Financial Coffee

(Please click on the Newspaper link to read the full article)   INDIAN ECONOMY Riding on petro price hike, States may cut deficit next fiscal Differences on phased launch, central sales tax Budget may Set Aside 12,000 crore for GST Rollout Chaudhuri Panel to Fix IIP Numbers’ Credibility January WPI dips to four-year low of 6.62% INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY Recession-hit Japan economy shrinks again Jobless Claims in U.S. Fell More Than Forecast Last Week Euro-area economy shrinks most since depths of recession US Airways-American Airlines create world’s largest carrier in $11-bn deal New Zealand Manufacturing Expansion Fastest Since May EQUITY MARKET IT sector takes to non-linear growth Power investments have seen huge spurt over past three years Asset quality stress rises for govt banks Hard knocks for India Inc SBI Q3 net profit rises marginally by 4 pc to Rs 3396 crore DEBT MARKET German Yields Fall Most in Two Weeks as Recession Deepens U.S. 10-Year Yields Set for Weekly Gain Before Production Data Libor fallout: RBI takes a re-look at Mibor Call rates little changed on Thursday Bond yields recede after January Inflation cools down to 4 year low Debt Investors can Buy Listed NCDs as Shield against Rate Fall COMMODITIES Gold set to lose further sheen Oil Heads for Ninth Gain in 10 Weeks as Open Interest at Record Gold Bears Braced for U.S. to China Growth Recovery: Commodities  CTT may take a toll on commodities futures  Despite Curbs, Gold may Shine Investors flock to soaring palladium  FOREX Euro Drops to Three-Week Low as Recession Deepens; Krone Slides N.Z. Dollar at 2 1/2-Year High Against Aussie on Sales Pound Falls for Second Day Versus Dollar Before Gilt Sale Yen Maintains 3-Day Gain Before G-20 Officials Meet in Moscow G-20 Head Russia Pushes for Currency Manipulation Stance Rs down 10 paise on renewed $ demand  MUTUAL FUNDS Expect 2013 to deliver positive returns like 2012: Rukhshad Shroff, JPMorgan Asset Management Direct Plans Garner 56% of Total MF Investments in Jan Funds seek open-ended status for RGESS INSURANCE Insurance sector looking for remunerative tax incentives Health insurance firms must settle claims directly with policyholders, rules court Life insurers’ profits to be muted, says Goldman Sachs report  REAL ESTATE Should you buy property now? Housing Boom’s All They Want! ‘Demand for Office Space Picking Up’ OPINION Inflation likely to ease to 6.5% by March-end: Rangarajan State Bank of India: Weak asset quality eats into profits S V Divvaakar: Financial inclusion stumbles on 'last-mile' gap Material underperformance KNOWLEDGE CENTER Tax-savings Bonds are  Best option before Rates Fall Park money in a contingency fund Look beyond Section 80 C for tax-saving instruments Guarding against a weak rupee How the rupee’s movements can wreck your portfolio