(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
The fortunes of hedge funds focused on India continue to twist and turn, with many plots and 
subplots. After witnessing widespread losses and heavy redemptions in 2008, Indian hedge fund managers bounced back remarkably to post a 50 percent return in 2009. They continued their good form in 2010, delivering healthy gains of 12 percent during the year.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
Election fever in the world’s biggest democracy is gripping India in the run-up to general elections due in 2014. In the coming months, politics will be in focus especially among investors.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
It was never expected to be permanent. Quantitative Easing (QE), designed to pep up the U.S. economy after the financial crisis of 2008-09, has survived for five years. The United States is now on a rebound and unemployment is receding. That has tempted the U.S. Federal Reserve to reconsider tapering its economic stimulus.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
The market is pregnant with expectations of a change after the general elections which must be held by next May. You would have to travel far and wide before you come across anyone in India’s financial market who is not hoping – even praying – for change.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
With half the financial year gone by, it’s time to take stock of the insurance sector. Let me start with life insurance.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining price and financial stability, and it has used interest rate and money supply to pursue this objective with unwavering determination. Yet, inflation has survived with matching persistence.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
Markets had been on a roller-coaster ride but closed weak for the third week in the row with the Nifty in the 5950-6000 range providing support.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
Over the last five to seven years, the retail segment in India has evolved towards a more organized pricing structure. After the real estate boom of 2005-06, when property prices increased to as 
much as 40 percent of a retailer’s operating costs, developers seemed more willing to share the business risk. They moved from a per-square-foot rental model to versions of the minimum guarantee and/or the revenue share model. Most investment-grade properties in major cities now follow this model, unlike shopping centres in smaller cities.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
There was subdued excitement over the Sensex hitting a record high in a special trading session on Diwali. It had taken the market quite some time to cross its previous peak in 2008. This was also the case for most other markets, although they had recovered a little earlier.
(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)
We live in an age where emerging technologies are narrowing the divide between humans and machines. As features of mobile phones become more customized and complex, they cease to be just devices of communication. Mobile phones now store more personal information than ever before. They are increasingly being perceived as personalized devices that enhance our lives.
