Archive for August, 2010

Direct tax code: Clears Rajya Sabha..

Despite some weak protests from the BJP the direct tax code in its full avataar has passed through the Rajya Sabha. Now it will go to a committee and then should pass muster at the Lower house also. It is one of the worst interruptors of the whole process of compounding – taxing the capital [...]

Only shareholder value?

Once upon a time (even today it has not really changed much) companies were run for the benefit of the dominant shareholders who were also in management. Even today that happens in companies like Reliance, Birla, Bajaj, Murugappa, – and these are not insignificant in size or contribution to the national kitty. However in the [...]

Want to Retire Rich?

Rediff has carried an article of mine yesterday…here it is.. http://getahead.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/aug/24/slide-show-1-money-how-to-retire-rich.htm it is the most emailed article as of yesterday….not sure about today… Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Real estate prices and mispricing of services

There is a huge real estate mafia which holds prices unrealistically high in Mumbai. I have no grievances – but it is mispricing all the services available in Mumbai. A trust which owns a school in Santacruz, Khar, Ghatkopar or Chembur (just 4 suburbs) can charge whatever fee it wants. Does it mean the teachers [...]

Market and experts

The same experts who in 2007 said markets are fairly priced at 21000 are saying it is overpriced at 18400. Are they wrong or is the market wrong? Last week Shankar Sharma said he likes auto stocks. He was particularly bullish on Ta Mo. Ta Mo is one of my favorite stocks. When Mr. Ratan [...]

Competence, not costs important for Portfolio Performance

Everybody who sings about one of the best and perhaps smartest businessmen in the world they forget his fees. Warren Buffet charges 25% of the profits as fees from people whose funds he manages. How many people are willing to pay that kind of fees? IN ADVANCE, not 30 years later in retrospect… Remember the [...]