When the market is soaring, newcomers are told to ‘buy on dips’. When the market tumbles, the refrain changes. ‘Sell on rallies’, say the veterans. Time goes by. Newcomers become
old-timers. The advice is handed on, its longevity undoubtedly aided by the fact that it seems so reasonable. But wait. A dip is a dip only if the price doesn’t keep falling. What if you buy on a dip, and then, after...

I would like to share my recent experience with a mutual fund agent, which should caution all retail investors and, especially MoneyLIFE readers. In June 2007, a mutual fund agent approached me to invest in HDFC Mid-Cap Opportunities Fund and, although I was reluctant since, at that point, I had no knowledge of equity investments or mutual funds, he kept insisting and convinced me to invest...

The Indian financial media is often full of misleading analyses but nothing can prepare you for some of the worst excesses of the US financial media. Here is one. Marketwatch.com is part of the Dow Jones group which includes the respectable Wall Street Journal and Barron’s magazine. Peter Brimelow (left picture) has a column on Marketwatch.com where he writes about the performance of...