Recency bias is a psychological phenomenon where a person can remember something which has happened to them recently compared to the thing that has happened to them a while back.
For example, to conduct a test to check this phenomenon, a person is asked to recall the name of the thirty people that they have met. Well, out of the thirty people, the person will easily tend to remember the names of the people that they have met recently compared to the ones that they have reached a long time back.
Recency bias is the main type of cognitive error that happens to the human brain. It is one of the errors which plagues a lot of traders and investors. It tends the human mind to remember the recent data that are happening in their lives and forget the ones that have happened a long while. With the help of this article, you will understand what causes this problem and how well you can overcome the problem of recency bias in your life if it is affecting you on the financial scale as well.
Why it is your enemy as an investor?
Recency bias is the description which tends to extrapolate the recent experiences that will happen to you in the future. When it comes to investing, recency bias is one of the biggest disasters that they can face. Because when investors try to invest, the recency bias skews the entire reality in front of them, and this is how their views can change from choosing something to selecting another thing.
For example, let’s say that an investor has been making a good average annual return in the last 5 years. However, in the last twelve months, his portfolio is not giving good returns. Here, because of recency bias, he might feel negative and may believe that the market and his strategies are not working in his favor anymore. However, this is not the complete reality.
Similarly, for a trader, let say that out of seven days, he made losses in the first four. Nonetheless, in the last three days, he made consecutive wins. Here, he may feel positive as he might be carrying more weight to his recent trades over the past ones because of the recency bias.
Moreover, many times, investors may tend to stay away from shares thinking that the stock market will fall because it has been falling recently. That is not the case which happens every time as the share market is not always the same. You can never put your trust in it based on recent behaviors.
How to overcome the recency bias?
If the recency bias is becoming a day to day problem then there are proven ways to overcome it. Here are some of them presented below.
— Don’t ever have a myopic view.
Get a grasp on the long term source and try to invest in the market that way. A myopic view means that you are constricting yourself to the four walls of the market, and you don’t want to try something new. You might fall when you are trying to invest somewhere, and there are gut-wrenching actions that might happen as well. But since recency bias helps you to build your views based on the latest outcomes, try to overcome it by thinking about the bigger picture in your life. Just try to expand your opinions as much as you can.
— Always try to work in with what you have in control.
Control all the asset allocation that you have. Try to stay away from the bad investments in your life. Setting realistic expectations is something that can put you down and bring false hopes in your life. Always try to remember the fact that recency bias feeds on the belief that you have in your life. Try to minimize the risks that you have built on your front. Use the thesis and help of the finance operators for your investment business if you have one. They will try to cut them down for you.
— Don’t ever try to get swayed with the latest performance.
As a smart investor, you should not ever try to get swayed with the latest performance or the numbers that are popping up in your life. You always have to understand that something in your life is just a temporary digit. Just like the numbers that you are making in the market to the points that you have scored, not always they will stay the same. So raising your expectation based on the higher numbers is a silly movie, and here is where recency bias plays a part in your life.
Always try to understand that cyclicality comes with a lot of terrains. There is not a smooth road that you can take to success. If you are trying to get the best thing in your life then there are a lot of ups and downs that you have to face. But you should never determine the outcome or the results based on recency bias.
Recency bias is a brain illusion that happens when you see the latest issues. It is your very brain tricking you into thinking that the same will happen for a couple of other days, as well. Find appropriate assistance if you are finding it hard to let go. There is always assistance if you are trying to look for one.
10 Best Mutual Fund Books Of All Time: Hello readers! Anyone not living under a rock most definitely has overheard a lot about Mutual Funds. All thanks to the frequent advertisements which pop up in between our television programs “Mutual Funds Sahi hai” with a quick disclaimer for two seconds. The most interesting fact is that with the advent of technology, they have even started appearing on social media platforms as sponsored posts.
In this era where financial awareness is growing in leaps and bounds, almost everybody is jumping into the bandwagon of investing in mutual funds to grow their money over time. Gone are the days when people used to park their money in savings accounts and would avoid the avenue of investment in the stock market.
What are Mutual Funds?
A mutual fund is nothing but a type of financial instrument consisting of a pool of funds accumulated from various investors to infuse in securities like equities, money market, bonds, and other financial assets. Mutual Funds are run by qualified fund managers who distribute the fund’s assets and strive to harvest capital gains on investments by the investors. A mutual fund’s portfolio is designed and maintained to match up to the aims of the investment as stated in the prospectus.
However, it is quite important for any individual or a firm to have an in-depth judgment about the global financial markets and its structure before investing in Mutual Funds. Risk is a part and parcel of Mutual Funds because they are absolutely dependent on market conditions. Thus, everyone should be extra careful while staking their hard-earned money in it. Most of us are clumsy & lack sound knowledge when it comes to the assessment of risk before investing in the Mutual Funds. One needs to take a stern decision on the basis of their goals, time horizon & risk-bearing ability.
Well, does all these sound like a big deal? Undoubtedly, it is but don’t worry! We are here to enlighten you and fathom into the world of investments.
The first and foremost step in which you should partake in this regard is to concentrate on increasing your knowledge bank about the fundamentals of investing in Mutual Funds. As books are considered to be the best tool to enhance knowledge, we have compiled a list of 10 best mutual fund books in the forthcoming sections to help you in your investment journey. Stay glued!
Common Sense On Mutual Funds is considered to be a trustworthy and an ideal book for both the beginners and seasoned investors who are keen on digging deeper about Mutual Funds. The author who wrote the book was the creator of the world’s first index fund. It has received the highest of laurels in the investment community and continues to be a bestseller.
Key Highlights of the book:
This book determines the mechanism of mutual fund investments in the swirling market conditions and provides a timeless piece of advice in reference to knitting a greatly diversified investment portfolio.
The book has extensive explanations about the elemental structure of investments that are applicable to different market cycles.
The common sense of mutual funds book discusses the regulatory and structural alterations across the global mutual fund’s industry in a lucid manner.
The author has put the Index Funds under the limelight and has also highlighted the significance of adopting a long term strategy.
The writing style is simple with a effective display of common sense and transparency.
Mutual Fund For Dummies helps any novice investors to scout through the various implications of Mutual Fund investment. The book was released in the year 1998 and is seen as a timeless asset for planning and implementing a successful investment strategy.
Key Highlights of the book:
This book guides through regarding the identification of the efficiently managed funds to match your financial goals.
It discusses the latest investment techniques that heighten your chances of success and prevents you from drowning into vicious investment traps along with illustrations about Sample Fund Portfolios.
Mutual fund for dummies book also provides informative cues to maintain and assemble an investment portfolio while analyzing a fund’s performance at the same time.
It grooms the readers and push up their confidence to strategically invest in the Mutual Funds and consequently earn sustainable long-term profits.
The book has elaborated chapters based on Exchange-Traded Securities and Tax Laws impacting the fund investments.
Bogle on Mutual Funds is another magnum opus that has redefined our outlook towards finance and investments. This masterpiece is brilliantly crafted to make an addition to the existing concepts about investing in Mutual Funds.
Key Highlights of the book:
This book has chapters that are completely dedicated to Passively Managed Funds and how they can reap higher returns.
It points out the difference between different spectrums like stocks, bonds, money market, and balanced funds. Drawbacks regarding placing weighted bets on individual securities, sectors and the economy are also highlighted.
As you dig deeper, the book evaluates the correlation between risks and returns on investments across mutual funds.
The book has portions covering how low cost has a more reliable investment structure and techniques for choosing among the four fundamental types of fund funds.
It also highlights the possible reasons for below-average performances of different funds and the common mistakes committed by investors. The author provides well-structured guidance on the importance of perseverance and persistence in the course of the creation of wealth ie. Via Mutual Funds.
In addition, Bogle on Mutual Funds book also includes parameters for pinpointing misleading advertisements and to look for the hidden truth.
The author of the book has punched in some unique concepts with a major concentration on investment advice and Mutual Fund theorems.
Key Highlights of the book:
The book has a detailed explanation of the pros and cons of investing in Mutual Funds and how to generate profits through investments based on the “Minimal Risk And Maximized Returns” idea.
In this book, you can read the comparison and evaluation of the risk associated with mutual funds investment against other types of financial investments along with avenues to compare various funds on an after-tax basis.
Alan Northcott has also covered approaches to figure out the perfect time to sell any security and to liquidate the money invested in funds in his book.
There are separate sections on easy strategies for allocating the assets across various classes of stocks such as small-cap, micro-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap companies.
The book also explains disclosure of the important definitions like ratings, net asset value, share classes, plans and etc associated with the investing procedure along with the inclusion of a background of the economic history of mutual funds including their scandals.
The Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds by Christine Benz helps to emerge out of the dense mist with a well-defined volume of productive information. It’s a no-nonsense guidebook that should be found in every investor’s cupboard.
Key Highlights of the book:
The book covers the importance of bond funds, index funds, and exchange-traded funds in a portfolio.
You can find a clear explanation of crucial terms like expense ratios, fund charges and loads which are neglected in general.
The author has covered the estimation of a fund’s risks and how to invest in active funds, and improve the odds of your success? Alongside this, the book also explains an analysis of the quality of a fund’s manager, and consecutive steps to be undertaken regarding any alteration.
A few of the crucial sections on this book cover the pros and cons of concentrated and diversified funds, red alerts against chasing high returns in a sector and assessment of quarterly and annual reviews for keeping the portfolio on the right track.
Christine Benz also explains the strategy of investing in underperforming sectors and riding on their waves during a revival.
Finally, there’s also a section on the importance of rebalancing the portfolio periodically and creating an articulate temperament for standing strong during volatility.
The Mutual Fund Industry Handbook by Lee Gremillion has a noticeable and systematic series of data and knowledge. Such volumes of information will assist anyone with a keen interest in this industry. The book was originally published in 2005.
Key Highlights of the book:
This book covers the interpretation of various functions executed in the day-to-day operations of the Mutual Fund industry including front-office functions, back-office functions, buying and selling process, settlement, custody, accounting, and reporting.
A few of the clears pivotal concepts explained in the book are regulatory protection, liquidity, diversification & professional management.
The author also describes the roles being played by transfer agents, distributors, custodial banks, investment advisors, fund managers, and several other external service providers.
The book is solely for beginners and amateurs who have newly become aware of the financial markets. Mutual funds for wealth building by John Mcquilkin presents an exhaustive analysis regarding investing in mutual funds right from scratch.
Key Highlights of the book:
The book covers the definition and introduction of Mutual Fund, benefits and Limitations of Mutual Funds, different types of funds along with hidden costs of a Mutual Fund.
The author also covers detailed investing strategies for Mutual Fund to discover how to create wealth with Mutual Funds to upgrade the standard of living and fulfill goals.
The best part is an explanation in layman’s language with an utmost easy format.
First of all, let me give you an introduction to Peter Lynch, the author of this book if you already do not know him already.
Peter Lynch is an American Investor and a former fund manager. He was the manager of the Magellan fund at Fidelity Investments between 1977 and 1990. During this period, Lynch averaged a 29.2% annual return on the investments. This return was consistently double than the market index and during this period of 13 years, the asset under the management which was originally $18 million in 1977 increased to $14 billion. He is one of the rare fund managers who gave a fairly good return to their investors for thirteen long years in a row.
The exclusivity of the “BEATING THE STREET” is that it imparts teachings to develop a winning investment strategy and provides advice regarding the agglomeration of a rewarding investment portfolio.
Key Highlights of the book:
In this book, Peter Lynch explains the “Invest In What You Know” strategy for both the big and small investors.
He covers lucrative suggestions about architecting a profitable investment portfolio, based on your own experience, insights and do-it-yourself research. He also covers the operative methods of fund managers belonging to large fund houses.
The author reasons why a bear cycle is a fantastic opportunity to haul up stocks at a rock bottom price left behind by panic-stricken investors and advantages of markets in faster-growing economies (EG: INDIA).
Peter Lynch explains why over a long-time period, a portfolio of well-chosen equity mutual funds will always surpass the returns of a portfolio consisting of bonds and money market funds.
Besides, Peter Lynch’s “20 Golden Rules” are a part of this book as well.
Financial freedom is the penultimate agenda for everyone during a lifetime. The aim cannot be achieved only by saving one’s money. The idle funds lying in the bank account must be put to use for compounding wealth. It’s a procedure of strategic planning and investment from a tender age. Hence, this book comes to our rescue and explains all the minute catches and tricks.
Key Highlights of the book:
The book explains what are Systematic Investments Plans (SIPs) and how initiating SIPs from a young age generates huge corpus in the long run via the method of compound interest.
The author covers the advantages of investing in meager amounts at regular intervals over a long period of time in different asset classes.
If you are keenly looking forward to investing in mutual funds and your foremost objective is to yield high returns, this book is a must-have for you! How to make a fortune through mutual funds by Ashu Dutt breaks some acclaimed myths surrounding the concept of Mutual Funds and has been written by one of Asia’s leading investment managers.
Key Highlights of the book:
The language of the book is clean and can be effortlessly grasped by the beginners.
The book covers the achievement of extraordinary returns from Mutual Funds by investing in the actively managed funds.
Author Ashu Dutt does explain how mutual Funds singles out the elements of emotions in due course of the investment and advocates the strategy of investing at points of maximum pessimism and exiting during euphoria.
The book has separate sections on Open-Ended versus Close Ended Funds, Investing in Cycles, Trends, and Rallies etc.
In the book, you can find a detailed analysis of different funds like Active Equity Funds, Index Funds, ETFs, Income Funds, Gilt Funds, Commodity Funds, and Real Estate Funds.
The author has also included the topic of how to pick the correct funds during various market cycles along with how to time your entries and exits in Mutual Funds. Overall, he has shared his hushed secrets of profitability.
Summary
It is quite important for any individual or a firm to have an in-depth judgment about the global financial markets and its structure before investing in Mutual Funds. The first and foremost step in which you should partake in this regard is to concentrate on increasing your knowledge bank about the fundamentals of investing in Mutual Funds.
As Books are considered to be the best tools to enhance knowledge, in this article, we covered the 10 Best Mutual Fund books of all time. In case we missed any best mutual fund books that you believe should be covered in this list, feel free to comment below. Also mention which one is your favorite mutual fund book. Cheers!
Muhurat Trading 2019: First of all, a very happy and prosperous Diwali to you and your family in advance. May this Diwali and the upcoming new years fulfills all the wishes that you wished for. Have a blast!
You might be ready for the Diwali- cleaned your house; bought diyas, candles, sweets & crackers, etc. But are you ready for trading this Diwali?
Don’t be confused. Yes, the stock market will remain closed on Diwali, i.e. 27th October 2019, during the normal stock market trading timings. However, stock exchanges will open for an hour in the evening for trading. This period of trading called ‘Muhurat Trading’ and this tradition has been followed in India since 1979.
As this trading is conducted on the day of Diwali, Muhurat Trading is considered auspicious and any trades conducted in these sixty minutes are believed to bring good fortune and prosperity. Moreover, this mahurat trading period is considered propitious for the upcoming year.
BSE and NSE will organize Muhurat Trading session between 6.15 PM and 7.15 PM. The pre-opening session will be held between 6:00 Pm to 6.08 Pm. Hence a normal trading will be conducted between these 60 minutes.
Pre-Open Session
6:00 to 6:08 PM
Muhurat Trading Session
6:15 to 7:15 PM
Duration
1 Hour
*Note: All trades executed in this Diwali Muhurat trading session would result in settlement obligations
Further, the exchanges will remain closed on October 28 on the occasion of Diwali Balipratipada.
Why Muhurat Trading?
Muhurat trading refers to the trading done on this auspicious day of Diwali. According to Indian tradition, Diwali marks the starting of the new year, and the trading done on this day is considered to bring prosperity and wealth throughout the year.
Further, it’s a very promising time to plan your investment for the upcoming year with your advisors/brokers to achieve your financial goals.
Two years back, I wrote an article on the difference between a demat and trading account. That article got a lot of attention from the readers, asking me to further elaborate on where to open these accounts.
As I didn’t cover which stockbrokers are suitable for which users in that article, I received a lot of queries from the readers regarding where to open demat and trading account. Most of them were beginners and therefore, I decided to write an article on the same which can be helpful for the newbie investors.
In this post, I’ll discuss the stockbrokers which I’ve personally used and researched. In my investing journey of the last five years, I’ve come across many trading platforms. From full-service brokers like ICICI direct, HDFC securities, SBI Smart etc, to the newer discount brokers like Zerodha, Upstox, 5Paisa, Trade Smart Online etc, I’ve reviewed them all. Moreover, being in the trading field, I need to remain updated with latest brokers and their charges.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a good knowledge of where should you open your trading and demat account. I’ll try to keep things as simple as possible while answering. In addition, I’ll also disclose which stockbroker I use for trading in stocks. Therefore, make sure that you read this article till the end. I’m confident that it will be helpful to you.
Difference between demat and trading account?
Before we dive in the topic, let me give you the smallest explanation of what’s the difference between demat and trading account so that we are all on the same page.
Just as money is kept in your saving account, similarly your bought stocks are kept in your demat account. When you buy a stock, it gets credited in your demat account. And when you sell it, it gets debited from the same. At any time, your demat account reflects all your holding stocks. By the way, demat account is the short form for ‘Dematerialised account’.
On the other hand, a trading account is a medium to buy and sell shares in a stock market. It is used to place purchase or selling order for a stock in the market.
For example, let’s say you want to buy some shares. Then, you need to enter details like ‘Which share you want to buy?’, ‘How many quantities of shares you want to buy?’, ‘At what price you want to buy that shares’, etc. And all these placings of buy/sell order is done using a trading account.
While trading in Indian stocks, you’ll need to have both demat and trading account. Anyways, both these accounts are linked and can be opened with any stockbroker. Further, in the era of internet, opening these accounts is really simple and fast.
Do you need a stockbroker to trade in stocks?
This is one of the frequently asked questions that I receive over email. Therefore, I needed to answer this one here.
Yes, you need a stockbroker to trade in Indian stocks.
You just cannot walk in the stock exchange to buy/sell your stocks. There are a lot of processes involved in the transfer and settlement of stocks for a satisfactory buying and selling experience of the participants. And here, stockbrokers plays an important role, along with the stock exchanges and regulators. Overall, you’ll need a stockbroker to trade in stocks.
What is a stockbroker?
Basically, a stockbroker is an individual/organization who is a registered member of the stock exchange and are given license to participate in the securities market in place of its clients.
From big banking corporations like HDFC Securities, ICICI Direct, Kotak securities etc to newer fastly growing startups like Zerodha, Fyers, etc all are examples of stockbrokers in India.
Stockbrokers can directly buy & sell stocks in the share market on behalf of their clients and charge a small commission for this service. However, the commission is minimal compared to the fast trading platform that they offer. Using these platforms, you can buy/sell stocks within minutes using your web/phone while sitting on your home sofa.
What are the types of stockbrokers in India?
There are two basic types of stockbrokers in India: Full-service brokers (Traditional Broker) & Discount brokers (Budget brokers).
Full-service brokers: These are traditional brokers who provide trading, research, and advisory facility for stocks, commodities, and currency. These brokers charge commissions as a percentage of each trade executed by their clients. They also facilitate investing in Forex, Mutual Funds, IPOs, FDs, Bonds, and Insurance.
A few examples of top full-service brokers in India are:
Discount brokers: These brokers just provide the trading facility to their clients for stocks, commodities and currency derivatives. They do not offer advisory services. However, these stockbrokers can save you a lot of brokerages while trading in stocks. Here, you need to pay a flat brokerage charge on the executed trades.
Here is a list of a few top discount stockbrokers in India:
Brokerage comparison while using full-service vs discount brokers
Let’s compare the brokerage charges of a full-service broker compared to a discount broker.
A full-service broker charges commission as a fixed percentage on every trade their clients execute. This commission can be somewhere between 0.25–0.55% of the overall trade. Here, the bigger is the transaction, higher is the brokerage.
On the other hand, the discount broker offers a flat brokerage charge. This charge can be somewhere between Rs 10–20 per trade.
Moreover, these charges are applicable on both sides on trading. Therefore, when you buy a share, you’ve to pay brokerage and when you sell these shares, you again have to pay these charges.
For example, full-service broker ICICI Securities that charges 0.275% as brokerage on Intraday trading. Therefore, the total brokerage in a trade will be 0.275%* 2 = 0.55%, if we include both buying and selling.
If you make an overall transaction of Rs 5 lakhs per month with ICICI direct, the total brokerage in a year will be equal to 0.55% * 5,00,000 * 12 months = Rs. 33,000
Now, let us look at the brokerage charges offered by discount brokers. The popular discount brokers in India like Zerodha or Upstox charges Rs 20 per trade.
Let us assume that you make 20 trades per month using such discount broker. Here, your total brokerage in a year will be Rs 20 (brokerage) * 20 trades per month * 12 months = Rs 4,800.
Clearly, you can notice here that you can save a lot of brokerage charges while opting for discount brokers. Moreover, both these brokers provide a similar trading platform and hence overall experience is not much different. Overall, you are paying some un-necessary brokerage while trading with full-service brokers.
What factors to check while selecting your stockbroker?
Brokerage charge is one of the biggest factors to look while picking your stockbroker as an expensive broker can hurt you financially.
Apart, the second biggest factor to check is the reputation of the stockbroker. A stockbroker with a long history of a reliable trading platform and good customer service should be preferred.
When you are opening your trading account with a stockbroker, it’s a long term relationship. You might trade in stocks for years after opening your account. And here, you do not want your brokerage firm to be shut down in between and all your bought equities getting trapped with them. Therefore, while picking your stock broker, first always check the reputation and reliability of the stockbroker. A simple google search or reading the reviews by the existing users can help to find red flags.
Besides, you need to look into their web and mobile trading platforms, advisory services (if you are looking for trading advice), customer service and other perks offered by that stockbroker like research reports, trading/investing education, etc.
Where should you open your demat and trading account?
By now, you would have got a decent idea regarding stockbrokers in India. Next, let’s discuss the central topic of this article- where should you open your demat and trading account.
If you are looking for multiple services like shares, mutual funds, bonds, currencies, fixed deposits, commodities etc along with research reports and do not mind paying a few extra bucks for additional services, then you should open your account with full-service brokers like ICICI direct, HDFC securities, etc.
However, personally, I believe that if you planning to trade just in stocks (or commodities), opening accounts with discount brokers is more advantageous. They offer a fast trading platform with a low brokerage charge which helps traders to save a lot of money.
Moreover, with the rise of the internet, most of the information that you need to make trading/investment decisions are freely available online. If you want to read the research reports on companies, they too are freely available on websites like Trendlyne, markets mojo, etc.
Note: If you really need advisory to buy and sell stocks, it’s better to go with expert advisory services in this field, who can offer you personalized services rather than relying upon these big corporates for whom you might be a very small client.
Which stockbroker do I use?
I use Zerodha discount broker for making all my traders.
Initially, I started my investment journey with ICICI direct. The reason I opened my account with ICICI was because of their good reputation and 3–in-1 account service facility.
3-in-1 means that you can open your saving, demat and trading account all at once. So, while opening your saving account with ICICI bank you can apply for the other two accounts as well.
I was happy with the services offered until I realized that I was paying too much brokerage charges and a chunk of my profit was paid unnecessarily to ICICI direct. Then, I started researching other stockbrokers where I can save these charges. Finally, I switched to Zerodha, the discount broker and I’m happy with the trading platform and services that it offers.
Other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding trading and demat accounts.
How to open your demat and trading account?
Opening your trading and demat account is completely online, paperless and hassle-free. If you already have the soft copies of your documents (PAN card, aadhar card and saving account passbook/check) on your mobile/laptop, you can open these account within an hour. Simply visit the stockbroker website and apply for an account.
In fact, you can open as many trading accounts as you want with multiple stock brokers. If you wish, you can have one account with a discount broker and another with a full-service broker.
However, keep in mind that you have to pay annual maintenance charges (AMC) for all your active accounts. Generally, this AMC can be between Rs 300–700 per year (lower for discount brokers). Therefore, if you three accounts, you might have to pay a maintenance charge between Rs 900–2100 per year, even if you are not actively using all your accounts.
Can I switch my previously purchased stocks from one demat account to another?
Yes, you can switch your stocks if you are planning to migrate from one demat account to another.
Here, you have two options. Either, you can fill the DIS (Delivery instruction sheet) with information about the new demat account number and submit it to your previous stockbroker. Once filed correctly, they’ll transfer the shares.
Else, you can do it online using the EASIEST facility available on the CDSL website. CDSL is the central securities depository based in Mumbai. EASIEST allows you to transfer shares from one demat to another demat account with simple clicks once you have created your account and linked your stock brokers. Here’s the link to the portal and instructions regarding the same.
How to close your demat account?
Probably the least asked questions. However, I thought to mention this here to complete the article.
To close your demat account, you can fill the Account Closure Form available on your stockbroker’s website and submit it. Generally, it takes between 7–10 days to close your account.
Note: Before closing your account make sure that you don’t have any shares on negative balance in your account. You can have a negative balance if your account was inactive for the last few years and you didn’t pay the AMC. Further, if you have any stocks in the account, either sell them or transfer it to your another active account before closing this one.
Closing Thoughts
In this online era, buying and selling stocks is as fast as the click of your fingers. All thanks to the online stockbrokers.
There are many stockbrokers available in India and through this post, I tried to help you how to choose a broker for trading in stocks. If you still have any query regarding where to open your demat and trading account, feel free to comment below. I’ll be happy to help you out.
Hi, I am Kritesh, an NSE Certified Equity Fundamental Analyst and an electrical engineer (NIT Warangal) by qualification. I have a passion for stocks and have spent my last 4+ years learning, investing and educating people about stock market investing. And so, I am delighted to share my learnings with you. #HappyInvesting
Hello readers! Today we are back with another intriguing topic from the core world of finance – Corporate Governance! Put your reading glasses on and stay glued!
In this era of globalization where information is just a tap away, we all are pretty much familiar with the names of top-notch companies like Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Asian Paints, ITC, Unilever, and etcetera! Over the years, they have continued to grow in manifolds in spite of the emergence of various substitutes. Have you ever wondered what could be the secrets behind the success and sustainability of these companies apart from their brand value and consistent sales? Well, let’s dive in without further delay!
In order to flag off the session on a lighter note, we will put forward an example on a micro-level.
In schools and colleges, the fests are held annually with pomp and glory! The responsibilities and tasks are carried out in a chained way. Preparations begin prior to one to two months and require proper governance! The absence of a good governing committee would have led them to a path of big failure. Similarly, every company require sound corporate governance to grow and augment in the long run.
What is Corporate Governance?
Corporate Governance is the procedure by means of which a corporation guidelines itself. In a nutshell, it is a process of administering a company like a monarchial state which installs its own customs, laws, and policies from the highest to the lowest levels.
In financial terms, Corporate Governance is the collaboration of well -defined rules, processes and laws by which functions and regulations of business take place. Most companies leave no stone unturned to achieve a high degree of corporate governance. It is the responsibility of the board of directors to build a framework for corporate governance that syncs with the objectives and mission of the business.
In the last decade, corporate governance has gained immense and serious attention because of high-profile scams and criminal activity by corporate officers in power. Poor corporate governance can have an adverse effect on a company’s financial health and level of trustworthiness.
The structure and frame of the Corporate Governance comprise of the Board Of Directors, Management and Shareholders! Let us first understand each of their key roles in-depth.
The Structure of Corporate Governance
— Board of Directors
The Board Of Directors plays a pivotal character in commanding the company’s management and business blueprints to accomplish long-term value creation. The most important functions of the board are:
Determine the company’s vision and mission to guide and set the pace for its current operations and future development.
Monitoring/examining the CEO’s performance and overseeing the procedure regarding CEO succession.
Understand and take into account the interests of shareholders and relevant stakeholders.
Avoiding conflicts of Interest
— Management:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) leads the management of the company. Important aspects like strategic planning, risk alleviation, and financial reporting falls under the umbrella of the management. An efficient team of management escorts the company with the determination of achieving the business strategies over a considerable time horizon and avoids focusing on short-term metrics.
— Shareholders:
Shareholders invest in a public company by purchasing its stock from the exchange via brokers and earn capital gains with a rise in the price of the stocks. However, Shareholders are not embroiled in the day-to-day management of business affairs but enjoy the right to elect representatives i.e. Directors. They also receive a Quarterly/Annual Report which consists of information regarding investments and voting decisions.
Competent Corporate Governance needs crystal clear generosity and interaction between Board Of Directors, Management and Shareholders in accelerating a company’s performance. Efficient corporate governance shapes up a transparent bunch of rules and regulations in which directors, management and shareholders have aligned ambitions. The framework allows the board of directors to affirm fairness, accountability, and transparency in a company’s relationship with all stakeholders (management, financiers, customers employees, government, and the community).
A company that follows the hardcore core fundamentals of good corporate governance will generally surpass other companies in terms of financial advancement. The core principles of sound corporate governance include Fairness, Accountability, Responsibility & Transparency. Let us discuss all these principles one by one.
— Fairness
Fairness touches on the points of uniform and equal treatment of all the shareholders in reference to receival of considerations regarding shareholdings. The fairer the company appears to stakeholders, the more likely it is that it can endure in the league.
— Accountability
Corporate accountability is an act of responsibility and obligation to provide an explanation for the company’s actions and activities. Corporate Accountability includes the followings:
Presentation of a balanced and simple analysis of the company’s orientation and prospects.
Responsibility for determining the character and extent of the adopted risks by the company.
Maintenance of adequate risk management and internal control structure.
Setting up formal and unclouded arrangements for corporate reports and a suitable relationship with the company’s auditor.
Proper communication with shareholders regarding diversification, progress and financial reports at frequent
— Responsibility:
The CEO and Board of Directors are accountable to the shareholders on behalf of the company regarding the execution of responsibilities. Thus, they should exercise their authority with full responsibility. The Board of Directors is responsible for conducting the management of the business, appointing the suitable CEO, overseeing the affairs of the company and keeping an eye on the performance of the company.
— Transparency:
Transparency means a company should reveal an informative piece of data about their activities to shareholders and other stakeholders. It also includes the open-mindedness and willingness to divulge financial figures which are genuine and correct in reality. The unveiling of reports regarding the organization’s accomplishments and activities should be on time and strive for accuracy. Such steps ensure the investors’ access to transparent and factual data which finely mirrors the financial, environmental and social position of the organization.
Benefits of Corporate Governance
Here are a few of the major benefits of having good corporate governance in a company:
— A good corporate governance practice gives rise to a strict compliance culture. It is advantageous in multiple ways and is directly related to improved performances. Due to the existence of such a strict environment, all the members are bound to adhere to the work culture, establish proper lines of communication with the rest of the organization and are promptly responsive to any evidence when there is any signal of non-compliance.
— Marvelous Corporate Governance has instant access to information and excellent communication. Rapid access to information and good communication among the members of a company leads to the formulation of robust strategies. Such strategies include efficient allocation of resources, leveraging technology and etcetera.
— Good Corporate Governance can lift up a company’s influence and reputation. Strong schemes like strict fiscal policies and internal controls help to gain trust and reliability among stakeholders. Such genuine practices also help the company to borrow funds at a lower rate than those with weak corporate governance because lenders will be able to have faith in an organization that is seen to be stable, reliable and able to mitigate potential risks In today’s volatile environment.
— Increasing cognizance and consensus about the importance of good corporate governance among investors results in more number of investments in companies that have a prosperous track record. It also shields investors from possible scandals and aids to raise capital efficiently by gaining investors’ confidence. Thus, there is a positive influence on the share price and helps in brand formation and development.
— In this age of globalization and liberalization, there is a positive correlation between an excellent Corporate Governance and inflow of Foreign Investment. According to statistics, studies imply that Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) take notice of well- managed companies and respond positively by infusing capital for investment in the capital market. In order to reap the full benefits of the global capital markets and attract long-term capital, it is extremely important to implement basic principles of good corporate governance which can be well understood across borders. The huge influx of foreign investment will immensely churn up the economic growth and will prove to be a priceless step in enabling the organization to stand against tough economic storms and back a company’s
— Demonstration of good corporate governance also enables corporate social responsibilities like environmental awareness, health, education, sanitation, and other social aspects.
— At times, good corporate governance can help ensure that officials of a company do not take unwarranted advantage at the expense of their shareholders. For example- of Insider Trading.
Insider Trading refers to trading inequities of a company by internal members (directors, managers,employees) of the company based on the sensitive information which is unknown to outsiders. It is a scandalous activity that is committed by the officials of the company and is critically connected to the arenas of Corporate Governance. The wisest way of handling this problem is by pushing the companies to imbibe self- regulation and adopting preventive measures. Such prophylactic action sends off a signal regarding the exercise of self-regulatory practices and assurance of safety to invest in the company’s securities. Hence, Good corporate governance also reduces corruption.
— Good corporate governance also provides the elasticity to apply customized practices that fits the companies’ requirements and to alter those practices in light of ever-changing conditions, benchmarks, and standards.
Examples of Corporate Governance
Now, after the elongated discussion and explanation, let us understand the concept with two examples!
— HDFC Bank
(Industry – Private Banking and Financial Services)
HDFC Bank identifies the significance of good corporate governance, which takes care of the long-term interests of shareowners and helps to win the public trust in the Company. Therefore, the Corporate Governance scheme is introduced to proffer a course and structure for managing and regulating the bank in accordance with the principles of superlative corporate governance policies.
HDFC Bank was amongst the first four companies which earned a Corporate Governance and Value Creation (GVC) rating by The Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited (CRISIL). The bank has been successful in achieving a ‘CRISIL GVC Level 1’ rating for the last two consecutive years. This symbolizes that the bank has the potential to create wealth for all its stakeholders while preaching the highest degree of corporate governance practices. The Bank truly believes in transparent disclosures and the empowerment of shareholders for weaving value.
The chart shows the past 17 years of data from the year 2000. Going by the chart, HDFC bank has generated huge wealth over the years and is known for its laurel worthy Corporate Governance.
On the contrary, in recent times, there are several specimens that have grabbed headlines regarding massive failures of corporate governance. One such is the Punjab National Bank ( PNB) Scandal.
— Punjab National Bank (PNB)
(Industry: Public Sector Bank)
Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam was put up across all news channels for a scam size of size 12,000 crores. The fact that the main accused i.e. Nirav Modi was able to siphon off funds without being suspected by investigating committees or, the income tax department points out to the mammoth loopholes in the governance. The existence of proper corporate governance in Punjab National Bank (PNB) could have singled out the large scale scandal of this level.
In the chart, it is clearly evident how te share prices started falling just prior to the announcement of the scam and went on a downhill journey since then.
Let us quickly summarize what we discussed in this article. Corporate Governance is the procedure by means of which a corporation guidelines itself. In a nutshell, it is a process of administering a company like a monarchial state which installs its own customs, laws, and policies from the highest to the lowest levels.
In financial terms, Corporate Governance is the collaboration of well -defined rules, processes and laws by which functions and regulations of business take place. Most companies leave no stone unturned to achieve a high degree of corporate governance. The structure and frame of the Corporate Governance comprise of the Board Of Directors, Management and Shareholders!
A company that follows the hardcore core fundamentals of good corporate governance will generally surpass other companies in terms of financial The core principles of sound corporate governance include Fairness, Accountability Responsibility, and Transparency. There is a multitude of benefits arising out of good governance which helps a company to ride on the waves of growth.
Deciding how you want to invest your money is often hard. You need to take many factors into consideration such as risk, returns, taxes, and inflation. It takes a lot of forethought and groundwork to figure out a way to get the best return on your investments.
Yet, there are some investors who choose to invest in companies that are not only financially stable but also make a positive impact on the environment. Socially Responsible Investing or SRI is choosing to invest in stocks that provide a financial gain as well as do social good.
The companies are evaluated based on the ESG index: environment, social justice, and corporate governance.
Although socially-responsible investing is still up and coming in India, it is expected to gain greater momentum in the next few years. Companies have become more aware of the ESG factors and are looking to incorporate more of it into their business practices.
Socially Responsible Investing History
Socially responsible investing began in the early 1700s when the Quakers refused to participate in the slave trade in the U.S. Pastor John Wesley, the leader of the Methodist church claimed it was a sin to make a profit at the cost of your neighbor’s well-being. He stated that it was unethical to gamble and invest in industries that used toxic chemicals.
For many decades after John Wesley’s speech, investors avoided industries such as tobacco and liquor referring to them as ‘sin industries’. This evolved in the 1960s when investors decided to invest their money in companies that promoted social causes such as women’s rights and civil liberty.
Socially responsible investing played a huge role in South Africa during the 1980s when investors began pulling out their money due to the apartheid or the segregation of races. SRI had a prominent role in helping bring an end to the apartheid in 1994.
Sustainability Indexes
If you look into the American and European nations, they already a family of indices evaluating the sustainability performance of thousands of companies trading publicly. The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) launched in 1999, are the longest-running global sustainability benchmarks worldwide. To be incorporated in the DJSI, companies are assessed and selected based on their long-term economic, social and environmental asset management plans.
For India, S&P BSE has three main indices that measure corporate sustainability: S&P BSE 100 ESG INDEX, S&P BSE GREENEX, and S&P BSE CARBONEX.
How to be a Socially Responsible Investor?
Here are a few points that can help you become a socially responsible investor:
— Know the difference
The first and foremost important step to becoming a socially responsible investor is to know the difference between traditional and responsible investing. The difference might be in returns that you get from your investments. The returns from socially responsible investing may differ a little from the traditional one as you might be leaving behind a lot of high return investment options. However, always remember the reason why you have opted for this way of investing.
— Do your research
This is where investors use negative and positive screening to shortlist investment options. In the negative screening, they avoid investing in companies that don’t relate to their social values. Many mutual funds that are socially responsible screen out tobacco and liquor companies. One type of negative screening is divestment, this is where investors take their money out of certain companies because they do not like their business practices or social values.
Along with screening out negative companies, it is also important for investors to choose companies that align with their values. These are companies that strive to bring change to a social aspect that the investor finds important along with their socially responsible business practices. This is also known as impact investing or incorporation of ESG.
— Use your influence as a shareholder
Shareholders not only invest in companies that align with their values but they also use their position to influence the actions of the company in which they own stock. Investors do this by filing a shareholder resolution. This is a document outlining the shareholder’s suggestions for management on how to run the company in a more socially responsible way.
— Invest in the community
This is where an investor invests in companies that have a positive impact on the community. This is usually done in low-income areas where the investment is used to provide loans to people and small-business owners who would otherwise have trouble getting approved for a loan. Community investments also support ‘green companies’ that have a large carbon footprint on the environment.
— Lead by examples
Socially responsible investing is still in the early adoption phase. By making the right investment choices, you can make a real positive impact on the community- along with building wealth. Moreover, sooner or later, social conscious will become the selling point for global companies. And you, being a part of it, can lead the movement.
How to get started with Socially Responsible Investing?
1. Decide what your social principles are
Before you choose your stocks you need to decide what social goals you want to promote. You should focus on your values and what you want to achieve through your investments.
2. Decide what your financial goals are
The next step is to decide what financial goals you want to achieve through your investment just as you would with any other investment. You need to decide how much return you need to meet your goals as well as how much risk you are willing to handle. SRI has been shown to provide comparable returns as a traditional stock would.
3. Choose the fund that meets your needs and goals
Once you have decided what your social and financial goals are, the next step is to find the investment that’s right for you. The most common ESG funds in India include Tata Ethical Fund, Taurus Ethical Fund, and Reliance ETF Shariah BeES.
Social investing has also resulted in the success of micro-finance. This was created by social investors to create an impact on small businesses and has now become an industry worth over $8bn and is now a mainstream financial service.
Socially Responsible investing is becoming increasingly popular in India and there has been a visible shift in the market strategy adopted by many participants as they incorporate social, economic and governance (ESG) factors into their investment process. Stakeholders realize the importance of their role in financial markets to influence sustainable growth.
According to the Indian Impact Investors council ‘more than 30 impact funds have invested in social enterprises in India’. There has been $2billion investment in over 300 companies in India.
While socially responsible investing is still not as big as traditional investing in India, it is still a rapidly growing market. Social investing in India has helped provide basic needs such as housing and education to the poor. Many investors have now realized the power and influence they have to make a positive impact on society.
Hey fellow readers! Today’s topic of concentration is how do analysts perform the Boston Consulting Group – BCG Matrix Analysis on companies! Initially, it might seem like a big deal but the truth is, with a little knowledge and awareness, any layman can execute the BCG analysis to get an apparent outlook about the company. Applying this Analysis on a company can also help an individual to gain an edge if they are particularly looking to invest in the company! Well, without much adieu, let’s dive in!
Boston Consulting Group Analysis
The Boston Consulting Group is a management consulting firm that was founded in 1963. It helps organizations to improve their performance by working on the key areas like the right implementation of technology, development of strategies and improvement in operational services.
As a result of their exposure and relationships with top-notch organizations, they are supremely aware of the industry’s best practices. In Fortune Magazine‘s 2007 Survey of “100 Best US Companies to Work For”, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has received the 8th rank amongst all for their immense contribution.
In the year 1970, BCG shaped up a Product Portfolio Matrix to assess long term growth opportunities in the business by analyzing the product lines and thereafter untap their real capabilities. Even after 49 years of its establishment, the BCG matrix still remains a priceless apparatus for assisting companies in reaping the visions.
The tool is employed in reference to the distribution of resources in appropriate segments and utilizes them in the marketing of brands, product administration, strategic management, and portfolio perceptivity. However, the method is also referred to as the Growth-Share Matrix.
BCG Matrix Dimensions
Let us now understand the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) matrix in a subjective way.
Growth-Share Matrix is a graphical planning tool for corporate and businesses where the company’s products and services are plotted on axes and conclude major business verdicts.
Two prominent dimensions like Competitive Position (Relative Market Share) and Industry Attractiveness (Growth Rate Of That Industry) are taken help to estimate the true capacity of a business brand portfolio and advice further investment programs. These two dimensions determine the likely profitability of the business portfolio in terms of required cash to back the unit and cash generated by it. The conventional agenda of the inquiry is to understand the areas of investment, divestment, and development.
It is one of the most accepted methods of Portfolio Analysis and segregates a firm’s product and services into a 2/2 Matrix or, into four quadrants. Each quadrant is labeled as low or, high according to their performance which is again further based on the Relative Market Share and Growth Rate Of The Market.
The Horizontal Axis i.e. x-axis indicates the extent of the market share of a product and its consecutive firmness in the particular market. It also helps to quantify a company’s competitiveness.
On the other hand, the vertical axis ie. y-axis indicates the growth rate of a product and its ability to grow in a particular market.
1. Relative Market Share
A higher market share generally means higher cash return and the logic behind the allotment of this dimension is dependent on its relationship with the experience curve.
The usual notion is that when the company generates more number of products, it enjoys the advantage of low input costs and leads to increased profits.
The market share of a company is always taken into consideration in relation to the marker share its major peer.
It reveals the brand’s position amongst its competitors and is a subtle indication of its future prospects.
2. Market Growth Rate
A high growth rate in the market is an indication of higher earnings and higher profits.
It also refers to a higher level of investment in the product lines. This is a positive sign of consistent growth and an expectation to get a handsome return on investment.
The market growth rate gives us significant data about the position of the brand other than the cash flow.
It is also a reliable parameter of the stability of the market and attractiveness of the industry.
In addition, the four quadrants in the Growth-Share Matrix are as follows: Stars, Question marks, Cash cows, Dogs
The postulation of the Growth-Share Matrix is that an increment in the relative market share will lead to higher cash flow.
Firms acquire an upper hand from using economies of scale and yields a cost advantage in relation to its competitors. The growth rate of the market differs from industry to industry where growth rates more than 10% are seen as high while growth rates less than 10% are seen as low.
Stars are business entities that have a mammoth market share in a fast-pacing industry. These product lines have a crystal clear niche and need sound investment to maintain their market position, push growth, and carry out a competitive advantage. Stars absorb a considerable amount of cash and also spawn huge cash flows.
Investments in the Stars can be a wise decision since they are the primary units and are awaited to become Cash Cows. Generation of positive cash flow takes place as the market reaches its mature stage and the products successfully retain their dominant position. Stars are the prized possession of a company and are placed in the top categories in a firm’s product portfolio.
Anyways, not all Stars end up as Cash Flows because random new products can soon be outjumped by innovative technological advancements in the course of rapidly dynamic industries. The strategic choices which can be incorporated are Vertical integration, market penetration, horizontal integration, product development, and market development.
2. The BCG Matrix: Question Marks
Question Marks are those business entities that have low market shares in a fast pacing market. Question marks are the most managerially radical products and need pervasive investment and resources to escalate their market share. They also need extensive monitoring because investments in question marks are broadly funded by cash flows.
Question marks do not always see the lights of success and even after the colossal amounts of investments they toil hard to gain market share and gradually transform into dogs. The natural or, typical cycle for most products in that they flag off their journey as Question Marks and eventually become stars with the clarification in their position.
When there is a slowdown in market growth, they metamorphose into Cash Cows and finally, the Cash Cow turns into Dogs. The strategic choices which can be incorporated are Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development, and divestiture.
3. The BCG Matrix: Cash Cows
The product lines under the Cash Cows Quadrant has an enormous share of the market in a sluggish -growing industry. In this case, the generation of the revenue outpasses the initial investments which are necessary to preserve their business. Products in the cash cows quadrant are looked up to as products that are the leadmen in the market. These products already have an important chunk of investments and do not demand more investments to withhold their position.
Cash cows are termed as the most prosperous brands and should be “milked” to generate consistent cash flow as much as possible. These Cash flows are generally utilized to finance Stars and Question Marks to nurture their future growth. It is advised by different Financial Analysts that corporates should invest less in Cash Cows and reap the generated profits from the existing products.
However, this point always doesn’t hold true as Cash Cows are usually big corporations that are proficient in creating new products that might become Stars in the long run. The strategic choices which can be incorporated are product development, diversification, divestiture, retrenchment.
3. The BCG Matrix: Dogs
Dogs are those business entities that have a scanty market share in a ripened and slow-growing market. Products falling under the dogs quadrant are somehow able to protract themselves by initiating cash flows and sustain the market share.
Usually, this unit is mainly valueless to the company in terms of earning capability. However, it might give rise to other small scale benefits such as the production of jobs and mutualism that help other business units. Firms sell off products belonging to the Dogs Quadrant unless the products are complementary to existing products or are used to act as a shield to oppose the moves of the competitors.
According to financial analysts, corporate should avoid investing in such product lines because they lead to negative cash returns. Dogs can massively affect the investors’ sentiments and their personal views about the management of a company. The strategic choices which can be incorporated are retrenchment, Divestiture, and Liquidation.
According to the Boston Consulting Group, a branched out company with an equitable portfolio is in the standardized gallery to utilize its strengths to capitalize on the opportunities of expansion and multiplication. However, an equitable portfolio is one which has
Stars to embolden future success.
Question marks that have a probability to turn into Stars with some consideration, management, and investment.
Cash cows to generate funds for future growth.
BCG Matrix Analysis
Now that we have gained an insight into the basics of BCG Matrix, let us now learn the steps for its application.
1. Choose the unit:
Strategic Business Units(SBU), Independent Brands, Product Lines or the Firm as a unit can be researched using the BCG matrix. The selected unit steers the whole analysis and crucial definitions. As the market, industry, competitors, and position will all be driven based on the chosen unit, it is extremely important to define the unit demarcated for analysis.
2. Define the market
The most momentous stage for the entire matrix is the key definition of the market. An erroneously defined market will make way for an erroneous classification of the unit. Suppose, if we would do the analysis for the Gucci dresses in the regular clothing market it would end up as a Dog but it would be a Cash Cow in the luxury clothing sector. Therefore, It is a major task to transparently explain the market in order to get a solid grip on a firm’s portfolio position.
3. Calculation of Relative Market Share
Relative Market Share can be enumerated in terms of revenues or, market share. It is calculated by dividing the brand’s market share by the market share of the market leader/supreme competitor in an industry.
For example, if the competitor’s market share in the automobile industry is 37% and a firm’s brand market share is 13% in a year, the relative market share would amount to 0.35.
4. Calculation of Market Growth Rate
The growth rate of an industry can be found from the industry reports released every year and are put up on official websites. It can also be calculated by considering the average revenue growth of the leading industrial enterprises. However, it is to be kept in mind that the growth rate of a Market is expressed in terms of percentage.
5. Draw the circles on a matrix
After calculating all the parameters, one can easily plot the brands on the matrix. The plotter should draw a circle for each brand within a unit, or for all the brands in a company. The size of the circle should be in proportion to the generated revenue of the brand.
Let’s apply these steps to analyze an India Company!
For ease of understanding the concept, we are taking ‘Amul’ a well-known company in India as our example.
Amul brand is a prominent and popular name in the dairy industry in India. It produces milk, butter, and other dairy-related products and successfully caters to the Indian population.
The exercise of BCG Matrix on the brand can furnish critical information about the products and the product lines that are a pivotal source of revenue for the organization. The BCG matrix for Amul is as follows:
1. Stars
The products which are considered as Stars of Amul are Amul Ice creamand Amul Ghee. These two products have a high market share and have adequate possibilities to grow in the near future. Amul Ghee has also been a Star for the company as the brand has been able to acquire a 30% hike in its sales while the market share clinged by the product is around 18% along with a yearly turnover of more than Rs 1,700 Crores.
2. Question Mark
Amul Lassi is diagnosed as a Question Mark as their capability as a major derivation of profitability remains quite bleak. Amul lassi has been brought about in the market with the agenda to magnify the market share and give a tough competition with the other beverages available in the market. The healthy milk from Amul possesses a huge potential to swell in the future considering the expansion of interest and demand for healthy products, refreshments, and beverages.
3. Cash Cows
There are three products under the umbrella of Amul that come under the Cash Cow category and they are Amul Milk, Amul Butter, and Amul Cheese. The market share of these products is not likely to undergo colossal gains but their current spot makes them a high revenue contributor.
4. Dogs
Amul has two products that have not been able to generate sales and revenues as per the estimation. One of the noteworthy examples in this regard is Amul Chocolates and Amul Pizza. The competitors make it tough to amplify the market shares to a notable degree which can turn this product to become an outstanding source of sustainable revenues. However, if the sales figures do not proceed towards betterment, a probable measure would be to take the path of divestment of the above-mentioned brands.
Benefits of BCG Matrix Analysis
Every theory and model exiting in the books have their pros and cons. Similarly, Boston Consulting Group( BCG) has its own set. Here are a few of the benefits of BCG Matrix:
The BCG Matrix is beneficent for managers to assure a balance in the companies’ current portfolio consisting of Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks, and Dogs.
BCG-Matrix is befitting to large-cap companies that usually look for volume and experience effects.
The model is coherent and easy to apply and also provides a base for management to take decisions and jack up for future activities.
Limitations of BCG Matrix Analysis
Here are a few of the common limitations of using BCG matrix for analyzing companies:
Growth-share analysis has been highly disapproved of for its simple calculations and absence of a fruitful application.
Market share and Industry Growth are not the sole factors of profitability. Besides, high market share always does not mean high profits.
This matrix does not take into consideration any other factors that may have an effect on both competitive advantage & industry attractiveness.
It denies the correlation between different existing units. In reality, products under Dogs may be assisting another unit to gain a competitive advantage.
The definition of a market is taken from a broader perspective and often neglects smaller aspects.
Summary
Let us quickly summarise what we discussed in this article. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a management consulting firm that helps organizations to make informed decisions from the business point of view.
They introduced the Growth-Share Matrix which is a designing and a planning tool that prepares graphical representations on the basis of a company’s products and services. The Growth-Share Matrix categorizes a firm’s products into four divisions namely Dogs, Cash Cows, Stars, and Question Marks. The four divisions are based on the Relative Market Share and Growth Rate Of The Market. This Matrix immensely helps the company to make decisions regarding investment, divestment, liquidity, and retrenchments.
How to open a demat and trading account at Zerodha? (Updated: Oct 2019)
When I first started investing, I used ICICI direct as my stockbroker for opening my demat and trading account. Although I was happy with the facilities and platforms provided by it, I soon realized that ICICI Direct was very expensive.
Many times, profits were killed by the brokerages in ICICI direct. The worst part was paying too much of brokerage even when you were selling the stock at a loss.
Then I asked for feedback from my friends who were using SBI Smart and HDFC securities. They both were also paying high brokerages and suggested not to go with them.
Finally, after researching a lot, I opened my second demat and trading account at ZERODHA.
Zerodha is the biggest discount broker in India with over 10+ lakhs customers. It contributes to over 15% of all retail order volumes in India daily by trading and investing in NSE, BSE, MCX, and MCX-SX. The charges offered by Zerodha are nominal and the trading platform provided by it is also fast and friendly.
It charges a brokerage of 0.01% or Rs 20 per executed order, whichever is lower, irrespective of a number of shares or their prices.
This is way cheaper compared to ICICI direct which asked a brokerage of 0.55% on each transaction in equity. If you buy stocks for Rs 50,000 in ICICI direct, then you have to pay a brokerage of Rs 275 (On the other hand, Zerodha will ask for a maximum of Rs 20 any trade). Further, as this amount is charged on both sides of the transaction (buying & selling), hence you have to pay a total of Rs 550 for the complete transactions (which is way too expensive than Zerodha).
In short, if you are new to the investment world, I would recommend opening accounts in discount broker such as Zerodha so that you can save lots of brokerages.
How to open a demat and trading account at Zerodha?
Documents required to open a demat and trading account at Zerodha.
Here are the documents required to open a demat and trading account at Zerodha. I will recommend keeping soft copies of all these documents ready before you apply for opening the accounts as you’ve to upload them during the account opening process:
PAN CARD
Aadhar Card
Canceled cheque/ Bank statement
Your Signature on a piece of paper
Passport size photos
*Optional– Income proof: It is mandatory to submit income proof if you wish to trade in Futures and options – Equity, Commodity, and Currency. You can submit Form-16, IT acknowledgment copy, 6-month Bank statement or your latest salary slip as proof. Anyways, ignore this document if you are planning to invest only in just stocks, and not in derivatives, commodity or currency.
Account opening charges at Zerodha
Here are the account opening charges at Zerodha
Demat and Trading Account: Rs 300
Commodity Account: Rs 200
If you want to trade in both equity and commodity, then you need to pay an account opening charge of Rs 300+Rs 200 = Rs 500. However, if you want to trade just in equity (stocks), then you need to pay the charge of Rs 300 only.
Now, there are two ways to open a demat and trading account at Zerodha:
Online method
Offline method
Using the online method, you can open your account with Zerodha within 15 minutes, if you have all the required documents.
However, in the online method, to complete the eSign process, you will have to authenticate it with an OTP. So, make sure you have the number is linked to your Aadhaar. If not, you will not be able to complete the process. If the number linked to your Aadhaar is inactive, or if you don’t have any number linked, then you can visit your nearest Aadhaar Seva Kendra to get it updated.
Anyways, if you don’t want to use your Aadhaar, you can still open your account via the offline route. However, I would recommend you to open online as it is fast.
In the trading world, you need to be tech-savvy and comfortable with doing things online. All the transactions (buy/sell) etc that you’re going to perform in future, once your account is opened, will be online and through advanced trading platforms. They will require you to be technically smart. And therefore, start taking the online route as you can’t ignore the digital path in the future.
How to open your account with Zerodha Online?
Short Answer:
First of all, let me give a short answer on how to open your account at Zerodha before my step-by-step explanation.
On this page, the front step is to signup using your mobile number and verifying the OTP. Then you’ll be required to enter your PAN, bank account, Aadhar verification, and personal details to continue with the signup.
All the instructions are clearly mentioned in the each-step of the account opening page. If you are good at reading and following instructions efficiently, then you do not need to read this entire post. Just go to the account opening page, follow the instructions, upload the documents and your account will be opened.
Besides, if you face any difficulties while opening an account online, you could contact Zerodha at – 080 4913 2020.
A Quick Intro to DigiLocker:
While opening your account online with Zerodha, it will ask you to connect with your DigiLocker account. However, if you are new to DigiLocker, let me give you a quick introduction about it.
I was quickly impressed with DigiLocker concept when I first heard about it in early 2017. DigiLocker is an online service provided by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, Government of India under its Digital India initiative. I always keep this app on my mobile phone and let me tell you why.
If you live in a city, many times, you may face a similar situation like this. You went out to buy some grocery from a nearby shop or to drop someone. And because of a hurry, you forgot your wallet. This means that you don’t have your Driving license or vehicle registration doc with you. Next, if a traffic police stop you, then it might be a little trouble for you to explain to them why you traveling without docs.
However, if you have the DigiLocker app on your phone, you can show the driving license and vehicle registration from the app itself. Motorists can show docs in Digi locker during a traffic check as it is provided by the government of India. Moreover, it is more secure and acceptable by traffic police compared to the camera pic that you keep in your phone gallery.
Overall, if you don’t have a DigiLocker account yet, I’ll highly recommend you to open one and download the app on your phone. It will help you to keep all your docs secured.
Moreover, this account is required while performing Aadhar verification during your Zerodha Account opening.
Detailed Step-by-step procedure to open your account with Zerodha online
Now that you’ve got a basic idea of how to open your account at Zerodha online and what are the docs/things required, next, let me give you a detailed step-by-step explanation of the process:
Step 1: Go to the Zerodha account opening page on your browser. Here is a direct link.
Step 2: Enter your mobile number to sign-up. You’ll receive an instant OTP to verify the mobile number.
Step 3: Enter your full name and email id. Please enter your email address correctly as you’ll again receive an OTP to verify your email id. This is the same email where you’ll receive all your future correspondence from Zerodha. Enter the OTP that you’ve received on your email to verify your email address.
Step 4: Next, enter your PAN and date of birth (DOB) details in the field provided.
Step 5: Complete the account opening payment.
For equity– you’ve to pay Rs 300 and for commodity, the charge is Rs 200. You can complete the payment through UPI or Net-banking/Card payment.
Tick the checkboxes according to your requirement and click on ‘Pay & Continue’ button. Make sure to uncheck commodity account, if you’re not planning to trade in it and save Rs 200.
After payment, you will see Congratulations message displayed on the screen and receive an email regarding the payment confirmation.
Step 6: After completing the payment, it will ask you to connect Aadhar details via Digilocker.
As already mentioned earlier, you need to create a ‘DigiLocker: Towards Paperless Governance’ account and link your Aadhar with it. Click on ‘Connect to DigiLocker’ and this will open a new page to sign up to Digilocker using your phone number.
If you already have an account, click on ‘Sign in’ option in the bottom.
Step 7: After entering your DigiLocker account, select the Aadhar card. If you’re just created a new account, enter your Aadhar number and verify using OTP received on your phone.
After that, you need to click on ‘LINK YOUR DIGILOCKER WITH ZERODHA’.
Step 8: Once your Aadhar verification is complete, a new screen will come displaying “Let’s finish the application”. Here, you need to fill up more details starting by filling up Bank Details i.e. your bank account number, bank name and branch’s IFSC Code.
Below that, you have to fill some details like Marital status, Father’s first name, Father’s last name, etc. After entering the details, click ‘CONTINUE’
Step 9: Next is IPV Verification over webcam/phone.
IPV or In-person-verification is a process where a depository participant in personal verifies documents and other details as per the law by SEBI. It is compulsory for every investor to go through the in-person verification process before opening a demat and trading account.
Here, they’ll display an OTP on the screen. You need to write down this OTP show on a piece of paper or your smartphone. Then, hold the piece of paper/ mobile phone with the code in front of your mobile phone/ webcam.
Click on “Start IPV”, then click on “Take Video” and finally on “SAVE IPV”.
Step 10: Next, you will have the option to either Digitally sign the application with Aadhaar (mobile OTP) or else print & courier it. I will suggest you selecting Aadhaar Option as it is a faster approach.
Step 11: Upload scanned copy of the documents: Bank Account Proof, your current signature, PAN. Income Proof is optional & only required if you want to trade Futures & Options, currency, and commodity.
Step 12: Next, it’s time to eSign. Click on ‘eSign Equity’ button and proceed to the next step. Enter the ‘Security Code’ received on your registered Mobile no/Email and click on ‘submit’.
Step 13: In the next window, enter your Aadhaar number, tick the checkbox and click on ‘Request OTP’ button. Here, enter the OTP number received on your mobile. With this the eSign process for Equity is complete.
Note: If you also opted for commodity trading account, repeat the same process by clicking on ‘eSign commodity’ as shown in ‘Step 12 ‘.
Step 14: Once you’ve completed the application sign up, you will have to download the Demat POA (Power of attorney) form, fill it up & send it to the address mentioned below.
Note: Although you can start trading from the day you receive your client-id and password, nevertheless, do send the POA and nomination documents as soon as possible. If your POA has not been received by Zerodha, then you won’t be able to sell the stocks (however, you will be able to buy stocks). Hence, do fill and send the documents as soon as you can.
Offline Account Opening Process:
How to open your demat and trading account with Zerodha offline?
You can also open your account with Zerodha offline.
In this approach, you will have to download application forms from Zerodha website, print out the forms, fill it up and sign it. If you need help at any point of filling out the application form you can call us on 080 4913 2020.
Here are the applications forms that you’ll need to fill and courier for account opening:
POA (Power Of Attorney) – Already included in the Application form above
ECN (Electronic Contract Note) for enabling Commodity segment – Already included in the application form 2
Nomination Form: In case you would like to appoint a nominee to your trading and DEMAT account like your wife, father, mother or any other.
The documents required for opening your account offline is the same as that of the online process. You need to get a photocopy of your PAN Card, Address proof (Aadhar Card, Driving License, Voter-Id etc), Cancelled Cheque/Bank statement, Income proof & Passport size photographs. You also have to cross sign as self-attest on all these docs. You can find the list of all acceptable docs for account opening here.
Once you fill it up and sign it, you have to send the application forms over to the Zerodha head office address:
Alternatively, you can schedule a meeting with a Zerodha representative at an address, date and time as per your convenience, by calling up the account opening helpline (080 4913 2020) or by placing a request with the sales manager assigned to you.
Here, a Zerodha representative will contact you and direct you to keep all such necessary documents ready at the decided time and place of the meeting. The representative would take all necessary signatures and self-attested documents/attachments as required to complete the account opening procedure.
I will recommend using the online method while opening your account. Zerodha is working towards the Digital India initiative and you should be a part of it too. Although online methods seem to have too many steps, they do not take too long. Once you’ve started the application form, you can build a flow and complete the form within 15-20 minutes.
The offline method is good if you do not have an Aadhar card and you want to provide another address proof like Driving license, Voter Id, etc. However, if you are living in a village/small city, it might be a little difficult for you to get a Zerodha executive. Moreover, the offline method can easily take 7-10 days to open a demat and trading account.
That’s all. These are the steps to open a demat and trading account at Zerodha, online and offline. I hope this post on ‘How to open a Demat and trading account at Zerodha?’ is useful to the readers. If you have any doubts, comment below.
Hi, I am Kritesh, an NSE Certified Equity Fundamental Analyst and an electrical engineer (NIT Warangal) by qualification. I have a passion for stocks and have spent my last 4+ years learning, investing and educating people about stock market investing. And so, I am delighted to share my learnings with you. #HappyInvesting
#12 companies with highest share price in India (Updated- October 2019):
Hi Investors. In this post, we are going to discuss the 12 companies which have the highest share price in India.
Note: Please study the companies carefully if you want to invest in any of the stocks mentioned in the list here. A high stock price doesn’t guarantee a fundamentally strong company or a good investment. Let’s get started.
#12 Companies with Highest Share Price in India
1. MRF (Rs 62,896)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 26,628 Cr
Madras Rubber Factory (MRF) is a Tyre manufacturer that produces a wide range of tyres. It specializes in Car & bike tyres, trucks/buses tires etc. MRF has the highest share price in India among all the listed companies on BSE/NSE.
The all-time high share price of MRF is Rs 81,426. The stock is currently trading at a standalone PE of 24.14.
MRF has never split its share and has a face value of Rs 1o. Noticeably, this company was trading at a price of Rs 10,000, in November 2012.
2. Honeywell Automation (Rs 28,564)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 25,250 Cr
Honeywell is a leader in providing integrated automation and software solutions. It has a wide product portfolio in environmental and combustion controls, and sensing and control, etc.
This stock has given a return of over +440% in the last 5 years. It is currently trading at a PE of 66.24.
3. Page Industries (Rs 20,816)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 23,210 Cr
One of the famous company under Page Industries is Jockey (Underwear and inner wears company). Page industries is in readymade apparels (garment) industries. It has turned out to be a multi-bagger stock in the last couple of years and has given a return of over +135% in last 5 years.
Page industries is currently trading at a PE of 61.05.
4. 3M India (Rs 20,610)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 23,227 Cr
3M India has a diversified portfolio of products in dental cement, health care, cleaning, etc. This stock is currently trading at a PE of 75.35.
The parent company of Royal Enfield (Bullet bikes) and Eicher trucks. This is in the automobile sector.
This stock has given a negative return of -35% in the last two years since October 2017. Eicher motor was trading at a price of Rs 2,500 in November 2012 and a high of Rs 31,600 in April 2018. The current PE of Eicher Motors is 25.24.
Shree Cement is an Indian cement manufacturer headquartered in Kolkata. It is the biggest cement maker in northern India. Shree cements is currently trading at a PE of 54.85. (52-week high- Rs 22,399)
7. Nestle India (Rs 14,351)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 138,377 Cr
Nestle India is in the food processing industry with a wide variety of products like Maggi, Kit-Kat, Nescafe, Every day, etc. This stock is currently trading at a PE of 81.93.
8. Bosch (Rs 14,128)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 41,671 Cr
Bosch ranks eighth in the list of companies with highest share price in India. It is a part of the German multinational company Robert Bosch (or just Bosch), headquartered in Germany.
Bosch belongs to the automobile ancillaries industry and currently trading at a PE of 27.73 (52-week high- Rs 20,500).
9. Bombay Oxygen (Rs 13,247)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 198 Cr
This is one of the lesser-known companies on the list of companies with highest share price in India. Incorporated in 1960, Bombay Oxygen is an Industrial gases company.
The stock is currently trading at a standalone PE of 25.28 with a 52-weeks high price of Rs 26,995 in October 2018.
P & G is in the personal care industry with products in hygiene and health care. Few famous products of Procter & Gamble group are Ariel, Duracell, Gillette, Head & Shoulder, etc.
This stock is currently trading at a PE of 89.71.
Quick Tip: If you are new to the share market, you’ll need to open your demat account to start investing/trading. We’ll highly recommend opening an account with Zerodha, No 1 stockbroker in India. Here’s a detailed post on how to open Zerodha account step-by-step.
11. Abbott India (Rs 10,949)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 23,267 Cr
Headquartered in Mumbai, Abbott India Limited, a publicly listed company and a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories, takes pride in offering high-quality trusted medicines in multiple therapeutic categories such as women’s health, gastroenterology, cardiology, metabolic disorders, and primary care.
It is currently trading at a PE of 47.99.
12. Tasty Bite Eatables (Rs 10,104)
Market Capitalisation = Rs 2,592 Cr
This company operates in the food processing industry with products like tasty bite rice, noodles, entrees, etc. This stock is currently trading at a PE of 81.05.
That’s all for this post on ‘#12 companies with the highest share price in India’. Most of the companies on this list are trading at a high PE. If you want to buy any one of them, then please study the company carefully. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.
Disclaimer: The list of 12 Companies with Highest Share Price in India is till date October 2019. The stock market is dynamic and the stock prices will change in the future, which may change the list or the order of the companies listed here.
Further, do comment below which other stocks can find a place in this list by next year (October 2020) and which ones will be thrown out of the list, according to you? Cheers!
Hi, I am Kritesh, an NSE Certified Equity Fundamental Analyst and an electrical engineer (NIT Warangal) by qualification. I have a passion for stocks and have spent my last 4+ years learning, investing and educating people about stock market investing. And so, I am delighted to share my learnings with you. #HappyInvesting
There is a reason why credit card companies are always looking for their next best client. When people start using their service more, they can make more money based on the usage that is served to you from their side. There are around issuers who advance over millions of purchases made by their customers. And the return can come in billions to the credit card companies.
Credit card companies in India
Recently for the new age foray of digital India, the bank is always looking and scoping out credit cards for their users for the best of interest for their end. When it comes to India, there are mostly banks that issue the credit card to the people. So when it comes to publishing your new credit card, then the bank will be making money. From the bird’s eye point of view, it is like a charitable business here.
This means that when you are asking for a credit card, then the bank will issue the same for you. These credit cards are released from the source of the third parties which are offered to these banks. When it comes to issuing credit cards for the customers, then the bank issues it for the people and provides a credit for it. Then after the same, the customer has to pay the bill for the usage of the card.
Now, when it comes to making money, then the only major fees that the bank gets are by the interest, which is levied on the outstanding amount which is ready to repay. In case of delay of payment through your credit card, the bank will charge a collected rate of interest onto the same.
Anyways, there are also other sources through which the banks and credit card companies make money with the usage of these credit cards that are issued to your name. This will be later discussed with the help of this article.
How Do Credit Card Companies Make Money?
Here are how the credit card companies make more money and earn profit as well with the use of their business.
Networking
When it comes to the age of the digital period, then do you know who makes money these days? Anyone who can help your brand or company extend its reach. In this digital world, it becomes difficult for the common man to continue the source of his business, and this is why brand or marketing tie-ups are essential. For example, a lot of brands are spending more on their digital marketing because they need a better reach of the audience from all around. It can help them to gather the clients for their said work.
The credit card companies have direct access to the whole of the customer base, and it can influence the spending as well. Therefore what these credit card companies do is that they help for both types of brand promotion and the generation of sales. To reach new customers, it is a useful tool here. Plus, they get paid for the brand promotion that they are making from here.
Example:
For example, let’s take a look at the leading banks here.
So if the banks are paying around lakhs for winning over the customers with the help of their brand promotion, then they are getting the doubles in return through here. Brands are always ended up in marketing tie-ups with the credit card companies so that they can get cash backs on their set. On the other hand, there are two types of tie-ups that can be tried here. One is the low value, and the other ones are the high value. Plus, there are interest charges levied onto the same too.
Interest gathered onto the balance which is outstanding
It is a universal fact that credit card companies can make money based on the benefits which are charged on your balance amount. Among all form of credit facilities, the interest rate which is loaded onto your card is the highest, and they are even higher than the private lending that you have.
This means that when we are talking about the higher amounts, then we are speaking as high as 40-42% interest, which is charged annually and which is about 3-3.5 %, which is billed monthly here.
According to the facts and the stats which are provided by the credit card companies, around 60% of the people or the credit card holders do not pay their levied amount right on time, and this is when the interests on their credit can be charged to them. These customers are the primary source of income for these credit card companies out there.
The amount which is not paid by the customers is always termed to the absolute figure. This means that when we are talking about 60%, this does not mean that 60 people out of every 100 are not able to pay their amount. This means that some even have a higher outstanding than the other, and; this is where their interest is levied.
Here is another way through which the credit card companies can charge in the amount and get the income for their source. Usually, the cash limit for the credit facility is around 20-40%. This cash limit comes handy in case of the emergency which can be met during the time of shortage of cash, etc.
So if you take an advance payment from the bank, then the bank will charge an interest rate of about the same from you on the amount that they are granting you. This is one of the costliest ways and one of the most prime ways through which credit card companies can make cash.
Merchant Fees
Another way from where a credit card makes money is merchant fees. Whenever the credit card user makes any payment using their credit card, the entire amount does not go to the retailer. The credit card companies charge a small fee as the percentage of the purchase amount for providing safe and secure payment transactions.
This charge is known as a merchant fee or swipe fee. This merchant fee can be anywhere between 1.5-2% of the transaction value and hence serves as a huge revenue source for the banks.
Although, the credit card user doesn’t have to pay any additional fee, however, the credit card companies take a portion of the profit from the merchants. Therefore, the merchant fee only affects the merchants. Anyways, some merchants may use a ‘credit card surcharge‘ in addition to the cost of products/services that they are selling in order to off-set the merchant fee. This surcharge is waived if the customer prefers cash or debit card payment as the fees on the debit card is comparatively lower for merchants.
Annual and renewal fees
Now comes to the other charges which come with your credit card. When you are issuing credit cards from the bank, then there is an annual fee that you have to pay. And also, for the renewal fee, which means that you have renewed your credit card after it has been extended to a valid period.
These charges may be waived off by the banks if you’re an active spender and cross their pre-specified annual expenditure through credit cards. Anyway, these charges are usually given out through the customer whose value of spending is meager.
In other words, credit card companies will charge you a fee which you eventually have to pay on the annual or during the time of the renewal as well.
As discussed in this article, you have found out that the credit card companies do have a lot of sources for their salary here. The credit card companies make money by charging interests on the customer’s delayed payment, merchant fees, networking and marketing with branks, annual and renewal fees, etc.
So if you don’t want to levy the heavy-duty and the charges for your late payment, make sure of the financial tracking that is happening with the help of your card. Take notes and understand your credit billing cycle as well so that you can figure out when to pay your fees and to keep the minimum as well.
So let us begin from the start about what is the theory behind the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As we all know, Human behavior is complex. And, to understand the basic of it, you need to dive into the deep level of science. Well, human behavior is the combination of both science and art, so here is an essential prime factor and explanation of it.
In the layman or the economic term, human behavior is based on wants that we generate towards the same kind or towards materialistic items. For example, if someone sees a dress at a store and it is pretty then their instant thought is to buy that dress. This type of human behavior is categorized into a section of wants.
Maslow said and proved that human behavior is a series of complex happenings in the mind of an ordinary human being due to motivation. The main factor or the module of this explanation lies in the motivational factor, which rules human behavior.
A close look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow first introduced his needs theory in the year of 1943. This was published in a journal back then because people then never had smartphones or tablets. The weekly or the writing was published under the name of ‘Human Motivation and its Theory,’ and he even wrote a book about the same. This Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests that there are specific needs that arise in humans, and they can be categorized in the form of a pyramid.
The topmost of the pyramid is the one that comes at a high level. And the last part is the one which humans need the most or which cannot be delayed. While some of the people criticized his working theory on the needs of the human mind, he suggested that the cycle of life happens with the hierarchy which he has produced in his book.
Maslow did tell that he was always interested to know what made people feel happy, secured, anger, and this, in turn, raises the level of needs inside their mind. With all due respect, we know that the human brain is complicated and debunking it can be hard work but if we categorize ours wants to different sections that we have then it is going to be easy work for us.
As a humanist Maslow believed the same. He wanted to know what the self-desire that people wanted or which could also be counted as the self-actualization needs, which comes at the very top.
There are five different levels of the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The first starts with the self-actualization needs then it shifts down to the esteem needs. Then it goes down again to the belonging needs, then to the safety needs and later to the psychological one.
From the basic level to the complex one
When you understand Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, you have to realize that there are two types of needs that a human can have.
One is the basic needs like the need for safety and shelter. Or to have food when they wake up in the morning. And the next one is the complex where a human needs to understand his self-esteem. The self-actualization means that a human has to follow his full capacity so that they can only reach the top of their life. So it is sorted.
When it comes to the wanting of needs, then humans go for the basic at first and then they choose to select onto the complex at later.
The pyramid, which is present for Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs refers to the needs and what they relate to the mind of a human being. When a person progresses and has the safety or the necessities that they want, they move to the need of being loved. This comes in the middle where they rise, and this is where their self-esteem needs grow. This is when someone tries to question their behavior and attitude toward something. The topmost level of the pyramid consists of the actualization needs or the standard. This is where a human needs to understand his boundary and his limits to what he/she can achieve in their lifetime.
Breaking down the Pyramid
Here is how the requirements are broken down, which are present at the pyramid.
1. Psychological needs
These are the most common or the primary type of requirements that a man/woman can have. These are also known as the apparent needs which you have to get in your life to survive. Some of these needs include having the food to eat, a shelter, or a place to stay, the need to breathe and live. In the essential requirement of these needs, there are nutrition and air which are added here as well.
Maslow also included that the need for sexual reproduction comes to this point. This is because, for our population to grow and move forward, people need to mate with each other. And this is one of the most common or basic needs that they can have.
Coming to the next or the upper level of the pyramid, there lie the safety needs. This means that a human being in order to live should have a minimum safety in their lives. At this level, their need for security and safety becomes quite apparent. People who want to have control over their lives and the things that they are getting needs to have the safety needs issued here.
Some of the necessary safety needs are financial safety, health, and wellness safety and the security needs that they want from injuries and accidents. People need to obtain an excellent job so that they can be financially dependent and stand on their own feet. And they should have a basic safety on how they are living which matters to their well-being as well.
3. Social needs
The third one is called social needs. This means that in order for the average or an ordinary human being to live in society, they need to have a basic social need. These are the things that can satisfy the human mind. This need in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs helps a human to understand the meaning of being loved, respected, and accepted socially into a group.
Here are some of the breakdown of the needs. The need of being loved, the lack of having romantic attachments, having a healthy family, a group of friends, being accepted to community groups are everything that lies here in this need. To fight mental disorder such as depression or loneliness, social needs are the part which helps a human being. This is to feel being loved by their opposite sex or by their family members.
4. Self-esteem needs
At the fourth level, which comes for the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, it is the self-esteem needs that are talked here. So what are they? Well, self-esteem is something which is a part of your day to day life. It is the need for being appreciated and have respect for the work that you do. When the requirements which are left at the bottom of the levels are satisfied. This is one need that appears inside your mind.
We, as an ordinary human being, need to be recognized by the others. We have a compelling need where our self-esteem and ego comes, and we identify them. Even though they are not the basic needs, they go and lies in the complicated part here. At this point, after you have complied with the basic needs. And, it becomes increasingly crucial for you to gain respect for the work that you do for others and even for yourself. This is an appreciation or needs that you want from others.
5. Self-actualization needs
The top of the pyramid lies for the self-actualization needs or the need to actualize your wants. At the peak, it lies, and it explains the conditioning of the human brain to attain the kind of desire that they have towards a sure thing.
For example, self-actualization needs mean that you realize what you are capable of. Maslow explained that this need means ‘it is loosely based and describes the full use of the human mind in regards to the talents, potentialities that it might have, etc.
For the summarization of the entire Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, here is the essential thing.
The human mind is the complex structure of our life.
There are two kind of needs which can happen inside our mind called the basic and the complex requirements.
There are five needs that can occur inside us.
The first is the psychological need or the basic level of need used by people.
The second lies in safety needs like safety for financial issues and other guarantees.
The third is the psychological need which uses a human to function on the basis of emotions.
Esteem needs stand at fourth and that’s where the respect is marked.
The fifth one is called the actualization need or when a person understands his/her entire potential.
The Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a diagrammatic module of how our needs are categorized and based. The higher you move, the complex your need becomes. And mostly Maslow has said that the requirements are based on the income level of the people too. People who have reduced income are more opinionated towards the primary type of the lower level of the pyramid.
And those for the higher section of the society have an opinion for the higher base for the pyramid. There are potent motivators from all around which works for the people to enhance their needs as well.
Hello readers. One of the most frequently asked questions by Trade Brains’ readers is what is futures and options trading. In this article, we are going to cover this topic and discuss what is derivative trading along with explaining futures and options. Let’s get started.
What are Derivatives?
A derivative is a device whose monetary value is extracted from the value of one or more primary variables called bases. Here, the bases mainly indicate underlying assets, interest rate or indexes. These underlying assets further comprise equity, foreign exchange, commodity, or any other asset.
As the value of these underlying assets keeps fluctuating, these changes in value can help traders to earn profits from derivative trading. The most common types of derivatives are futures, options, forwards and swaps.
This evolution of the market for derivative products like Forwards, Futures, and Options dates back to the compliance of risk hesitant economic advocates to shield themselves against volatilities emerging out of ups and downs in asset prices. In other words, it acts as a hedging apparatus against oscillation in commodity prices.
Post-1970, financial derivatives majorly came under the limelight due to thriving fluctuations in the markets. Ever since they seeped into the picture, these products have gained quite a popularity and have reckoned for about two-thirds of total transactions in derivative products by 1990.
In the class of equity derivatives, Future and Options have acquired more eminence than individual stocks. The trend is especially prominent among institutional investors who are frequent partakers of index-linked derivatives. Financial markets are marked by an escalated amplitude of volatility but with the utilization of derivative products, it is viable to partially or fully shift the price risks by remanding the asset prices.
As equipment of risk management, these generally do not determine the inconstancy in the underlying asset prices. However, by tapping in asset prices, derivative products reduce the influence of fluctuations in asset prices on the profitability and cash flow scenario of risk-afraid investors.
Factors driving the Growth of Derivatives
In the last thirty years, the derivatives market has seen an exemplary advancement. A huge variety of derivative contracts have been introduced at exchanges across the globe. Some of the factors which are surging the cultivation of financial derivatives are:
Elevated synthesis of national financial markets with the global markets.
Considerable development in communication amenities and acute declination in their costs.
Growth of more sophisticated risk management devices, providing economic agents with a variety of choices.
Derivative Products
Derivative contracts have diversified variants. The most basic variants are Forwards, Futures & Options.
1. Forward Contract :
A forward contract is a customized contract between two individuals, where settlement takes place on a definite date in the future at the current pre-compiled price. Other contract details like delivery date, price, and quantity are negotiated bilaterally by the parties. The forward contracts are generally traded outside the exchanges.
On the expiration date, the contract has to be settled by the delivery of the asset. If the party wishes to counterpole the contract, it has to imperatively go to the same counter-party, which often results in charging higher prices. In certain markets, Forward Contracts have become standardized like in the case of foreign exchanges. Such standardization reduces transaction costs and increases transaction volumes.
For example, let us consider an exporter who expects to receive payment in dollars three months later. He is exposed to the risk of exchange rate fluctuations. Thus, utilizing the currency forward market to sell dollars forward, he can clinch on to a rate today and diminish his uncertainty.
2. Futures Contract:
A futures contract is an alliance between two parties to purchase or sell an asset at a stipulated time in the future at a specific price. Futures contracts are special types of forward contracts that are traded on exchanges. Future Contracts also facilitate the elimination of risk and provide more liquidity to a market participant. The terminology of the Futures Contract consists of Spot Price, Futures Price, Contract Cycle, Expiry Date & Contract Size.
For example, if you buy/sell a crude oil futures contract, you are agreeing to buy/sell a set amount of crude oil at a specific price (the price you place an order at) at some future date. You don’t actually need to take delivery of the crude oil, rather you make or lose money based on whether the contract you bought/sold goes up or down in value relative to where you bought/sold it. You can then close out the trade at any time before it expires to lock in your profit or loss.
3. Options Contract:
Options are of two types namely, Calls & Puts. Calls give the buyer the authority but not the obligation to purchase a given quantity of the underlying asset, at a given price on or before a given future date. Puts give the buyer the authority, but not the obligation to sell a given quantity of the underlying asset at a given price on or before a given date. Unlike, Futures Contract, the purchase of an Option requires up-front payment.
There are four broad categories of participants namely Hedgers, Speculators, Margin Traders, and Arbitrageurs. Let’s discuss each of them now:
1. Hedgers: Traders who aspire to secure themselves from the risk involved price actions generally participate in the derivatives market. They have been called hedgers because they try to hedge the price of their assets by undertaking an exact opposite trade in the derivatives market.
2. Speculators: Unlike hedgers, Speculators look for opportunities to take on risk in the hope of making returns. These stark contrast in risk figuration and market views sets apart hedgers from speculators.
3. Margin Traders: Dealing with derivative products doesn’t require payment of the total value of the upfront position. Instead, depositing only a fraction of the total sum does the work and is known as Margin Trading. Margin Trading results in a high leverage factor in derivative trade because, with a small deposit, one is able to keep a large outstanding position.
4. Arbitrageurs: Derivative instruments are valued on the basis of the underlying asset’s value in the spot market. However, there are times when the price level of stock in the cash market is lower or higher in comparison to its price in the derivatives market. Arbitrageurs tap the opportunities and exploit these blemishes and disorganization to their favor.
Arbitrage trade is a low-risk trade, where a parallel deal in securities is done in one market and a corresponding sale is executed in another market. Such a trade is carried out when the same securities are being quoted at different prices in two different markets.
For example, in the cash market, let us consider the price is quoting at Rs. 1000 per share. On the other hand, it is at Rs. 1010 in the futures market. An arbitrageur would purchase 100 shares at Rs. 1000 in the cash market and sell 100 shares at Rs. 1010 per share in the futures market, thereby making a profit of Rs. 10 per share.
A derivative is a device whose monetary value is extracted from the value of one or more primary variables called bases. Here, the bases mainly indicate underlying assets, interest rate or indexes. Further, the asset can be anything from stocks, commodities, currency to interest rates.
The most common types of derivatives are futures, options, forwards and swaps. In derivative trading, the traders take advantage of the fluctuating value of underlying assets to make profits.
One of the easiest ways to learn anything new is by participating in the discussions. And the same rule applies when you are trying to learn trading or investing. If you are new to stocks and looking for the best stock market discussion forums in India to start participating, then you’ve entered the right page.
In this article, we are going to share the list of seven best stock market discussion forums in India where you can ask your most troublesome questions or share your ideas/knowledge with fellow investors and traders. On all these forums, you can find active discussions on stock market investing, trading, investing strategies, stock picks, IPOs, mutual funds, taxation, personal finance and more.
Besides, all these forums are FREE to join and hence, it doesn’t cost you anything to signup and start participating in interesting topics on these Indian stock market discussion forums.
7 Best Stock Market Discussion Forums in India
Here are seven of the best forums in India for healthy discussions on stock market investing and trading:
1. Traderji
Started in 2004, Traderji is one of the oldest and most popular stock market discussion forum for investors and traders in India.
This platform has over 1.8 lakhs members participating in different threads on the stock market, derivates, Commodity and Forex trading of India. As per the statistics on this website, there are over 59,300 threads and 1,202,464 messages on this forum.
A few popular categories on the Traderji forum are Beginner’s guide, General trading and investing chat, technical analysis, mutual fund discussion forum, tools, and resources.
Trading Q&A is a famous online discussion platform for traders and investors which is managed by Zerodha, the biggest discount broker in India. With thousands of active participants on this forum, you can get all your trading queries answered here, along with sharing your own knowledge with fellow traders.
On Trading Q&A, you can ask questions about Intraday Trading, Derivatives, Commodity, Investing Strategies, Broker Review, Algo-Trading, Zerodha & its products, Taxation, IPOs and much more.
Trade Brains discussion forum is an online forum for the community of enthusiastic stock market investors and traders who are willing to learn, ask, and share their skills, thoughts, and knowledge. This forum has been listed among the top 9 Online Forums To Discuss Personal Finance and Trading in Asia by Fintech Singapore News.
On Trade Brains’ forum, you can find discussions on categories belonging to Share market investing and trading, fundamental analysis, mutual funds, IPO’s, personal finance and money management.
Here, you can participate in the forum for free by reading/writing the answers on the existing queries or asking your own questions by simply signing up for the forum.
One of the most active forum for stock market discussion in India. ValuePickr’s tagline is “Separating the Wheat from the Chaff” and focuses on discussions regarding the company’s Business Quality, Management Quality, Business Execution & Performance.
Here, you can find topics on stock opportunities (hidden gems, Untested but worth a good look category, top 5 picks), Investing strategies, Questions & Answers, Investor Toolkit, Investment Learning, Books and more. You can get a lot of knowledge about the Indian stock market by simply hovering over the topics and queries.
Stock Adda is an Indian stock investor community where along with the stock market discussions, you can also get information like stock ideas, investing strategies, news, market movements, books, etc.
Besides, on StockAdda, you can also create a stock portfolio or view the ranking of member portfolios based on Daily and overall gains(%). Overall, it is an amazing platform for social traders/investors.
Stocks Talk Forum by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is yet another popular stock market discussion forums in India.
First of all, I should mention that this site is Inspired, Not Endorsed, By Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, one of the most successful Indian stock market investors.
On this discussion forum, you can find topics on categories like stock investment queries, stock picks of wizards, portfolio of famous investors, stock advisory services, must-read interviews, articles and more. You can find over 3,250 discussions on this forum.
Bse2Nse is another popular Indian Stock forum discussion for Equity, FnO, and commodity trading. Here you can find discussions on stock trading, investing strategies, broker reviews, IPOs, mutual funds and more. They also have a separate section on Chart Analysis which can be very helpful for technical traders.
In this article, we discussed the seven best stock market discussion forums in India. However, before ending this article, let me give you a piece of final advice.
All these forums are built by active members who are willing to share useful ideas and answers. Please keep your posts relevant to the forum category and do not ‘SPAM’! Else, you will be thrown out of the forum by the admins and moderators. Be respectful to others and don’t sweat the small stuff.
That’s all for this post. Comment below if you are part of any of the above-mentioned discussion forum or are willing to join soon. Else, if I missed any awesome Indian stock market discussion forum worth adding to this list, mention below in the comment box. Cheers and have a great day!
In this article, we are going to discuss the difference between BSE and NSE, the two biggest stock exchanges in India. However, in order to study the Bombay stock exchange (NSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), first, we need to understand what is a stock exchange and its importance. Let’s get started.
What is a Stock Exchange?
According to the Indian Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act of 1956, defines Stock Exchange as, “an association, organization or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, established for the purpose of assisting, regulating and controlling business in buying, selling and dealing in securities.“
The stock exchange is a very important component of the capital market for the sale and purchase of financial and industrial securities and bonds. It is a place that is well organized and systematic as it is regulated under strict conditions and rules. The stock exchange performs various functions and offers services to a wide range of investors and other borrowers.
The main features of any stock exchange market can be summed up as follows:
The stock market serves as a market for securities where bodies from the corporate sector, governmental, non-governmental or semi-governmental come together to sell and buy these securities.
It also serves as a secondary market where old and existing second-hand securities, shares and bonds are dealt with.
Stock exchange functions as the regulator of securities. It tries to ensure free and fair trading.
In order to serve as a safe haven for investors and companies, the Stock Exchange involves in trading of only official and listed securities. The securities which are not listed called the unlisted securities are not allowed to be traded on the exchange but may trade through Over the trade (OTC) counters.
The way only listed securities are allowed, in the same manner, only the authorized investors are allowed. Investors can only participate in buying or selling the securities at the Stock Market through official or authorized brokers only.
It works as a recognized indicator of the development of the economy of the country. It is also the best reflector of industrial growth and corporate stability.
Now that you understand the basics of stock exchanges, let’s discuss the difference between BSE and NSE.
In India, there are two main stock exchange markets, namely the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE). Let’s start with BSE.
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)
The Bombay Stock Exchange or BSE is the oldest which was established in 1875 in Dalal Street of Bombay (now Mumbai). It was earlier known as ‘the native share and stock brokers association but got recognized as the only important stock market of India under the Securities Contract Regulation Act of 1956.
The BSE is the first and oldest stock exchange market of Asia which offered such a huge variety of services. It has about six thousand companies listed as of the year 2018. As of April 2018, BSE is the world’s 10th largest stock exchange with an overall market capitalization of more than $2.29 trillion dollars.
National Stock Exchange (NSE)
The National Stock Exchange or NSE is the country’s leading stock exchange marketplace. It was India’s first digitalized stock exchange in the country. NSE was established in the year 1992 to decrease the monopoly of BSE in the Indian stock market. With NSE’s coming into existence, it brought about an electronic exchange system that did away with the practice of the paper-based exchange system.
As of April 2018, National Stock Exchange has a total market capitalization of more than US$2.27 trillion, making it the world’s 11th-largest stock exchange.
Although both of the stock exchange markets are very important in India, there are some ground differences which we need to take into account:
Both the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange are the top exchange marketplaces in India. However, the oldest one is the Bombay Stock Exchange established in 1875 and the National Stock Exchange is a younger exchange established in 1992.
Both the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange were recognized by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in the year 1993 and 1957 respectively.
The number of listed companies on the National Stock Exchange is around 1700 and around 6000 for the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The electronic system of exchange was first introduced under the National Stock Exchange in the year 1992 and later in Bombay Stock Exchange in 1995 under BOLT i.e. BSE On-Line Trading.
The official index used by the National Stock Exchange is the NIFTY 50 while for the Bombay Stock Exchange, it is the SENSEX.
The National Stock Exchange’s index — Nifty 50, computes the top fifty stocks listed on the NSE. And on the other, the Bombay Stock Index, SENSEX accounts for the top thirty stocks on BSE.
Another major difference between the two relates to the volume of trading of individual stocks which is higher in the National Stock Exchange than in the Bombay Stock Exchange.
(Sensex Last +30 Years Chart – Source: TradingEconomics)
Apart from the differences, we can say that both the stock exchange markets are nationally and globally well renowned. The trading mechanisms, settlements and trading hours of both the stock exchange marketplace are almost similar.
On top of it, both of them are designated as the premium stock exchange markets recognized by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). The Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange are under very tight control and regulation by the SEBI implying that both are under the same provisions.
By way of conclusion, we can add that the choice of any investor to participate in the trading of security is subjected to personal choice and therefore, can be different from one investor to another.
However, it is said that the National Stock Exchange is for those investors who want to involve in high volume day trade and derivatives trading. It has better software as compared to its rival, the Bombay Stock Exchange for any high-risk transactions made online. The Bombay Stock Exchange is an ideal marketplace for those investors who are a little conservative in nature who choose to invest and wait for their investments to grow gradually.
Anyways, you can trade or invest in equities through any of the stock exchanges, NSE or BSE, and may not find noticiable difference. According to your choice and activity, you may decide on where to sign up and participate.
10 Best Credit Cards in India in 2019 with exceptional benefits (Updated: October 2019)
Credit cards are everywhere. These days, they are used in almost all underlying operations like purchasing items from the store or even for your online sale as well. A credit card helps to shape you a good lifestyle, and since there is a fixed amount for which you have to take in the credit for, you can even stop yourself from the overspending habits that you have. They are the growing aspects of the economic market, and as we are towards the source of digital transactions, credit cards are becoming more and more efficient these days.
Moreover, Credit cards are instantly safe for you to use for any source of electronic payments since they are backed up by full security. As a matter of fact, credit cards are comparatively safer than debit cards.
However, since each and every bank is offering new credit cards with amazing rewards, which one to choose? In this article, we are going to discuss the ten best credit cards in India so that you can choose the one that suits you the best.
Why Credit Cards?
Credit cards are very similar to a debit card issued by a bank or a financial institution. However, credit cards let the cardholder borrow money from the financial institution to pay for goods and services. It imposes the condition that the cardholder must pay back the borrowed money after a certain period of time along with some interest as well as any additional charges if agreed.
The company issuing the credit card may also put up a line of credit (LOC) to enable the cardholders to withdraw money in the form of cash. The institution customarily presets the borrowing limits of the customer based on his individual rating. The borrowing limit can be set monthly, quarterly or annually, according to the profile and needs of the customer.
This mode of payment is one of today’s popular payment method for buying goods and services because of the following reasons:
Purchasing Power: Credit Cards empower the holder to purchase locally as well as overseas also. They also let you purchase through phone, online and at stores, of course. Most of the credit cards, especially MasterCard and Visa, are accepted virtually anywhere.
Shop now, pay later: Credit Cards make it very easy to buy on credit. For example, if you’re spending money on regular monthly expenses, it’s usually not a good idea to use your bank balance. Instead, you can buy through credit card and return the money to the bank by the end of the month. This way you have used the leverage instead of using your own money. Besides, credit cards are the best tool to help us track our expenses and hence it can help you in budgeting.
Rewards: Mostly, all the banks and financial institutions who give credit cards offer various rewards and cashback on our day-to-day purchases. For example, if we book a movie ticket, there are numerous offers available from different companies. Some also offer benefits like ‘Buy 1 Get 1 ticket’, which results in the benefit of the customer only.
In addition, Credit cards can also act as emergency protection. In case of a medical emergency or unexpected event, one should maintain an emergency fund which must be equal to his/her six to twelve months of salary to keep him/her. A credit card can help you to fight with the unforeseen expenses.
Finding a sound credit card in India can be a tough job for you because you have to go through a lot of things. First of all, you have to take care of the facilities that you are getting from your card and even the bank through which it is being provided to you. Some of the credit cards are immensely useful for your shopping habits, and they come with excellent features, as well.
So here are ten of the best credit cards in India, which you need to check out right now.
1. American Express Membership Reward Credit Card
Coming to the list of the top used credit cards in the Indian market, the MRCC is the top-rated one. It helps you to get reward points on your spending so that you can redeem it on your next purchase or issue. The annual fee for this card is Rs 1,000 plus GST. The renewal fee for this card is Rs 4,500 plus GST.
Current Offer (Till 31st December 2019)
First-year fee: 0
2nd year Fee:1,500 INR* + applicable taxes
Eligibility Conditions:
The applicant should be over 18 years of age.
The applicant’s annual income should be of Rs. 6 Lakhs and above (in the case of Self Employed or Salaried).
Good credit history and no payment defaults.
Benefits:
You can get 4,000 points as a bonus on the first membership for this card.
Earn up to 1,000 points as the membership reward points every month with this card.
On payment of the annual fees by this card, you can get around 5000 bonus points.
Redeem your reward, and you can get 18 karats and 24 karat gold collection from the program of the annex.
Other benefits like zero lost card liability and others come as well.
The Annual Membership Renewal fee of Rs.4500 will be 100% waived off if the total spends on American Express Credit Card in the immediately preceding membership year is Rs.1,50,000 and above.
If you want to save some money with the help of your credit card system in exchange for the other facilities like flights, international hotel/airline loyalty programs, then this is the one for you. The annual fees for this card are 3000, and the renewal fees are also the same.
A welcome reward of 10,000 PremierMiles on the first transaction of at least Rs 1,000 with first 60 days.
Spend around 1000 with this card, and you will get 60 days of insurance and 10000 bonus miles.
Get an additional 3000 miles on your card anniversary every year.
Earn up to 4 miles for every Rs 100 that you spend.
Earn 10 miles for every Rs 100 on the transaction that you do with the airline world.
You can redeem your miles for flight tickets across 100s of airlines or attractive vouchers and merchandise from premium luxury and electronic brands on Citibank online catalog.
HSBC is a trusted source for online credit cards that has served over a million people from all around the world offering amazing discounts on movies, flights, restaurants and more. There is a zero annual fee for this credit card, which you can have for yourself. The renewal fee is also nil for this card.
Eligibility Conditions:
The applicant should be aged between 18 to 65.
The applicant’s annual income should be Rs. 4 Lakhs and above (in the case of Self Employed or Salaried).
Current City of residence should be Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Noida, or Pune
Good credit history and no payment defaults.
Benefits:
Nil joining and annual fees.
On making the first transaction with this card, you will get a Rs 2,000 voucher from the clear trip and Rs 250 Swiggy voucher.
Within 90 days of the card issuance, you will get 10% cashback up to Rs 2,000.
Earn 3x reward points on the hotel telecom and another service that you want to use before the expiry.
Get five times accelerated points towards the rewards if you make a purchase, and the total spending limit is above Rs four lakhs in an anniversary year.
Get a movie ticket voucher worth Rs 500 on spending over Rs 50,000 in a calendar month.
Air Miles Conversion on JetPrivilege and Singapore Airlines for booking flight tickets.
The name might sound fancy to you, but this credit card comes with a lot of facilities for you to use anytime that you want. The joining fees for this card are Rs 999, which is the same as the renewal fees, as well.
Eligibility Conditions:
The applicant’s age should be between 21 and 65.
The applicant should have a stable monthly income.
The applicant should belong to credit cards sourcing cities/locations of the Bank.
Benefits:
When you make your first transaction with this card, you will get a voucher for 2000 from a book my show.
Get 3x reward points for all the expenses that you have per Rs 150 spent.
Get 5% cashback when you use this credit card at the supermarket. Enjoy multiple offers for this card that you want, like discounts on the traveling, dining, and other categories.
Under the excellent life program, you can avail of offers as a discount on several purchases on Spicejet, Goibibo, Croma and other partners.
The renewal fee of Rs 999 is waived on spending Rs 1,20,000 or more in the Year.
For all the HDFC bank users from all around, this credit card is handy and comes with multi-features for you. The annual and renewal fees for this card is Rs 999.
Eligibility Conditions:
For Salaried: Age: Min 21 yrs & Max 60 Yrs, Income: Gross Monthly Income> Rs 40,000
For Self-employed: Age: Min 21 yrs & Max 65 Yrs, Income: ITR > Rs 5 Lakhs per annum
Benefits:
You can get complimentary priority pass membership on all the airport lounges.
Earn up to 4 Rewards points on every 150 rs that you spend on your card.
1% fuel surcharge waived off on fuel transactions.
On selected restaurants, you can get around a discount of about 40%.
Users will get 7,500 bonus points every year on spends of Rs.6 Lac or more in each anniversary year.
Convert your reward points, and then you can use it for the coverage of the air miles on your card.
This ICICI bank platinum chip credit card is the one for you to use anytime you need it for. There are so many added discounts and offers you can get from here. There joining fee is Rs 199 and the annual renewal fee is Rs 99, which can be waived if you spend ₹ 50,000 or more annually on your Card.
Eligibility Conditions:
The applicant’s age should 23 or above years of age.
The applicant should have a stable monthly income.
Benefits:
Make contactless payments by just waving at the card in front of the NFC terminal.
Earn up to 1 Payback for every point on the purchase of 100 rupees that you make.
Get two paybacks for every 100 rs that you spend on fuel.
You can even avail of the 1% fuel surcharge waiver at the HPCL pumps.
There are selected restaurants where you can opt for a 15% discount on your card.
Redeem the reward points, and you can get the gift vouchers as you want.
Lenskart – existing offer of Rs 500 off on purchase of Rs 3000 or more valid till December 31, 2019
When it comes to the banking institution, then SBI is one of the chosen ones from the whole lot. The annual fees for this card are around 499 and the renewal fees are the same as well.
Get Amazon.in gift card worth Rs.500 on joining as your reward gift.
You can earn one reward for every 100 that you spent on it.
Cardholders can earn e-voucher worth Rs.2,000 on annual online spends of Rs.1 Lakh
Get 5x rewards on all the online spends.
Get 10x reward for the online spend, which is partnered by SBI – – Amazon / BookMyShow / Cleartrip / Lenskart / Netmeds / Rentomojo / UrbanClap
1% fuel surcharge waiver for each transaction between Rs 500 & Rs 3000
Spend 1 lakh in a year, and you can get your annual fee of Rs 499 reversed.
If you are a travel enthusiast, with the help of this card, you can do a lot of things for yourself. For example, you can get through the make my trip offers and much more. The annual fees of this card are Rs 3,500, and the renewal fees are Rs 5,000, second year onwards.
Eligibility Conditions:
The applicant should be over 18 years of age.
The applicant’s annual income should be of Rs. 6 Lakhs and above (in the case of Self Employed or Salaried).
Good credit history and no payment defaults.
Benefits:
Get a welcome gift of about 5000 bonus from the use of the first transaction that you make with this card.
Earn 1 membership reward point for the Rs 50 that you have made for the utility, bill payments, etc.
On spending about Rs 1.9 lakhs with the use of this card, you will get a travel voucher worth Rs 7700.
Further, on spending about Rs 4 lakhs with the use of this card, you will get an additional travel voucher worth Rs 11,800.
Cardholders can also enjoy 4 complimentary visits per year to airport lounges across India.
There are exclusive offers to making my trip here like the Taj Experiences E-Gift Card worth Rs. 10,000 from the Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris.
If you are concerned with the rising price of the oil and fuel, then you need to go for this card. The annual fees and the renewal fees are Rs 1,000 for this card. This annual fee on the card is waived when you spend Rs.30,000 or more on your Card in a membership year.
Get up to 71 lit of free fuel every year in the form of the fuel surge.
Full waiver of the fuel surcharge (1%) on fuel purchases
Earn four turbo points on every Rs 150 spent with your card (1 Turbo Point equals Rs.1 worth of fuel).
Get two turbo points on every Rs 150 spent on your card on the grocery, and other supermarket pays too.
The accumulated turbo points that you have will never expire.
Cardholders will also get up to 15% savings across participating restaurants with your Citi credit card.
This credit card is specially meant for those who believe in spending and saving at the same time. The annual and renewal fees of this card are Rs 4,900.
Get a welcome e-voucher of about 5000 for an array of brands like Yatra, Batra, Hush Puppies, Pantaloons, Shoppers Stop.
Get free movie tickets worth Rs 6000 in a year.
On spending four lakhs in a year, you will get a bonus reward point of 10,000.
Earn 5X Reward Points on Dining, Departmental Stores, and Grocery Spends
Get 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on all other spends, except fuel
Enjoy 2 complimentary Domestic Airport Lounge visits every quarter in India
6 complimentary Airport Lounge visits per year, outside India
SBI Card ELITE also offers the privilege of the lowest Foreign Currency Mark-up Charge of 1.99% on International usage.
Accelerate your reward earning when you get it with the use of the card on the grocery shopping and the other items.
Anyways, you do not need to have just one credit card. You can apply for multiple cards if you have got a strategy to get the maximum value out of them. Choose your credit cards accordingly and find out the ones which fit you the most, depending on your lifestyle and preference.
When debating on the topic of why credit cards are safer than debit cards, you have to understand the logic behind both of them. There are often that you may ask yourself what type of card can be readily used for a safer purchase, and this is when you need to understand their benefits and the uses of both the cards. Some people end up confusing themselves since they cannot get to the point of which one to use for their day to day transactions.
First of all, Credit and debit cards are not the same cards that you can use
Each is a plastic rectangle-shaped card which helps you to pay for the service or the product that you have bought for yourself. In the modern age of digitalization, around every place have a credit or a debit card facility option here for you. Typically they both look the same, so some people undertake for the self-belief that both cards have the same purpose, and they are used for mere transactions.
Well, here so where they can go wrong. Credit cards are sometimes used, which can be heightened for the consumer to stay protected from the frauds. But there are some of the personal safety advantages that you can get from the usage of the debit cards as well. So with the help of this article, you will know which card you can use for a safer online or offline transactions.
The primary difference between credit and debit cards:
Although both of them will look alike in front of you, the credit and the debit cards have different purposes to them. You cannot undertake the function of both the cards based on their appearance. So here is the following thing which you have to understand.
Credit cards are equipped with a credit line:
This basically means that there is a fixed amount of money which you can try it borrow from the lender. After every charge that you make, the issuer pays the merchant the expected amount, and the amount that you can hire to your name is reduced from the all total sum.
So if you have a credit line of around 20,000 and you have got about 5,000, you will have 15,000 left to borrow from your issuer. The more you use your card, the less amount you will be left with from your issuer.
After the payment due period, there is an interest that is charged onto the 5,000 that you have applied for yourself. So unless you have paid in for the 5,000, the interest fee for the grace period will be charged on that basis. If you pay less for this month, then the amount will be rolled to the consecutive month. And if you have paid it al-together, then your amount will be charged back to 20,000. This is how a regular credit card works.
For the debit card, there is no borrowing involved here:
This means that you don’t have to borrow any sum of money from your issuer to get to a transaction. So when you are using a debit card, you will be tapping into the fund of cash that you have in your bank.
After you have made the purchase there, the money which is deducted will be transferred from your account to the bank account of the merchant. This way, the amount will be paid to the merchant, and it will be deducted from your source.
Now there are a lot of banks out there who will charge you a negligible amount of interest on the purchase that you make. So with the help of your debit card, you will know how much amount is really in your bank. You can even add to it by checking it anytime that you want.
Why Credit Cards Are Safer Than Debit Cards?
Safety against frauds for Debit and Credit Cards
In India, both credit and debit cards are subjectively safes to use as there is an additional factor of authentication required to validate any transaction. For making transactions, you receive OTP on your registered phone number to confirm the transaction. Therefore, until and unless your cards and phone number are both hacked/stolen together, it is very difficult to make fraud online transactions.
However, withdrawing money from your debit card or credit card from an ATM doesn’t require OTP validation. And here, if your debit card is stolen along with your PIN, the fraudsters can withdraw a huge amount if you have got a lot of money in your bank account. This may generally happen if you are not aware of the transactions i.e. when your active phone number is different than the registered number. Here, you do not receive the transaction alerts from the bank via messages. Similar is the case when you do not care to read the transaction messages sent from your bank and hence do not block your card immediately in case of fraud or stolen.
On the other hand, if we look into the credit cards, there’s a limit on the withdrawal and it doesn’t depend on how much money you have got in your bank account. The fraudsters cannot withdraw cash more than this predefined limit.
Further, a major drawback in the case of fraud on a debit card is that you lose the amount from your bank account. Even if you raise a complaint to the bank, it may take months for the bank to refund that amount. This is because they need to verify and confirm the fraud activity. They may ask you if you’ve shared the Pin/OTP with any of your friends/colleagues etc. In the case of ATM transactions, getting the CCTV footage and verifying that the person wasn’t you is definitely not a fast process. And throughout this verification process, all you can do is to wait patiently to get back your money.
On the other hand, when the same happens against a credit card, you can raise a complaint and get appropriate reversals before the next credit card billing cycle. Moreover, as this money never belonged to you, it won’t hurt you economically and even if the investigation process goes for weeks, you can remain calm. Overall, in terms of fraud protection, we may conclude than credit cards are safer than debit cards.
When you are using debit cards, you might check to see that they are not user or consumer-friendly over here, but you can use them for compelling other reasons which are presented.
First of all, if you don’t have an overwhelming debt to your name, then debit cards are the ones for you. By focussing on the expenses that you make for yourself with the use of your debit card, you can solve the financial crisis that you face. Debit cards let you use the amount that you have inside your bank and not more than that. If you apply for the amount which is over in limit, then it will be declined from the source.
Credit cards usage
Coming to the usage of the credit cards, they have a user-friendly base, and you can use them anytime by ensuring the right and even your safety as well. There are some clear, substantial advantages of using them. For example, if you want to go out for shopping then take your credit card with you. It is a preferred instrument since it helps you to have your way.
Plus, the internet trolls who are sitting every right now and then won’t be able to hack into your account and see how much amount you have left. Besides, when you are going in out for traveling, then credit cards are the key or the prime thing to use. They can be used for checking accounts, and you can always fall short of cash when you are outside. So credit cards are there to save you from the hustle or the worry that you might face by yourself.
Well, we all know that you can use both these cards for your transaction habits. Like credit cards, it helps you to run the funds when you are in need of an emergency. Debit cards are used for you to save the fund in your bank and then use it carefully by understanding your expenditure limit. Certain people can get into a credit card debt if they have not paid out their expenses or the issues that they have made from their lender. In other words, if you want to never fall into a huge trap of expenses and debts surrounding you from all around, then debit cards are a go-to option for you.
Regarding consumer protection, definitely credit cards are safer than debit cards. From fraud transactions to creeps looking into your bank account, all can be lessened by using credit cards. Moreover, there are some of the awesome advantages that you can even get for yourself by the usage of these cards like cashback and rewards.
Final advise, having both at your disposal is an excellent technique, as well. This way, you can use the cards accordingly to the given scenario that you please to have.
The nature of our society has been marked by different political, social, and economical changes through different modes and means. Out of these, the sea change brought about by technology has been very crucial. Technology has changed our outlook towards life- from communication to transportation to payments.
With the rise in the population of the Netizens today, the countries are on a ‘cashless’ spree. The e-commerce payment system has not only digitalized the whole process of transactions but has also made it convenient and easy. Some forms of e-transactions include ATM cards, Credit Card, E-wallets, Debit Cards, and Cryptocurrency, etc.
Out of all the modes of e-commerce payments, credit cards are the most common form. Credit cards are totally different from debit cards- a debit card is not a credit card. When we use a debit card, the money is being deducted from our checking account. On the other hand, when we use a credit card, we are basically borrowing money from the bank which is to be repaid later according to the directed time.
The Pros and Cons of Credit Cards in India
Credit cards allow us to make payments through borrowings against a credit limit. There are various advantages of using credit cards over debit cards. They can be summed up as:
Pros of Credit Cards in India:
It helps one to go cashless. Not everyone wants to carry cash all the time. Moreover, withdrawing cash anywhere and everywhere is not feasible and convenient.
There are a number of rewards associated with credit cards. Some banks provide discounts, cash backs, etc that are exclusively available on some credit cards.
Buying expensive products and services is far easier from credit cards. A hefty amount is not spent at one go. You have to repay the amount in installments (EMI) with even zero interests.
Credit cards have theft protection. If you lose any money or the card gets stolen, the liability is guaranteed by the bank. In contrast, if cash is lost or stolen, it is very hard to get the money back.
Credit cards provide travel insurance against lost luggage, canceled trips, and even death. The coverage that one gets depends on the respective banks and offered terms.
Credit cards help in the cheaper conversion of currency. Cards such as Visa or Mastercard can save up to 8% currency as compared to cash.
Credit cards are the best tool to help us track our expenses. It helps us in budgeting and making effective plans.
It saves money that is spent on buying extended warranties for maintenance and coverage. The advantage of extended warranties is free on purchases done on many credit cards.
They are a whole lot safer to use. If you are a thrifty credit card user, you do not have to worry about excess payments and unreasonable interests. All you have to do is to repay your debts on time and maintain a good credit score.
While tallying up the pros and cons, we come at a point where we realize that no matter how common credit cards are, there are some cons that we should consider while issuing one—
The threat of overspending always looms large. There are times when we tend to spend more than what is required. People go on buying their desires rather than their necessities, ending up in dire consequences. All we are left with are overburdened shoulders pressed by unthinkable amounts of debts. This vicious circle has led to the breakdown of many companies and business tycoons.
Borrowings through credit cards are of the high cost. The interest charged is a little higher and it is never uniform. There is no guarantee that the rates will be constant. It can rise unexpectedly causing a huge cut in our budget and expenses.
Not everyone can apply for a credit card. The requirements are just too many. If you have a low income or a weak credit history, you cannot get a credit card. In some cases, even if you meet all the requirements, you are not eligible for a credit card because it simply depends on the bank. The more connections you have, it is easier to get credit cards and loans.
Maintaining a credit card is a little difficult. You not only need to have a good credit score so that the bank allows you to borrow, but you also need to pay the annual fees in order to carry on with your service with rewards. The annual fee for a few cards is high for no reason.
If you are caught into the trap of overspending, misuse of funds, missed payments, you will suffer badly. You might find it difficult to get good rates for future payments or get overburdened by debts or even worse- due balances can get the bank file a lawsuit against you.
The details and intricacies of credit card documents are not told properly. The statements are written in such technical words and small prints, it will be difficult to go through it. Those who do not put extra effort into actually getting it reviewed land up in some trap where the interest rates are duly high or the annual payments are increased successively without your knowledge. Therefore, getting your documents reviewed is very important.
By way of conclusion, we can point out that we may opt for a credit card but only keeping in mind the restrictions.
If we are ready to clear the debts on time, pay the interest on the overdue amount, maintain a high credit score and not overspend, then we should apply for it provided we meet all the requirements. Using credit cards/debit cards/ATM cards or any other means of e-payment is a sign of progress for any country, therefore, we should encourage cashless modes of payment as much as we can.
When you ask anyone – ‘Which is cheaper? Buying a car vs Ola or Uber ride?’, most of the people will have a different opinion. In this article, we have shared our thoughts.
At a press conference which happened in the last Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam said that the millennial prefer to go through Uber and Ola rather than buying their Car. This is because the option is much cheaper and affordable for the current generation.
According to the finance minister, it was said that the youth today would rather spend a load of cash on booking an Uber or an Ola other than paying long term EMIs for buying their vehicle. And this statement has created an uproar among the working individuals and even the mentioned names of the automobile/transporting service system since they reportedly said that they have nothing to do with the slowdown in the current industry’s plans.
According to recent reports, it has been said that the makers and the top-level managers of the Maruti Suzuki have noted that the existence of the Ola and Uber has been there for the past seven years. During the peak time, there was no such slowdown in the current condition of the automobile business. They have said that they do not think that these services are responsible for the slowdown in the industry in any other way.
A personal opinion shared by the people who use ridesharing plus a car
But have you given it a thought? Is it true that traveling via Ola or Uber will help you to cut down your costs more than paying the personal loan for your Car? As the service of Ola and Uber is growing in the market, some are wondering which might be easier to hail. Getting a car of your own is undoubtedly a cherry on the top, but somehow you have to understand that getting a vehicle is not the final thing that happens here.
You have to take care of the loan and the EMI budget of your Car so that it can be done at the right time and paid off. It will help you to ease off your burden. This complex question is rising in the minds of the millennial, but we might help you to get an insight into the matter and take it sincerely.
Owning a car is better for long term rides, sharing a ride will be good for the short term. It is a golden rule that you should learn from this article.
Here is the main deal. If you have a car of your own, then you can take it for a ride at any time of the day that you want. Primarily they are needed when you want to travel and cover the long term.
Car ownerships might be affordable for people who drive typically medium to long-distance or about 20km. Whereas, the ride-sharing apps like Ola or Uber happens when you want to cover a short span of about 7 km. However, these findings are based on some back details as well.
The cost of the Car that you have depends on the on-road price of that car that you have bought, the fuel price that you have to pay for it. The maintenance charges are even varied here.
To explore this part of the question, take for example that Datsun Go is for Rs 3,50,000 – 5,20,000 and it takes about a 5-year car loan with a whopping amount of 10% of the rate of interest. Over that, you need to have six years of maintenance for that Car when the full cost is covered onto the same. There are some potential car issues which can happen here as well.
For the medium or long trips-owning, a car wins
For an individual who trips on the basis of the medium or the long trip wins here. We ‘have also found the fact that owning a car is about 44% cheaper than sharing a ride if you cover the long-distance or even the mediocre ones.
Short trip rides- the cabs win
Rideshare is in for short trips. We have found out that typically people who take journeys of about or less than 10 km wins on the Rideshare here. It becomes 24% cheaper for them. If your twice-daily rides are about for 7 km, which means one ride will time up for 15 minutes, the Rideshare or the app cab will win here. Due to the lower distance of your trip, the 5-year cost plan for your Car decreases by a rate of about 25%, and it can save a lot on the fuel consumption here.
However, in the current period, the cost of an Uber or Ola is becoming cheaper by 56%. It illustrates the fact of how you use it and how much consumption is made from your side.
The final verdict says that Rideshare is only a feasible replacement, for the people who want to have a shorter distance of their ride. If you are a typical short distance traveler, then the Rideshare will be a viable option for you. Of course, the cost consideration which is charged varies on your location and even the individual who is paying for the same.
If you have your Car, you can take it out on a trip if you want. You can even cover the longer distance if you wish to so with the help of your Car here. Of course, there are parking tickets you have to pay, regular maintenance of your vehicle, take your vehicle to the car wish, etc. But it will be an excellent option to invest in if you are an avid traveler.
Mainly if your place of work is situated far away from where you live, it is essential that you get a car of your own. If you use the Rideshare each and every day here, it will cost you a lot.
Additionally, you can even supplement ride sharing to motorbike ride-sharing apps like Rapido. They will cost you less. And also purchasing your motorcycle is a much cheaper option for vehicle ownership.
