Zebu blog

Tag: portfolio management

  • Six Of The Safest Investment Options For Risk-Averse Individuals

    In India, there are several investment opportunities that give attractive returns. With so many alternatives, it’s understandable that one would be confused about where to invest. To determine which investment channel is the ‘best,’ we must first assess an individual’s requirement and risk tolerance. There are investment solutions that are tailored to an individual’s objectives and needs.

    Indians prefer to invest in government-backed securities since they are viewed as safe investment vehicles. The following are a handful of India’s most popular investment avenues:

    If you are considering investing then you need to make sure that you use the best broker for trading with the lowest brokerage on offer. Zebu empowers your online stock trading journey with a state-of-the-art trading platform as well.


    Bank Fixed Deposit (FD)

    Bank Fixed Deposit (FD) Bank FDs pay a substantially greater interest rate than standard savings bank accounts. 5-year tax-saving FDs are tax-deductible under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and investors can deduct up to Rs 1,50,000 per year. Senior citizens receive a little higher rate of interest on FDs. The rate of interest varies according to the duration of the investment, the amount invested, the resident status (NRI or not), and the bank. FDs are subject to a lock-in term. If you desire to withdraw within the lock-in period, the bank will charge you a penalty in the amount of interest deducted from the investment.

    The following are the primary features of bank deposits:
    You receive guaranteed returns over time.
    The most suitable investment for risk-averse investors.
    Partial withdrawals are permitted, as is borrowing against the balance.

    Public Provident Fund (PPF)

    PPF investments are subject to a 15-year lock-in term. PPF is regarded as one of the safest investments due to the scheme’s governmental guarantee. As with bank FDs, PPFs pay a substantially greater interest rate than a standard savings bank account.

    PPF’s key attributes include the following:
    Best suited for long-term financial goals due to the scheme’s 15-year lock-in period.
    Because the investment is not market-linked, it provides guaranteed returns over time.
    You have the choice of redeeming the entire corpus or extending the account for a five-year period.

    National Pension Scheme (NPS)

    The NPS is another government-sponsored retirement programme. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority manages the scheme (PFRDA). The NPS is made up of a variety of investments, including liquid funds, term deposits, and corporate bonds. There are numerous NPS schemes from which you can choose according to your needs. Interest rates vary amongst funds.

    NPS’s primary characteristics include the following:
    The scheme is offered to employees in all sectors.
    The scheme allows for annual tax deductions of up to Rs 2 lakh under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
    You can manage your portfolio passively or actively.

    Sovereign Gold Bonds

    Sovereign Gold Bonds Indians have a strong affinity toward the yellow metal. Gold investments are made through the purchase of gold jewellery, coins, and bars. Apart from real gold, investors can invest in gold through gold ETFs and sovereign gold bonds.

    SGB’s primary characteristics include the following:
    Investing in gold enables you to protect yourself against inflation.
    Due to the inverse relationship between gold and stock markets, investing in gold functions as a hedge against stock market declines.
    Gold’s price does not fluctuate dramatically over time, providing you with capital protection.
    SGBs give an interest of 2.5% per annum.
    The lock-in period is 8 years.
    SGBs are issued by the RBI.

    7.75% GoI Savings Bond

    7.75% G-Sec bonds replaced the previous 8% savings bond. These bonds were initially issued in 2018. As mentioned in the title, investors get annual interest at a rate of 7.75 percent. These bonds can be purchased for as little as Rs 1,000.

    The following are the primary characteristics of 7.75 percent GOI Savings Bonds:
    Your investments are guaranteed by governmental assurances, which safeguard your capital.
    You receive an assured annual rate of return of 7.75 percent.

    Recurring Deposit (RD)

    A recurring deposit is an alternative to a fixed-term deposit. Individuals invest a fixed sum on a regular basis using RDs. As with FDs, RDs pay a significantly greater rate of interest than a standard savings bank account. You can use your real estate development investment as collateral to obtain secured loans.

    RD’s primary characteristics include the following:
    Investing in an RD over a longer-term enables you to gradually instil a feeling of financial discipline.
    You do not need a significant sum to begin your investment; a small sum is sufficient.
    You have guaranteed profits over time because the investment is not tied to the stock market.

    Now that you have understood more about low-risk investments, you also need to ensure that you use the best broker for trading with the lowest brokerage on offer. Zebu empowers your online stock trading journey with a state-of-the-art trading platform as well.

  • Are You A DIY Investor? Here Are The Mistakes That You Should Avoid At All Costs

    Despite the fact that many institutional investors exited the market during the early stages of the epidemic, retail investors flooded in and gained handsomely, particularly in booming technology companies. Playing the market, of course, involves some risk. During the stock market’s unrelenting rally, reports of novices making rookie blunders and seasoned investors falling short came out.

    Before you start investing or trading, always consider going with one of the best brokerage firms in the country like Zebu. As a top broker in share marketwe have created one of the best stock trading platforms for you to use and invest.

    Here are six investing blunders you should avoid:

    1. Being in a Love-Hate Relationship With a Stock

    It’s all too easy to fall in love with a stock we’ve invested in and forget why we bought it in the first place when we see it do well. Always remember that you purchased this stock in order to profit from it. If any of the fundamentals that prompted you to invest in the company change, you should consider selling the stock.

    2. A Lack of Patience

    If you gradually and steadily build your portfolio, your long-term returns will be higher. Expecting a portfolio to do something it wasn’t designed to accomplish is a recipe for disaster. This implies you’ll need to keep your portfolio growth and return goals in check, as well as having a realistic time horizon in mind.

    3. Concerns About Investing

    One of the world’s most powerful investors, Warren Buffett, recommends against investing in companies whose business strategies you don’t understand. The safest method to avoid this is to invest in a diverse portfolio of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds. If you opt to invest in specific stocks on your own, be sure you have a thorough understanding of the firm.

    4. Entering without a strategy

    Going through with investments without considering issues such as one’s financial goals, risk appetite, or investing time horizon is not recommended. These are key considerations to address before beginning your financial adventure. As a result, it’s critical to keep track of these aspects, perform the appropriate back calculations, and ensure that one’s portfolio is on track to accomplish those objectives. It is suggested that you seek the advice of a financial advisor in this regard.

    5. Attempting to Forecast the Market

    If you don’t have the proper information, attempting to time the market might have a negative impact on your returns. It’s extremely difficult to time the stock market perfectly, and there are numerous biases at play while attempting to do so. Even institutional investors have difficulty precisely predicting this. Other approaches, such as SIPs, are therefore recommended for averaging out one’s investment over time. Furthermore, it is critical to allow your assets to compound and let the force of compounding to work its magic.

    6. Waiting for a Break-Even Situation

    Getting even is another approach to ensure that any profit you’ve made is wiped out. It suggests you’re delaying selling a loser until its original cost base is reached. In behavioural finance, this is referred regarded as a “cognitive malfunction.” When investors fail to recognize a loss, they lose in two ways. To begin with, they don’t want to sell a loss since it will continue to devalue until it is no longer worth anything. Second, there’s the lost opportunity cost of not putting those funds to greater use.

    Coming to a close…
    Making mistakes is unavoidable in the world of DIY investing. Knowing what they are, what you’re doing to make them, and how to stop them will help you succeed with your investments. Make a well-thought-out, planned stock market guidance strategy and stick to it to avoid making the blunders described above. It is advisable to avoid DIY without understanding and seek the advice of a financial counselor to fulfill one’s financial goals, just as one would not self-diagnose an illness and go to a doctor.

    As one of the top brokers in share market, we have created the best stock trading platforms for you to invest in wisely. Our tool is designed to help investors and traders alike to analyse a company with a wide range of indicators and screeners as per your strategy. As one of the best brokerage firms in the country, we invite you to open a trading and investment account with us.

  • 7 Things To Do At The Start Of Every Financial Year

    While it is natural for us to feel less bothered at the start of the financial year, reviewing your finances is an exercise you can conduct in April to ensure the remainder of the year is similarly stress-free. This analysis will help you in determining how well you handle your finances in the previous year and where you stand now. It will also assist you in taking the necessary actions to manage your finances properly in the short and long run.

    In this article, we’ll go over seven crucial things that should be included in your yearly start-of-financial-year assessment, as well as how to go about doing it. But before we get into that you need to understand that investment is also about choosing the right technologies. As one of the top brokers in share market, we at Zebu offer trading accounts with lowest brokerage, and an online trading platform to help you focus only on executing your strategies efficiently.

    1. Review your asset allocation and, if necessary, rebalance

    The first step toward improved money management is to analyse your portfolio across multiple asset classes and rebalance if your asset allocation has changed significantly.

    Assume you started the year with a 70% allocation to equities, a 25% allocation to debt, and a 5% allocation to gold. Equities are up roughly 21% in FY22, debt is up 5.5%, and gold is up 15.4%. As a result, your portfolio is slightly more biased towards equity, with shares accounting for approximately 72.5% of your portfolio, 22.6% for debt, and 4.9% for gold.

    To get back to your original asset allocation, you’ll need to rebalance your portfolio. Because your equity allocation has increased, you will need to register profits in equities and reinvest the proceeds in Debt and Gold in this case. Alternately, you might restructure your monthly SIPs to include more Debt and Gold.

    This activity guarantees that your portfolio’s risk is balanced, allowing you to better manage drawdowns.

    2. Examine Your Objectives

    The beginning of the fiscal year is an excellent opportunity to assess your progress toward your objectives. It’s likely that the amount you’ll need has risen more than you expected when calculating the amount you’ll need. If you were planning to buy a car, for example, excessive input costs may have caused prices to rise above average. In this case, you’ll need to recalculate how much you’ll need to invest each month in order to have the money you’ll need when the time comes.

    3. Evaluate Your Portfolio

    While long-term investing is essential for wealth accumulation, this does not mean you should invest and forget. A portfolio review should be done on a regular basis, and the beginning of the financial year is an ideal time to do so.

    A review will show you which funds have outperformed, which have performed as expected, and which have underperformed. While it’s tempting to get rid of laggards, you should be cautious about how you go about doing so.

    You should ideally only evaluate funds that have been underperforming for a long period (say at least 1.5 years). If the entire segment has fallen, a fund with negative returns may not be underperforming. As a result, you must compare the fund’s performance to that of the category as a whole. For example, if the fund has declined but not as much as the category average, you may choose to continue with it due to its stronger downside protection qualities.

    When your goals change, it’s also a good idea to review your portfolio. For example, when you were 10 to 15 years away from retirement, you began investing in an Equity Fund. However, you’ve nearly reached your goal amount and are only two years away from retiring. In this case, you’ll need to devote a larger portion of your collected wealth to fixed-income investments.

    4. Examine Your Life Insurance Requirements

    Your obligations expand dramatically after major life events such as marriage, becoming a parent, purchasing a home, and so on. You must ensure that your life insurance policy is adequate to meet all of these new duties.

    So go back to the calculations you used to determine the correct coverage for yourself, add the amount you’ll need to cover the additional duties and get any additional coverage you require.

    Remember that your coverage should be sufficient to give a monthly income to your dependents, pay off any debts, and leave money aside for future one-time large needs such as your children’s education.

    5. Look over your health insurance policy

    Major life events such as marriage and becoming a parent requires a review of your health insurance coverage.

    If you purchased a policy before getting married, you most likely purchased an individual policy with an adequate quantity of coverage. With more family members, you’ll need not simply a larger policy, but you’ll also want to be sure they’re protected. Converting your health insurance policy to a family floater and boosting the coverage is the simplest way to accomplish this. This ensures that the coverage remains in effect and that you do not miss out on any advantages.

    6. Begin Your Tax Preparation

    It’s ideal to begin tax preparation early in the fiscal year. That’s because you’ll have enough time to figure out how much you’ll need to invest to save the most money on taxes and weigh all of your possibilities. Furthermore, because you have the entire year to invest the funds, you can spread them out.

    If you plan to invest in market-linked products like ELSS and NPS, tax planning at the start of the year is even more important. Having a SIP that helps you save tax throughout the course of the year ensures that you benefit from market ups and downs. If you wait until the last minute, though, you will be forced to invest even if the markets are at an all-time high and there is a chance that they will fall. Furthermore, the money you will invest will be substantial.

    7. Increase the amount of money you put aside each month

    With an increase in your salary, you should increase your SIP investment by 10% per year. This will assist you in achieving your financial objectives more quickly. Other investment options include the National Pension System (NPS), which provides an extra Rs. 50,000 deductions in addition to the Rs. 1.5 lakh deduction provided under Section 80C. You can register a Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana account for your daughter if she is under the age of 11. This plan will give you a better return than the PPF or other small savings plans.

    These methods will assist you in improving your financial situation and ensuring a smooth financial journey in the future.

  • What Is a Follow-On Public Offer and How Does It Work?

  • The Difference Between Large-Cap Stocks And Blue Chip Stocks

    The market capitalization of a company helps in determining its worth. It’s computed by multiplying the number of existing shares by each share unit.

    The market capitalization of large-cap firms exceeds Rs.20,000 crores. The NIFTY 50 index contains the top 50 large-cap firms in India. This index includes the most actively traded companies on the stock market.

    Large-cap firms’ stock prices cannot appreciate as much as mid-cap and small-cap companies’ stock prices. This is due to the fact that large-cap company valuations have attained financial maturity. Dividend payouts account for the majority of such equities’ returns. Because there is always someone willing to purchase such well-known and popular stocks, large-cap businesses provide significant liquidity to their investors.

    On the stock exchange, blue-chip stocks are highly valued. They have a strong market reputation and a solid financial track record. Blue-chip stocks are frequently referred to as the stocks of the largest corporations in the economy. However, before you start investing, it is important that you do so with one of the best share brokers in the country. At Zebu, we have the lowest brokerage for investments and also support you with a highly advanced online trading platform to help you analyse stocks and execute your trades.


    The primary distinction between large-cap and blue-chip firms is that the latter is the market leader. Blue-chip stocks are well-known in addition to having a significant market capitalization. Large-cap corporations can be well-known or not, whereas blue-chip companies must be well-known. Blue-chip enterprises are well-known in the marketplace and hence have a high brand value. A blue-chip company’s stock has reached its maximum growth potential. As a result, blue-chip investors see a slow but consistent increase in their invested capital over time.

    Because the firms that issue these stocks have many sources of income and have spread their operations to multiple industries, blue-chip stocks can help you diversify your portfolio rather well. As a result, they are less vulnerable to market volatility, making them a low-risk investment alternative. By diversifying your investments even more, you can further lower your risk exposure.

    During peak business cycles, large-cap corporations are often blue-chip companies because they generate consistent revenue. When compared to blue-chip corporations, large-cap companies are a riskier investment alternative. Despite having a huge market capitalization and good revenue, large-cap corporations have yet to stabilise on such business peaks and maintain them in the long run.
    Two of the most important checklists for first-time traders and investors are the right online trading platform and the lowest brokerage for investments. As one of the best share brokers in the country, we at Zebu will give you all of this and more. To know more about our services and products, please get in touch with us now.

  • Things You Should Do To Keep Track OF Your Mid-Cap Portfolio

    Large Cap vs Mid Cap vs Small Cap: Key Differences That Actually Matter

    When the government announced a lockdown in March 2020, the stock markets in India plummeted. However, thanks to investors adding a healthy dose of mid-cap stocks to their portfolio holdings, the markets recovered quickly and spectacularly. Mid-cap equities, unlike large-cap stocks, have a double-edged sword of stronger growth potential but higher risks. Before investing in them, an investor must first understand the company’s fundamentals, as well as the present status of the markets and the macro-economy. Before you start investing, always consider going with one of the best brokerage firms in the country like Zebu. As a top broker in share market we have created one of the best stock trading platforms, for you to use and invest. Before you add more shares to your mid-cap portfolio, keep the following 10 things in mind: 1. Availability of liquid assets When it comes to mid-cap investing, liquidity is the most important factor. You must make sure that you can get out of the stock before it loses too much value. Stocks, where mutual funds or proprietary traders have purchased large quantities, should be avoided by retail investors. These stocks are vulnerable to a quick selloff and significant, surprise price loss. 2. Previous performance A steady track record of good performance over the last 4-5 years is an important indicator of a company’s stability. A shaky track record, as well as a P&L statement rife with losses and declining sales, is a red flag. 3. Exposure to macroeconomic forces Examine the company’s pressure areas before investing. When demand for automobiles falls, mid-cap stocks in auto-ancillaries suffer. Mid-cap metal equities are vulnerable to global oversupply and fluctuating raw material prices. To understand the dangers that your stocks face, look at the macro variables. 4. Mid-cap stocks’ returns Mid-cap stocks should be viewed through a different lens than Nifty and Sensex stocks. Benchmark indexes should not be compared to mid-cap stocks in the first place. Mid-cap stocks come with greater rewards but also a greater risk. If you are able to identify under-valued mid-cap stocks, your portfolio’s value will drastically increase. 5. Pay attention to mid-cap exposure. Find the total exposure you want to have to mid-cap companies based on your risk tolerance levels and keep to it. Let’s say you decide to invest 30% of your portfolio in mid-cap equities, and you adhere to it. If you go over the limit, take profits and limit your exposure. 6. Examine the leadership and business governance Mid-cap companies have received a lot of bad press due to poor corporate governance and mismanagement. Make sure the companies you invest in have strong internal controls and a high level of corporate accountability. A well-oiled, well-managed corporation will have a strong management team. 7. Risks must be monitored before returns can be managed When it comes to mid-cap equities, the risk is measured in terms of volatility. Concentrate on stocks that have higher risk-adjusted returns. The investor can expect a good return if he handles the risk. Increasing risks in the pursuit of a high return, on the other hand, is equivalent to risking hard-earned money. 8. Stay away from stocks that have a lot of pledges. Rather than being enticed by large gains, retail investors should keep an eye out for stocks that have more than 50% promoter pledges. When the promoter fails to bring in additional margin and the lenders begin to dump the shares, these shares are extremely exposed to price fluctuations. 9. Be aware of regulatory circulars. The market regulator SEBI has had a significant impact on mid-cap equities in the past. Three SEBI circulars released in 2018 sparked a free-fall in mid-cap stocks. When buying in mid-cap stocks, investors should be aware of SEBI’s regulars. 10. Bullish vs bearish time periods During optimistic periods, investors flood the market with liquidity, drowning out the company’s fundamentals. Only during difficult times is a company’s resilience truly tested. As one of the top brokers in share market, we have created the best stock trading platform for you to invest in wisely. Our tool is designed to help investors and traders like to analyse a company with a wide range of indicators and screeners as per your strategy. As one of the best brokerage firms in the country, we invite you to open a trading and investment account with us.

  • Women’s Day Post – Here’s Why Every Woman Should Start Investing Today

    Although times have changed dramatically, women still do not enjoy a significant financial advantage at home. While the widespread notion is that women are unable to invest, women themselves are unsure about their financial capabilities.

    They are unquestionably better at saving, but they lack passion for investing due to a lack of knowledge. Every housewife, sister, mother, and daughter should try to learn about investment.

    Before you start investing, it is important that you do so with one of the best share brokers in the country. At Zebu, we have the lowest brokerage for investments and also support you with a highly advanced online trading platform to help you analyse stocks and execute your trades.

    In comparison to men, here are four reasons why they would make good investors.

    1. More reliable return-givers

    Did you know that women’s investment portfolios produce higher returns than men’s? It’s not just us that believe this; studies back us up. For example, according to a poll conducted by ET Money in March 2021, women investors achieved higher returns than males every year from 2017 to 2020. In fact, during the pandemic in 2020, they generated 14 percent of the returns, compared to only 11 percent for men. Even in the United States and the United Kingdom, women have outperformed men. According to Fidelity’s 2021 Women and Investing Study, women’s returns in the US were 40 basis points greater than men’s between 2011 and 2020.

    2. Investing skills that come naturally

    Behavioral and psychological characteristics can also play a role. Women are less risk-averse, trade less frequently, research more thoroughly, are more disciplined, and are less overconfident than their male counterparts. As a result, they tread carefully, investing more in mutual funds than stocks; they stay invested for the long term without frequent transactions and changes; and they are disciplined in their asset allocations, making no rash decisions or knee-jerk reactions. From 1991 to 1997, the University of California-Berkley looked at the common stock investments of approximately 35,000 households. Males traded 45 percent more frequently than women, yet women outperformed men by 0.94 percent per year, according to the study.

    3. There’s a better chance you’ll make it to the finish line.

    Women invest with a long-term perspective as well as an outcome-based strategy. This means that, because they are focused on the financial goal rather than the excitement of investing, they invest in a way that allows them to meet their objectives within the time frame they have set.

    4. Financial empowerment

    One of the most compelling reasons for women to begin investing is that it will enable them to become more active in and aware of their household’s financial affairs. Women would not feel adrift owing to their ignorance or be compelled to rely on others for financial guidance in the event of the death or crippling sickness of their spouse, father, brother, son, or any other male figure they are dependent on. Financial literacy and awareness help her and her children secure their financial destinies without being deceived or in debt to others.

    Two of the most important checklists for first-time investors are the right online trading platform and the lowest brokerage for investments. As one of the best share brokers in the country, we at Zebu will give you all of this and more. To know more about our services and products, please get in touch with us now.

  • 5 Things To Keep In Mind During Volatile Markets

    Right as we are escaping the third wave of a pandemic, we find ourselves in the midst of a war. And naturally, that has made global markets topple and become extremely volatile.

    What exactly is market volatility? Market volatility, in technical terms, refers to the standard deviation of stock market returns from the mean. Volatility is the fluctuations of the stock market in layman’s words. What is the significance of market volatility? It is significant for three reasons. To begin with, market volatility is a measure of risk; the higher the volatility, the higher the market risk. Second, while volatility cannot be avoided, it may be managed. Your volatility plan will come in handy in this situation. Finally, there is an inverse link between stock market volatility and returns. Higher returns are associated with lower volatility, and vice versa.

    When the Nifty index is compared to the VIX, or volatility index, the dramatic surge in the Nifty after 2009 has been accompanied by a continuous and secular decline in the VIX. Similarly, the Nifty had reached a long-term bottom when the VIX reached a peak in 2008. So, how should you invest in volatile markets, given that volatility cannot be avoided entirely?

    Before we get started, it is our duty, as an online stock broker, to caution you about keeping your capital safe in a volatile market. However, if have advanced knowledge about a volatile market, you can make use of it to drastically improve your profits. That is why we have created a high-end online trading platform with the lowest brokerage for you to maximise your returns from the market.

    Here are five simple yet effective methods to manage a volatile market.

    1. Stick to your financial strategy

    That is the first and most important thing to remember. If you look at the VIX chart over the last several years, you’ll notice that it’s been on a secular downward trend. However, if you look at the interim period, you’ll notice that there have been at least 8-10 occasions when volatility has risen significantly. The main point is to stick to your long-term financial plan. This strategy is geared at your long-term objectives and has some built-in safeguards to deal with market volatility. The systematic investment plan (SIP), for example, is meant to take advantage of market volatility. SIPs are critical to ensuring that the power of compounding works in your favour because they are the foundation of your financial strategy. If you look at the performance of SIPs over the last 9 years, you’ll notice that they’ve outperformed the index because they’ve taken advantage of market volatility.

    2. Focus more on quality and less on risk

    This is in relation to your stock and stock mutual fund holdings. We usually add more mid-caps, small caps, sector funds, thematic funds, and so on when the markets are on a roll. When the markets are turbulent, never take on too much concentration risk. Second, look for stocks that have a history of strong levels of transparency and corporate governance. In a volatile market, they’re your greatest bets. Third, concentrate on high-growth equities, high-margin enterprises, and industry leaders. In times of market volatility, they are the most likely to outperform.

    3. Hedge with derivatives

    Futures and options are seen by many investors as a low-margin alternative to cash market trading. They are, in fact, great risk management tools. These derivative products should be used most effectively in volatile markets. When you’re long on equities in a turbulent market, for example, you can use futures to lock in profits while still benefiting from roll premiums. Second, you can utilise put options to hedge your risk, as well as beta hedging with index futures to lower your portfolio’s risk. If you’re ready to be a little more daring and aggressive, volatility tactics like straddles and strangles can help you take advantage of tumultuous markets. In these uncertain times, you have a lot of options.

    4. Make sure your asset mix is well-balanced

    When markets are volatile, how do you manage your asset mix? During volatile times, certain assets do not exhibit the same level of volatility as equities. When equities indexes are turbulent, for example, debt markets tend to be more stable. As a result, having debt in your portfolio gives stability and the security of a steady stream of income. Gold, on the other hand, usually benefits from macroeconomic volatility. In these turbulent times, increasing your gold exposure through gold ETFs or SGBs can be beneficial. The moral of the storey is to keep your asset mix varied to combat volatility.

    5. If in doubt, don’t do anything.

    Traders typically believe that there are only two trading methods to master: when to buy and when to sell. Actually, there is a third option: doing nothing. It is quite easy to be enticed into the market by the prospect of making money off a volatile market. The general guideline is that if you don’t understand the market’s undertone, you should stay out of it. Staying out at the correct time and doing nothing can be a crucial element of strategy in unpredictable markets.

    As a fast-growing online stock broker, we at Zebu always watch out for our investors and traders. If you choose to execute safe strategies during this volatile time, we back you up with the lowest brokerage possible. To know more about our state-of-the-art online trading platform and its features, please get in touch with us now

  • The Basic Rules Of Position Sizing

    The Basic Rules Of Position Sizing
    Most successful traders, whether they trade the forex, index, equity, or commodities markets, vouch for the relevance of position sizing in their performance.

    And why shouldn’t they? Without proper position sizing strategies, you could be putting a large portion of your trading capital in danger. Finally, the higher the risk you incur in each trade, the more likely it is that your trading account will be closed.

    While it is true that the trade might sometimes provide the much-desired large win, most skilled traders will tell you that it is advisable to limit your position size rather than raise your risk needlessly.

    Before you secure your trades with position sizing rules, ensure that you use the best broker for trading with the lowest brokerage on offer. Zebu empowers your online stock trading journey with a state-of-the-art trading platform as well.

    Let’s take a look at what position sizing is and why it’s so important, as well as the best position sizing tactics you’ll need to learn in order to enhance your trading.

    What exactly is position sizing?

    Setting the correct transaction size to buy or sell a certain instrument, or determining the Rupees amount that a trader will use to start a new trade, is the most basic definition of position sizing.

    It may appear easy, but it can be rather complex. Before you enter a trade, you should understand how much risk you are incurring and how it will affect your trading account.

    Furthermore, traders must regularly review their positions to ensure that everything is under control. Keep in mind that markets move swiftly! Furthermore, traders must keep margin requirements and margin stop out levels in mind.

    What is the significance of position sizing?

    As you can expect, opening positions with arbitrary position sizes or based on gut instinct will result in disaster. Position sizing is concerned with avoiding excessive losses. If you have a good risk management strategy and stick to it, you are unlikely to lose a large amount of your cash on a single trade. It will also provide you with an opportunity to retain your focus on your account as a whole and all your open positions. It is especially common for short-term traders who must react rapidly to new developments to lose oversight and forget how much risk they already have running before opening fresh positions. This is why it is so important: a successful trader is also a good risk manager.

    However, position sizing is about more than just avoiding excessive losses. It also provides you with the opportunity to improve your performance. A risk-averse trader who is only ready to risk a small fraction of his capital must realise that he will never generate significant returns. As you can see, position sizing is all about striking the appropriate balance – allowing yourself to maximise profits while avoiding excessive losses.

    Proper position sizing along with profit-taking tactics can assist traders in developing the optimal strategy for entering and leaving all trades.

    How do you calculate the size of your position?
    Let’s have a look at a handful of popular position sizing approaches you can use to improve your trading and make better use of position size.

    Position sizing strategies that work well

    1. Fixed rupee value

    The simplest method to include position sizing into your trading strategy is to use a fixed Rupees amount. This may be especially useful for those who are new to trading or have a little quantity of capital. All you have to do is set aside a certain amount of money for each trade you make.

    For example, if you have Rs 10,000 in trading capital, you could want to set aside Rs 1,000 for each trade. That is, instead of investing the entire cash into one deal, you can divide it into ten.

    This instantly reduces the amount of risk you take with each trade. It will also aid in the preservation of your capital if the first few deals you make turn out to be losses.

    2. Fixed percentage

    The most often utilised position sizing approach by traders is a fixed percentage risk each trade. On each trade, you put a small portion of your total cash at risk.

    Depending on the financial asset you’re trading — for example, equity, metals, oil, or indices – most successful traders would agree that a 1 – 2 percent per trade risk is a decent starting point.

    If you employ the set % risk per trade strategy with a Rs 10,000 trading capital, you should only risk Rs 100 – Rs 200 per trade.

    The beautiful thing about this method is that it forces you to focus on the percentage risk rather than the monetary value. Then, as your capital rises from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000, your 1% risk every trade rises from Rs 100 to Rs 200. Similarly, if your capital falls, you still risk 1%, but it will be a smaller Rupees amount.

    If you don’t, you’ll quickly discover that the large risks you incur in each trade will quickly deplete your trading cash.

    3. Use of leverage

    While leverage is one of the primary draws for traders to the equity, index, and commodities markets, we all know that leverage can be a double-edged sword. It has the ability to amplify both successes and defeats.

    Many trading platforms give leverage ranging from 3:1, 5:1, 10:1, or even 20:1.

    However, when it comes to leverage, keep in mind that you do not have to employ the utmost level of leverage. Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean you have to take advantage of it.

    It is preferable to utilise less leverage to ensure that you are limiting your risk exposure.

    If you use too much leverage, you increase your chances of experiencing a capital loss or a margin call if a trade goes against you.

    4. Kelly’s Criterion

    Let’s have a look at the Kelly Criterion formula:


    W − [(1-W)/R] = Kelly %


    It computes the percentage of your account you should put at risk (K per cent). It is equal to your trading strategy’s historical win % minus the inverse of the strategy win ratio divided by your profit/loss ratio.

    The proportion you receive from that equation represents the stance you should take. For example, if you get 0.05, you should risk 5% of your capital per trade.

    These are 4 of the very basic position sizing rules and points to keep in mind while trading. In a world where trading is one of the riskiest businesses to be in, following the rules of position sizing can drastically improve your risk management.

    As we mentioned before, we at Zebu offer the lowest brokeragefor trading and, as a result, have emerged at as one of the best brokers for trading. Take your online stock trading to the next level with us – please get in touch with us to know more.

  • The Quick Guide To Index Funds

    An index fund, also known as an index-tied or index-tracked fund, is a mutual fund that mimics an index’s portfolio.

    What is an Index Fund


    Investors think of index funds as an instrument to diversify their portfolio – they simply give the same returns that you might get if indices were purchasable. Since popular indices are not susceptible to rapid movements, index funds are a safe bet for risk-averse investors.They simply ensure a performance that is theoretically similar to the index movements.

    Because index funds are not actively managed, they are less expensive. They will not outperform an index but simply replicate its movements. They help investors diversify and balance the risk in their portfolio.

    How Do They Work?


    If you consider an index fund that mirror’s Nifty 50, it will contain the same stocks as the index and with the same weightage. Index funds are called as passive fund management because they simply monitor the movement of an index. Based on the composition of the underlying index, a fund manager divides your funds with the right weightage for certain stocks. Index funds, unlike actively managed funds, do not have their own team of research experts to find opportunities and pick stocks.

    While an actively managed fund aims to outperform its benchmark, an index fund’s goal is to mirror its index’s performance. Index funds usually produce returns that are similar to the benchmark. However, there will be a marginal difference between the returns of both. This is the tracking error and it is the fund manager’s job to reduce this error as much as possible.

    Who Should Put Their Money in Index Funds?


    As with any investment, you need to first understand your risk tolerance and investment objectives. Index funds are for those who do not want high risk but are also realistic about lower returns. If you do not have a lot of time to monitor the stock markets every year, then this one is for you. You can choose a highly liquid Sensex or Nifty index fund if you want to invest in stocks but don’t want to accept the risks associated with actively managed equity funds. While index funds will give you returns that are comparable to an index’s movements, you need to opt for more actively managed funds if you want to outperform the market.

    What to Consider as an Investor


    As with any investment, one of the first things to consider is the platform that you are going to buy these funds on. With Zebu’s lowest brokerage fees, and our credibility as one of India’s best share market brokers, we guarantee that you will have access to the best trading accounts in the country.

    Risk

    Index funds are less susceptible to equity-related volatility and dangers because they track an index. If you want to make a lot of money in a bull market, index funds are a great place to start. During a market downturn, though, you’ll have to switch to actively managed funds. Because during bear markets, index funds tend to lose value. As a result, having a mix of actively managed funds and index funds in your portfolio is recommended.

    Return

    As we have mentioned before, the returns from index funds will be very similar to index benchmarks as it simply replicates its moves. These funds aren’t trying to outperform the benchmark, but rather to copy it. However, due to tracking issues, the results generated may not be on par with the index. There may be differences in actual index returns. As a result, before investing in an index fund, it is recommended to select funds with the lowest tracking error. The smaller the errors, the better the fund’s performance.

    Investment cost

    Since index funds are passively managed, their expense ratios are much lower than that of actively managed mutual funds. This is because there is no investment strategy from a fund manager – they simply monitor the weightage of stocks in an index and manage that in an index fund. As a result, the expense ratio differs. Any two index funds that track the Nifty will produce similar returns. The expense ratio will be the only change. Because the fund has a reduced expense ratio, it will yield larger returns on investment.

    Time frame

    Individuals with a long-term investment horizon will generally benefit from index funds. Typically, the fund sees a lot of volatility in the short run, but over time, say more than seven years, it averages out to generate returns in the 10% -12% level. Those who invest in index funds must have the patience to wait at least that long. Only then will they be able to appreciate its returns.

    Goals

    Long-term financial goals, such as wealth accumulation or retirement planning, may be best achieved using equity funds. These funds are high-risk, high-return sanctuary and can help you build wealth and possibly retire early. Therefore, if your objective is to earn more than the index benchmark, then index funds might not be the one for you.

    Taxation


    Because index funds are a type of equity fund, they are taxed similarly to other equity fund plans. An index fund’s dividends are added to your overall income and taxed at your marginal tax rate. Index funds are taxed at different rates depending on how long they are held. Short-term capital gains are realised when you redeem your units during a one-year holding period. These profits are taxed at a 15 per cent flat rate. Long-term capital gains are gains realised when you sell your fund units after a one-year holding period. However, if your gains are under Rs 1,00,000 per year, they are tax-free. Any gains in excess of this amount are subject to a 10% tax rate, with no indexation.

    If you choose to go for an index fund, there are several options for you to choose from. A few of them include ICICI prudential NV20 ETF, UTI Sensex ETF and SBI ETF Nifty Next 50. You can explore these options and more with Zebu. Our lowest brokerage fees allow you to purchase the index fund of your choice effortlessly, making yours one of the best trading accounts. As one of India’s leading share market brokers, we will help you make the right decision when it comes to index funds.