A few points discussed on Limited Liability Partnership

1. Liability of partners can go up to the extent of Capital contributed by him.
2. There are few legal/procedural requirements in LLP in comparison of The Companies Act.
3. Board meetings are not required in case of LLPs.
4. Under LLP, the profit distribution is flexible, i.e. A partner can be given any %age of profit irrespective of the capital contributed by him.
5. LLP CAN NOT be formed for a charitable purpose.
6. Any body corporate or Foreign company can be a partner in LLP.
7. An LLP/Foreign LLP can also be a partner in LLP.
8. A partnership firm CAN NOT be a partner in LLP.
9. In LLP, individual partners are not mandatory. Any two companies or two LLPs can also form an LLP.
10. At least 2 designated partners require DPIN. Its not mandatory for all partners to obtain DPIN, like in case of a company where it is mandatory for all directors to obtain DPIN.
11. DPIN is required for the designated partner even if he is having a DIN also.
12. Minimum 2 persons are required to form an LLP, but there is no restriction on the maximum number of persons.
13. In case, an individual and a company are the partners in LLP, then it shall be required for the company to nominate a designated partner other then the individual.
14. One designated partner is required to be Resident of India, and the conditions given in LLP Act for residential status have to be checked on the DATE OF APPOINTMENT only. Later on if these conditions are not fulfilled, even then that person can remain as designated partner.
15. Vacancy of any designated partner has to be filled within 30 days. If this vacancy is not filled in 30 days, then all the partners of LLP shall be treated as designated partners.
16. Incorporation document – Declaration in Incorporation document has to be given by an advocate/CA/CS/ICWA AND ONE SUBSCRIBER ALSO.
17. LLP has to be incorporated by the Registrar within 14 days, provided the documents are complete. Period can not be extended.
18. In case of a LLP, if any application of change in registered office is filed with the department, shall take effect from the DATE OF FILING OF FORM only. Means, it can not be changed with retrospective effect.
19. It has to be noticed that all invoices, documents etc of LLP has to bear the name of LLP, Address, and REGISTRATION NUMBER of LLP.
20. Unlike in partnership firms, the partner in LLP shall be treated as agent of LLP only, and not of other partners.
21. Accounts of LLP can be made either on CASH BASIS OR MERCANTILE BASIS. Hybrid system is not allowed.
22. Statement of Account and Solvency has to be filed within 6 months from the end of the financial year, whereas Annual return has to be filed within 60 days only.
23. Audit of LLP is mandatory by virtue of the LLP Act itself.
24. Loan by the partner is allowed in LLP.
25. Partner of LLP can do business with the LLP itself and can earn profits from LLP.
26. ALL OFFENCES UNDER LLP ACT SHALL BE TREATED AS CRIMINAL OFFENCES UNDER INDIAN PENAL CODE.

For the first time since October 2008 the benchmark Sensex of the Bombay Stock Exchange has closed beyond the 12,000. This achievement is not a sign of the fact that the country has came out of the worst economic storm in fifty years but its an indication that we’re at least getting there. Dalal Street can finally afford to give out a smile; restless traders can afford to wipe the sweat of their brow because the buyers are finally starting to return.
By no means should the last statement be interpreted as something which would lead someone to believe that a new bull market has been born .No, India is yet to reach that cornerstone just like the rest of the world.
By all indications it has become clearer that if a new global bull market has to start it has to first lay root in the BRIC countries.
The hectic activity on the Indian stock markets has resembled the highs and lows of a heart monitor. Many a time sellers have resorted to profit booking which has driven down the Sensex,a few months ago this was the predominant trend.
What we are now seeing is that when the sellers are making their move so are the buyers. The latter were reluctant a few months ago because everytime they tried to rally they were beaten down by the bears who were intent on profit booking alone.
Now that the impact of the recession has reduced just a little bit because governments have been pro active in making funding available, things are beginning to change.
The buyers are beginning to return and are slowly beginning to accept market risk. They’re willing to shell out their money towards investments. If over a period of time this trend continues then we can say that a bull market has indeed been born.
The Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange have both seen the return of FII’s.Moreover,the most encouraging fact about the recent spike in the Sensex has been due to the participation of the big Mutual Fund houses.
The very same institutions that pressed the ‘sell’ trigger a few months ago leading to a massive drop in the Sensex and the nifty.
What could spoil the party is the perception that this is only a ‘fake rally’. A phrase often used by bearish traders; it indicates that the situation is just as worse as before or getting even worse and this rally is just a sentimental one or a ‘rebound’. If indeed it’s true then it would be a sad event. The chances of this spike being a ‘fake rally’ are low but its possibility cannot be ruled out entirely.
It is now up to companies themselves to create an easy demand situation in the market. Now that the markets have cooled off they can concentrate on making sure that they break the last line of defense of a recessionary economy by making it easier for the consumer to get back to spending his money.

IPL LOSER DECCAN CHARGER ACTUALLY TURNED PROFITABLE LAST YEAR

The company has spun an EPS of Rs 30.9 for the period from 10 April 2008 to 22 January 2009.
Last year's Indian Premier League underdog was not exactly an underdog as far as the financials are concerned. Deccan Chargers Sporting Ventures, the firm behind the Deccan Chargers cricket team of Hyderabad at IPL, has turned in profits in the first year of formation. The firm, which is a subsidiary of publicly listed media firm Deccan Chronicle Holdings, has been recently put up for sale. KPMG is advising the parent on the sale. Around 20% stake in Deccan Chargers is held by Group M, the media arm of the ad conglomerate WPP.
According to a financial report( of VCCircle) of Deccan Chargers, , the cricketing company has spun an earnings per share of Rs 30.9 on shares having par value of Rs 10 each for the period from 10 April 2008 to 22 January 2009. That is not a bad thing since the team ended up at the bottom of the table in the debut edition of domestic 20:20 cricket tournament last year.
According to the financial report, the firm earned a total income of Rs 56.6 crore for the reporting period of which Rs 24 crore came as 'income from franchisee rights' while sponsorship fees brought in Rs 15.8 crore. Income from ads and ticket sales brought in another Rs 16.4 crore and there was other income worth Rs 40 lakh.
As against this, players' cost was pegged at Rs 22.7 crore. Operating and other expenses totalled Rs 13.39 crore and depreciation was at Rs 17.12 crore. The firm clocked PBT of Rs 3.15 crore and carried forward Rs 2.05 crore as PAT to the balance sheet.
Details for other teams of IPL is not in the public domain.
However, what is to be looked at is how the firm has funded the fee the firm would have paid to BCCI for the franchisee rights. The books show unsecured loans worth Rs 385.23 crore as amount payable to BCCI towards franchisee rights acquired last year. The franchisee rights were acquired by Deccan Chargers Sporting Ventures for Rs 428.04 crore.
DECCAN CHARGERS P&L:Income from Franchisee rights- Rs.24 cr.
Sponsership Fees- Rs.15.8 cr.
Income from ads & ticket sales- Rs.16.4 cr.
Other Incomes- Rs.0.4 cr.
TOTAL INCOME- Rs.56.6 cr.
Players Cost- Rs.22.7 cr.
Operating & Other Expenses- Rs.13.3 cr.
Depreciation- Rs.17.1 cr.
Preliminary Expenses w/off - Rs.0.2 cr.
TOTAL EXPENDITURE- Rs.53.4 cr.
PROFIT BEFORE TAX- Rs.3.1 cr.
PROVISION FOR TAX- Rs.1.1 cr.
PROFIT AFTER TAX- Rs.2 cr.
EARNING PER SHARE- Rs.30.9

FIXED INCOME INVESTING - BY BENJAMIN GRAHAM

I came across an interesting article on "fixed income value investing". A larger part of this text has been taken from Benjamin Graham's popular books - Security Analysis and The Intelligent Investor.

Two paragraphs I particularly liked :

1. "It's our argument that a sufficiently low price can turn a security of temperance quality into a sound investment opportunity - provided that the buyer is informed and experienced, and that he practices adequate diversification."

2. On the topic of diversification, Graham makes an interesting connection between investing and insurance. He notes that any individual security purchase may not prove profitable, even if the margin of safety is present at the time of purchase.

Graham says, "The margin guarantees only, that he has a better chance for profit than for loss - and not that loss is impossible. But as the number of such commitments is increased the more certain does it become that the aggregate of the profits will exceed the aggregate of the losses. That is the simple basis of the insurance under-writing business."

FINANCIALS OF IPL : A PERSPECTIVE

Alchemy released a report on the economics involved for teams participating in the IPL. I have heard a lot about franchisees overpaying for teams, players, rights ... and blaming BCCI for being non-transparent. Incidentally BCCI has itself called on franchisees to be patient and enjoy the fruits of their investment (read : ROI) after 3-4 years. Alchemy's report paints an optimist picture of the T20 cricket league and explains how much BCCI, the franchisees and supporting institutions (like Sony for media rights) tend to gain from the venture.Surprisingly, the report claims that an individual franchisee will be profitable from year 1 onwards , scoring an EBIT of Rs. 4 crores. A bulk of the revenue (Rs. 90.2 crores) will come from global media rights (Rs. 25 crores) a mere ten second commercial on Sony sells for at least $6000, supported by ticket sales (15 crs), lead sponsor (15 crs) and in-stadia advertising (10 crs). From the cost angle, the franchisee cost takes the wind out of the financials with a Rs. 40 crs charge followed by player acquisition cost (Rs. 24 crs). The assumptions have not factored a number of things like cost of capital, or financing of the acquisition cost, or trading of players etc. But the investment for Sony seems to have paid off, for this season alone they’re expected to make about fifty million dollars. These things happen a lot in soccer leagues around the world (Real Madrid finds it hard to survive until they have purchased the most expensive player in the world; am not sure where Jose Mourinho is headed but expect some big signings there too)The report has drawn a number of parallels between the English Premier League (with two clubs - Tottenham Hotspurs and Arsenal) and the IPL. Not to mention, a number of these EPL teams are also listed on the stock exchange. Manchester United was listed in the London Stock Exchange (1992) at GBP 47 million. In 2005, American businessman Malcolm Glazer acquired a controlling interest in the club in a takeover valuing the club at approximately £800 million (approx. $1.5 billion) .Perhaps, IPL is the alchemist's secret portion afterall !

VOTER ID CARD REGISTRATION ONLINE IN INDIA: EASY & FREE

In India, Voter ID card is important Identity document for lots of work. You can get your Voter ID card easily by filling online application form.

Here is the website for online registration for voter ID card- Jaagore.com (on clicking the link you will visit at Form filling page).

After submitting the form you will get pdf copy of your filled application, that you need to take printout. After taking print out, you need to submit this printed copy to your nearest local Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) with xerox copy of other ID card and proof of residence.Find your nearest ERO office here.

The address proof document is required for the BLO (Booth Level Officer) to come and verify your residence status. Therefore, it is not essential for the address proof document to have your name, but needs to have only the address of the place you are staying at.

You can use address proof document on the name of your parents, relatives, friends etc. with whom you are staying. During address verification, the person whose name appears on the address proof document needs to confirm that you are staying at the same address.

Full answer of all FAQs about voting is here. After this, your job is over, Voter ID card will be ready after few days of submission of application.

Currently there is no requirement for Voter ID card for voting purpose (for 2009 Election), only your name should be there on voter list. Some state governments like Andhra Pradesh has provided the list of name of people on voter list online here.

If we are seeing disinflation rather than deflation, what does that mean?

Disinflation is a drop in the rate at which prices rise, and does not actually mean a price fall -- at least, on a sustained basis across-the-board. For example, the WPI rate was 0.44 per cent in the week to March 7, which means prices actually rose by a tiny percentage. We call that disinflation because the WPI has been falling almost continuously since August, 2008, when the rate nearly touched 13 per cent.

In the coming weeks, if the WPI goes into negative territory, and prices actually start falling, it would still be called disinflation -- as long as the fall does not continue indefinitely. On the other hand, the US, Western Europe and Japan are closer to deflation, as their inflation rates are down and economies are actually contracting .It is to counter the threat of deflation that their governments are shovelling trillions of dollars into the credit markets, into failing banks and industries like autos.

So what will tell us if we are really into a deflationary scenario? Experts says the first signal would be a contraction in GDP. "A contraction in output (GDP) is when there will be a worry on deflation. This is happening in the US, where prices are declining and output is contracting. GDP is not contracting in India; there is only a slower rate of growth."

This, however, does not mean we have no cause for worry, or that deflation will never happen. Experts belive "More than cutting rates, ensuring the flow of credit is important. If credit does not flow then any amount of interest rate cuts will not help. We have room for cuts, but cuts should be only a part of the plan. The main objective should be credit flow, which is not happening now."

It's disinflation, not deflation, we're facing now

Today inflation number came at -- a drop to 0.27 per cent in the wholesale prices index (WPI) -- brought more worries than cheers. That's because deflation -- a situation where prices, jobs and incomes keep falling on a sustained basis, and the economy keeps contracting -- has become a new cause for worry. Is India on the way of a debilitating deflation?

INDIA is not going through deflation, just disinflation. What we have now is inflation coming down. It is coming off a high commodity price base. Deflation is when prices fall very rapidly and we haven't seen that happening. In a deflation, people stop spending because they believe that prices will fall further. That is not the situation we are in.

Though WPI for all commodities is up 0.1% at 227 (WoW) in the week ended March 14, from 226.7 in the , CPI is still hovers around 9-10 per cent levels from the double digits of 10.75 per cent. The world over, inflation is measured in CPI, not WPI. The fact that CPI is up means that the price level is still very high. The prices of food, primary articles and housing have still not fallen much. So rather than talking about deflation, policy measures should concentrate on how to bring the CPI down.

THE RELIANCE RPL MERGER IN RATIO OF 16:1

The big piece of news from India’s corporate world this past weekend has been the merger of two companies under the Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Group. The news broke & developed over and was a done deal by the time the weekend was over. In every sense the affair has been handled in true Reliance style – quickly, efficiently and without making too much of a fuss. The integration of Reliance Petroleum Limited into Reliance Industries is being handled with a lot of care. Considering the ease with which Reliance has started to pull this off has been commendable.

The company has been careful enough to make sure that they do not get into the bad books of their shareholders.Tackling integration requires managing the priorities of both the companies being integrated. In this case the interests of the shareholders of both Reliance Industries and Reliance Petroleum have been safeguarded.

Mukesh Ambani in a statement was quick to point out that the deal would create “shareholder value”.

Shareholders themselves are pretty satisfied with the merger of Reliance Industries and Reliance Petroleum. They get to be part of a bigger entity with a much more simplified company structure.

Reliance Petroleum being the refining arm of Reliance Industries no longer needs to be kept separate from the company’s core business of oil and gas exploration and marketing.

By integrating the refinery business into the main fold they will be able to function as before with the petroleum wing being an internal subsidiary.

All that Reliance had to do was to simply re-purchase a 5% stake in Reliance Petroleum which until now belonged to Chevron. This being successful allows the company to increase its stake to seventy five percent in RPL thus making the merger a matter of detail.

RIL has agreed upon a price of Rs.60/share to buy Chevron’s stake in RPL. By no means has the company overpaid. In fact they’ve paid the IPO launch price for the stake. Shareholders can therefore be satisfied that the company has not overspent.

Reliance has also been fair with the share distribution ratio for RPL shareholders.The company has decided to fix the ratio of RPL to RIL shares at 16:1.

The ratio is a fair reflection of the current market value of both the companies.Therefore the shareholders have not been crossed in this matter as well.Small investors and fund managers alike agree on the ratio being a good deal thus the merger should not face any serious problems in the future.

RPL has just recently started commercial production. From a financial point of view it does depend on its parent company RIL for funds and easy credit access. The channel for credit being much simpler now that both companies come under the same name is a good move.

The RIL-RPL combine also catapults RIL higher into the list of the world’s biggest refining companies.Ironically RIL now replaces and gets ahead of Chevron which decided to exit its stake in RPL

India`s gold futures climb to new record

A weaker rupee makes the imported yellow metal expensive. The Indian rupee fell to its lowest in more than two weeks on Tuesday

Gold futures in India were trading above the psychological mark of Rs15,000 on strong global cues and support from a weak rupee. Internationally, gold prices continued their recent bull run as investors scramble for safe haven assets amid a worsening global economic outlook.

A weaker rupee makes the imported yellow metal expensive. The Indian rupee fell to its lowest in more than two weeks on Tuesday on expectations that FIIs would dump more local shares, while a stronger dollar overseas also dampened sentiment.

April-delivery gold gained as much as 2.9% to Rs15,131 per 10 grams on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd. (MCX), the highest since the bourse began trading the metal in November 2003. The contract had gained more than 3% last week.

Record high gold prices are serving as a major deterrent for gold buyers in India, notwithstanding the ongoing wedding season. Customers are postponing gold purchases due to record high prices and weak economic climate.

India is the world’s biggest consumer of gold.

India's import of gold this year may more than halve to 250 tons from 720 tons in 2008. India's gold purchases have declined for three consecutive months with imports in January slumping to about 2 tons from 24 tons in the year-earlier month, according to the Bombay Bullion Association.

Gold prices are up 30% in the past three months.

Funds are pouring huge amounts of money into gold and buying the metal at every support level. Gold in the SPDR Gold Trust, the largest exchange-traded fund backed by bullion, climbed to a record 985.86 metric tons as of Feb. 13, gaining 14% last week alone.

Meanwhile, gold for immediate delivery advanced 1.8% to US$959.05 an ounce, the highest level since July 22. It was trading at US$958.74 at 2:05 p.m. Singapore time.

Gold for April delivery in New York advanced to US$961.10 an ounce, the highest level for the most active contract since July.

Be(ar) Aware : From The Street

One of the biggest fears for an investor in a bear market is the fact that he is in a sense trapped.The value of his investments is very very low. At this point he has to make a choice – either stay the course till his investment posts a return giving him a PROFIT or pull out immediately thus accepting a certain degree of LOSS .

If he decides to stay the course then he has to contend with the bear market.A market that is ‘played’ by people who try to make money even in such a climate. Sellers not buyers call the shots and at such a time many traders get together to form infamous groups called ‘BEAR CARTELS’. The Indian stock market is not immune from attacks by such cartels. Many companies in the current marketplace have fallen victim to such cartels. Any of these companies could have been ones that you invested in and many companies you are investing in right now could fall prey to these cartels in future.

The biggest of companies are susceptible to bear maulings. When a market turns from being bullish to being bearish then bear cartels start operating. A few traders get together and decide to co-ordinate their efforts so that they’re able to drastically bring down the price of a particular stock.They start selling or shorting mass quantities of a company’s stock thus driving the price down by significant numbers.

An operating bear cartel is very much like a mafia. They target a stock that they believe can be damaged and put out a ‘hit’ on it like a mafia. Ultimately they shoot the price of the stock down with similar cartels and end up achieving their goal of profit.

Some of India’s biggest companies have fallen prey to the actions of these vicious cartels.

A few months ago immediately after the crash of Lehman Brothers, ICICI Bank fell prey to a bear cartel. Rumors were spread that ICICI was involved and positioned with Lehman Brothers and that it too would share a similar fate to Lehman Brothers. People who believed this panicked and sold ICICI bank shares in huge numbers that caused a fall in the company’s share prices mostly in September. The situation calmed down only after the central government issued a statement that ICICI was a safe bank and that the rumors were false.

Similarly Unitech, one of the country’s biggest real estate developers was brutally mauled by the Bear cartel. It is true that Unitech is leveraged but not to the extent that the bear cartel made it out to be. The result was that on October 24th ,Unitech’s stock fell by over 50% in a single day and has not recovered since. Just this month another company Rolta was mauled in the same way but thanks to timely intervention by the company and positive growth reports, the damage was minimized.

Guidelines for execution of block deals on the stock exchanges

1. SEBI had issued a circular (reference no. SEBI/MRD/SE/Cir-7/2004) on January 14, 2004 on disclosures of details of “bulk” deals with a view to impart greater transparency to the market on such transactions executed on the stock exchanges. In terms of paragraph 1.1 of that circular, a “bulk” deal constituted of “all transactions in a scrip (on an exchange) where total quantity of shares bought/sold is more than 0.5% of the number of equity shares of the company listed on the exchange”. Thus the quantitative limit of 0.5% could be reached through one or more transactions executed during the day in the normal market segment

2. There is however a felt need of the market to execute large trades through a single transaction easily without putting either the buyer or the seller in a disadvantageous position. In order to facilitate execution of such large trades, the stock exchanges are being permitted to provide a separate trading window. A trade, with a minimum quantity of 5,00,000 shares or minimum value of Rs.5 crore executed through a single transaction on this separate window of the stock exchange will constitute a “block deal” as distinguished from “bulk” deal defined earlier.

3. A “block” deal will be subject to the following conditions :

a. The said trading window may be kept open for a limited period of 35 minutes from the beginning of trading hours i.e. the trading window shall remain open from 9.55 am to 10.30 am.

b. The orders may be placed in this window at a price not exceeding +1% from the ruling market price/previous day closing price, as applicable.

c. An order may be placed for a minimum quantity of 5,00,000 shares or minimum value of Rs.5 crore.

d. Every trade executed in this window must result in delivery and shall not be squared off or reversed.

e. The stock exchanges shall disseminate the information on block deals such as the name of the scrip, name of the client, quantity of shares bought/sold, traded price, etc to the general public on the same day, after the market hours.

f. There is no change in regard to the disclosure of trade details of ”bulk deals” as specified in the earlier SEBI circular reference no. SEBI/MRD/SE/Cir -7/2004 dated January 14, 2004, and such disclosures shall be continued to be made by the stock exchanges to the general public on the same day after the market hours.

4. The stock exchanges shall ensure that all appropriate trading and settlement practices as well as surveillance and risk containment measures, etc., as presently applicable to the normal trading segment are made applicable and implemented in respect of the proposed special window also.

5. The stock exchanges are advised to

a. make necessary amendments to the relevant bye-laws, rules and regulations for the implementation of the above decision immediately.

b. bring the provisions of this circular to the notice of the member brokers/clearing members of the Exchange and also to disseminate the same on the website.

c. communicate to SEBI, the status of the implementation of the provisions of this circular in the Monthly Development Report for the month of September 2005.

6. This circular is being issued in exercise of powers conferred under Section 11 (1) of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, to protect the interests of investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate the securities market.

ZIMBABWE CURRENCY AND 231 MILLION PERCENT INFLATION.....!!

           Bunch of Banana's for 50 CR (1 Million = 10 Lakhs)

100 Lakh Cr (1 Trillion = 1 Lakh Cr)

10,000 Cr (1 Billion = 100 Cr)

SEVEN LAKHS FIFTY THOUSAND

From 1000 Cr to 10,000 CR (1 Million = 10 Lakhs)

50 CR (1 Million = 10 Lakhs)

10 CR (1 Million = 10 Lakhs)

5000 CR (1 Billion = 100 Cr)

ON 18th April 1980 Zimbabwe was born from British colony of Rhodesia & Rhodesian Dollar was replaced by Zimbabwe Dollar at PAR.

In 2004, Zimbabwe’s inflation was 624 %

In February 2007, the central bank of Zimbabwe declared inflation "illegal", outlawing any raise in prices on certain commodities between March 1 and June 30, 2007. Officials arrested executives of some Zimbabwean companies for increasing prices on their products. Such measures, frequently tried during other episodes of hyperinflation, have always failed.  In March 2007, inflation surged to a new high of 1,730%, and in June the government released a figure of 7,638%. The predictions for the annual inflation ranged from 3,000% (according to the IMF) to 8,000%. In fact, inflation that month rose to 11,000% from an earlier estimate of 9,000%. U.S. ambassador Christopher Dell predicted it would reach 1.5 million percent by December 2007, although in the event the IMF estimated a rate of "only" 115,000% for that month, and 150,000% for January 2008. The government then circulated a Z$200,000 note, and reports of extreme shortages of basic foodstuffs, fuel, and medical supplies abounded. The government instituted a six-month freeze on wages on September 1, 2007. Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe began shortly after destruction of productive capacity in Zimbabwe's civil war and confiscation of white-owned farmland.  Food output capacity fell 45 %, manufacturing output 29 % in 2005, 26 % in 2006 and 28 % in 2007, and unemployment rose to 80 %. During the height of inflation from 2008–09, it was difficult to accurately account and monitor for Zimbabwe's hyperinflation because the government of Zimbabwe stopped filing official inflation statistics. This cessation in filing made it difficult to accurately observe how severe inflation was in the country. However, Zimbabwe's peak month of inflation is estimated at 6.5 sextillion percent in mid-November 2008. In 2009 Zimbabwe abandoned its currency; at present in 2012 a new currency has yet to be introduced, so currencies from other countries are used.

Hanke Hyperinflation Index for Zimbabwe (HHIZ)

Date	Index	Monthly Inflation Rate	Annual Inflation Rate
5-Jan-07	1.00	13.70%
2-Feb-07	1.78	77.60%
2-Mar-07	3.14	76.70%
5-Apr-07	6.90	56.20%
4-May-07	6.75	-2.15%
1-Jun-07	20.70	207.00%
6-Jul-07	53.00	60.40%
3-Aug-07	49.10	-7.29%
7-Sep-07	82.50	70.60%
5-Oct-07	219.00	165.00%
2-Nov-07	642.00	193.00%
28-Dec-07	2,010.00	61.50%	215,000%
25-Jan-08	2,250.00	11.80%
29-Feb-08	8,260.00	259.00%
28-Mar-08	17,700.00	115.00%
25-Apr-08	57,100.00	222.00%
30-May-08	442,000.00	498.00%
26-Jun-08	23,600,000.00	5,250.00%	41,400,000%
4-Jul-08	49,200,000.00	3,740.00%	93,000,000%
11-Jul-08	81,800,000.00	2,080.00%	167,000,000%
18-Jul-08	122,000,000.00	1,030.00%	250,000,000%
25-Jul-08	157,000,000.00	566.00%	317,000,000%
29-Aug-08	6,330,000,000.00	3,190.00%	9,690,000,000%
26-Sep-08	794,000,000,000.00	12,400.00%	471,000,000,000%
3-Oct-08	3,570,000,000,000.00	15,400.00%	1,630,000,000,000%
10-Oct-08	32,300,000,000,000.00	45,900.00%	11,600,000,000,000%
17-Oct-08	1,070,000,000,000,000.00	493,000.00%	300,000,000,000,000%
24-Oct-08	124,000,000,000,000,000.00	15,600,000.00%	26,100,000,000,000,000%
31-Oct-08	24,600,000,000,000,000,000.00	690,000,000.00%	3,840,000,000,000,000,000%
7-Nov-08	4,890,000,000,000,000,000,000.00	15,200,000,000.00%	593,000,000,000,000,000,000%
14-Nov-08	853,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.00	79,600,000,000.00%	89,700,000,000,000,000,000,000%

Sources: Imara Asset Management Zimbabwe and author’s calculations

BARACK OBAMA SAYS ECONOMY TO WORSEN BEFORE RECOVERY..!

The year 2009 started in the midst of a crisis unlike any that all of us have seen in our lifetime. US President-elect Barack Obama, who sworn-in , has warned that the economy will get worse before it improves. Meanwhile, Wall Street ended the week on a positive note; financials, however, continue to wilt.

Obama said, “The need for us to act is now; it has never been more urgent. We started this year in the midst of a crisis unlike any that we have seen in our lifetime. If nothing is done and we continue on our current path this recession could linger for years, and America could lose the competitive edge that has served as the foundation for our strength and standing in the world.”

YOU KNOW WHAT WARREN BUFFET SAYS ABOUT OBAMA......? READ THIS

This is what he says and I am quoteing this from one of media reports---

As the President-elect Barack Obama gets all set to walk into the Oval Office as the 44th President of the United States of America now more than 24 hours, Warren Buffet, Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and Kirby Daley, Senior Strategist of the Newedge Group, comment on Barack Obama and the challenges he will have to deal with as the president.

Warren Buffet said, “He's the absolute right Commander-in- Chief. That's another thing American people seem to do is we elect people that are right for the times, whether it was Lincoln or Roosevelt, you could not have anybody better in charge.”

Buffet added, “He's smart, got the right values, but he also understands our economics very well. He's cool, he's analytical, but then when he gets it all thought through he can convey to American people what needs to be done. Not to expect miracles, that is going to take time. But we are going to get to the other end.”

Even Kirby Daley said, “It will be a great speech. This guy is nothing if he isn’t a walking-talking speech machine.” Daley added, “He has built up so much hope in this nation. This speech is going to be of massive importance. What he should do and what he's going to do are two very different things. He should walk out there and he will go down in history if he prepares the country for what is inevitable and what is coming and that is severe belt tightening.”

9% FOR 2009 ? I HOPE WE CAN.........

The New Year for the Indian economy is an uncertain one. The highs that the markets reached a year ago have inadvertently led to the lows that it finds itself in. The euphoria from the Bull Run that lasted for four years has been wiped away in a matter of twelve months and has given birth to a Bear Market not seen in over half a century. For the Finance Department, getting the economy on track remains priority number one. In one sense it’s a good thing that India has not crept into a recession but the fact does remain that the magical growth rate of 9% will somehow not be that easy to achieve.

If 2009 was just another year then we could perhaps expect the government to finely balance the need of public sector units and private industry needs. A balancing act that has worked well for sometime in the past. The spanner in the works is the General Election of 2009.

An event where the world’s largest democracy will go to polls. For most parts the issue that is the incumbent point of contention is the one of Internal Security even more after the Mumbai terrorist attacks .In such a case other issues like the economy are being pushed aside. Perhaps the overwhelming sentiment for the Indian government is to somehow stay in power. The Rhetoric of anti terrorism is one way of winning seats.

From an economic point of view it’s hurting the country not to have a full time Finance Minister. With the Prime Minister also handling the Finance Portfolio, much of the finance work is being performed by senior bureaucrats of the government. With a very important Union Budget coming up in less than two months time the question that should be asked is will the finance department deliver a mini-budget to tide things over till the general election or will it deliver a full scale budget that addresses important issues?

There is also the question of growth for 2009.As said before a 9% growth is not achievable but the task of stimulating growth is paramount. In this aspect the government needs to make sure that interest rates come down for private players so that their projects aren’t stonewalled. At the same time if the rate cuts do not reflect appropriately in cheaper rates for average consumers then the problem will not have been fully solved.

Inflation is one area that seems to be under control but much of this too has come from consumers going into a saving shell. The drop in the price of crude oil has also helped the Indian economy to curb inflation as it is an importer of oil.

Were the trends to be reversed, will the Indian economy still be able to control inflation?

There are clearly many sectors that have been hit by the economic crisis of 2008.Real Estate, Infrastructure, Banking, Outsourcing and the like. Much of 2009 will be spent in cleaning up the mess of 2008.

In that sense it might not be such a Happy New Year after all.

THE SELF DESTRUCTION OF SATYAM & SPELL BACKWARDS MAYTAS

As many know the biggest scam in the history of India’s corporations has come to light. Satyam Computers, the country’s fourth largest IT Company stands on the brink of termination. More recently in the news for the failed takeover attempt of its sister company Maytas; Satyam is now staring into an abyss of anger and shame. Shareholders have dumped the stock left, right and centre. In every sense Satyam has managed to become India’s ENRON. It has cooked its accounts to show non existent revenues. We take a look at how this scam came about.

In a letter addressed to the Board of Directors of Satyam the former Chairman Ramalinga Raju whilst delivering his resignation has accepted total responsibility for the fudging of the company’s accounts. That was however of little concern as the damage has already been done.

In less than 24 hours the company could be sold to zero levels rendering it out of business. The National Stock Exchange has already removed Satyam from its Nifty index with the BSE likely to also remove it from the Sensex.

The fudging of accounts is indeed a criminal offence which if proved could very well lead to serious jail time for everyone involved in this fiasco. And upto 10 years

For now the only culpable offender seems to be Mr.Raju himself who has accepted all the blame himself in his letter. However, it is indeed difficult to believe that only he is guilty of this offence.

At some point earlier Satyam starts to make lesser and lesser profits. In order to maintain the same pace and acquire newer clients it starts to overstate its revenues and operating margins.

Profits reduce even more leading to Mr.Raju overstating his company’s revenues. While the revenues are in tens of crores, he manipulates the accounts to show them in the thousands.

Since the promoters and Mr.Raju’s family members hold minority equity stakes of Satyam Computers, Mr.Raju feels that if he reported the real figures his company could easily be a victim of a takeover. Therefore he continues to fudge figures and shows overstated numbers in quarterly reports and accounts.

Things start to become even more desperate and the fudging continues.

Mr.Raju realizes that he can’t continue to fudge figures anymore and decides to throw the dice one last time.

This time he decides to acquire Maytas Infra, A family owned company. The acquisition of Maytas could explain the discrepancies between the non-existent assets of Satyam and the existent ones. Due to massive shareholders oppositions the Maytas deal is called off. More allegations of corruption arise within the Satyam fold and the World Bank, an important client of Satyam decides to ban Satyam from doing business with the World Bank for eight years.

Finally, the writing is on the wall.Ramalinga Raju resigns realizing there are no other options left.

GOLD RESERVES AS ON DEC 2007

Gold reserves (or gold holdings) are held by central banks as a store of value. In 2001, it was estimated that all the gold ever mined totaled 145,000 tonnes.

1. One tonne of gold equated to a value of US$25.75 million as of October 2008 ($730/troy ounces)

2. The total value of all gold ever mined would be $3.39 trillion at October 2008 prices.

At the end of 2004, central banks and official organizations held 19% of all above-ground gold as a reserve asset.

3. About one percent of all above-ground gold (370 metric tonnes) was mined in the first five years of the California Gold Rush (worth approximately $11 billion at July 2008 prices).

4. IMF gold reserves refers to 3,217 tonnes of gold held by the International Monetary Fund. It is currently priced at $42 a troy ounce ($1,370/kg) for accounting purposes, a price that was fixed in 1971 just before the Nixon administration officially delinked the U.S.dollar from gold and instead allowed market forces to set the dollar's worth. An attempt to revalue the gold reserve to today's value has met resistance for different reasons. For example,Canada is against the idea of revaluing the reserve, as it would flood the market with gold and therefore depress its price.

5. It is also not clear whether the gold reserve is the property of the IMF or of member countries. As of September 2008, gold exchange-traded funds held 1,039 tonnes of gold in total for private and institutional investors.

6. The United States' holding of gold is worth approximately $241 billion (July 2008). Although the United States has the largest reserves of individual countries, in total the Eurozone gold holdings are greater (11,065 tonnes as of December 2007).