Expert Zone

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of Thomson Reuters)

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of Thomson Reuters)

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)

Most ULIPs (unit-linked insurance plans) are far better compared to traditional insurance plans. They are more flexible, more transparent and have the potential to generate bigger returns. But insurance sales do not necessarily follow simple logic. There are a variety of reasons why traditional plans are likely to fare better.

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)

Markets held up in the truncated week and settled comfortably above 8,300 levels. The government’s reform push, supported by domestic news flows and positive international markets ensured stability in the new zone. Soft commodity prices, especially crude, gave markets a further fillip.

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of Thomson Reuters)

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of Thomson Reuters)

The truncated Diwali week saw the Nifty closing at 8,014, recovering from a “breakdown” scare and ending about 3 percent higher to welcome the new Hindu calendar year – Samvat 2071.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seems to have finally taken the responsibility of targeting inflation as it is a sensitive political issue and could not be left to the discretion of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). With CPI as the anchor, the target will be 4 percent measured annually (+/-2 percent).

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)

The truncated week which opened after a five-day vacation was in a sombre mood except on Thursday, when markets bounced back due to a dovish Fed commentary. Friday again saw a correction, with the Nifty closing the week at 7860, down 1.07 percent.

(Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters)