General Market Advice:

1. Never chase a stock.

2. Buy when markets are in the grip of panic.

3. Only buy fundamentally strong stocks, which are undervalued.

4. Buy stocks grown in top line and bottom line over the past years.

5. Invest in companies with proven management.

6. Avoid loss-making companies.

7. PE Ratio and Growth in earnings per share are the key.

8. Look for the dividend paying record.

9. Invest in stocks for sure returns.

10. Stocks have been the high yielding asset class over the past.

11. Stocks are an asset class.

12. The basic property of any asset class is to grow.

13. Buy when everyone is selling and sell when everyone buys.

14. Invest a fixed amount each month.

Do and don'ts for stock market investments

What must I do now?

This is the question probably every equity investor would have asked himself a number of times in the past few months.

With the stock market moving to dizzying heights before succumbing to gravity, it's easy to get nervous or over-excited.

Here's what we suggest you do when the bulls and bears kick up a lot of dust.

What you must NOT do

1. Don't panic

The market is volatile. Accept that. It will keep fluctuating. Don't panic.

If the prices of your shares have plummeted, there is no reason to want to get rid of them in a hurry. Stay invested if nothing fundamental about your company has changed.

Ditto with your mutual fund. Does the Net Asset Value deep dipping and then rising slightly? Hold on. Don't sell unnecessarily.

2. Don't make huge investments

When the market dips, go ahead and buy some stocks. But don't invest huge amounts. Pick up the shares in stages.

Keep some money aside and zero in on a few companies you believe in.

When the market dips --buy them. When the market dips again, , you can pick up some more. Keep buying the shares periodically.

Everyone knows that they should buy when the market has reached its lowest and sell the shares when the market peaks. But the fact remains, no one can time the market.

It is impossible for an individual to state when the share price has reached rock bottom. Instead, buy shares over a period of time; this way, you will average your costs.

Pick a few stocks and invest in them gradually.

Ditto with a mutual fund. Invest small amounts gradually via a Systematic Investment Plan. Here, you invest a fixed amount every month into your fund and you get units allocated to you.

3. Don't chase performance

A stock does not become a good buy simply because its price has been rising phenomenally. Once investors start selling, the price will drop drastically.

Ditto with a mutual fund. Every fund will show a great return in the current bull run. That does not make it a good fund. Track the performance of the fund over a bull and bear market; only then make your choice.

4. Don't ignore expenses

When you buy and sell shares, you will have to pay a brokerage fee and a Securities Transaction Tax. This could nip into your profits specially if you are selling for small gains (where the price of stock has risen by a few rupees).

With mutual funds, if you have already paid an entry load, then you most probably won't have to pay an exit load. Entry loads and exit loads are fees levied on the Net Asset Value (price of a unit of a fund). Entry load is levied when you buy units and an exit load when you sell them.

If you sell your shares of equity funds within a year of buying, you end up paying a short-term capital gains tax of 10% on your profit. If you sell after a year, you pay no tax (long-term capital gains tax is nil).

What you MUST do

1. Get rid of the junk

Any shares you bought but no longer want to keep? If they are showing a profit, you could consider selling them. Even if they are not going to give you a substantial profit, it is time to dump them and utilise the money elsewhere if you no longer believe in them.

Similarly with a dud fund; sell the units and deploy the money in a more fruitful investment.

2. Diversify

Don't just buy stocks in one sector. Make sure you are invested in stocks of various sectors.

Also, when you look at your total equity investments, don't just look at stocks. Look at equity funds as well.

To balance your equity investments, put a portion of your investments in fixed income instruments like the Public Provident Fund, post office deposits, bonds and National Savings Certificates.

If you have none of these or very little investment in these, consider a balanced fund or a debt fund.

3. Believe in your investment

Don't invest in shares based on a tip, no matter who gives it to you.

Tread cautiously. Invest in stocks you truly believe in. Look at the fundamentals. Analyse the company and ask yourself if you want to be part of it.

Are you happy with the way a particular fund manager manages his fund and the objective of the fund? If yes, consider investing in it.

4. Stick to your strategy

If you decided you only want 60% of all your investments in equity, don't over-exceed that limit because the stock market has been delivering great returns.

Stick to your allocation.

Heritage

The oldest exchange in Asia and the first exchange in the country to be granted permanent recognition under the Securities Contract Regulation Act, 1956, Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (BSE) has had an interesting rise to prominence over the past 130 years.

While the BSE is now synonymous with Dalal Street, it wasn’t always so. In fact the first venues of the earliest stock broker meetings in the 1850s were amidst rather natural environs - under banyan trees - in front of the Town Hall, where Horniman Circle is now situated. A decade later, the brokers moved their venue to another set of foliage, this time under banyan trees at the junction of Meadows Street and Mahatma Gandhi Road. As the number of brokers increased, they had to shift from place to place, and wherever they went, through sheer habit, they overflowed in to the streets. At last, in 1874, found a permanent place, and one that they could, quite literally, call their own. The new place was, aptly, called Dalal Street.

The journey of BSE is as eventful and interesting as the history of India’s securitiesmarkets. India’s biggest bourse, in terms of listed companies and market capitalisation, BSE has played a pioneering role in the Indian Securities Market - one of the oldest in the world. Much before actual legislations were enacted, BSE had formulated comprehensive set of Rules and Regulations for the Indian Capital Markets. It also laid down best practices adopted by the Indian Capital Markets after India gained its Independence.

Perhaps, there would not be any leading corporate in India, which has not sourced BSE’s services in resource mobilization.

BSE as a brand is synonymous with capital markets in India. The BSE SENSEX is the benchmark equity index that reflects the robustness of the economy and finance. At par with international standards, BSE has been a pioneer in several areas. It has several firsts to its credit even in an intensely competitive environment.

First in India to introduce Equity Derivatives

First in India to launch a Free Float Index

First in India to launch US$ version of BSE Sensex

First in India to launch Exchange Enabled Internet Trading Platform

First in India to obtain ISO certification for Surveillance, Clearing & Settlement

'BSE On-Line Trading System’ (BOLT) has been awarded the globally
recognised the Information Security Management System standard
BS7799-2:2002.

First to have an exclusive facility for financial training

Moved from Open Outcry to Electronic Trading within just 50 days

An equally important accomplishment of BSE is the launch of a nationwide investor awareness campaign - Safe Investing in the Stock Market - under which nationwide awareness campaigns and dissemination of information through print and electronic medium was undertaken. BSE also actively promoted the securities market awareness campaign of the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

In 2002, the name The Stock Exchange, Mumbai, was changed to BSE. BSE, which had introduced securities trading in India, replaced its open outcry system of trading in 1995, when the totally automated trading through the BSE Online trading (BOLT) system was put into practice. The BOLT network was expanded, nationwide, in 1997. It was at the BSE's International Convention Hall that India’s 1st Bell ringing ceremony in the history Capital Markets was held on February 18th, 2002. It was the listing ceremony of Bharti Tele ventures Ltd.

BSE with its long history of capital market development is fully geared to continue its contributions to further the growth of the securities markets of the country, thus helping India increase its sphere of influence in international financial markets.

Bombay Stock Exchange

The Bombay Stock Exchange Limited

(formerly, The Stock Exchange, Mumbai; popularly called The Bombay Stock Exchange, or BSE) is the oldest stock exchange in Asia. It is also the biggest stock exchange in the world in terms of listed companies with 4,800 listed companies as of August 2007. It is located at Dalal Street, Mumbai, India. In October 2007, the equity market capitalization of the companies listed on the BSE was US$ 1.61 trillion, making it the largest stock exchange in South Asia and the tenth largest in the world.

The Bombay Stock Exchange was established in 1875. Around 4,800 Indian companies list on the stock exchange, and it has a significant trading volume. The BSE SENSEX (SENSitive indEX), also called the "BSE 30", is a widely used market index in India and Asia. Though many other exchanges exist, BSE and the National Stock Exchange of India account for most of the trading in shares in India.

BSE indices

The BSE SENSEX (also known as the BSE 30 index) is a value-weighted index composed of thirty scrips, with the base April 1979 = 100. The set of companies which make up the index has been changed only a few times in the last twenty years. These companies account for around one-fifth of the market capitalization of the BSE.

Apart from BSE SENSEX, which is the most popular stock index in India, BSE uses other stock indices as well:

• BSE 500
• BSE 100
• BSE 200
• BSE PSU
• BSE MIDCAP
• BSE SMLCAP
• BSE BANKEX
• BSE Teck
• BSE Auto
• BSE Pharma
• BSE Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
• BSE Consumer Durables
• BSE Metal

BSE Broadcast

The BSE Broadcast is a large ticker on the wall of the BSE, which continuously displays the latest stock quotes from the market. It also displays – on what is described as India's and South Asia's largest video screen –one of the leading business-news channels in India: NDTV Profit.

This new system was unveiled on December 15, 2006, when Dr Prannoy Roy, the Managing Director of New Delhi Television (NDTV) Ltd, struck the BSE's opening bell. Mr Damodaran, the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), said that the ticker would provide information and analysis of the financial world.

Following is the timeline on the rise and rise of the Sensex through Indian stock market history.

1000, July 25, 1990 On July 25, 1990, the Sensex touched the magical four-digit figure for the first time and closed at 1,001 in the wake of a good monsoon and excellent corporate results.

2000, January 15, 1992 On January 15, 1992, the Sensex crossed the 2,000-mark and closed at 2,020 followed by the liberal economic policy initiatives undertaken by the then finance minister and current Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

3000, February 29, 1992 On February 29, 1992, the Sensex surged past the 3000 mark in the wake of the market-friendly Budget announced by the then Finance Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.

4000, March 30, 1992 On March 30, 1992, the Sensex crossed the 4,000-mark and closed at 4,091 on the expectations of a liberal export-import policy. It was then that the Harshad Mehta scam hit the markets and Sensex witnessed unabated selling.

5000, October 8, 1999 On October 8, 1999, the Sensex crossed the 5,000-mark as the BJP-led coalition won the majority in the 13th Lok Sabha election.

6000, February 11, 2000 On February 11, 2000, the infotech boom helped the Sensex to cross the 6,000-mark and hit and all time high of 6,006.

7000, June 20, 2005 On June 20, 2005, the news of the settlement between the Ambani brothers boosted investor sentiments and the scrips of RIL, Reliance Energy [Get Quote], Reliance Capital [Get Quote], and IPCL [Get Quote] made huge gains. This helped the Sensex crossed 7,000 points for the first time.

8000, September 8, 2005 On September 8, 2005, the Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark 30-share index -- the Sensex -- crossed the 8000 level following brisk buying by foreign and domestic funds in early trading.

9000, November 28, 2005 The Sensex on November 28, 2005 crossed the magical figure of 9000 to touch 9000.32 points during mid-session at the Bombay Stock Exchange on the back of frantic buying spree by foreign institutional investors and well supported by local operators as well as retail investors.

10,000, February 6, 2006 The Sensex on February 6, 2006 touched 10,003 points during mid-session. The Sensex finally closed above the 10K-mark on February 7, 2006.

11,000, March 21, 2006 The Sensex on March 21, 2006 crossed the magical figure of 11,000 and touched a life-time peak of 11,001 points during mid-session at the Bombay Stock Exchange for the first time. However, it was on March 27, 2006 that the Sensex first closed at over 11,000 points.

12,000, April 20, 2006 The Sensex on April 20, 2006 crossed the 12,000-mark and closed at a peak of 12,040 points for the first time.

13,000, October 30, 2006 The Sensex on October 30, 2006 crossed the magical figure of 13,000 and closed at 13,024.26 points, up 117.45 points or 0.9%. It took 135 days for the Sensex to move from 12,000 to 13,000 and 123 days to move from 12,500 to 13,000.

14,000, December 5, 2006 The Sensex on December 5, 2006 crossed the 14,000-mark to touch 14,028 points. It took 36 days for the Sensex to move from 13,000 to the 14,000 mark.

15,000, July 6, 2007 The Sensex on July 6, 2007 crossed the magical figure of 15,000 to touch 15,005 points in afternoon trade. It took seven months for the Sensex to move from 14,000 to 15,000 points.

16,000, September 19, 2007 The Sensex scaled yet another milestone during early morning trade on September 19, 2007. Within minutes after trading began, the Sensex crossed 16,000, rising by 450 points from the previous close. The 30-share Bombay Stock Exchange's sensitive index took 53 days to reach 16,000 from 15,000. Nifty also touched a new high at 4659, up 113 points.

The Sensex finally ended with its biggest-ever single day gain of 654 points at 16,323. The NSE Nifty gained 186 points to close at 4,732.

17,000, September 26, 2007 The Sensex scaled yet another height during early morning trade on September 26, 2007. Within minutes after trading began, the Sensex crossed the 17,000-mark . Some profit taking towards the end, saw the index slip into red to 16,887 - down 187 points from the day's high. The Sensex ended with a gain of 22 points at 16,921.

18,000, October 09, 2007 The BSE Sensex crossed the 18,000-mark on October 09, 2007. It took just 8 days to cross 18,000 points from the 17,000 mark. The index zoomed to a new all-time intra-day high of 18,327. It finally gained 789 points to close at an all-time high of 18,280. The market set several new records including the biggest single day gain of 789 points at close, as well as the largest intra-day gains of 993 points in absolute term backed by frenzied buying after the news of the UPA and Left meeting on October 22 put an end to the worries of an impending election.

19,000, October 15, 2007 The Sensex crossed the 19,000-mark backed by revival of funds-based buying in blue chip stocks in metal, capital goods and refinery sectors. The index gained the last 1,000 points in just four trading days. The index touched a fresh all-time intra-day high of 19,096, and finally ended with a smart gain of 640 points at 19,059.The Nifty gained 242 points to close at 5,670.

20,000, October 29, 2007 The Sensex crossed the 20,000 mark on the back of aggressive buying by funds ahead of the US Federal Reserve meeting. The index took only 10 trading days to gain 1,000 points after the index crossed the 19,000-mark on October 15. The major drivers of today's rally were index heavyweights Larsen and Toubro, Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and SBI among others. The 30-share index spurted in the last five minutes of trade to fly-past the crucial level and scaled a new intra-day peak at 20,024.87 points before ending at its fresh closing high of 19,977.67, a gain of 734.50 points. The NSE Nifty rose to a record high 5,922.50 points before ending at 5,905.90, showing a hefty gain of 203.60 points.

Source: www.rediff.com

21,000, January 8, 2008 The sensex crossed the 21,000 mark in intra-day trading after 49 trading sessions. This was backed by high market confidence of increased FII investment and strong corporate results for the third quater. However, it later fell back due to profit booking