year) in July 2006 to around 23 per cent in August. Anecdotal evidence suggests that much of the deceleration in growth has come on the back of softer retail credit off-take.

September 29, 2007
How to earn well from IPOs
In each public issue, 25 per cent of the shares on offer are reserved for the retail investor.

Jal Mahal gets a Rs 1000 cr facelift
Jaipur's Jal Mahal is undergoing a massive restoration effort that includes cleaning the lake, restoring the garden and cleaning up the monument.

Death of the classical music industry
The Indian classical music industry is stuck in a rut, and topmost on everybody's blame list is the record label.

September 28, 2007
Sensex @ 17K: Speedbreaker ahead
The Indian stock market indices like the Sensex and Nifty have crossed the 17k and 5k mark respectively. However, the question now is: will the rally continue? Or will it be spooked?

RBI entry checks rupee rise
According to dealers, the one-way appreciation was halted by huge purchase of dollars by the RBI which pushed down the spot rupee to 39.90 to a dollar .

September 27, 2007
Got a gift from a relative? No tax on it
Under the provisions of Section 56(2)(vi) certain gifts are liable to income tax as "income from other sources". However, this provision is applicable only for individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs).

Microcredit: A billion bootstraps
Being creative and turning every available resource into a business is vital to improving the lives of those in poverty. Poor people often do not need outsiders to tell them about business opportunities.

September 26, 2007
3G network in a rural village? Yes!
India's first 3G network, currently being tested in some Tamil Nadu villages, could well lay the seeds of a rural ICT revolution.

The Sensex story: From 1000 to 17,000!
The Sensex opened with a positive gap of 70 points at 16,969.

September 25, 2007
Want to succeed? Avoid these 9 traps
Success leads to the damaging behaviors of a lack of urgency, a proud and protective attitude, and entitlement thinking.

The Rupee rise: Who gains, who loses
Who benefits, who loses from the rising rupee, while a boon for travellers and students, exporters may find themselves facing a greater disadvantage.

September 24, 2007
From Silicon Valley to India with new ventures
A number of expats with roots in the region are coming back to Chandigarh to set up shop on their own.

Expect the world in your mobile phones
Mobile VAS companies are ready to offer multi-player gaming, interactive video services, money transfer and extensive search solutions to cellular subscribers.

Selling your house? Read this!
Anchoring is one of the most difficult phenomena in behavioural finance to overcome. It is a term used to explain how we often hold on to some fact or figure and use it as a reference point to make future decisions.

How to restructure your portfolio
The best way to invest in the market is through discipline and consistency as no one knows where the market is headed.

Kishore Biyani's new retail mantra
Destination kiosks could well be the future of modern retail.

September 22, 2007
Subhash Chandra's risky gamble
Subhash Chandra making headlines is no longer news. For some years now it has been for his no-holds-barred feud with the Board for Control of Cricket in India.

September 21, 2007
Meet the petroleum minister
"Deora's ability to be a good listener, and his understanding of business, as he is an industrialist himself, helped the empowered group of ministers reach a decision that more or less has satisfied all parties," a senior official says.

Sub-prime cloud passes: More turmoil ahead
Analysis by the Business Standard Research Bureau shows that, of 128 sectors, the market capitalisation of 54 sectors on Wednesday was below the level in May 2006. Likewise, nearly 47 per cent of stocks are languishing.

September 20, 2007
How corporates are keeping staff happy
A growing number of companies are in an innovation mode to engage employees in the wallet, mind and heart.

September 19, 2007
Retail reality: The true story
The opposition to large retail shops seems to be growing, and broadening to take in domestic retail chains as well as the international giants that want to enter the Indian market.

The Sensex story: 1,000 to 16,000!
The NSE Nifty is also at a new high at 4659, up 113 points.

Want to taste success? Exploit capabilities
Capabilities are the third, and the most hidden, of the under-exploited assets in our study. Tapping in to them is critical to the strategic renewal of many businesses, as well as for strategic incursions on less capable rivals.

September 18, 2007
$43 billion and growing! Indian firms big on M&As
The billion-dollar tags on recent buys by India Inc only underline the caution with which most companies approach M&As.

'IAS is still the tops'
Despite all its problems, V Thulasidas, head of the merged Air India-Indian Airlines, feels the elite cadre provides the most challenging environment.

The cellphone: Upwardly mobile
The cell phone is no longer just a communications device -- it has evolved into a lifestyle statement.

Rs 1 crore-plus salary a year for over 500 CEOs
Of the 508 crorepatis, 17 are from newly-listed companies while 26 joined their companies last year.

September 17, 2007
These stocks earn fabulous returns
Companies with unique business models are typically rewarding investments.

September 15, 2007
A day in the life of a diamond
How do these gems go from rough pebbles to brilliant stones that hold light captive?

Fashion: Bhagalpur boy's success mantra
How Bhagalpur boy Samant Chauhan has broken into the international fashion world.

September 14, 2007
How to be a great manager
Customer relationship management (CRM) enables you to maximize the efficiencies of marketing resources and empower marketers to acquire and develop long-term customer relationships.

Gem of a laptop
Dell, Aspire launch new series.

'It's not true that PNs alone make markets volatile'
An interview with Sebi chief M Damodaran.

September 12, 2007
Hairdressing? A good career option
While starting salaries range between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000, one can also start one's own business after gaining a few years of experience.

September 11, 2007
What makes a great manager
The Case of the Bonsai Manager is not about plants or Perry Mason. It's about today's managers who, author, R Gopalakrishnan suggests, need to learn to be more intuitional in decision-making.

The buzz without fizz
Coca-Cola India's first corporate campaign isn't about the drinks.

Going after the rich. . .
After decades of selling to the middle class, a clutch of companies is now going after richer customers as well.

Nripendra Misra: The spectrum master
The telecom regulator explains how he's hobbled by government policy and clarifies some parts of his latest recommendations.

How to develop skills & solve problems
B-school teaches you to arrive at conclusions with all prior data on hand. This is the correct way. Only, in real life there is always a paucity of data and, of course, time.

September 07, 2007
Watch out when this man talks!
The fight between TVS and Bajaj might remain out of court, but TVS Motor's stand spoke of the company's resolve infused by its chairman Venu Srinivasan.

Want big salaries? Try the realty sector
The boom in real estate has made it a viable career option. Institutes are running specialised courses to turn out the professionals the industry needs.

September 06, 2007
How to deal with recovery agents & debt
Numerous things could jeopardise your loan repayment. Debt can become a noose around your neck. How do you deal with it, and the related dangers?

Managing money was never so easy
Move beyond making notes and Excel. With a little bit of discipline, a personal finance software can help you be your own money manager.

Super busy CEOs? Subordinates hate you
Workaholic CEOs find their job appealing, but their subordinates find that appalling.

September 05, 2007
Travel bookings an SMS away
Travel portals are looking to encash the rising mobile user base for their value-added services.

September 04, 2007
Carry your desktop wherever you go
Online desktops could be the next big step in the IT revolution -- bandwidth permitting.

A name change can alter fortunes!
It's not easy. But done right, a name change can spell a fresh lease of life for most companies.

September 03, 2007
Great packages for great tours
Tour operators all over the world are offering packages that do good for destinations.

Insure wisely for a better living
Though agents promote Ulips instead of term policies, the latter make more sense for pure insurance purposes.

September 01, 2007
It's time to go green
Sustainable homes, writes , should be built in a manner to create energy within, so they do not need to borrow any from outside.

Booming realty: All roads lead to Navi Mumbai
If things go as planned, Navi Mumbai will emerge as one of the most accessible areas in the city of Mumbai and prices on its Palm Beach Road will be close to the city's famous Marine Drive some years down the line.

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