Issue Dated 15 Mar 2010
Issue Dated 15 March 2010 (Cover design by Jyoti Thapa Mani)
Cover Story

The Great Recovery

After a disastrous 2008, the mutual fund industry bounced back with a vengeance in 2009

Five Tectonic Shifts

What transformed the industry in 2009.

The ETF Challenge

Investing in index exchange traded funds can be cheaper, and safer as well

The Picture Blurs

The abolition of entry load and recent dismal performances have taken the sheen out of equity NFOs

Gilded Option

The only commodity to offer both plays — equity and asset class — is gold. Be aware

The Unusual Option

Exotic funds are small in size, but they can serve as a valuable portfolio diversification tool

Reliance MF

Consistent performance, low employee attrition and a collaborative work culture worked for Reliance mutual fund

Reliance Diversified Power Sector Retail

Sunil Singhania capitalised on the power sector’s initial growth push to fire his fund to greater heights

Taurus Infrastructure

Taurus Infrastructure’s Mohit Mirchandani took his fund from the bottom decile to the top in a year

DSP Black-Rock Top 100 Equity Reg

Focusing on the top 100 stocks plus a cash call strategy worked for DSP BlackRock Top 100 equity fund

UTI Opportunities

UTI Opportunities’ bet on a mix of banking, metals and information technology stocks in 2009 paid off

IDFC Premier Equity

Kenneth Andrade is the smartest fund manager, and his fund the best mid-cap and small-cap fund

Reliance Regular Savings Equity

For Reliance Regular Savings Equity, a conscious move to invest in large-cap as well as technology stocks clicked

Taurus Tax Shield

Puny Taurus Tax Shield bests biggies in the equity tax planning category by building a mixed asset base

Reliance Regular Savings Balanced

A blend of high equity churn and debt stability has worked wonders for Reliance Regular Savings-Balanced Fund

Birla Sun Life

Birla Sun Life MIP II Savings 5 fund reduced equity investments to near zero when the going got tough, and it worked.

Canara Robeco Income

Canara Robeco Income Fund moved from long-term paper to money market instruments, and emerged on top

Reliance Short-Term

A judicious mixture of growth and stability helped Reliance Short-Term Fund beat all in a tightly fought category

How We Did It

Returns as well as risks were considered to pick the winner

Birla Sun Life Floating Rate LT Ret

Birla Sun Life Floating Rate LT Ret eschewed investing in floaters, opting for longer-term fixed papers instead

Sahara Liquid Variable Pricing

Sahara Liquid Variable Pricing Fund, the smallest liquid fund among the top eight, beats rivals with super returns

The Rankings

Top 100 mutual funds, and other winners.

On Point
ECONOMY AND POLITICS:  Battle For Survival

The dissent between the Congress and its allies is more political than economic


REAL ESTATE:  Hazy Horizon

Confusion over the new service tax will hurt demand for homes


In the battle for market share, washing dirty linen in public — on television that is — is an accepted tactic


In The News
SOLAR POWER:  Cutting Clutter

The new cost benchmark for solar power projects will benefit sellers and buyers


INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:  After Tax Holiday

The end of the STPI scheme will have a 15-20 per cent impact on profitability


Increased production, lesser wastage, credit support to farmers and thrust on food processing can drive the agriculture growth wagon hopes finance minister


PHARMACEUTICALS:  Next Setback

Ranbaxy has failed to secure FDA approval to launch a generic version of a blockbuster urinary drug Flomax


Interviews
IN CONVERSATION:  Pranab Mukherjee

The feisty finance minister justifies the decision to increase fuel prices


Columns
COMMENT:  Omkar Goswami

Today, US Main Street sentiments are so anti-government that even good news doesn’t count for much


THAT'S IT:  Mala Bhargava

Social media is a phenomenon whose time has come. However, the hype and noise can be deafening


Tech Talk
TECHTALK:  Media Tab

The upsurge in media consumption is helping the tablet find a niche


In Vogue
RESORTS:  Lap Of Luxury

A pick of the best luxury resorts in India that offer unique and exceptional stays


Case Study
DEBT & CULTURE:  In Time Of Debt

Never spend your money before you have it — Thomas Jefferson


DEBT & CULTURE:  Analysis: A. V. K. Mohan

The move from COO to CEO is often dangerously seen as a mere change in designation


DEBT & CULTURE:  Analysis: N.S. Rajan

Leading a team is difficult. Leading in a crisis is exponentially more so


Bookmark
BOOK REVIEW:  Tripolar World Order

Emphasising on the pivotal nexus between economic power and national power Arvind Virmani forecasts the changing equations of global domination in 'From Unipolar to Tripolar World'


'A Planet In Peril' demonstrates the catastrophic impact of climate change while suggesting solutions to curb its dangers


'The Next Big Thing' focuses on predicting trends by analysing changes in consumer behaviour and attitudes


Ted Conover starts out on a road trip across six countries to understand the socio-political implications of highways and other roads


BROWSING:  Bobby Srinivasan

'I read books across genres including anthropology, spiritualism, business, politics, chick lit, art, yoga and so on,' says Bobby Srinivasan


BW Opinion
BW OPINION:  Sprouts Of Wisdom

It is a pleasant surprise that the Economic Survey has pointed fingers at the Congress shibboleths of paternalism, populism and dual markets


Editor's Note
EDITOR'S LETTER:  Beating The Street

The results of BW-Value Research’s Best Mutual Funds Study were interesting to say the least


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