While analyzing price movement, forex trade uses two primary types of analysis. Those concentrating on price movement and neglect other factors choose to guide their efforts at enhancing their skills at technical analysis, whereas traders preferring to examine the economic events which cause the market action mainly throw light on their efforts in analyzing fundamental analysis. Most traders wish to mix the information supplied by these two kinds of analysis in order to generate accurate trading signals. Others focus on one aspect of analysis and discard the other type from the computations, and yet it can be said that either of the approaches can be valid with respect to the circumstances. In essence, there are traders who have been acquiring reputation as well as wealth by trading effectively based on fundamental analysis. But as both of these people disagree in several subjects, they would most probably agree with the fact Continue reading
Investment Analysis
Steps Involved in Investment Planning
Investors like to invest through the instinct and want to gain profit from the market by investing. However, while financial institutions are undoubtedly a part of the process of investing. As investors, it is not surprising that we focus so much of our energy and efforts on investment philosophies and strategies, and so little on the investment process. It is far more interesting to read about how Peter Lynch picks stocks and what makes Warren Buffett a valuable investor, than it is to talk about the steps involved in creating a portfolio or in executing trades. Though it does not get sufficient attention, understanding the investment process is critical for every investor for several reasons: Investment planning centrally depends upon the portfolio of the investor; as a result the primary step of the investment process is to make a portfolio. By emphasizing the sequence, it provides for an orderly way Continue reading
Primary Market or New Issue Market
Companies issue securities from time to time to raise funds in order to meet their financial requirements for modernization, expansions and diversification programmes. These securities are issued directly to the investors (both individuals as well as institutional) through the mechanism called primary market or new issue market. The primary market refers to the set-up which helps the industry to raise the funds by issuing different types of securities. This set-up consists of the type of securities available, financial institutions and the regulatory framework. The primary market discharges the important function of transfer of savings especially of the individuals to the companies, the mutual funds, and the public sector undertakings. Individuals or other investors with surplus money invest their savings in exchange for shares, debentures and other securities. In the primary market the new issue of securities are presented in the form of public issues, right issues or private placement. Firms Continue reading
Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) – Definition, Formula and Calculation
The risk or variation in return of a security is caused by two types of factors. The first type of factors will affect the return of almost all securities in the market. Examples of such sources of risks are changes in the interest rates and inflation of the economy, movement of stock market index and exchange rate movement. The risk caused by such factors is known as systematic risk. Apart from systematic risk, the variation in return of a security is also caused by some other factors which are specific to a security, like a strike in a company or the caliber of the management of a company. The risk caused by such factors is known as unsystematic or specific risk. The unsystematic risk of a security can be diversified away by combining different securities into a portfolio. But systematic risk cannot be diversified away by the construction of a Continue reading
Treasury Bills and Inflation Control
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (or TIPS) are the inflation-indexed bonds issued by the RBI Treasury. These securities were first issued in 1997. The principal is adjusted to the Consumer Price Index, the commonly used measure of inflation. The coupon rate is constant, but generates a different amount of interest when multiplied by the inflation-adjusted principal, thus protecting the holder against inflation. TIPS are currently offered in 5-year, 7-year, 10-year and 20-year maturities. 30-year TIPS are no longer offered. In addition to their value for a borrower who desires protection against inflation, TIPS can also be a useful information source for policy makers: the interest-rate differential between TIPS and conventional Treasury bonds is what borrowers are willing to give up in order to avoid inflation risk. Therefore, changes in this differential are usually taken to indicate that market expectations about inflation over the term of the bonds have changed. The interest payments Continue reading
Defensive and Aggressive Securities
Defensive securities are kind of securities that exhibits less volatility than the market as a whole (i.e., its BETA is less than 1.0), providing lower, but more stable, returns. Investors often acquire defensive securities during periods of financial turmoil or uncertainty. Defensive securities tend to remain more stable in value than the overall market, especially when prices in general are falling. In times of market downturn, investors tend to seek defensive securities to provide a steady rate of return, or at least to lose less money than the market as a whole. Examples include stocks in utility companies and the health care industry. Defensive securities include stocks in companies whose products or services are always in demand and are not as price-sensitive to changes in the economy as other stocks. Aggressive in finance means relating to an investment or approach to investing that seeks above-average returns by taking above-average risks. Continue reading