Latest Happenings: November 2012

Invest in tax-free bonds to get higher post-tax returns

With most long-term fixed deposit rates settling in the 8.5-8.75% range, investors looking for fixed-income instruments have an opportunity to invest in tax-free bonds that can give higher post-tax returns than bank fixed deposits (FDs).

By March 2013, 10 government-owned infrastructure companies would issue Rs 53,500-crore worth of tax-free bonds. As interest earned from these bonds would not be taxed, investors would earn a better post-tax return than from FDs.

The interest earned on bank FDs and other normal bonds are added to the income of the investor and taxed as per the income-tax slabs. Post-tax return from an FD that offers 8.5% annual interest would be 5.9% for an individual in the 30% tax bracket.

Tax-free bonds are rated long-tenure (usually 10-15 years) fixed-income securities offering annual interest at rates less than the yield of government securities of similar tenure. At present, 10-year government bonds are trading around 8.2%. Going by these rates, one can expect the interest rate to be 7.5-8%.

One can buy and sell these bonds on the stock exchanges. Though the interest earned on these bonds is tax-free, any capital gain from sale in the secondary market is taxable.

Short-term capital gains are taxed at the normal rate, while long-term capital gains are taxed at 10% without indexation and 20% with indexation. Indexation is adjusting the purchasing price with annual inflation.

Padma Lakshmi's hot photoshoot in sexy Bikini

Padma Lakshmi donned sexy, lacy lingerie for Playboy magazine. Age and childbirth have actually done wonders for her and she looked smoking hot as she flaunted hot innerwear. Padma Lakshmi shows off her svelte figure in white lace underwear and a see-through lace overlay dress in the December issue of Playboy magazine.

In the accompanying interview, the 42-year-old Top Chef star admits that her model good looks makes her something of a man magnet, although she is usually unaware of her own attraction.

"A lot of men get frustrated with me, actually, because I am like a guy," she was quoted as saying. "Honestly, I'm like a truck driver trapped in this body. I don't want to be your best friend. I don't expect you to give me a birthday card or send me flowers." she said.

"Don't get me wrong. That stuff's nice, but I am a physical and sensual person. I love to be held. I love massages. I'm just not a Hallmark kind of gal," she said.

Lakshmi, who hails from Chennai, India, also revealed what attracts her in a man. "I want someone who's a challenging adversary, who can tease me and get away with it, who can flirt and make me think and laugh and blush," she said.

Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell pose naked for magazine

Supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell have stripped off for a racy photoshoot that saw them admit their love for each other. The pair cuddled up in the striking black and white snap for Interview Magazine that saw Campbell, 42, expose her famous assets.

And in a teaser of the interview inside, it is titled, "I love you, Kate! Naomi Campbell talks to Kate Moss." The supermodels, who reunited for a cover for the first time since their Vogue Paris shoot in 2008, talked about their beginnings in the industry.

Moss, 38, asked Campbell, "I read that you made your first public appearance in a Bob Marley video." To which Campbell replied, "Yeah. I was seven, I think. He was such a handsome man. I remember I started crying when I saw his dreadlocks because I thought they were worms. But he was really, really gentle."

The pair also discussed ethnic prejudice in the modelling world, with Moss saying, "When I first got to New York, I was like, 'What are they talking about?' I could not tell, you know. "It was really weird and I also think growing up in South London, it is so mixed race." And Campbell added, "Exactly, we just know our area and how we were raised, so it was a big eye opener to me."

Pregnant Adriana Lima poses for Pirelli Calendar

Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima has become the first model to pose for the Pirelli Calendar while pregnant.

The Brazilian-born 31-year-old, who gave birth to her second daughter, Sienna, in September, was snapped by famed American photojournalist Steve McCurry on the streets of Rio de Janiero in July.

She wears a black cropped top and low-slung skirt in the image. For the fist time, McCurry has stayed away from risque themes favoured by predecessors such as Mario Sorrenti and Terry Richardson, as all 11 of the women featured are clothed

The calendar features Karlie Kloss, Summer Rayne, Isabeli Fontana, Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, Liya Kibede, Kyleigh Kuhn and a heavily pregnant Adriana Lima.

Pirelli Calendar usually features undressed models but the photojournalist opted to shoot the 2013 edition with covered models.

Isabeli Fontana in the Pirelli calendar 2013

Steve McCurry for the Pirelli Calendar

Watch Kareena Kapoor item song ‘Fevicol Se’ for Dabangg 2

Kareena Kapoor filmed an item number for Dabangg 2 and says it was great fun shooting for the song as she tried something new for it.

“It was great fun. I loved the song… for the first time I have done a pelvic thrust. I have never done that before and Farah Khan has shot it amazingly. I am looking forward to it because it’s a fun song. I hope people love it,” Kareena, who did item number “Halkat jawani” in her film “Heroine”,

Arbaaz Khan is making his directorial debut with “Dabangg 2“, which stars his big brother Salman in the lead role.

Designer Manish Malhotra has styled Kareena’s costumes for the item song and Farah has choreographed her moves.

There were reports that her sister Karisma was on the sets while she was giving shots for the song and Kareena said: “She came to meet Salman, Arbaaz, Malaika and all and that’s it. She was not there to give any takes.”

In “Dabangg“, Malaika featured in the item song “Munni badnaam“.
“Dabangg 2“, also starring Sonakshi Sinha and Prakash Raj, is slated for release on 21 Dec.

Laetitia Casta HOT bikini campaign

She's forged a successful career in movies, but France's femme fatale Laetitia Casta is also still very much a part of the fashion scene.

The face of several leading fashion labels including Chanel, Givenchy and Ralph Lauren, the former Victoria's Secret Angel has appeared on the covers of several prestigious magazines and continues to make a mark in modelling.

Now, in a sexy new campaign for lingerie by high street brand H&M, the 34-year-old mother-of-three shows off her curves in an array of alluring innerwear.

Here's a look at Laetitia in various racy pieces from the collection, starting with this pink and black lace bra with matching high-waisted briefs.

How can you prevent yourself from catching the bug this winter?

Come winter and with the woolens and thermals come the running nose, coughs and cold. The common cough and cold is one of the most common ailments in winter and hence called so!

The sudden drop in temperature, especially early mornings and nights makes you prone to the common cold and cough. A joke goes that for a common cold, you get well after a week with medication and after seven days without medication. But there are definitely ways of avoiding the cold

Here is a look at the preventive steps to be taken to avoid catching it:

Prevention

Use warm clothes while stepping out in the early mornings and evenings. Make sure you cover your ears as well as your nose (especially children) as you are most likely to catch a infection through it
Have lemon juice in lukewarm water to increase your immunity. It also cleanses your digestive system
Daily dose of one amla another vitamin C food, also improves your immunity.
Include ginger in your meals to keep the cough at bay
Keep your house warm by closing the doors and windows in the early mornings and nights. Make sure you open the windows during afternoons so that the sun can warm up the house.
Wash hands regularly and avoid touching your nose or mouth
Sip on warm water through the day.
Avoid eating food straight out of the refrigerator

But in case you catch the bug, here are symptoms you must look out for

Runny or blocked nose, loss of smell and uncomfortable breathing. Sore throat of itchiness or pain in the throat while swallowing, eating or even drinking.
Sneezing and coughing
Mild fever or body ache
Fatigue

Treatment

In addition to popping the cold pill, here are small things which will help you feel better.
Getting enough rest is the best way to restore your body's balance.
Sip on warm water, squeeze in some lemon
Gargle with hot water and salt or turmeric before hitting the bed
A glass of warm milk at night with turmeric, honey and a pinch of ginger powder will be good not only for the throat but also ensure a good night's sleep
As soon as you start symptoms of cold, use a steamer before going to sleep. Boil water and cover your head with a towel to breathe in the steam. You can also use the steamers available in the market, very effective, especially for kids
Adding crushed ginger, a pinch of black pepper and some tulsi to your daily cup of tea will also give you a lot of relief.
Use nasal drops, traditionally two drops of ghee was used to remove the congestion
Don't share. Don't share drinking glasses or utensils with other family members. Use your own glass or disposable cups when you or someone else is sick.
Use paper towels or old cotton duppattas to cover your nose, they are soft and can be disposed off.
Stay away from public places: Avoid schools and offices; you are prone to catching more infections and also passing on infections to others.

You MUST see your doctor when:

You are running temperature for over a week
Breathing becomes difficult
Your symptoms get worse or do not improve even after a week
You have an upset stomach.
Or any kind of rash appears on the body.

Kristen Stewart's see-through Breaking Dawn 2 dress; wardrobe malfunction

Kristen Stewart went with one of this season's biggest red carpet trends for the Los Angeles premiere of "Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2" on Monday night -- sheer fabric. But while her Zuhad Muhair gown was lovely, it was perhaps too sheer. At least from the rearview, where one sees a lot of, well, rear. I believe this might qualify as a wardrobe malfunction.

More than 400,000 signatures have been collected on a petition asking Macy's to dump Trump -- Donald Trump and his line of shirts, ties and other men's accessories, that is. The petition on SignOn.org, says that Trump doesn't reflect the "magic of Macy's" because of his skepticism about President Obama's birthplace and alleged sexism, among other things.

For Wednesday’s London premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2, Stewart somehow topped her jaw-dropping Los Angeles premiere dress, selecting a sparkly see-through bodysuit by designer Zuhair Murad.

The couture piece — from Murad’s fall/winter 2012 collection — features an open back and an intricate pattern of hand-sewn beadwork. (It’s not dissimilar from the silhouette seen on Twilight costar Ashley Greene and actress Dakota Johnson on Tuesday night, either.)

Stewart selected a Murad creation for Monday night’s Los Angeles premiere, too, choosing a peek-a-boo nude gown for that occasion. The designer — who created Jennifer Lopez’s glimmering tour costumes this year — is known for his feminine gowns and sexy dresses, which have graced the likes of Miley Cyrus and Sofia Vergara, as well.

Deepika Padukone HOT photoshoot

Leggy lass Deepika has done a really hot photoshoot for FHM India magazine. Deepika looks sultry and classy in the shoot.
Sexy Deepika flaunts her cleavage as she sizzles on the cover.

The bindaas look of Deepika appears to be really bold.

For the spicy cover, she has donned minimal make-up and accessories, and makes a strong statement of being at comfort with her body, through her pose.

Deepika Padukone will be seen next in Ayaan Mukerji's Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani and Rohit Shetty's Chennai Express opposite Shah Rukh Khan.

Kangana Ranaut wardrobe malfunction Photos

The latest incident of wardrobe malfunction occurred with the Fashion girl Kangana Ranaut .
She was the showstopper for designer Gavin Miguel at Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2012 at Hotel Grand Hyatt in Mumbai.
According to reports, Kangana was walking the ramp in a sexy white net gown but the revealing outfit flashed more than she desired.

But rather than getting nervous, Kangana walked the ramp confidently and also cheered for the designer.

From supermodel Carol Gracias to Bollywood actors like Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Riya Sen, Kangana Ranaut, Shamita Shetty, Freida Pinto and Celina Jaitley couldn’t escape themselves from wardrobe malfunction.

Lady Gaga topless Photos in Rio De Janeiro

Singer Lady Gaga was photographed topless while she relaxed in a hotel balcony in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The 26 year old was photographed covering the top portion of body with a coconut on Nov 7. She was in her underpants and tried to cover her lower portion with a towel.

EArlier she was seen showing off her generous curves in bikini top and retro-style printed sarong. Gaga twirled around in her summer outfit.

Gaga posted on twitter: 'OI GALERA! In Rio + My beautiful fans are wearing leather & bandanas in the sun, bad asses, gorgeous smiles & fists in the air! I HEAR U!

Gaga will perform in Rio De Janeiro November 9, at the Parque dos Atletas (City of Rock) venue.

Anushka Sharma HOT Photos on Harper's Bazaar

Booked by the biggest banners in the industry, and with an A-list line-up of films on the way, Anushka Sharma sets the screen ablaze as she charts her own course to super stardom.

Vintage Hollywood Glamour
Blouse, Rs 61,100, and skirt, Rs 1,23,800, Salvatore Ferragamo. Bustier, Gaurav Gupta at Ensemble. Ring, Ganjam. Cuff, Anmol Jewellers. Shoes, Crisian & McCaffery.

Anushka says:
"I am not a fashionista. But I am a stylish person. I always have been. But it would be ridiculous if I walked around looking glamorous all the time."

Femme fatale
Jacket,and skirt, Shahab Durazi. Ring, Gehna Jewellers.

Anushka says:
"I don't like tight dresses or jeans. But when I need to tog up I really do."

Gilded glory
Dress, Rs 36,000, Monisha Jaising. Shoes, Rs 52,500, Christian Louboutin.

Anushka says:
"I have a very shabby-chic style. What some people call homeless-person chic."

Indian Porn star Priya Rai to enter Bigg Boss 6

India's most controversial reality show Bigg Boss is all se to get spicer. Reportedly the house will soon be welcoming porn star Priya Rai.

After last year's violent season, Salman Khan had promised a parivaarik version in the sixth edition. But it seems, this plain-jane edition is not getting enough TRPs.

So the makers of the show are bringing porn star Priya Rai. According to reports, Priya will make a guest appearance in the show.

In 2011, the producers of 'Bigg Boss 6' imported desi porn star Sunny Leone and before her Pamela Anderson have also appeared on the show.

Sources say that Delhi-born Priya Rai is an adult film actor of Indian origin and has done better for herself in the porn film business.

Priya was abandoned by her biological parents and was adopted by American couple when she was just 2 years old.

Top 20 banking terms you should know

Understanding these seemingly difficult terms will help you navigate the complex world of personal banking with ease.

1. National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT)

Transfer of funds initiated by electronic means such as an electronic terminal, telephone, computer, or ATM. The NEFT facilitates the process of fund transfer within the same bank or inter-bank transfers. The minimum amount that can be transferred is as low as Rs 100.

2. Linked Account

Any account linked to another account in the same bank where funds can be transferred electronically between accounts and carry out other specified services as well.

3. Travellers' Cheque

Cheques issued by a bank and function as cash but are protected against loss or theft when travelling.

4. Base Rate

It is the minimum rate a bank charges its most credit worthy customer. The bank cannot lend below this rate (with an exception to banks employees, loans to bank's depositors against their own deposits, albeit with the subvention of the central bank).

5. Balance Transfer

Balance transfer is an option included under credit card payments and is useful for persons holding more than one card. On availing this facility, the cardholder can transfer the balance amount outstanding on card one to card two and vice versa, if he/she is not able to make full payment that is due on a particular card.

In any case, the payment due date is only delayed but the payment has to be made at the scheduled time as stated in card two. Balance transfer facility is useful in reducing the interest outgo (on card one) and extending the payment due date on the original card.

6. Banking Ombudsman

Banking Ombudsman is an unbiased forum formed to resolve complaints registered by bank customers with respect to the services provided by banks. The RBI introduced this scheme under Section 35A of Banking Regulation Act, 1949. In case one has not been satisfactorily serviced by their bank, they should first register a complaint with the bank customer service department.

If they are not happy with the bank's response, then they can approach the banking ombudsman for an unbiased resolution.

7. Cashback

The term 'cashback' is used with reference to credit cards. Cashback means giving back some portion of money (spent by the cardholder through the credit card) to the cardholder himself. The cashback is made in terms of points earned; for example, the bank may say one point will be earned for every Rs 100 spent by the cardholder and at the end of the year, the money worth of the points earned (say Rs 1 for 1 point) will be credited back into the cardholder's account.

8. Credit History

Credit history is an account of an individual's past borrowings by way of loans, credit cards and all other debt that needs to be repaid/has been repaid. Credit history in India is currently being provided by CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau of India Limited) and contains records of an individual's open and past accounts of loans and credit cards.

Through the CIBIL report, the bank (lender) can know if the individual (borrower) had made any late payments or defaults. You can get your own credit history report from CIBIL for a nominal fee.

9. Collateral

Aborrower needs to provide some kind of security to the bank in case of high ticket loans (except home loans where the property is the security). Such security is called 'collateral'.
In case the borrower fails to repay the loan, the bank has the authority to attach the collateral to the loan and claim its dues.

10. Documentation/Processing Fee

Bank requires certain documents from the borrower to look into his creditworthiness and charges a fee for the same. These charges are known as documentation charges.
Processing Fee is charged by the bank upon sanctioning of loan to the borrower.

11. Dormant/Inactive Account

IF an individual has not made any transactions in his/her account (except for interest payments credited by the bank) for more than two years, the savings/current account is declared as dormant/inactive.

12. Fixed Rate

Fixed rate is the interest rate that remains constant for the full term of the loan.

13. Floating Rate

An interest rate that is referenced to a market rate and is revised as per the change in the interest rates in the economy. When interest rates in the economy rise, floating rates rise and vice versa.

14. MICR Code

MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. MICR Code comprises 9 digits given at the bottom (right side) of the cheque number. It is a unique code and varies between each bank branch.
MICR Code is required for cheque clearance. MICR Code is different from the IFSC code, which is also mentioned on a cheque.

15. No-frills Account

This account is a basic savings account provided by banks to make banking simpler and more accessible for all customers. In a no-frills account, you do not have to maintain minimum balance and enjoy basic banking facilities such as electronic funds transfer (EFT), netbanking, free cheque book issuance.

16. Electronic Clearing Service (ECS)

It is a service provided by the banks to facilitate direct debit from your bank account towards an investment account (such as a mutual fund SIP) and/or paying regular loan EMIs.
One can give a standing instruction (SI) to the bank to transfer the specified amount every month for a specified period. Alternatively, you can direct a one-time transfer of funds through NEFT/RTGS (explained next).

17. Processing Fee

Bank levies processing fee in order to process the loan application of the borrower. This fee is a small percentage (example: 2.5 per cent) of the loan amount sanctioned and is usually waived off during festival time to attract more borrowers.

18. RTGS

The RTGS or Real Time Gross Settlement System facilitates fund transfer within same bank or inter-bank transfers, but unlike NEFT, RTGS ensures the fund transfer fast and smooth in 'real-time' for a nominal fee.
The minimum transfer amount is higher than NEFT (usually Rs 2 lakh and above).

19. IFSC

IFSC code is useful in bank fund transfers and cheque clearance. It is an 11 character code assigned by RBI to identify every bank branch uniquely. The first part is the first 4 alphabet characters representing the bank. Next character is 0 (zero) and is reserved for future use. The last 6 characters is the branch code.

20. KYC

KYC or Know Your Customer norms are imposed by RBI on banks and other financial institutions to ensure that the correct identity of the banks' customers is established and to ensure that banks deal only in legitimate banking operations and not in money laundering or frauds.

Why YOU must invest in real estate

One of the most frequent advices that can be given to the youth when it comes to investment is starting young. And just because, the advice is so frequent, most of us tend to forget that it is actually the BEST advice anyone can be given.

Why is starting young so important? The answer is hardly rocket science. By the sheer luxury of time that youth has on hand in terms of the period of investment, the risk appetite is multiplied several times which in turn leads to investments that by design are high risk, high returns. At a simpler level, starting young means you have a lot scope for distributing your investments over a long period of time, ultimately leading to a substantial increase in the net amount invested. At a still simpler level, starting young means your money has that much more time to grow and hence, higher returns.

While this common wisdom has had many young investors coming into the market, investing largely in equities and debt instruments, real estate continues to be an area out of the purview of the obvious choice of the investors. Going by the volatile nature of the economy these days however, real estate has rapidly emerged as a mode of investment that should ideally be on the top of the investment priority list, especially for the young investors.

1. The anti-inflation investment
Real estate investments are an almost guaranteed way to get around inflation. Real estate is growing market, more so because of the rapidly shrinking supply of land.

You only have to go house-hunting in a city like Mumbai to know the extent of land shortage in the country. A shortage supply logically means a growth in market and so long as this shortage persists, the market shall not slow down.

The core point here is a careful market research before investing into the real estate. You can hardly expect your money to grow exponentially if you choose to invest your money in a landed property in remote UP. It shall still grow but not as much as it would in a more favourable location like Mumbai or Delhi-NCR.

There are other considerations too, which need to be taken into account. For instance, in cities like Pune and Gurgaon, which thrive on floating population, investing in residential properties that can be leased out at a later stage is a good strategy.

These examples are illustrative. The moot point here is that investment in real estate can be an excellent strategy for the young investors to get past inflation.

2. Affordable option
Yes, you read it right. Contrary to the popular perception, investing in real estate is actually one of the more affordable options with banks funding up to 80 per cent of the cost.

The young investors also get income tax benefits. A slightly more complex benefit is derived from the fact that young investors are expected to pay fixed installments over years which in effect amounts to purchasing an asset at a lower cost, whose value is bound to appreciate while the investor's own income too keeps rising.

For those young investors looking to discipline their investments, servicing regular EMIs is an excellent method. Of course, real estate is a volatile asset but from a reasonable perspective, it is still a safer bet than stock markets, especially when trade pundits across board have been reiterating the fact that the probability of appreciation in case of real estate investments is very high.

3. Tangible asset

This is not exactly an objective benefit but may hold significant importance in several cases. Unlike old times when owning house marked a definite landmark in one's life, young investors can now enjoy the benefits of a tangible asset pretty early on in their lives. If the property is a residential one meant for personal purposes, the obvious benefits are manifold.

In several cases, the investors end up paying an EMI which is only slightly more or almost equal to the rent they would be paying otherwise, with an added benefit of actually residing in their 'own' place.

As we had stated earlier, real estate is a volatile option, even if relatively less so. And hence, the prudent way ahead is to make real estate one of the modes of investment in your portfolio and not the only one.

An ideal portfolio has a balanced distribution between various options and irrespective of the benefits or the risk factors, concentration of wealth in any mode is problematic. The ideal way ahead is to start off with SIPs (systematic investment plans) and gradually proceed to real estate, as and when you reasonably acquire enough spare wealth to distribute between various investment options.

The key is to be prudent with your money and invest as soon as you possibly can. And while investing in real estate, always remember, an aware investment is the only safe investment and a thorough market research is a must.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

© Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP