Sales of life insurance policies continue to decline even during the tax-saving season. According to the data released by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, or Irda, new business premium income for life insurance has fallen by 17% to Rs 71,953 crore during April-December, 2011, from Rs 86,698 crore a year ago. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/personal-finance/insurance/insurance-news/new-business-income-for-life-insurance-companies-down-17-irda/articleshow/11623321.cms .
After a series of investor-friendly measures, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), the capital market regulator, plans to back it up with a first-of-its-kind advertising campaign, expected to be launched next month. The primary objective will be spreading investor awareness and increasing penetration http://www.business-standard.com/india/news//investor-friendly/-sebi-to-launch-ad-campaign-next-month/462739/ .
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) may not relax the ‘know your customer’ (KYC) norms for qualified foreign investors (QFIs) for investing in domestic mutual fund industry. Last month, industry chief executives had requested for a relaxation after witnessing no inflows even after five months of the measures taken in August last year […]
Surely, there must be a better path for including foreign individuals and other retail investors in the Indian market than the QFI regime and one wonders if Sebi has looked at the FII regulations carefully. During the period between 2000 and 2008, virtually any foreign entity or individual could be a sub-account of an FII. […]
The New Pension Scheme (NPS) Trust has ‘suggested’ a clean-up action plan for the seven pension fund managers, which includes a clear strategy to exit all investments made in their own promoter groups. But, fund managers are treating its suggestions as ‘elders’ advice.’ The NPS Trust’s review of pension fund managers’ investment strategies over the […]
The finance ministry may extend tax benefits for investment in infrastructure bonds for one more year. But the limit ofRs 20,000 may not change, despite appeals from the industry http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/infra-bond-tax-gain-may-stay/462678/ .
The Rs 5,000 crore Indian Railways Finance Corporation (IRFC) bond, scheduled to open on January 27, has sprung a surprise in its prospectus. What has stumped investors is the new clause (a first in such issues) that the additional coupon for retail investors (8.15 per cent and 8.3 per cent) will be only for primary […]
The finance ministry’s ambitious plan to implement portability in savings accounts has not found favour with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The central bank has told the ministry there is no advantage to customers nore to banks from such a plan. “Savings bank accounts cannot be equated with a mobile number,” said a source […]
Unit-linked insurance plans are unable to attract the attention of investors as they did earlier, even in the present tax-savings season. The sales mix of private life insurers show that traditional, pure life products have almost choked the growth of unit-linked plans. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/banking/article2814814.ece .
The government may make it mandatory for all taxpayers to provide details of their overseas assets, including bank accounts, while filing their annual tax returns, as the drive against tax evasion gains momentum. The proposed Direct Tax Code, or DTC, has a provision that seeks to cast an obligation on taxpayers to furnish full details […]
