Financial Coffee

(Please click on the Newspaper link to read the full article)   INDIAN ECONOMY Manufacturers Seek Simpler Tax Policies Row over broking licence for banks Foreign Banks Asked to Agree to Set up Cos EPFO to pay 8.5% interest on deposits for FY13 S&P sees GDP inching up to 6.4% next fiscal Economists want higher taxes, lower deficit India Inc to FM: Forget nuts & bolts, focus on the big picture Govt again fails to find takers for 1,800-MHz spectrum  INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY European Cos Stockpile $475 B as Outlook Dims China Manufacturing Crawls in Feb, Sparks Doubts Over Recovery Local Areas Set for Cuts as Overall U.S. Impact Muted: Economy Bernanke’s Stimulus Spurring U.S. Employment in Housing Spending Cuts to Start Friday in U.S. Without Compromise China ratings firm warns of global 'currency crisis' White House pushing tax hikes, spending cuts to avoid sequester EQUITY MARKET Bloodbath in Mid-cap Club as Margin Call Buzz Hits St IT Cos Must Step Up Japan Focus to Cross Next $100-b Mark VCs Put the Brakes on Accelerators Govt Leaves KFA with No Hope of Flying Again Mid-cap carnage: Here’s why Eros, Orbit, Welspun & others crashed Sensex ends flat; midcaps, rail stocks under pressure DEBT MARKET U.S. 10-Year Yield Falls to One-Month Low on Italy’s Elections Argentina Bets on Skeptical U.S. Judges to Avoid Crisis U.K. Downgrade Meaningless With Bondholders Indifferent Japan 5-Year Note Yield Falls to Record on BOJ Easing Prospects Italian Bonds Decline as Polls Indicate Hung Parliament Bond yields tread water ahead of Budget  COMMODITIES Gold Bets Cut by Most Since 2007 as Sugar Bears Grow Gold Advances in New York on Purchases by Central Banks Oil Rises on German Business Confidence  FOREX Rupee gains most in three weeks Canada Dollar Falls for Seventh Day as Risk Demand Wanes Euro Declines to Six-Week Low Amid Italian Election Concern Pound Slides , After Downgrade; Gilts Gain   MUTUAL FUNDS When should you exit a scheme? Amfi defends 6% commission for RGESS agents Multi-cap funds work for small portfolios ‘Pick quality liquid assets’ INSURANCE Definition of 46 health insurance terms standardised Insurers must settle claim for stolen vehicles REAL ESTATE H.K. Weekend Property Sales Fall on Doubled Stamp Duty Omaxe sales bookings up 34% at Rs 1574 cr during Apr-Dec FY'13 NHB Residex shows increase in home prices across 18 cities Real estate growth to continue on city fringes  OPINION Get Innovative on Housing Don't assume a recovery Tough banking licence norms may keep many aspirants out Daniel Gros: Austerity and small economies Earnings slope, valuation expansion can take Nifty to 7,000: Timothy Moe, Goldman Sachs KNOWLEDGE CENTER Gain from asset allocation Decoding Budget Lingo Avoid Trading, Stick to Quality Large-cap Stocks till Budget Guarding against a weak rupee How the rupee’s movements can wreck your portfolio