Options contracts, as well, must be evaluated to determine their worth. Although like any good or service, supply and demand for, say, options will affect the price; to understand the value underlying the price, we need to look deeper. Just as we would consider such factors as the quantity and quality of earnings, price-earnings ratio, and industry outlook, to determine the value of a firm; so we must use the various performance measures to analyze options and futures. Their analysis is complicated by their relationship with the underlying instrument. The underlying asset price therefore is a critical ingredient in the valuation or pricing of options. A key ingredient in the pricing of options thus is the relationship of the option or future to the underlying security on or before expiration determines its value. The price of an option or a futures security will always be a function of the Continue reading
Investment Ideas
Claims in Insurance and Claims Management
Claims in Insurance Definition of claims: Claim is a right of insured to receive the amount secured under the policy of insurance contract promised by Insurer. An insurance claim is the actual application for benefits provided by an insurance company. Policy holders must first file an insurance claim before any money can be disbursed to the hospital or repair shop or other contracted service. The insurance company may or may not approve the claim, based on their own assessment of the circumstances. Individuals who take out home, life, health, or automobile insurance policies must maintain regular payments called premiums to the insurers. Most of the time these premiums are used to settle another person’s insurance claim or to build up the available assets of the insurance company. When claims are filed, the insured has to observe the settled rules and procedures and the insurer has also to reciprocate in a Continue reading
Rights Offering (Issue)
Whenever an existing company wants to issue new equity shares, the existing shareholders will be potential buyers of these shares. Generally the Articles or Memorandum of Association of the Company gives the right to existing shareholders to participate in the new equity issues of the company. This right is known as ‘pre-emptive right’ and such offered shares are called ‘Right shares‘ or ‘Rights issue‘. A rights issue involves selling securities in the primary market by issuing rights to the existing shareholders. When a company issues additional share capital, it has to be offered in the first instance to the existing shareholders on a pro-rata basis. This is required in India under section 81 of the Companies Act, 1956. However, the shareholders may by a special resolution forfeit this right, partially or fully, to enable the company to issue additional capital to public. Under section 81 of the Companies Act 1956, Continue reading
Liquid Mutual Fund Schemes
The objective of liquid mutual fund schemes is to invest in short-term money market instruments of good credit quality. The fund predominantly invests in money market instruments and provides investors the returns that are available on these instruments. The investment portfolio is very liquid, and enables investors to hold their investments for very short horizons of a day or more. The liquid funds are normally open-ended. It provides with the following options/schemes, which are sub-products within the liquid fund. Overnight Option (Growth): This option is meant to be used by investors with very short-term investment horizon and is fully invested in the call money market. Overnight Option (Dividend): This option is meant for investors who have short-term funds to deploy but would like to earn some income on such deployment. The portfolio in this option is invested in short-term floating rate instruments, call markets and in repos. The average maturity Continue reading
Margin Trading or Buying on Margin
Buying on margin means borrowing money from a broker to purchase stock. Margin trading allows one to buy more stock than normal. To trade on margin an account is required. The margin account is a credit based account. In an account one can avail loan to buy stocks. Marginable securities act as collateral for the loan. Securities traded in the margin account are the marginable securities. Like any other loan there is interest charged on the amount borrowed. One should read the margin agreement and understand its implications. One is required to maintain an equity amount that ranges from 50-90%. This is otherwise called as maintenance margin. There are certain costs included in margin trading. They are trade commissions, and interests charged on margin debt. Interest is calculated daily and debited in the margin account say every 15th of the month. Margin trading offers another avenue to the brokers for Continue reading