Financial services: update

The biggest risk in the financial services business today is the Regulatory risk. The more the regulators think that they can prevent frauds and cheating the more they will move into the controls of a business. Sebi has been making a lot of changes in the mutual fund business – there is a good chance [...]

New Pension Products

Today sadly, there is no pension plan which meets all your requirements. For example Templeton and UTI (both asset management companies) have a pension plan – and it is a one size fits all type of a plan. Typically a pension plan should have various options at the ACCUMULATION stage – when a person is [...]

ULIP investment returns

“No ulip has given REAL returns in the past 10 years” – said one analyst. I have no clue about the accuracy of this statement. His argument was even for those who started in 2002 and were in the boom, only HALF their money participated in the boom (thanks to the high charges). When the [...]

Life Insurance agents: Consolidation happening?

The slowdown in the economy, SEBI and IRDA never ending and ever changing regulations, falling margins, better opportunities elsewhere….are all reasons why the agents seem to be consolidating. Many wealth oriented people are hoping that the clients will understand the need for Medical and Life cover insurance. Typically my suggestion is for people to buy [...]

Hdfc Mutual fund..pays fine…

Well, one equities dealer was caught with his hand in the till….he is said to have benefited by Rs. 2 crores. Hdfc Trustee company has been fined Rs. 55 lakhs. The structure of an amc is such that the Trustees are responsible to certify that the internal processes are fine and working. Obviously it was [...]

Why use xbrl?

Good and a valid question. Actually in the Indian context we do not know how much the regulators will talk to each other! For example if RBI, SEBI, MCA, IRDA, …et al spoke to each other you may not have to file the same document with each of the authorities. If MCA, for e.g. regularly [...]