Led by 850 points gain in the Sensex, Indian stock market rose to its 3-week high by the end of this week’s trading.

These gains were led by improved earnings guidance from the technology major Infosys, and slower-than-expected growth in factory output that seemed to have fuelled speculation the central bank may halt its interest rate increases.

Data Source: Yahoo Finance
Despite this week’s rise, the Sensex is still down around 17% this year (since January).

The question on top of mind of most investors I meet these days is – “Are Indian stock markets cheap now?”
[Read more…] about Are Indian Stock Markets Cheap Now?

One of the rituals of being a stock market analyst is that you must analyze the quarterly results of each and every company that is under your research coverage.

The analysis report has to be sent to clients the very same day, as the target is always to be the ‘first to market’.

I was part of this ritual for 8 years, or 32 quarters. At any point in time during these 8 years, I had around 20-25 large and small companies under my coverage.

In short, over these years, I wrote around 650-800 result analysis reports. If that was not enough, there was a considerable amount of time spent listening to managements through conference calls that were organized after the results came out.
[Read more…] about The Simplest Way You Can Question a Company’s CEO

Do you ever wonder if you’re wrong about certain things that you currently consider to be fact?

Like the way you handle your money? Or like the way you invest in stock market?

Do you ever think that maybe you were wrong about that worthless stock you still hold in your portfolio? Or the advisor who advised you that stock? Or your own habit of making hasty investing decisions that led you to buy that stock?

Do you ever question your beliefs and opinions when it comes to investing in stock market? Like, where they came from? Did you develop them yourself or did you adopt them from someone else, like your father, colleague, or Warren Buffett?
[Read more…] about Don’t Believe Everything I Write on Stock Market Investing

The Indian stock markets have had a ‘relief rally’ over the past few days. With the Sensex recovering almost 700 points over the past four trading sessions, investors are starting to believe in the ‘end of crisis’ theories floating around.

But the fact remains that the global economy and financial markets remain far from an end of crisis, and investing in stocks is likely to be clouded by high levels of uncertainty in the short to medium term.
[Read more…] about Why Investing Now is Like Catching a Falling Knife

Based on my readings of the world’s best investors and also through my own practice of investing in stock markets, I have come to believe one thing.

It is that long-term investment success is a function of two things:

1. Right approach
2. Right person

We have discussed these aspects of investing across several articles on Safal Niveshak. However, if I were to suggest you the best article I’ve ever read on this concept, it would be “The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville”.

This article was written by the world’s most successful investor ever, Warren Buffett, promoting the concept of value investing.
[Read more…] about The Best Article on Value Investing You’ll Ever Read

In a few years from now, my kids will ask me what it was like to be alive when Steve Jobs was the world’s best innovator and businessman.

They will ask me: “Jobs was the best person in business when you were young. What was he like? What did you learn from him?”

What will my answer be?

You see, it is human nature to overlook the importance of those who are here and now. Those who are great and live among us seem more normal because they’re breathing the same air that we are.

But we realize the greatness of such people only when they are gone.
[Read more…] about 3 Lessons from Steve Jobs That Can Change Your Life as a Human…and an Investor