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Market watchdog SEBI has come out with a consultation paper in a bid to ease the functioning of <keyword id="22476006" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ESG-Rating-Providers" source="keywords">ESG Rating Providers</keyword> (ERPs), pushing for the development of a <keyword id="23760035" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="subscriber-pays-model" source="keywords">subscriber-pays model</keyword>. As of July 2024, nine ERPs are registered with SEBI to operate in the country. These include <keyword id="23760037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CRISIL-ESG-Ratings" source="keywords">CRISIL ESG Ratings</keyword> &amp; Analytics, ESG Risk Assessments and Ratings, GlobeTrend Climate Impact Institutional Investor Advisory Services, <keyword id="23760038" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE-Sustainability-Ratings" source="keywords">NSE Sustainability Ratings</keyword> and Analytics, PGS Impact, Pragati Development Consulting, CARE ESG Ratings, and SES ESG Research. Per the paper's proposal, ERPs won't be required to disclose ESG (environmental, social, and governance) ratings to the bourses, provided they confirm that there is no non-public information that could potentially affect the rating. Another proposal was the simultaneous sharing of the ESG rating reports both to the rated companies and to the subscribers who pay to access these reports. ERPs should ensure that rated entities, their group companies, or associates cannot subscribe to their own ESG ratings, SEBI said in its consultation paper. Some of the other suggestions put forth by SEBI include: 1. Companies will have a specific timeframe to respond to the ESG report, and any such comments should be included in the report as an addendum. 2. In case the ERP does not agree with the remarks issued by the rated company, they can add their comments to the report as well. 3. ERPs can rate unlisted issuers or other products, provided they meet specific guidelines from relevant regulators. SEBI is receiving public comment on these proposals until November 15, 2024. <h2>Steady returns </h2>Of the 11 ESG mutual fund schemes available to Indian mutual fund investors, the Quant ESG Equity fund has generated the highest returns of about 45.44% over one year, data from ValueResearch showed. Simply put, had you invested Rs 10,000 every month in this fund for three years, you would have accumulated a corpus of Rs 5,47,525. Over three years, the returns on this fund come to around 26%. This was followed by the ICICI Pru ESG Exclusionary Strategy fund, which yielded 44.73% returns over the same period. However, over ultra-short terms, i.e., 1-3 months, ESG funds have largely delivered negative returns, underscoring their suitability only as a long-term investment avenue. Only the SBI ESG Exclusionary Strategy Direct Fund and Quantum ESG Best In Class Strategy Direct Fund have been around for 5 years, during which they have generated returns of about 16.67% and 18.7%, respectively. <keyword id="23760036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ESG-mutual-funds" source="keywords">ESG mutual funds</keyword> typically select and invest in companies that are ESG-compliant, i.e., who weave in environmental conversation, social welfare, and robust <keyword id="20392393" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="corporate-governance" source="keywords">corporate governance</keyword> practices into their working philosophy and work ethos, while simultaneously generating decent financial returns for stakeholders as well.

SEBI mulls measures to facilitate ease of doing business for ESG Rating Providers (ERPs)

Tensions in Middle-East are rapidly inching closer to their zenith, with Iran firing about 200 ballistic missiles at Israel late yesterday night. In response today, the Indian markets witnessed their worst decline in two months, with Sensex dipping around 1,769 points, or 2.1% to close at 82,497.10. <keyword id="19896381" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nifty" source="keywords">Nifty</keyword> followed suit and was also down by 2.1% to close the day at 25,250.10. As a result, about Rs 11 lakh crore were wiped off the market today. The decline was broad-based, with sectors like realty (dipped by over 4%) auto, and energy suffering the most. Broader indices also fell, losing nearly 2% each. The Hang Seng index, which had rallied over 14% during the last week, largely on the back of various stimulus measures announced by the central bank to stir consumption in the Chinese economy, also slumped around 1.47%. With the possibility of an all-out war between Iran and Israel looming on the horizon, threatening to happen sooner than later, markets are expected to remain volatile in near future. Even the India VIX, seen as a gauge of uncertainty and investor fear in the market, jumped over 9% during the day. The war could throw a huge spanner on India's crude oil import plans. As of August 2024, about 44.6% of India's crude oil imports came from <keyword id="19904316" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="middle-east" source="keywords">Middle East</keyword>. Israel has already promised significant retaliation, in response to Iran's attack in the days to come. And the strong possibility of a full-blown Israeli attack in Middle East, particularly major oil fields in Iran has sent the crude oil prices surging. Closer home, ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) was amongst the biggest gainers on NSE today. <h2>Should Indian investors worry? </h2>But is the impending action in Middle-East the only reason behind today's drastic fall? Vishnu Kant Upadhyay, AVP, Research &amp; Advisory at Master Capital Services notes that while it plays a significant role, other factors are also at play. "Recent regulatory changes in the F&amp;O segment by SEBI is expected to impact trading volumes, as retail participation may decline due to the increased contract size and limits on weekly expiries. Meanwhile, strength in the Chinese market, following the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) stimulus package, has also diverted foreign investment to China, where valuations remain more attractive compared to India", he noted. But Upadhyay believes that the extension of losses in Indian markets wont last long. "From a technical perspective, as long as prices hold above the 25,250–25,100 zone, any decline could present an opportunity to build fresh long positions. A stock-specific approach is advisable, with sectors such as Oil, IT, PSU Banks, Metals, and Chemicals likely to outperform in the coming days", he adds. Shrikant Chouhan, Head Equity Research, Kotak Securities observes that as long as market is trading below 25,365/82,800, the weak sentiment is likely to continue. On the down side, it could slip till 25,150-25,025/82,200-82,000 as well. On the other side, one quick technical pullback is likely if the market succeeds to trade above 25,365/82,800. Above the same, it could bounce back till 25,475-25,500/83,100-83,300. The current market texture is volatile hence; level based trading would be the ideal strategy for the day traders. <h2><keyword id="20760178" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-fund-investors" source="keywords">Mutual fund investors</keyword>, stay put</h2>In the aftermath of a <keyword id="19968045" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="market-correction" source="keywords">market correction</keyword>, most mutual fund investors often face a critical decision- should they stop their SIPs (<keyword id="21047553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Systematic-Investment-Plans" source="keywords">Systematic Investment Plans</keyword>) or to view the downturn as a valuable opportunity to acquire more mutual fund units? By continuing SIPs during such downturns, investors can take advantage of 'rupee-cost averaging,' i.e. accumulating more units when prices are down. This approach not only lowers the average cost per unit, but also positions the portfolio for greater returns when the market eventually recovers, and softens the impact of short-term volatility. Swapnil Aggarwal, Director, VSRK Capital explains that alongside maintaining regular investments, revisiting your asset allocation is also essential in these turbulent times. A well-diversified portfolio, that balances equities with safer assets like bonds can withstand market fluctuations more effectively. You can consider shifting some investments into bond funds or other stable instruments, which can provide a cushion against further declines. <h2>What happens next? </h2>While the immediate impact of a market correction may lead to declines in the NAV (Net Asset Value) of mutual funds, disciplined investors can view this as a moment to reassess their strategies. Focusing on your <keyword id="20908416" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="long-term-financial-goals" source="keywords">long-term financial goals</keyword> will let you turn market volatility into opportunity! The market will remain keenly focused on the evolving situation in the Middle East. What will also be equally important are the US monthly jobs data due tomorrow, which could determine the size of Fed's next interest rate move in November.

Nifty, Sensex in freefall today as Iran mounts attack on Israel. Here's what experts think you should do

Dear reader, This week’s news roundup captures a mix of finance, technology, and career insights, spotlighting trends and timely advice. The <keyword id="19895040" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Real-Estate" source="keywords">real estate</keyword> sector in India continues to reign supreme in investment portfolios, even as new financial opportunities emerge. Meanwhile, <keyword id="20019820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Job-Seekers" source="keywords">job seekers</keyword> are dealing with “ghosting,” a new twist in recruitment echoing modern dating. In tech, a damaged satellite shows how fragile internet infrastructure can disrupt connectivity, while an <keyword id="23685266" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Engineer" source="keywords">Amazon engineer</keyword> offers a firsthand roadmap to nailing technical interviews. Read on to know about the top stories of the week gone by. <h2>Real Estate continues to dominate India’s investment portfolios, shows <keyword id="23616651" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="FICCI-Report" source="keywords">FICCI report</keyword></h2> According to a FICCI report, real estate remains a favourite in Indian investment portfolios. High returns, capital appreciation, and stability make it a popular choice, even amid increased diversification. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/real-estate-continues-to-dominate-indias-investment-portfolios-shows-ficci-report/articleshow/114368582.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <h2>Did you experience wonky broadband service recently? A broken satellite in space might have something to do with it! </h2> Broadband disruptions across various areas may stem from a broken satellite, highlighting vulnerabilities in space-based infrastructure. This issue underscores how satellite failures impact daily internet access. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/article/did-you-experience-wonky-broadband-service-recently-a-broken-satellite-in-space-might-have-something-to-do-with-it/articleshow/114535180.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <h2>Bhavish Aggarwal's <keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ola Electric">OLA Electric</keyword> says it has resolved 99% customer complaints after receiving CCPA show cause notice </h2> Two-wheeler manufacturer Ola Electric announced that it has successfully addressed 99.1% of the 10,644 complaints raised by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA). This update came on the heels of a recent notice from the CCPA, which had accused the company of misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, and potential consumer rights violations. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/bhavish-aggarwals-ola-electric-says-it-has-resolved-99-customer-complaints-after-receiving-ccpa-show-cause-notice/articleshow/114489333.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <h2>Job Hunting in 2024 has a modern dating element: Ghosting </h2> Job seekers in 2024 face an unexpected trend — “ghosting,” a phenomenon borrowed from dating. Recruiters and candidates alike are leaving communication abruptly, signalling changing norms in the hiring process. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/job-hunting-in-2024-has-a-modern-dating-element-ghosting/articleshow/114454697.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <h2>I'm a software engineer at Amazon. Here's my step-by-step guide to nailing the <keyword id="23685264" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Technical-Interview" source="keywords">technical interview</keyword> and breaking into tech </h2>An Amazon software engineer has shared tips for acing technical interviews. The guide includes key interview stages and actionable strategies for breaking into tech, providing valuable insights for job seekers. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/im-a-software-engineer-at-amazon-heres-my-step-by-step-guide-to-nailing-the-technical-interview-and-breaking-into-tech-/articleshow/114430281.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Read more</a> <h2>Web stories</h2> <h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/international/webstories/most-famous-tourist-spots-in-brics-nations/slidelist/114543399.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank"></a></h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/international/webstories/most-famous-tourist-spots-in-brics-nations/slidelist/114543399.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Most famous tourist spots in BRICS nations</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/webstories/cyclones-that-shook-india-a-history-of-devastation/slidelist/114514841.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Cyclones that shook India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/food/webstories/9-refreshing-drinks-that-reduce-high-blood-pressure-levels/slidelist/114426482.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">9 refreshing drinks that reduce high blood pressure</a>

Weekend wrap: Real estate dominates India's investment portfolios, interview tips from Amazon employee and more

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Using a 401(k) can boost investment portfolios by 23%, per Charles Schwab study.</li><li>The study compared 401(k) and taxable accounts over 20 years with an 8% annual return.</li></ul>Nothing is less exciting than thinking about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/taxes">taxes</a>, especially when the bill is coming due.And once you cross into the first quarter of the year, little can be done to reduce your tax liability, especially if you're a W2 employee.That's why thinking about deferral strategies is a great way to reduce how much you pay in taxes and increase your net worth in the long term. But to maximize your outcome, you have to start with a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/what-is-401k">401(k)</a> or a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/investing/what-is-ira">Traditional IRA</a>, according to a recent simulated study by Charles Schwab. The study showed how a 401(k) could increase an investment portfolio's value by 23%.The study, which was backtested over 20 years, compared two investors, one who used a taxable brokerage account versus one who used a 401(k). At an 8% annual return, it found that the latter finished with a value of $177,116 compared to the taxable account at $144,547. Based on this scenario, it assumed that someone allocating funds after tax in a 24% bracket would have a principal investment of $38,000 compared to $50,000. It also assumed taxable events on a turnover rate every five years and on 2% qualified income dividends and 6% long-term capital gains.<div type="image" title="Chart showing increased portfolio value with tax-deferred account." height="1064" width="1846" msid="114955475" hostid="261" sizebytes="34694"></div>In a scenario where an investor uses a taxable account but doesn't turnover or realize gains every five years, meaning taxable events are only placed on the 2% dividends, the outcome would lead to an ending value of $152,392.One caveat is that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tax-loopholes-to-reduce-or-avoid-capital-gains-taxes-2024-10">tax-deferred accounts</a> don't take into account every phase of where taxation can occur along the investment process, says Rob Williams, managing director of financial planning at Charles Schwab. The first point is when money is earned and before it's invested. The second is when income and dividend payments are earned along the way. The third point is once gains are realized. The first two taxation points are covered. The last phase isn't. For this process, other accounts, such as Roth IRAs for after-tax contributions allow gains to grow tax-free.Roth IRAs could come in handy in retirement during years when you have a higher withdrawal rate and, in turn, fund yourself in a higher tax bracket.<h2 id="bd273b03-5ffe-4b6d-8acc-d2373d85fc37">Other tax tips</h2>Another option people don't think about as much is a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-health-savings-account-retirement-tool-investing-wealth-2024-10">health savings account</a>, which is unique, Williams noted. You have to qualify for those with an employer that provides it through a health insurance policy with a high deductible plan. But they are a nice additional tool that investors can use to contribute from their paycheck, he added.It's contributed pre-tax. And if the money isn't used for healthcare costs, it can be saved and invested in that health savings account and grow tax-free. It's tax deferral and tax avoidance, he noted."For a health savings account, that's powerful," Williams said. "We call that a triple tax exemption. You get no taxes when you put the money in and no taxes on any growth or capital gains in the fund. And then when you take it out, you don't have any taxes as well."Taxable brokerage or investment accounts are still useful because they allow you to withdraw money before retirement. This is especially great in the event you need to make a big purchase. But when using these accounts, investors should consider the assets they're buying. For example, exchange-traded funds have less tax drag than mutual funds that have higher turnover and, in turn, more taxable events, Williams noted."Any investment or mutual fund that generates a fair amount of investment income, whether it's interest or dividends, do not tend to be very tax efficient," Williams said.This also means considering how funds distribute gains, such as whether they are qualified or ordinary dividends. The latter is taxed at an investor's tax rate and depending on what margin that's in, it may not be as advantageous as a qualified dividend.

How tax-deferred investing can increase a portfolio's value by 23% and the account that provides a triple benefit

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An Intel employee raised concerns about the upcoming US election's impact on CHIPS Act funding.</li><li>Intel invested billions in US factories but hasn't received CHIPS Act grants yet.</li></ul>Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger addressed an employee-submitted question about whether the upcoming US election would affect Intel's CHIPS and Science Act funding at an all-hands meeting on Friday.The US Commerce Department has awarded Intel, the largest recipient of the Act, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/us-chips-act-intel-direct-funding.html">$8.5 billion in grants</a> and $11 billion in loans. The government said it will pay out grants based on how companies meet benchmarks.During the all-hands, Gelsinger responded that the bill was "bipartisan," and the executive team reassured employees that Intel was a key part of the CHIPS Act as the only large-scale chip manufacturer in the US, according to an employee who listened to the meeting. The employee, whose identity Business Insider confirmed, asked to remain anonymous to discuss internal matters.Intel has privately <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/updates-intel-10-largest-construction-projects.html">invested billions </a>in factory expansions in New Mexico, Arizona, Ohio, and Oregon. It has not yet received the CHIPS grants.Gelsinger publicly addressed this topic in a Thursday <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2024-10-31/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-on-q4-forecast">interview with Bloomberg</a> after the third quarter earnings call."The CHIPS Act was a bipartisan act, and with that strong support from both sides of the aisle, we believe the importance of that in terms of industrial policy. The semiconductor is well-supported by Congress and both parties," Gelsinger said.He also addressed the delay of CHIPS Act funding distribution."We are disappointed by how long and how slow the dispensing of funds has been and it's well over two years at this point. I've invested 30 billion in capital and we've seen $0 of the grants at this point. So we do believe that that has been too slow, and we're somewhat frustrated by that," Gelsinger said in the Bloomberg interview.Policymakers recently in Washington, DC, have discussed whether Intel needs additional help beyond the CHIPS Act funding as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.semafor.com/article/11/01/2024/concerns-grow-in-washington-over-intel">a precautionary measure</a>, as Intel's success is key to evolving American manufacturing policies, Semafor reported.Government leaders are also monitoring the CHIPS Act funding delays. Ohio governor Mike DeWine said Wednesday that he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/intel-hasnt-any-chips-act-money-why-not/530-021a26ac-81cd-4146-852e-2b2172f2c5f7">contacted the White House</a> to ask it to speed up the distribution of funding from the CHIPS Act for its New Albany factory.The CHIPS Act was passed largely in a bipartisan fashion in 2022. Stephen Ezell, the vice president for global innovation policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the director of its Center for Life Sciences Innovation, previously told BI he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-semiconductor-chip-production-continue-harris-trump-presidency-arizona-jobs-2024-10">expects no "considerable change"</a> in approach whether presidential candidates Kamala Harris or Donald Trump are elected.Besides the delay in receiving CHIPS Act funds, Intel has faced a series of setbacks to its business. The S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices said Friday that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nvidia-replace-intel-dow-jones-industrial-average-2024-11">Nvidia would replace Intel </a>in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. This change indicates that Intel is no longer seen as a stable economic indicator.Intel's recent profitability was "negatively impacted" by cost reduction changes as the company is "maniacally focused on improving fab productivity," Gelsinger said during its third-quarter earnings call.Amid a challenging financial adjustment, Intel is relying upon the success of its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/opinion/continued-momentum-intel-18a.html">18A chip</a>. In the past, the company has faced customer losses and delays in its 14-nanometer and 10-nanometer chips due to yield issues.Intel plans to reduce spending with a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-turnaround-plan-aws-2024-9">cost</a>-<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-turnaround-plan-aws-2024-9">savings plan</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intel-layoffs-cost-cutting-measures-pay-cuts-reduced-perks-2024-10">has cut staff by 15%</a>.Got a tip about Intel? Contact this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:hli@insider.com">hli@insider.com</a> or use the secure messaging app Signal with the username hliwrites.99.

In an all-hands, Intel CEO addresses employee concerns about the US election and CHIPS Act funding

When you try your best and don't succeed When you (don't) get what you want, but not what you need When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep Feeling these lyrics a little too much, since you could not ‘fix you’(self) tickets for <keyword id="20399945" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Coldplay" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Coldplay" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Coldplay">Coldplay</keyword>'s 2025 concert in Mumbai? You were all set at 12 noon yesterday, ready to quickly snap up tickets that would not break your bank account, but also get you the best view of the stage, all at the same time. You had mentally mapped out how you'd make the most of 4 minutes that were allotted to everyone to buy tickets? But despite all the effort, you never moved ahead in the queue which had lakhs of Indians clamoring for tickets for the India leg of the iconic band’s “Music of the Spheres” world tour. This, after Coldplay announced a third show on 21st January, seeing their “phenomenal demand” in India. Mumbai based banking professional Agastya Shikhar came as close at 5,004 in the BookMyShow queue. One of his friends had inched even closer, at 604. And yet, they could not secure the tickets. As it is, the wound of not being able to secure tickets for <keyword id="20085213" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diljit-Dosanjh" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Diljit Dosanjh" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Diljit Dosanjh">Diljit Dosanjh</keyword>’s India leg of Dil-luminati tour was very fresh. And even though Diljit has announced a second show for Delhi-ites, along with adding pit stops in Jaipur and Mumbai, who knows whether you'll be able to lap up the tickets in just microseconds, before they are all sold out, yet again. But here's what you can certainly achieve, instead of lamenting over missing out on these concerts. Yes, they are once in a lifetime experiences, but you can create more for yourselves, all by smartly using the funds you saved from here in the stock market, and multiplying your funds, instead of just spending them away. Assuming you were going to buy two of the most expensive tickets of the lot in both the concerts, i.e. the lounge tickets in Coldplay’s worth Rs 35,000/per person, and fan pit tickets worth Rs 20,000/per person in Diljit’s. Following the US Fed’s rate cut last week, Indian markets are scaling all time highs, a trend which is set to continue for some time to come. As such, large-cap mutual funds are currently in the spotlight. And over a 1-year period, most large-cap mutual funds have delivered an average return of about 40%. So, if you invested Rs 70,000 in a large-cap mutual fund, you'd have amassed close to a lakh rupees (Rs 97,650) or even more by September next year. If you're a bit of a risk-taker, you can also invest in <keyword id="23278136" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-cap-index-funds" source="keywords">small-cap index funds</keyword>, which have delivered average returns of about 50% in the past 1 year. Your Re 70,000 could easily turn into Rs 1,05,000 in just 365 days, without you having to do anything! But remember to diversify your <keyword id="19895437" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment" source="keywords">investment</keyword> across small, mid and large caps, and not concentrate your money in a single fund. Mr. Anand K. Rathi, Co-Founder of MIRA Money highlights that two good options for a holding period of about three to six months are liquid funds and ultra-short bond funds. "Liquid funds have an average holding period of 20 to 30 days, making them suitable for short-term investments. They provide immediate liquidity, allowing redemption on the next working day. On the other hand, ultra-short bond funds have a slightly longer duration, matching the three to six-month holding period. They offer returns similar to annual fixed deposits, typically around 6.7 to 6.8%, making them a good option for short-term investments with better liquidity", he continues. See, there's always a risk of market changes adversely impacting your returns, don't let that deter you. Focus on your goal- of giving yourself and your partner a foreign trip to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and more, or anything that you want, all by smartly deploying the unused funds from here. SEBI-registered RIA Gaurav Goyal also advises investment in arbitrage funds for the time being as well. "Arbitrage Funds are equity-oriented hybrid funds that leverage arbitrage opportunities in the market. These can be a pricing mismatch between two exchanges, different pricing in the spot and futures market, etc. The fund manager of an arbitrage fund buys and sells the shares at the same time and earns the difference between the selling price and the buying price of the share", he says. And who knows, when you're sipping margaritas on the balmy beaches of Sri Lanka next year, you might not feel so bad about missing out on these concerts? Invest these funds as soon as possible, so that you can achieve your other short-term desires like traveling or anything else. Ofcourse, you can have Diljit and Coldplay playing in the background while you do that!

Could not buy concert tickets for Diljit Dosanjh or Coldplay? Here's what you can do with all the unspent funds

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Job titles in the $4.3 trillion hedge-fund industry vary greatly from firm to firm.</li><li>The lack of uniformity allows both firms and employees to present themselves in the best light.</li></ul>The well-publicized battle between David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital and its former employee James Fishback can seem, to industry outsiders especially, a bit trivial.While Fishback's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/greenlight-former-macro-analyst-sues-david-einhorn-2024-10">most recent legal filing claims age discrimination</a> and asks for at least $5 million from his old firm, the genesis of the messy dispute involves Fishback's title during the two-plus years he spent at Greenlight.He said he was the firm's head of macro. The firm said he was just an analyst — and an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/david-einhorns-files-lawsuit-against-james-fishback-2024-6">unproductive one at that</a>. Lawsuits, spiteful tweets, and plenty of memes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/david-einhorn-greenlight-lawsuit-james-fishback-2024-5">ensued</a>.While the disagreement is on the extreme end of the spectrum, hedge-fund industry veterans say title confusion, inflation, and misalignment are rampant.Titles within banks and private equity firms follow a de facto industry standard. A managing director at Morgan Stanley does more or less the same thing an MD at Goldman Sachs does.This is not the case in the hedge-fund world.While the biggest managers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/morgan-stanley-prime-brokerage-novick-shaw-startup-hedge-fund-mistakes-2024-9">have become more institutional</a>, the $4.3 trillion industry is more opaque and founder-led than other sections of finance.Hedge funds are a disparate group spanning firms with thousands of people worldwide and new launches with a pair of analysts and a Bloomberg terminal. This lack of uniformity and the relentless war for talent has firms and employees alike taking advantage of the ambiguity.Fishback, for example, references not an offer letter or an internal HR system to prove his title in his legal filings but an email sent to a third party by Greenlight's chief operating officer offhandedly referring to Fishback as the firm's "head of macro."Recruiters and hiring managers at big-name funds say candidates constantly give themselves more prestigious-sounding titles on LinkedIn. A dozen headhunters, fund executives, consultants, and others who spoke with Business Insider argued that as firms build out the non-investment sides of their businesses to support their growth, titles will only get more inflated."It's extremely tough to know who's real and who isn't," said one longtime recruiter who mostly focuses on quant firms and large multistrategy managers."An MD title at the banks, that means something. An MD title at a hedge fund doesn't mean anything."<h2 id="731f7cfe-0e1f-42aa-921c-ef631afc0183">Global heads, chairmen, investment officers, and more</h2>As one person who works in a hiring position at a large multistrategy firm told BI, "titles are free" — and firms use them. Industry insiders said a title could be a carrot for recruiting or retention, especially as the biggest funds become more institutional and add more non-investment roles to their firms.More than 200 people who work at the $64 billion firm Citadel have a title on LinkedIn that deems them the "head" of some part of the business, for example. That's roughly one out of every 14 people within the hedge fund — and doesn't include its founder, Ken Griffin; its chief operating officer, Gerald Beeson; and others on the leadership team.A person close to the Miami-based firm said Citadel's flat structure means that no matter an individual's title, the internal expectations to produce are very high.This person added that Citadel's pursuit of top external talent — the firm just hired Apple's top recruiter, Sjoerd Gehring, to be its chief people officer, and it poached Google's Paul Darrah this year to be its chief workplace officer — means some accomplished employees receive big titles to match their experience.Jose Gamez, for example, spent nearly 20 years working as a chef at several Four Seasons hotels, including five years leading the kitchen at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/07/us/coronavirus-citadel-securities-four-seasons-florida.html">the one in Palm Beach that Citadel Securities took over</a> during the pandemic. He's now the global head of culinary and executive chef for Citadel and Citadel Securities.Even for investing talent, titles can be tricky to understand from the outside, in many cases, because of the differing internal structures across the industry that obscure who actually makes trading decisions.Rokos has two dozen employees with the title "investment officer" in their LinkedIn profiles. A person familiar with the London-based firm said that while these employees sit somewhere between an analyst and a portfolio manager, the fact that its billionaire founder, Chris Rokos, makes all investment calls for the fund complicates titles. The manager declined to comment.At the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-bobby-jain-has-hired-jain-capital-hedge-fund-launch-2023-12">newly launched Jain Global</a>, there is a chairman of fundamental equities, Paul Enright, and a chief investment officer of fundamental equities, Townie Wells. Wells, a person familiar with the matter said, manages a portfolio on top of running the business, while Enright is more focused on mentorship and talent development.The chairman title is uncommon in hedge funds, especially for an individual business within a multistrategy manager, but the person close to Jain said it was what made the most sense for Enright, a former Viking Global portfolio manager who had been running his own money for years and decided to come back to the industry to work at the new fund.Firms can also tweak common industry titles internally.Millennium, for example, has ditched the sub-PM title, elevating those who once held that role to PM. These individuals, though, report to a senior PM, who can oversee several PMs within a pod.A person close to the firm said that as Millennium has grown, individual investing teams have become broader, necessitating more structure. All the teams at Millennium — there are more than 300 — are led by a senior PM, and it's not uncommon for PMs working under a senior PM to own part of the book and take risk themselves.In some cases, however, a PM's responsibilities can be more akin to those of a senior analyst or a sub-PM — but a PM title sounds better to external candidates."People will join because they want to be a PM," one recruiter said. "They know the power in that title."<h2 id="80e6436b-e9f6-4264-9dc3-db69994eef27">Keeping it under wraps</h2>Plenty of funds intentionally keep roles vague and closely monitor what their team members are publicly sharing about themselves.At Coatue, executives sign off on what employees put as their title on LinkedIn, people familiar with the firm's operations said. Members of Tiger Global's front-office team use "investor" as their title on LinkedIn instead of a more specific role.Quants like Marshall Wace, D.E. Shaw, and Two Sigma are famously guarded about their internal workings. At each firm, dozens of employees use catchall titles like "quantitative researcher" that can span experience levels.Both sides can be frustrating, especially for headhunters and business development pros at large firms trying to grow their teams.Oversharing or exaggerating titles can lead to inflated salaries and outside offers that aren't commensurate with a prospect's actual experience. Vague titles, on the other hand, can leave allocators struggling to understand what exactly their fees are paying for. Internally, employees who lack ownership of a specific sector or business find that their end-of-year bonuses are left to the whim of the founder.Fund executives and recruiters alike believe that the industry's institutionalization will eventually codify titles across firms. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-a-hedge-fund-job-point72-academy-applicants-2022-1">Talent-development programs at firms like Point72</a> and more structured <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-elliott-alums-are-launching-their-own-funds-2024-8">career-development paths at managers like Elliott</a> already feel more like private equity or banking than the Wild West hedge-fund days of yore.Don Steinbrugge, the CEO of the hedge-fund consultancy Agecroft Partners, said lofty-sounding roles without equivalent responsibilities — like a vice president of a bank — would have their match in hedge funds."Titles are something that's very important to people. It's something that impacts their reputation in the industry," Steinbrugge said."Over time, people will have titles that sound more important."

What's in a title? How hedge funds and their employees use the industry's lack of consistency to their advantage

<div type="image" title="Are Indians depositing less money in banks, or more in mutual funds? Turns out, it&amp;#39;s neither of those." msid="113663806" hostid="261" sizebytes="1121785"></div> Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of brouhaha about the lagging pace of <keyword id="20202062" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bank-deposits" source="keywords">bank deposits</keyword> in India. Simply put, the rate at which Indians are depositing their hard-earned money in banks has been falling constantly, and some blame the increasing financialisation of <keyword id="20751315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="household-savings" source="keywords">household savings</keyword> in the country or the rising preference of Indians towards <keyword id="19929240" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-funds" source="keywords">mutual funds</keyword> and shares. So, the hypothesis is that people are choosing to invest more in mutual funds and the Indian <keyword id="19949641" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-markets" source="keywords">equity markets</keyword> through direct investments, IPOs, or NFOs, the money flowing into Indian banks in the form of deposits is slowing down. But is that really the case? <h2>A crisis or a phase?</h2><keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="RBI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="RBI">RBI</keyword> data suggested that for the quarter ended June 2024, bank deposits grew at 11.7%. On the other hand, credit growth has outpaced this at 15%. This means that the outflow from banks as loans is far greater than the inflow into them in the form of deposits in Q1 of FY 2024-25. The situation largely saw cut-copy-paste in the first week of September as well, with loans registering a 13.3% YoY growth during the period, while deposits rose only 11.1%. This gap has only been widening for the last 3 years. Since deposits are how banks gather assets to further lend and earn interest income as a consequence, even a slight dip could set the alarm bells ringing for banks, and rightfully so. And truth be told, mutual funds are indeed taking on bank deposits in a big way. Per a report by Franklin Templeton, in August 2024, the AUM (assets under management) of Indian mutual funds, or the total funds managed by them, stood at 31.3% of total bank deposits in the country, up from 24.20% during the year-ago period. As of August 2024, the AUM of mutual funds stood at Rs 66.17 lakh crore, an all-time high. But all said and done, is this really the reason why the rate of bank deposits is falling behind? SBI has dismissed this to be a “statistical myth”, and experts point out that since equity and fund houses also keep the cash in their respective bank accounts, there’s no cause for concern. So, is financialization really to be blamed for the trailing tempo of deposits? Or is something else happening behind the scenes? We take a closer look: <h2>First, are household deposits really slowing down? And is that a cause of concern?</h2>Data from Motilal Oswal suggests the contrary. Deposits grew by around 10.4% between March 2020 and August 2024. Data from RBI also highlights that as of August 9, 2024, bank deposits witnessed a YoY growth of 10.8%. The loan-to-deposit ratio for the retail segment, which indicates what percentage of its total deposits the banks lend out as loans, has stayed at 77.5%, above the 77% mark for the tenth straight month. <div type="image" title="Yes, household deposits (as % of total deposits) have dipped, but the drop is far from significant" msid="113663882" hostid="261" sizebytes="306706"></div> Also, we can’t forego the fact that the share of Indian households in bank deposits has indeed slowed down. However, data from Axis AMC shows that the dip is marginal—from 63% in 2022 to 62% in 2023 and 61% in 2024. What has slowed down even more considerably is the share of government deposits in the aggregate bank deposits, which has dipped from 14% in 2018 to 9% in 2024. So, it's not just household deposits, you see. Moreover, as of March 2024, the collective CASA ratio (current and <keyword id="114757" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="savings-account" source="Orion">savings account</keyword> deposits) of all commercial banks in India stood at 41.00%, down from 43.1% in March 2023 and 45.2% in March 2022, marking a nearly 5% point decline over the past year, while still staying over the 10-year average of 39.2%. This implies that Indian banks are relying more on higher-cost funds (savings accounts), which can limit their profitability. <h2>What is this financialisation of savings we are talking about?</h2>Then again, there is no doubt about the growing affinity of Indians towards mutual funds and stock markets. Recent data from CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) highlights that India’s net direct tax collection surged by around 22%, driven exclusively by the significant uptick in the collection of Securities Transaction Tax (STT), which doubled to Rs 26,154 crore, from Rs 13,352 crore in the year-ago period. Why does this matter? STT is levied when you buy or sell equity shares on stock exchanges, sell <keyword id="6361918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-mutual-funds" source="Orion">equity mutual funds</keyword>, and trade in futures and options in the equity segment. Such taxes, including the multiple other taxes in equity market investments, are considered as leakages as the money moves out of the economy into government coffers. Data from a ValueQuest report explains that over the last 20 years, the markets have handsomely rewarded the investors, generating over $900 billion in incremental value for them. This is the major driver behind the dramatic rise in investment flowing towards the equity markets. There’s further proof of this budding romance, if you check the demat pudding. The number of demat accounts, which are a primary requisite for participating in the stock markets, also burgeoned by 42.3 lakh in August 2024, taking India’s total tally of demat accounts beyond 17 crore. To put this in perspective, this is almost equivalent to the population of just 8 nations in the world, including China, the US, Brazil and more. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat thinks it's rather important, as well. “Financialisation of household savings in India is an indication of deepening capital markets in the market, especially from a retail investor standpoint. Bank deposits with a modest rate of return are no longer the only option for savings for investors. Investors today have more avenues for wealth creation in the form of public capital markets, which have democratized wealth creation and provided equality of opportunity to retail investors”, he says. Yes, Indians are investing more and more in the markets, and in mutual funds. But is it a sin to look out for inflation-beating returns, which the stock markets offer, and vanilla bank deposits don't? After all, the allure of 12-13% annual returns offered by <keyword id="45369" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equities" source="Orion">equities</keyword> can certainly pale the stability offered by good old deposits, which generally do not go beyond 9% when it comes to annual returns. But all of this is not what is behind the slowdown. India is still a toddler in the school of savings financialization, with less than 10% of the population holding a demat account, and less than 5% of us saving in equities. That's a drop in the ocean of deposits, far inadequate to trigger a tsunami. <h2>Tell me why lagging deposits have nothing to do with Indians investing more in mutual funds!</h2>Says Shweta Rajani, Head - Mutual Funds, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited, “Households' equity holdings composition grew from 11.1% in FY 23 to 14.7% in FY 24. This trend reflects a growing awareness of investment options, empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. Despite this transition towards equities, banks still hold a significant share of household financial savings—33.5% in FY24 compared to 34.9% in FY23”. Also, household savings and their subsequent financialization do not have much to do with deposit creation, which is entirely made by banks. What actually drives increased deposits is credit growth or increased lending. When interest rates are eased, people tend to borrow more and spend more, which circulates more money in the economy. For the past 4 years, RBI has been tightening the screws on interest rates, which raises the cost of borrowings, and makes it more expensive to take loans, putting a dampener on credit growth, but effectively curbing inflationary pressures. The last time RBI cut the repo rate by 40 basis points was back in May 2020, 4 years ago. The lag in <keyword id="19998084" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="deposit-growth" source="keywords">deposit growth</keyword> we’re witnessing is almost 3 years old. Coincidence much, or just good old economics at work? But with the Fed recently setting a rate cut precedent by slashing 50 bps off its interest rate, RBI is expected to follow suit in the next MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting, scheduled for November 2024. A rate cut would ease the aforementioned high cost of borrowing, and increase loan-taking for corporates and institutional investors, thereby stoking consumption in the economy. And then, deposit creation in banks is likely to return to its former glory. If not, then that would be a curious case to unravel! But that worry is for another day. Do you have insights or personal experience to share on your personal finances or money? Contact us at <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="mailto:businessinsider@timesinternet.in">businessinsider@timesinternet.in</a>.

Simply Put: A Deposit Dilemma — What's the fuss about a crisis in Indian bank deposits? Are mutual fund investments to blame?

“I started <keyword id="20024281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investing" source="keywords">investing</keyword> when I was 24, and had just taken up my first job. At first, it felt like a herculean task, setting aside Rs 15,000 every month for long-term investing. But now, at 29, I have a comfortable corpus with me, and I am able to even fund my sister’s education. I now realise how investing is the first step towards achieving some level of financial independence”. That was Yumna, a 29-year-old Delhi-based communication professional’s “tryst with her finances”. Tomorrow, India will celebrate its “tryst with destiny”, its 78th day of independence from Britishers. And so, it is certainly the right time to revisit our personal journeys towards independence, at least financially. If we heavily rely on our monthly salaries, being broke towards the end of the month, and desperately waiting for that end-of-the-month fund credit “ting”, then are we really independent? So, this Independence Day, consider gifting yourself (and your friends and loved ones) these five presents that promise you financial freedom. <h2>Start SIP-ing in Mutual Funds, stocks</h2>The British ruled India for almost 200 years, starting from the battle of Plassey in 1757, to when India finally ousted the British Raj in 1947. Nearly 200 years of tireless persistence, struggle and revolution was what it took to achieve freedom. Keep that in mind when you feel constantly investing for 10-15 years is “way too long!”. Consider this. Yumna started investing Rs 15,000 every month, five years ago. Assuming 12% p.a. in return, she has already amassed over Rs 12,00,000, out of which her investments are worth Rs 9,00,000, while her returns come to Rs 3,37,295. What if Yumna continues to invest at this pace for the next 20 years? If she invests Rs 15,000 (and assuming 12% p.a. return), she’d have invested Rs 36,00,000, while her returns would be a whopping Rs 1,13,87,219, making her total corpus worth Rs 1,49,87,219. The best time to start investing in the market was yesterday. So, if you’re yet to start investing, do so right away. But remember, it’s a marathon, and not a sprint, so remember to stay in and invested for the long run. <keyword id="20481917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="index-funds" source="keywords">Index funds</keyword>, which basically mirror popular market indices like Nifty and Sensex are a good place to start. <h2>Insure yourself</h2>Getting a term and <keyword id="19894985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-insurance" source="keywords">health insurance</keyword> should be at the top of your to-do list, immediately after you start earning. And no, don't rely just on your employer-provided <keyword id="19996817" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="insurance" source="keywords">insurance</keyword>. Plus, having term insurance can also help you save on taxes (an annual premium paid of up to Rs 25,000 for those aged less than 60 is tax-free under old tax regime), apart from saving you during medical emergencies. Says Sabyasachi Sarkar, Appointed Actuary, Go Digit Life Insurance, “a life insurance plan is a tool that provides a safety net for your family in case of unexpected events and for your need of savings or pension. Ideally one should take a term life cover that is at least 10-15 times your annual income. Moreover, adding riders like death benefits or disability coverage to your policy can offer protection and advantages beyond the basic coverage. Moreover, when picking a life insurance company, consider factors like the claim settlement ratio, returns etc”. Once you’ve insured your life, it's time to safeguard your health as well, with a solid health insurance policy. As Vivek Chaturvedi, CMO and Head of Direct Sales at Go Digit General Insurance notes, “Ensure the plan that you are picking does not come with any cap on the choice of room or ICU as this may impact your overall hospitalization bill. Second, make sure your policy provides a sum insured backup or reinstatement benefit.” Also, check for the pre- and post-hospitalization benefits in your health coverage. Ensure that expenses like diagnostic tests, doctor’s fees, medical check-ups, etc. that you might have to incur before you get hospitalized or after you are discharged are covered. A good plan should provide at least 60/90 days of pre- and post-hospitalization coverage. And lastly, check the coverage for organ donor expenses. While it is a low-probability event, any organ transplant is an expensive affair. This ensures such costs are covered by the insurer. <h2>Save for a rainy day</h2>“It can’t happen to us until it does”. When you are flooded with a daily deluge of news about accidents, deaths, fires, train wrecks and more, it’s easy to disassociate and think “Oh, this won’t happen to me”. But when emergencies arrive at your doorstep, they don't knock but rather break the door down. As such, it's best to be financially prepared for any contingencies, and the best way to do so is to have an <keyword id="20747810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emergency-fund" source="keywords">emergency fund</keyword> handy. For this, you can set aside 3-6 times your monthly income in a liquid mutual fund, recurring deposit (RD) or savings bank account. This will help you tide over a medical emergency, job loss and more. But remember, this is not to be broken into for funding those impromptu vacations! <h2>Upskill, Upskill</h2>Earning money is hard, but still easier than effectively managing it. Most of us run away from managing and investing our own hard-earned money because it sounds difficult and looks too complicated and jargon-y. This Independence Day, gift yourself a basic course on <keyword id="20762784" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="money-management" source="keywords">money management</keyword>, budgeting and investing. You won’t become <keyword id="19921921" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="warren-buffett" source="keywords">Warren Buffett</keyword> overnight, but it will certainly be a good start. Start with a basic budget and importantly, stick to it. Write and track how much you earn and spend on a monthly basis, so that you’re more in charge of your funds, and not looking (hopefully!), at maxed-out credit cards and empty wallets at the end of the month. <h2>Be free of anything that looks easy money</h2>These days, it’s super easy to get credit, a personal loan, and buy your favourite gadget, or your latest fascination via <keyword id="19985897" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BNPL" source="keywords">BNPL</keyword> (Buy Now Pay Later). And in the short run, it can be incredibly satisfying as well. But then, when you get your monthly statements, and find a never-ending stream of interest charges, and penalties, which eventually pull you into a spiral of debt trap. If something looks too good to be true, it might really just be too good to be true. BNPL and instant credit are very much like that. So, the next time you want to buy something expensive, hold that thought for at least 48 hours, before revisiting it. Most of the time, you’ll find you don't even desire it anymore. If you still have the urge to buy it, try the saving and buying approach, instead of swiping your credit card or signing up for BNPL apps!

Five gifts you can give to yourself, friends, or family, towards achieving financial independence

Markets regulator <keyword id="19901201" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sebi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Sebi" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Sebi">SEBI</keyword> has asked the <keyword id="20677983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mutual-fund-industry" source="keywords">mutual fund industry</keyword> to proactively conduct stress tests, a key component of <keyword id="20383727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="risk-management" source="keywords">risk management</keyword> for the financial sector, which will help strengthen the ecosystem, its whole-time member Ananth Narayan Gopalakrishnan said on Friday. The regulator's stress testing emphasizes the need to assess and manage liquidity risks, especially in small and midcap equity schemes. Speaking at a mutual fund event, Gopalakrishnan highlighted the importance of modelling stress scenarios not just for individual schemes or fund houses, but for the entire mutual fund ecosystem. "It is also important to model stress scenarios for the entire composite mutual fund ecosystem. I would strongly encourage the industry and <keyword id="20090036" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AMFI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AMFI" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="AMFI">AMFI</keyword> to take the lead and proactively conduct objective and credible industry wide stress tests. themselves," Gopalakrishnan said. He also emphasized the need to find better ways to communicate the risks associated with different mutual fund schemes. The SEBI official mentioned that while the current risk measurement system is straightforward and has had a significant impact, it doesn't fully capture the differences in risks among various investment schemes. According to him, many schemes are just labelled as high risk, even though they have different kinds of risks. The goal is to improve this system to better reflect those differences, while keeping it simple and easy to understand. One possible approach is to consider the portfolio's volatility and liquidity from stress tests to give a clearer picture. "While ensuring simplicity and ease of understanding remains a key objective, perhaps the underlying volatility of the portfolio along with the liquidity of the portfolio from stress tests could be used to provide better colour all around," he added. This comes at a time when the holdings of mutual funds by <keyword id="20234284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-institutional-investors" source="keywords">Domestic Institutional Investors</keyword> (DIIs) and individuals have risen from about 54.3% of free float of all mid cap and small cap companies, as of March 2020 to 60.6% as of March 2024. Several fund houses have proactively stopped lump sum investments in some small-cap schemes and also capped the amount that can be invested through <keyword id="20675888" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="systematic-investment-plan" source="keywords">Systematic Investment Plan</keyword> (SIP) into small-cap schemes. He also highlighted the potential mismatch between the demand for paper and the supply of fresh paper coming into the ecosystem. Gopalakrishnan said the industry can make more progress in streamlining operations and improving efficiency for investors. "At a time when instantaneous fund transfers have become ubiquitous in our country, perhaps we should look to improve our internal processes and the security settlement ecosystem, to ensure that funds are passed on to investors on the day of the settlement itself, rather than a day after or two days after," he added. Over the last few years, the mutual fund industry has made impressive strides, and is now playing a crucial role in channeling financial savings towards risk capital formation. This was driven by stable macros, increased formalization, robust corporate earnings, digitisation and user friendly access. Moreover, the number of mutual fund investors has grown significantly from about 2 crore as of March 2019 to nearly 4.7 crore as of June 2024, an impressive compounded annual growth rate of 18% during that period. Gopalakrishnan mentioned that several exciting initiatives are in the works, developed with input from all stakeholders. These include a proposed low-ticket SIP, further breaking down regular SIPs into smaller, more accessible units (sachetisation and tokenization), and the introduction of "mutual funds lite" regulations. These new regulations will simplify rules for passively managed funds, reducing the compliance burden and encouraging competition and innovation. Additionally, a new class of higher-risk schemes is proposed for investors with a greater capacity to handle risk.

SEBI asks mutual fund industry to proactively conduct stress test

Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of brouhaha about the lagging pace of bank deposits in India. Simply put, the rate at which Indians are depositing their hard-earned money in banks has been falling constantly, and some blame the increasing financialization of household savings in the country, or the rising preference of Indians towards mutual funds and shares. So, the hypothesis is that people are choosing to invest more in mutual funds and the Indian equity markets through direct investments, IPOs, or NFOs, the money flowing into Indian banks in the form of deposits is slowing down. But is that really the case? <h2>A crisis or a phase?</h2><keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rbi" source="keywords">RBI</keyword> data suggested that for the quarter ended June 2024, bank deposits grew at 11.7%. On the other hand, credit growth has outpaced this at 15%. This means that the outflow from banks as loans is far greater than the inflow into them in the form of deposits in Q1 of FY 2024-25. The situation largely saw cut-copy-paste in the first week of September as well, with loans registering a 13.3% YoY growth during the period, while deposits rose only 11.1%. This gap has only been widening for the last 3 years. Since deposits are how banks gather assets to further lend and earn interest income as a consequence, even a slight dip could set the alarm bells ringing for banks, and rightfully so. And truth be told, mutual funds are indeed taking on bank deposits in a big way. Per a report by <keyword id="20250971" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="franklin-templeton" source="keywords">Franklin Templeton</keyword>, in August 2024, the AUM (assets under management) of Indian mutual funds, or the total funds managed by them, stood at 31.3% of total bank deposits in the country, up from 24.20% during the year-ago period. As of August 2024, the AUM of mutual funds stood at Rs 66.17 lakh crore, an all-time high. But all said and done, is this really the reason why the rate of bank deposits is falling behind? SBI has dismissed this to be a “statistical myth”, and experts point out that since equity and fund houses also keep the cash in their respective bank accounts, there’s no cause for concern. So, is financialization really to be blamed for the trailing tempo of deposits? Or is something else happening behind the scenes? We take a closer look: <h2>First, are <keyword id="4000333" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="household-deposits" source="Orion">household deposits</keyword> really slowing down? And is that a cause of concern?</h2>Data from Motilal Oswal suggests the contrary. Deposits grew by around 10.4% between March 2020 and August 2024. Data from RBI also highlights that as of August 9, 2024, bank deposits witnessed a YoY growth of 10.8%. The loan-to-deposit ratio for the retail segment, which indicates what percentage of its total deposits the banks lend out as loans, has stayed at 77.5%, above the 77% mark for the tenth straight month. Also, we can’t forego the fact that the share of Indian <keyword id="20319599" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="households" source="keywords">households</keyword> in bank deposits has indeed slowed down. However, data from Axis AMC shows that the dip is marginal—from 63% in 2022 to 62% in 2023 and 61% in 2024. What has slowed down even more considerably is the share of government deposits in the aggregate bank deposits, which has dipped from 14% in 2018 to 9% in 2024. So, it's not just household deposits, you see. Moreover, as of March 2024, the collective CASA ratio (current and savings account deposits) of all commercial banks in India stood at 41.00%, down from 43.1% in March 2023 and 45.2% in March 2022, marking a nearly 5% point decline over the past year, while still staying over the 10-year average of 39.2%. This implies that Indian banks are relying more on higher-cost funds (savings accounts), which can limit their profitability. <h2>What is this financialisation of savings we are talking about?</h2>Then again, there is no doubt about the growing affinity of Indians towards mutual funds and stock markets. Recent data from CBDT (<keyword id="19942037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-board-of-direct-taxes" source="keywords">Central Board of Direct Taxes</keyword>) highlights that India’s net direct tax collection surged by around 22%, driven exclusively by the significant uptick in the collection of <keyword id="20930760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="securities-transaction-tax" source="keywords">Securities Transaction Tax</keyword> (STT), which doubled to Rs 26,154 crore, from Rs 13,352 crore in the year-ago period. Why does this matter? STT is levied when you buy or sell equity shares on stock exchanges, sell equity mutual funds, and trade in futures and options in the equity segment. Such taxes, including the multiple other taxes in equity market investments, are considered as leakages as the money moves out of the economy into government coffers. Data from a ValueQuest report explains that over the last 20 years, the markets have handsomely rewarded the investors, generating over $900 billion in incremental value for them. This is the major driver behind the dramatic rise in investment flowing towards the equity markets. There’s further proof of this budding romance, if you check the demat pudding. The number of demat accounts, which are a primary requisite for participating in the stock markets, also burgeoned by 42.3 lakh in August 2024, taking India’s total tally of demat accounts beyond 17 crore. To put this in perspective, this is almost equivalent to the population of just 8 nations in the world, including China, the US, Brazil and more. Vivek Iyer, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat thinks it's rather important, as well. “Financialisation of household savings in India is an indication of deepening capital markets in the market, especially from a retail investor standpoint. Bank deposits with a modest rate of return are no longer the only option for savings for investors. Investors today have more avenues for wealth creation in the form of public capital markets, which have democratized wealth creation and provided equality of opportunity to retail investors”, he says. Yes, Indians are investing more and more in the markets, and in mutual funds. But is it a sin to look out for inflation-beating returns, which the stock markets offer, and vanilla bank deposits don't? After all, the allure of 12-13% annual returns offered by equities can certainly pale the stability offered by good old deposits, which generally do not go beyond 9% when it comes to annual returns. But all of this is not what is behind the slowdown. India is still a toddler in the school of savings financialization, with less than 10% of the population holding a demat account, and less than 5% of us saving in equities. That's a drop in the ocean of deposits, far inadequate to trigger a tsunami. <h2>Tell me why lagging deposits have nothing to do with Indians investing more in mutual funds!</h2>Says Shweta Rajani, Head - Mutual Funds, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited, “Households' equity holdings composition grew from 11.1% in FY 23 to 14.7% in FY 24. This trend reflects a growing awareness of investment options, empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures. Despite this transition towards equities, banks still hold a significant share of household financial savings—33.5% in FY24 compared to 34.9% in FY23”. Also, household savings and their subsequent financialization do not have much to do with deposit creation, which is entirely made by banks. What actually drives increased deposits is credit growth or increased lending. When interest rates are eased, people tend to borrow more and spend more, which circulates more money in the economy. For the past 4 years, RBI has been tightening the screws on interest rates, which raises the cost of borrowings, and makes it more expensive to take loans, putting a dampener on credit growth, but effectively curbing inflationary pressures. The last time RBI cut the repo rate by 40 basis points was back in May 2020, 4 years ago. The lag in deposit growth we’re witnessing is almost 3 years old. Coincidence much, or just good old economics at work? But with the <keyword id="19900043" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fed" source="keywords">Fed</keyword> recently setting a rate cut precedent by slashing 50 bps off its interest rate, RBI is expected to follow suit in the next <keyword id="19918491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mpc" source="keywords">MPC</keyword> (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting, scheduled for November 2024. A rate cut would ease the aforementioned high cost of borrowing, and increase loan-taking for corporates and institutional investors, thereby stoking consumption in the economy. And then, deposit creation in banks is likely to return to its former glory. If not, then that would be a curious case to unravel! But that worry is for another day.

A Deposit Dilemma — What's the fuss about a crisis in Indian bank deposits? Are mutual fund investments to blame?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</li></ul>Welcome back! The fast-moving, big business of weight-loss drugs is already shifting to its next stage. Here's a rundown of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/upcoming-glp1-weight-loss-drugs-to-watch-2024-11">five upcoming pills and injections</a> to keep an eye on.In today's big story, Microsoft's massive bet on AI with Copilot <a target="_blank" href="https://businessinsider.com/microsoft-ai-artificial-intelligence-bet-doubts-marc-benioff-satya-nadella-2024-11">has yet to live up to the hype</a>, potentially raising alarms for everyone else investing in the space.What's on deck:<ul><li>Markets: You can still bet on politics <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-political-prediction-bets-trump-2028-nominees-election-kalshi-polymarket-2024-11">even though the election is over</a>.</li><li>Tech: Why the Trump-Musk relationship is unlike anything <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-elected-shadow-president-2024-11">we've ever seen in US politics</a>.</li><li>Business: Spirit Airlines has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spirit-airlines-chapter-11-bankruptcy-restructure-low-cost-airlines-2024-11">tells customers it'll keep flying</a>.</li></ul>But first, is this thing even worth it?If this was forwarded to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today">sign up here.</a><h3 id="7fa5f018-5b05-4a37-a8dc-d3f89138bcb3">The big story</h3><h2 id="5fd547b9-ec52-41fc-8e08-4f4b27dd8097">A Copilot conundrum</h2><div type="image" title="Microsoft logo glitching" height="1000" width="1334" msid="115423174" hostid="261" sizebytes="160900"></div>Microsoft's challenges with its flagship AI product could be another red flag for an industry with high hopes for the tech.Business Insider's Ashley Stewart, our resident Microsoft expert, has a deep dive on Copilot <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-ai-artificial-intelligence-bet-doubts-marc-benioff-satya-nadella-2024-11">coming up short on the big expectations laid out for it</a> when it launched over a year ago.CEO Satya Nadella didn't hold back initially, describing Copilot as something that would "fundamentally transform our relationship with technology" when it was unveiled.But internally and among clients, that doesn't always feel like the case. One Microsoft executive told Ashley that Copilot offers useful results about 10% of the time."The rest of the time it's: Why do we even try?" they said.It's an unsettling realization considering the stakes of AI. Many companies — and arguably the entire US stock market — are banking on generative AI being revolutionary. And while Microsoft's bet on AI dwarfs almost everyone else's, its hangup with the tech is something a company of any size can relate to: Is this stuff worth it?It's also not the only challenge the generative AI space is navigating.Reports about OpenAI's newest AI model struggling to show big improvements raised questions about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-orion-model-scaling-law-silicon-valley-chatgpt-2024-11">tech hitting a performance wall</a>. CEO Sam Altman appeared to address it with a cryptic tweet: "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sam-altman-ai-wall-slowdown-openai-2024-11">there is no wall</a>."Still, it's feeding concerns about the timeline for artificial general intelligence. AGI is the concept that autonomous computer systems outperform humans at most economically valuable work, but it appears <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/agi-predictions-looking-stretched-openai-sam-altman-google-ai-2024-11">harder to achieve than previously anticipated</a>, writes BI's Alistair Barr.<div type="image" title="AI robot hand gripping a time bomb, displaying a countdown timer set to expire in 2025" height="1500" width="2000" msid="115423171" hostid="261" sizebytes="122298"></div>The counterargument is straightforward: It's still the early innings.Microsoft is adamant its Copilot investment is already paying off. Jared Spataro, a vice president of marketing for Microsoft 365, pointed Ashley to Copilot success stories like Lumen Technologies, which projects $50 million in annual savings from its sales team's use of Copilot.Some customers aren't necessarily worried either, as they continue to plow money into AI. A Flexera survey found OpenAI ranked fourth among vendors that IT leaders plan to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-top-vendor-it-leaders-2024-11">spend the most with next year</a>.But tech players won't have forever to figure things out. Earlier this year, analysts at Barclays highlighted an under-the-radar risk to AI bets: <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/ai-stocks-risk-nvidia-gpus-blackwell-tech-outlook-depreciation-accounting-2024-8">the depreciation costs related to AI chips</a>. As firms look to stock up on GPUs, they run the risk of the tech no longer being relevant as new iterations emerge.And then there's the possibility of internal drama. Ashley previously reported on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-pay-data-shows-how-much-more-ai-workers-make-2024-8">the pay disparity at Microsoft</a> between AI-focused employees and everyone else."AI is great and it might be the future, but when are you going to focus on your billpayers?" one employee told Ashley.<h3 id="77f31a4c-8462-4e3d-a71f-838cb79493fb">News brief</h3><h2 id="1fcd294b-3f53-425f-9f20-4093e8623b59">Top headlines</h2><ul><li>Meet the top four candidates Trump is <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-treasury-kevin-warsh-marc-rowan-howard-lutnick-scott-bessent-2024-11">considering for Secretary of the Treasury</a>.</li><li>Biden authorizes Ukraine to use powerful ATACMS to strike inside Russia. The move is a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-ukraine-russia-atacms-authorization-2024-11">significant shift in US policy</a>.</li><li>Trump, Musk, and new cabinet picks celebrate election victory with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-musk-celebrate-election-victory-ufc-309-cabinet-picks-2024-11">surprise appearance at UFC</a>.</li></ul><h2 id="8120060b-ae66-48dc-b149-f0489a30ffa2">3 things in markets</h2><div type="image" title="Photo illustration of judge's gavel on colorfulbackground" height="960" width="1920" msid="115423175" hostid="261" sizebytes="501366"></div><ol><li>A lawsuit about trade secrets has a corner of Wall Street's data industry enthralled. Yipit, a Carlyle-backed provider of credit-card data, filed a lawsuit accusing two former salespeople of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-yipits-lawsuit-against-2-former-employees-who-joined-mscience-2024-11">stealing intellectual property to use in their new roles at rival MScience</a>. The suit has the attention of the young, fiercely competitive industry that sells non-traditional data to investors looking for an edge.</li><li>Just because the election is over doesn't mean you need to stop betting on politics. Who will be the Republican nominee in 2028? Will Matt Gaetz be confirmed as attorney general? Will Trump create a national Bitcoin reserve? The prediction markets <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-political-prediction-bets-trump-2028-nominees-election-kalshi-polymarket-2024-11">have plenty of political outcomes</a> to scratch your gambling itch.</li><li>It's giving the year 2000 for one legendary investor. Rob Arnott compared the current market to the dot-com peak in 2000. Arnott told BI <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stock-market-crash-rob-arnott-warns-bear-market-tech-bubble-2024-11">why a bear market could be forthcoming in the next couple of years</a> thanks to high valuations and AI optimism that is largely priced in.</li></ol><h2 id="f4b54806-7f81-450c-ba32-92560d4fae9b">3 things in tech</h2><div type="image" title="Elon Musk" height="900" width="1200" msid="115423177" hostid="261" sizebytes="159876"></div><ol><li>Elon Musk's incredible hold on US politics. Politics and money have always been intertwined, but the current relationship between the world's richest man and the president-elect is unprecedented. The result is Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-elected-shadow-president-2024-11">acting almost as a shadow president</a>.</li><li>A potential Trump trade plan beneficiary: US semiconductor jobs. If Trump's proposed trade plan is enacted, the American semiconductor industry could see hiring growth. Industry experts told BI that tariffs on foreign-made chips <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-tariffs-chips-could-create-more-american-jobs-increase-prices-2024-11">could help level the playing field for US chipmakers</a>, which have faced tough competition from their global counterparts.</li><li>The OpenAI mafia swells its ranks. Nearly two dozen former employees have left the AI juggernaut and founded startups of their own. The latest defectors include OpenAI cofounder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and former chief technology officer Mira Murati. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-openai-employees-who-left-launch-vc-backed-ai-startups-2024-1">See what they're up to now</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="9260fa45-d397-4b3c-b4f8-4bb193976216">3 things in business</h2><div type="image" title="A $100 bill on top of a house" height="1500" width="1992" msid="115423179" hostid="261" sizebytes="339688"></div><ol><li>Four ways Trump's housing plans could hurt homebuyers and three ways it could help. Trump promised to make housing more affordable in part by deporting millions of immigrants, slashing construction regulations, and building houses on federal land. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-high-home-prices-housing-mortgage-rates-deregulation-tariffs-immigration-2024-11">Here's how experts think that would actually pan out</a>.</li><li>Spirit Airlines has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The budget airline has struggled since a planned merger with JetBlue was called off in March. In an open letter to customers, it said people can continue to book tickets and fly as normal as it <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spirit-airlines-chapter-11-bankruptcy-restructure-low-cost-airlines-2024-11">undergoes financial restructuring</a>.</li><li>Walmart might be just fine under Trump's proposed trade plan. Target, not so much. As America's grocery king, Walmart US makes nearly 60% of its revenue from groceries, which are predominantly domestic. But Target often relies on imported merchandise, such as apparel and beauty. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/target-walmart-trump-tariffs-exposure-analysts-2024-11">Walmart also has another key advantage: scale</a>.</li></ol><h2 id="1ad7b482-3f4b-44b4-81b6-a864aa386478">In other news</h2><ul><li>Disney CEO Bob Iger is moving to cement his legacy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bob-iger-disney-earnings-guidance-succession-legacy-chapek-media-analysis-2024-11">by undoing his biggest mistake</a>.</li><li>Shoppers and businesses are <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://l.businessinsider.com/a/click?_t=c8e10479a20f45bba5aad6c5f6fbb009&amp;_m=c30b8703d160410398dd34e9584c94a3&amp;_e=i25E5ONB4tMiXtE06VeSaaFdC9RBeKEf6Am3QwaEcB2E4JdSqnDqmYr-387ig-ruhUxPoPCaat-voaDbfD_6S9r_lRX7w-hriYUuLZLf0oBVVklUgTGSC4rQQEsaV2VrmBmyEJBbhb5t_4ii9kzf5mGNs24JHBU4kD2t77qvgLde0_hccfFyZJGyX-HSEOcVt3hm2j3fy4fJUboGG4PKvgV09z0iPgS9Sd9YYBa5vfJF0tPkg6nqTPSf_-4F-a8aB1csTjQJYq2n-O1Ho511puOlxNeZs4WzL5ZST0WJkZqjescVMWVojaLY68-GnLbrAONhAtYwR4sRYyo_gVAswrtOyO2OjgTQ7GPu_kEO5SvlrvfmHChZsIOFVxvPWR7cGcH5q-QsclhVCpi1tyVirT8OKMZUsBjylVY0fJJZOSkOO4NwglFhyDOfQDrbf0_ErXhpUTPhEJeNs9bRlNwOVGxCBs2oCYN7T81FPiuSVJw%3D">stockpiling to avoid potential price hikes</a> before Trump takes office.</li></ul><h2 id="9f5d80ac-3466-429f-a50a-2ffbb70c65ff">What's happening today</h2><ul><li>G20 summit begins in Rio de Janeiro.</li></ul>The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Ella Hopkins, associate editor, in London. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.Milan Sehmbi, fellow, in London.

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