(The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not represent those of Reuters)

Indian equities, after recovering smartly during much of 2009 and 2010, have again started exhibiting high volatility over the last six months. At a global level, this time it is emerging markets which are leading the downside in equities. Even among emerging markets, Indian stocks have looked weaker.

(The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not represent those of Reuters)

With the Budget less than ten days away from being presented in the Parliament, market is already rife with speculations about what the Finance Minister is likely to propose and what not. Though many people proclaim that over the years the Budget has become more of a non-event for the equity markets, the very same people can be seen putting their precious time and intelligence at work in trying to speculate what it may contain.

(Rajiv Deep Bajaj is the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Capital Ltd. The views expressed in this column are his own and do not represent those of Reuters)

With real interest rates starting to move from negative to neutral, cost of capital rising and stock markets trading in the fair value plus zone, it will be tough to rake in substantial gains from equities in the near term. Prudence suggests that investors diversify their portfolio across asset classes and stagger their equity investments over the next 12-18 months.