Online share trading: The next big thing online

India is a traditional society. Indian's are more conventional in nature. When it comes to technology we are far behind than rest of the world. Although we are having tradition for centuries we are enjoying freedom only for 62 years. Thanks to our white skin masters for imparting education upon us. Our culture is unique and we celebrate unity in diversity. We are forerunners among developing countries. India is a major player in the region economically we are more fit (thanks to the visionaries who had marched ahead). We are a thick populated society. India also holds a a unique stature in the world which is we are the youngest country in the world. Half of our population is in between the bracket 18-23. Which means we have huge potential in terms of everything.

Some online statistics
Online world is another world for everyone. As they showed us in matrix we will be confused which one is real. Internet offers so many facilities to it's users, we must congratulate bill gates and company for offering such a splendid facility to the mankind (or should we thank someone else). There may be difference of opinions but one thing is sure that once online world will become more prominent than the real world (will all of us become machines speaking only 1&0, I simply can't imagine. Only 2 years before the internet using population in the world crossed 1 billion mark (oh my god 100 crores). Which simply means one in every six of world's population is clicking and the number is going up drastically. In India, the traditional and conventional, 50 million people uses internet and it grows like anything. By 2012 the number will be 81.3 million. (of course even more). Indian union also taken steps to encourage students to be online, internet education is part of curriculum in almost all the states. At least all of our people even heard about internet which is a big plus in this regard.

Are you bull or bear
Now a days everyone (most probably) is aware about bull and bear, at least they can identify these terms as cliches related to stock market. More and more people in India, especially young people,are turning towards stock exchanges for investment. But statistics says that of it's massive population only less than 10 percent is involved in any kind of investment and who are investing in capital market the percentage is below 2. The capital market investment population in India is less than 2 crore. It seems more and more literacy is needed in this avenue of investment.
The stock market investment crowd is concentrated in the upper class and upper middle class pie of the society. (Oh I heard someone saying to include the middle class-OK agreed). The rest 113 crore of the people may or may not invest but they do not invest in stock markets as of now, but in the future we will be forced to redraw the picture.

Online share trading
During the early years of 90s National Stock Exchange of India started trading using v-sat connections. Those days which was a revolutionary change and was referred as online trading. (now also some misunderstands online trading with internet trading).In late 90 internet became popular in India and when 20 century became past internet use in India increased at it's maximum pace.
With the emergence of new generation jobs people looked for new venues for investing and stock markets came first in the list. In 2004 when UPA government came into power stock market in india gained more popularity and lot of confidence had been imposed on it. During all these days ans now also offline share trading is the house full show. The traditional way of trading by visiting the branch, calling a call centre executive etc is called offline trading in which you need a persons assistance. Online trading (internet trading now refers) removed the second person before the screen and you and the system became the characters. This is the easiness that have been provided to the customer. If your bank also provides online facility you will be more relieved man. You don't want to step into a brokers office for anything everthing you want to do you can do at your home/office in your PC with internet connection.
Within just three years online trading in NSE increased an unbelievable 13 percent. With in 3 years it is believed that the number of internet using facility will be double. On an average 34 percent of booking in railway is done through internet and 80 percent of airline booking have also gone online (online masthi isn't it). Reliance money, ICICI Direct, India Infoline, Geojit BNP Paribas, Sharekhan, Kotak Securities are the major brokers who are offering online trading facility to their clients. Some are offering online trading facility only otherwise customer have to call the call centre where as some otheres are offering both online and offline trading facilities.
High speed execution, greater flexibility and control are the main advantages of online trading. The brokerage charges are less in online compared to offline trading. Customer can place orders even after the trading hours is another advantage of online trading. Real time tracking of stock prices is another advantage (you can easily skip the time delay in online trading-time means money honey).

Any disadvantages
The band width menace is the main menace considering online trading (it is believed that which will be solved when we enter 3G).When some big happenings in the stock market the brokers server will be down and the beloved customer will be at sea, staring at the monitor. The customer needs specific browsers and web configurations to view all the facilities provided by the broker like charts etc. If the customer is net savy he can deal online trading smoothly otherwise there will be no first aids from the broker.
In this fast forward life online share trading is the need of the hour. The internet using community will increase day by day. Online share trading is aiming a long innings for sure (at least it is a cost effective method for the broker also-no need to pay an employee). When mobile and internet convergence take place things will drastically change. Mobile share trading will function full fledgly with in years. Convergence of technology only means advantage to the customer.

India and new tax code

This post has been moved to the following link

http://www.pramodthomas.com/2010/01/india-and-new-tax-code/

Pls vist my website www.pramodthomas.com for more articles

The art of disinvestment

Is recession over? Now a days majority think likewise. Atleast they believe that the worst is over. The father of recession which the world witnessed in 1929-33 lasted 4 years, but the so called recession in the 21st century lasted only less than 2 years. So can we say that was it recession. Economists debate on this matter, let they. But the problems still persist. Have you got back your lost job, can you expect a salary increment now all this questions can be answered only in a negative way. So recession still lasts so far your life and career is concerned.
We can come back to India. India was not completely affected by recession, it only witnessed a slow down. We thought that it was recession. India the 12th biggest economy in the world had again reworked it's growth expectations and now dreaming big in this regard. With a fiscal deficit of 6.8 percent the country assumes to grow at a pace of 6.5 percent in the next financial year. The confidence is back.

IPO market shows some strength
The main revival witnessed post budget is in the initial public offering market. Which was very dull in recent times. The hit IPO was that of Adani power. The Gautam Adani promoted company's subscription was roughly 22 times. It shows that the investor confidence is back in stocks. The next IPO was that of NHPC, the public sector hydro electric power company is planning to disinvest 10 percent of it's stake it is expected that the attractive price range (30-36) would attract more investors. Altogether there is green signal for the stock market.

The art of disinvestment
It is calculated that the total market value of PSU companies are 25lakhs crore. If only 10 percent disinvestment happens about 2.5 lakhs crore will be released. The fiscal deficit problem will be addressed through it. Disinvestment not simply means privatization it means dissolving some percent of shares and allowing it to trade through exchanges. When UPA second came in to power there was great discussion about disinvestment. Newly appointed finance minister Pranab Mukheerjee kept mum about the policy of disinvestment in his budget speech. (indices tanked on that day just because of the silence). But from the very net day government started plans to disinvest. They consider to dissolve the government stakes upto 10 percent. In listed companies stake will be sold until it reaches 10 percentage, in unlisted PSUs stake upto 10 percentage will be sold. It is believed that government can raise upto 5lakh crore in maximum through disinvestment.

Disinvestment good or bad
Nothing is good or bad, it's only our perception. Ofcourse blind privatisation will do no good to the economy as well (this is well understood during recession) but there are areas where privatization needs badly. When we take the case of PSUs government can't always fund them, there are other sectors also which need funding. Disinvestment is the only key to sustain in tough competition. But what will happen to theemployees them, will they be hived off?. Trade unions protest against disinvestment saying that they will lose their job. There is less fact in it. ESOP is one instrument which helps the employees to tap the benefit from their companies stocks. Then there will be prefrential allotment of shares also. Disinvestment is necessary in order to compete with the private players. If we close all windows we will not be able to grow.
Instead of protesting against disinvestment employees should fight for accountability and transparency in the system. They have to adapt the changes and fight for their rights, when a company progresses it's employees also progresses. When a nation progresses the people's living standard also increases.