Economy and Markets

~ Akshay ~ Leave a comment

The last few weeks have been very tumultuous for everyone. The global market melt down has affected almost everyone in same way or the other. The collapse of major financial institutions has caused a worry in the market as to who is safe? It seems like all industries have been effected by this. Two days ago, Europe officially admitted that st it is under recession and so did Japan. US, we already know is under recession but they wont accept it. The global oil prices, have also fallen down. In India, we see the sensex has crashed, the rupee is struggling, construction industry is bust, and credit is not easily available in the market.

I think for long term investors this is the perfect time to invest. For people who have savings, this is the best time since there is a lot of panic and fear in the market. Also the prices for the housing market will come back to earth in the next few months and it will be a very good time to get a house. The basic principle of the market economy is supply and demand. Currently there is abundant supply and the demand is very few and this is going to bring down the prices, since the inventory has to be cleared. If this does not happen, there wont be new products launched.

I dont know what I am trying to say here and why I am dishing out all this “gyaan”. I guess in someways I am myself affected by this market crash. Some of my investments have lost 40% of their value and I am not sure if I will ever regain the lost value. Only time will tell. But I truly wish I had some money on hand because now is the best time to invest and reap profits for the future.

Phone: Lost and Found

~ Akshay ~ 6 Comments

Yeah. I know I know. I am posting after quite a long time (15 days since last post). To be honest, too many things have happened in my life since I last posted. I will write about them soon. I promise.

A couple of days ago, I was waiting at the Mumbai Central station waiting to catch the train back home. A Virar train had just entered into the station and after the mad scramble to get in the train got over, the train started moving. As the ladies compartment neared, a girl standing on the footboard lost her grip on her cell phone and it dropped on the station, sliding and landing right near my feet. A few onlookers were looking as I picked up the phone and I didn’t know what I should do with it. The phone was Samsung and must have cost around 5-7K. A couple of fellow passengers suggested I give the phone to local police men who are nowadays found on every platform. I decided to hand it over to the cops.

While walking with the phone one part of me really didnt want to return the phone, since I had lost a couple of phones and they had never been returned. I was like it is payback time. While thinking about this, I also realized how sad I had felt when I lost my phones and how this person might be feeling. What she must be going through, the nervousness, the fear and the hope that someone might return the phone back to her. I decided to do the right thing and decided to hand over the phone to her. I called a couple of people from her contact list and gave them my details, so they could get in touch with her and she could retrieve her phone.

After waiting for her to call on her cell for about 15 mins, I decided to board the train and head home. So when I had just boarded, her brother called and in a very accusatory tone asked me “This phone is with you”. At that very moment I felt like throwing the phone from the window. Bugger, here I am trying to return your sisters lost phone and you are accusing me of stealing the phone. I asked him to collect the phone from Borivali since I have already boarded the train and have no intentions to get down and make my journey more uncomfortable. After speaking with her brother, the owner of the cell phone called and said she was at Bandra and would appreciate it if I can get down and hand it over to her there. I agreed after much deliberation.

I got down at Bandra and located her and gave her the phone. It turns out she was working for Lufthansa Airlines ground crew. The relief and joy on her face was quite watchable. She thanked me and I moved on. The funny part was even after losing her phone once, she decided to travel on the footboard of the train, the way she lost it initially. I just looked up.. sighed and boarded a very crowded train to home.

Moral of the story: Nice guys always get crushed.

The Politicization of Rahul Raj Singh

~ Akshay ~ 3 Comments

I am just amazed to see the reaction of the people and politicians in the newspaper articles, news channels and other forums where most of them are saying the boy was innocent. How can they say this, even after he shot a passenger in his thigh and tried to strangulate the conductor of the bus. The worst part is most of them are saying that the encounter is fake or cops should have somehow overpowered him. I dont know how this would have been possible. Here is a person with a live weapon and firing randomly, what is the police supposed to do? Approach him and be like pls lay down your weapon, wait for him to shoot/ kill a cop or wait for him to shoot more people. I believe the Mumbai police did the right thing. Instead of criticizing the police, they should be thankful to them that no innocent lives were lost. I dont consider the dead boy an innocent person since he had already committed a crime by shooting one person, trying to strangulate another one and hijacking the bus. The politicians from Bihar, North India should stop politicizing such issues and rub salt to the wounds of the family members of Rahul Raj.

Inflation hits home

~ Akshay ~ 3 Comments

The prices of quite a few commodities have risen up in the last few days just when the overall inflation is coming down. Yesterday, when I Natural’s Ice Cream parlor a half kg tub of ice cream cost me Rs. 150, when a few weeks ago the same tub would have cost me Rs. 140. Today, I went down to get lunch in the afternoon and guess what the prices have risen at the Bollywood cafe, outside Big Bazaar at Phoenix Mills. The grill sandwich was costing 50 bucks now costs Rs. 60, a 500 ml Pepsi/ Coke which would have cost me Rs. 20 a couple of weeks ago now costs me Rs. 24. Clearly the prices have risen and has hurting me. I wonder where shall I go to eat the next time I am at my Lower Parel office.

Interesting Monday

~ Akshay ~ 3 Comments

I have been itching to write this post since Monday morning, but I just havent had the time to sit and write it. This past Monday wasn’t like all other Mondays. In fact when I woke up in the morning, I could somehow feel it was going to be different. May be anticipation of the coming holidays made me feel that way or something else, I dont know. So I left my house a little later than usual in the morning and was thinking if I should take the bus or the train. Since I was traveling to Chembur that day, I didn’t really want to change two trains and get there. I thought since it is almost a holiday, I might as well take the bus to Kurla and then hop onto the train.

I waited at the bus stop for like 20 mins and every minute while I waited there, I felt like “I should have taken the train, may be I will catch the 8:20 AM local, if I leave now.” Finally the bus arrived and luckily it wasn’t so crowded. I got a seat and was thinking the wait was worth it. As anticipated, there wasn’t much traffic on the WE highway and I was at Bail Bazaar on Andheri-Kurla Road around 9:30-9:35am. Then the bus came to a standstill. Since I had traveled on this road before, I knew the traffic gets really bad here. After 5-10 mins the bus was still not moving, the traffic from the opposite direction had also stopped, as in there were no vehicles going. Also in the mean time, a steady stream of people were heading in just one direction emphasizing that something was going on ahead. I decided to sit in the bus and wait out whatever was going on, but then I saw people who were standing ahead running helter-skelter. I was like this does not look good. I decided to step down from the bus, in case the mob turns angry and decides to break the bus.

I started walking in direction where all action was taking place. On reaching there, I saw a double decker BEST bus standing in the middle of the road, it looked empty to me. There was a police van standing near it and a lot of cops standing around the bus. Behind the cops, there were people, who had formed a circle. I tried to go on the other side of the circle, but the people and then the cops wont allow me to. I asked some folks as to what was going on, they couldn’t provide me with a clear answer. Just then I heard a couple of shots being fired. I thought it was must be some Diwali cracker, but I saw people running and definitely realized it was a shot. I decided to get away from there, since I didn’t want to get crushed in a stampede which could have occurred. I moved into a small lane and started asking for directions to get to Kurla. After walking for about 45 mins and asking at least half dozen people + 2 cops for directions, I finally reached the Kurla station only to realize that the trains were running 20-25 mins late. Kurla station was a sea of humanity. I decided to skip the first train that arrived and boarded the next one with some ease. After about 3 hours since I had left home, I managed to reach office.

For what happened at the Double Decker bus click here.

Happy Diwali

~ Akshay ~ 1 Comment

‘Thamasoma Jyothirgamaya’ (lead me from darkness to light). There is no room for Thamas (darkness) in the presence of Jyothi (light). The lamp of wisdom dispels the darkness of ignorance.

Let this Diwali bring the light of hope, wisdom and happiness to dispel the gloom around us. Wishing you all A Very Happy Diwali and A Prosperous New Year.

Yeh tumhari meri baatein

~ Akshay ~ 2 Comments

Yeh Tumhari Meri Baathein, Hamesha Yuhin… Chalti Rahe..
Yeh Hamari Mulakate, Hamesha Yuhin… Chalti Rahe..
Beete Yuhin Apne Saare Din Raaat
Baaton Se Nikalti Rahe Nayi Baaat

Phir Wahin Baathein Leke Geet Koi… Hum Likhe..
Jo Dil Ko Haan Sab Ke Dil Ko.. Chu Le..
Baathein Suron Mein Yuhin Pighalti Rahen..
Baathein Geeton Mein Yuhin Dalti Rahen..

Oooo..Na Na Na Na Na Na…Oooo

Geeton Mein Haan Humko.. Khusiyon Se Haan Saja De
Jo Sune Gaaye Woh Hum Se Gaaoon Na

Yeh Tumhari Meri Baathein, Hamesha Yuhin… Chalti Rahe..
Yeh Hamari Mulakate, Hamesha Yuhin… Chalti Rahe..

Beete Yuhin Apne Saare Din Raaat
Baaton Se Nikalti Rahe Nayi Baaat
Phir Wahin Baathein Leke Geet Koi… Hum Likhe..
Jo Dil Ko Haan Sab Ke Dil Ko.. Chu Le..
Baathein Suron Mein Yuhin Pighalti Rahen..
Baathein Geeton Mein Yuhin Dalti Rahen..

I like this song.. been listening to it since over an hour now..

Tired

~ Akshay ~ Leave a comment

Exhausted is the correct word.. I would like to say.. I am dead tired. Been commuting every day in the past week from Vikhroli to Borivali, getting up early, around 6:30am, commuting an hour and half and leaving work late, around 7pm and again commuting for another couple of hours.. All I can say right now is I need some break. Reminds me of the Queen song, I want to break free.