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 utilize 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.

•    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

• What is Equity Trading

 

What is equity trading?

 

It is simply buying and selling of equities. However, unlike other commodities, equities are not traded everywhere, and are traded only in special market places called exchanges.

 

What is an exchange?

 

An exchange is a mechanism through which buyers and sellers of equities are brought together. These days, this is largely electronic and done with computers. Investors cannot, however, participate directly in the exchange and can participate only through members of the exchange, popularly referred to as brokers.

 

How does the exchange works?

 

An exchange has pre-specified timings. During that time, all the members of the exchange link up to a central computer through their remote terminals. The members then place bids to buy equities, or make offers to sell equities. Other members who can match the bid or the offer confirm their acceptance, and the transaction is completed. Members of stock exchanges place bids and offers on behalf of their clients, who are the investors.

 

Why are brokers required?

 

Investing in equities is quite risky. The broker is a professional, who knows the risk and can advise the investor accordingly. Secondly, an exchange will become an unwieldy mechanism if the entire universe of investors were to go and start making bids and offers. Reducing the number of individuals is a way of keeping control. Third, equity trading can also be abused. To prevent these abuses, exchanges as well as the Government has a number of regulations in place. Restricting activity to the members of the exchange will enable the regulations to be followed, preventing abuse of the system.

 

How are shares traded?

 

Like in any other buying or selling, once the broker confirms the trade, if you are buying the share, you pay the broker the value of the shares and take delivery of the shares. If you are selling the shares, you hand over the equities to the broker and the broker will pay you for your shares.

When settlement does happen?

 

Each exchange has its own settlement period within which the entire process of delivery and purchase should be completed. Typically, the process is completed in a week to ten days time.

 

Which shares to Buy and sell?

 

An index is an indicator of how the stock market is doing on the whole. An index comprises a basket of stocks. The collective value of these stocks on a given date is taken and given a score of 100. From that day onwards, the value of these stocks is tracked and its score relative to 100 is computed. The stocks selected are based upon a number of parameters that the creators of the index decide. Equally, the valuation is also done using complex mathematical principles. Periodically, the list of shares used for computing the index also undergoes a change. These changes are decided by the index creators based on the parameters they have set for the stocks for inclusion. An index shows whether the stock market, on the whole, is appreciating in value or declining in value. The movement of the index itself is no indicator for individual shares. You may find that a particular share may be increasing in its price even when the index is down and vice versa. The index is only an indicator of the general trend The common indexes in Indian stock markets are the SENSEX, the index for stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and Nifty, the index for stocks listed on the National Stock Exchange.

 

What is an index?

 

Buying and selling shares involve a fair amount of research. These involve assessing how well the company is managed, how the company is performing compared to others in the industry, how the industry itself is doing, the financial performance of the company, the interest of the lay public in the company, etc. It is best that you consult an expert in such analysis, before you decided to buy or sell a particular share. Such investment advice is also provided by your share brokers.

 

How Long to hold on the shares?

 

Historically, it has been demonstrated that investments in equities offer the best long term returns and hence the highest opportunity to enhance your capital. Thus, the longer you stay invested in the equity markets, the better will be your returns. However, this holds true for the equity market as a whole, and not necessarily for shares of individual companies. The value of shares of specific companies are subject to various pulls and pressures which could cause a share that is highly valued one day, to drop its value overnight, as a result of unpredictable factors ranging from Government policy to acts of omission and commission by the management of the company. It is advisable that you periodically, at least once in a year, evaluate your holdings and decide whether to continue with them or change them. However, one very important thumb rule which the professionals offer is, never to get emotional about a share. In other words, do not hold on to the share of a company whose value is declining, just because its history has been very good!

 

Are investment in shares safe?

 

Any investment is prone to a certain degree of risk. Shares, as a class of investment have the highest element of risk. The only services riskier than shares are lotteries and other games of chance. These risks arise as a result of factors described earlier. However, today there is strong legislation, procedures and a regulatory authority Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which to a large extent prevents risk as a result of misleading the investing public.