Insurance: Over 90% policyholders want companies to publish monthly claim settlement numbers on websites
Nearly 93 percent of general policy holders want each insurance company to publish the data of total claims received, rejected and approved. The surveyed policyholders want this data to be published every month on the websites of insurers, revealed LocalCircles survey findings.

Centre may push for 12% GST for health insurance; lower rate seen to widen cover
To make health insurance more affordable and attractive, the Centre may push for a lower GST tax rate to 12%, compared to 18% now, on health insurance premiums up to Rs 30,000.

Accident emergency care to go cashless
 

Health insurance industry exposed! Here’s what policyholders get from insurers against lofty promises, reveals survey
Do health insurers provide what they promise to policyholders? A survey has revealed that nearly 43% of health insurance policyholders have faced difficulties in getting their claims processed over the last three years. These policyholders mentioned challenges such as rejection of claims, partial approvals, and delays in the claim process.

Domestic MFs gain ground, FIIs losing the plot
Stakes of domestic mutual funds(MFs) in listed companies rose to an all-time high of 8.92% on 31 March, up from 8.81% a quarter ago, according to data collated by primeinfobase.com. 

Elections stoke volatility but don't alter market dynamics: Niket Shah
With less than a month remaining until the declaration of results for the 18th Lok Sabha elections, the markets are witnessing a spike in volatility. While the victory for the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party government has largely been factored into market expectations, the uncertainty surrounding the allocation of seats is stirring some apprehension among investors. NIKET SHAH, the newly appointed chief investment officer (CIO) at Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund (MF), suggests that if the ruling coalition fails to secure a substantial majority, it could exacerbate short-term market volatility. Shah, who oversees assets valued at Rs 46,000 crore, shares with Abhishek Kumar via email that valuations remain reasonable, and the potential for higher earnings growth is bolstering the ascent of small and midcap stocks.

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Crowd is right on trends, but wrong on ends: Nimesh Chandan of Bajaj Finserv AMC
"Whenever the crowd is focused on one asset, there is momentum and it becomes a glamour asset. People overvalue it as their expectations are very high. At the same time, there will be some asset or a theme or a sector that is getting underpriced because it's just being ignored by people. It is not exciting for them in the short-term. And that's where you should go fishing," says Nimesh Chandan, chief investment officer of Bajaj Finserv AMC.

FPIs inject Rs 1,156 cr in equity, withdraw `1,727 cr from debt in first two trading sessions in May
New Delhi: Foreign investors have adopted a “wait and watch” stance amidst the ongoing general elections and have infused just Rs 1,156 crore in the first two trading sessions of this month. This came after FPIs dumped equities worth Rs 8,700 crore in April, on concerns over a tweak in India’s tax treaty with Mauritius and a sustained rise in US bond yields. Before that, FPIs made a net investment of Rs 35,098 crore in March and Rs 1,539 crore in February.

In the two days of trading in May, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have invested Rs 1,156 crore in equity and sold Rs 1,727 crore in debt, data with the depositories

Index funds: Rules of construction
In an index fund portfolio, the index applies two to three rules to a pre-defined universe for stock selection and weight allocation. In an active portfolio, the basis of fund manager’s decisions is the ground-up criteria. It may be different for different stocks. Just like an investor would want to diversify amongst two funds —basically judgement of two fund managers, it could be a good idea to diversify amongst active investing and passive investing approaches.

'Any tax hike on equities may dampen investor sentiment'
Samir Arora, the founder and fund manager of Helios Capital, expects the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to secure a comfortable majority, and present a market-friendly budget focused on economic reforms in its next term. “So, we continue to be bullish," he said in an interview. However, in the event of any political surprise, the markets will witness a significant downturn, requiring a substantial amount of time to bounce back. Additionally, any tax hike on equities, at the very least, will result in an equivalent and opposite price reaction, which would overshadow any other positives, Arora added.

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