Actively managed debt funds with the flexibility to go long on duration made a strong comeback on the returns chart in 2023, thanks to softening bond yields. The average one-year returns of floater, long-duration, gilt, and dynamic bond funds, which ranged between 2.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent at the end of 2022, now stand at over 7.2 per cent, with some schemes delivering over 8.5 per cent, according to data from Value Research. Debt fund returns are inversely related to yields of underlying investments, meaning a decline in yields is positive for funds.
Seven of the top-10 valued firms suffered a combined erosion of Rs 1,54,477.38 crore in market valuation last week, with IT majors Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys emerging as the biggest laggards. Last week, the BSE benchmark index tanked 812.28 points or 1.36 per cent. Reliance Industries Limited, ICICI Bank and State Bank of India were the only gainers in the top-10 pack.
'The election results mean that the Opposition can no longer either be ignored or attacked in the way that it has been.' 'For this reason it will be interesting to see how it behaves from here on and whether there is any change in its behaviour,' notes Aakar Patel.
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has issued guidelines to inspect select audit firms to identify areas and opportunities for improvement in the audit firm's system of quality control, a statement said. "Inspections will consist firm-wide review of audit quality and individual file reviews on test-check basis to evaluate the level of compliance with applicable auditing standards and quality control policy and processes," NFRA said. The selection of the audit firm or the auditor for such inspection by NFRA would be based on assessment of risks in the audit environment.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGOs 'Common Cause' and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, that the plea needed to be listed for hearing at the earliest.
With no major domestic market moving triggers this week, equities would continue to look at global factors, foreign fund movement and trend in the rupee for further direction, analysts said. "This week we have the August month F&O expiry where bulls are looking for rest after a gain in the August series," said Santosh Meena, head of research, Swastika Investmart Ltd. "There are not a lot of triggers but global cues, August month F&O expiry, and FIIs' behaviour will be important factors in the direction of the market," he noted.
RBI's projection of retail inflation at 6.8 per cent in the current fiscal is neither too high to deter private consumption, nor so low as to weaken inducement to invest, the Economic Survey said on Tuesday. However, entrenched inflation may prolong the tightening cycle and therefore, borrowing costs may stay 'higher for longer', it said. The Economic Survey 2022-23 was tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
RBI's exercise will take into account standards of governance, the viability of the payment bank (PB) business model, and changes, if any, if needed.
Everyone (with some exceptions) whose estimated tax liability is Rs 10,000 or more in a financial year must pay advance tax.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflows into India contracted by 16 per cent to $43.17 billion during the April-December 2021 period, according to data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The inflows had stood at $51.47 billion during the corresponding period of the previous year. The total FDI inflows (which includes equity inflows, re-invested earnings and other capital) aggregated at $60.34 billion during the nine month period of the current fiscal year as against $67.5 billion in the year-ago period.
The rupee on Thursday closed at its all-time low of 78.32 (provisional) against the US dollar as strong American currency and persistent foreign fund outflows weighed on investor sentiments. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local currency opened at 78.26 and finally settled at its all-time low 78.32, unchanged from its previous close. On Wednesday, the rupee declined by 19 paise to settle at an all-time low level of 78.32 against the US dollar.
