The BSE Realty index, which declined by nearly 90% over a fifteen month period from December 2007 to February 2009, has jumped by over 170% in just three months from March 2009 to May 2009. The concerns related to liquidity of the real estate companies have been key reasons for the performance of the stocks. Despite that, the companies are trying to improve their liquidity condition by selling equity and assets, raising capital through QIPs or by restructuring debt repayments.

I …

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The highlight of the month, and in fact of the year till date, has been stunning victory of Congress-led UPA in the recently concluded elections. The victory has ended days of politics of coalition management. The win is hinting at a new era of reforms that could well unshackle the increasingly robust potential of Indian economy. The market has responded favourably as there is a distinct chance that India could benefit from its development-friendly government policies.

Did you benefit from the …

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Back when they were feeling flush, many well-off folks made gifts of cash or stock to their adult children without much hesitation. Now some are reluctant to give, worried that they won’t have enough left for their own retirement or that their children may become too dependent on handouts.

Some parents make loans to their children to start a business, buy a new car and pay income taxes. But they tell them, ‘I want you to get the money back.’ Even parents who …

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While Apple Inc. (AAPL) was far from first on the scene in the smartphone market, the arrival of the company’s industry-defining iPhone, complete with a slick touch-screen user interface and an award-winning digital music player, quickly placed the firm at the top of the heap. Even industry leader Research In Motion Limited followed Apple’s lead and created a touch-screen version of its extremely popular BlackBerry line of smartphones. Furthermore, Apple changed the game once again, beating smartphone makers to the punch …

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As the manufacturer of the infamous “CrackBerry,” Research In Motion Limited (RIMM) once enjoyed near-total dominance over the smartphone market. That is, until Apple’s iPhone threatened to break RIMM’s hold on the sector. The BlackBerry is still arguably the top dog, but the sniper hits from Apple and the global economic recession have taken quite a toll on RIMM shares. In fact, RIMM plummeted more than 51% in 2008.

The security has made quite a comeback this year, soaring more than …

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Once the king of the handheld device market, Palm Inc. has had to fight an uphill battle against both RIMM and AAPL to regain a foothold in the smartphone market. But, as the saying goes, “if you can’t beat them, join them.” Palm is slated to release its own entry into the touch-screen market later this year, along with a slick new mobile operating system. The move has prompted questions of legal action from Apple, as the new Palm Pre, …

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What should be your best bet for 2009? Should you invest in Large caps or Small caps?

As a general rule of thumb, “small cap” stocks have a market cap of $1 billion or less. “Large caps,” in contrast, have market cap in the $10 billion range or higher… often much higher. Microsoft and GE, for example, have market caps in the neighborhood of $180 billion as of this writing. Exxon Mobil is worth more than $400 billion!! Small cap stocks …

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