Wohoo!! The IPL is going to happen this year!!!
Like the rest of the country, I was deeply concerned at the thought of the IPL being shelved this year. After all the IPL is the single biggest eye ball magnet after Ekta Kapoor came up with 'Kyunki..' It has become a part of my April calendar.
This year the IPL will take place in South Africa. Personally I think its a great opportunity for the tournament to become truly global. Its a forced option, but it can take this league to the next level. The tournament has cemented a bond with the people of India and now it is going to do the same globally.
One may argue that for a resident of Durban it will not be exciting to watch, say, a 'Mumbai Indian' versus 'Kolkata Knight Riders'. I can think of four reasons why someone would pay to watch it.
1 - Its cricket, and South Africans are crazy about the game.
2 - Its got all the top international stars littered in different teams.
3 - A whole host of film stars lend some glamour to the event.
4 - Indians are present in every country. In South Africa there are 1.1 million to assure packed stadiums.
In my view the IPL is too big an event to ignore. It is a Rs 1000cr money spinner. Sharing this pie with another nation, albeit forcefully, is better than foregoing in altogether. An unintended consequence of this would be strengthened cricketing relations between the two nations.
This adversity definitely provides a profitable opportunity.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Political Opportunism
Nothing feels like the joy success, even if it belongs to someone else. Indian politics is all about blatant opportunism and riding on others success. Take the recent example of the Congress using the new national anthem 'Jai Ho' as its campaign song. This post is not a rant on our politicians, its more about how they sense our pulse.
Every Indian was brimming with pride when Rahman picked up his two Oscar. There was a sense of national achievement, albeit half of the people did not know what an Oscar was. The movie struck a chord with the people. The Congress party swiftly connected the dots to capitalize on the popularity. The Congress party on its platform of hope for the aam admi linked itself with the story in the movie of a common man who makes it big. There is a emotional connect in the song and the theme of the Congress party.
On most occasions such political gimmicks have failed miserably, remember the glorious 'India Shining' campaign. The reason for these failures can be attributed to the lack of connection with the average person. Its great that the GDP grows at 9% but how does it translate to his life. If you can make that connection and help the common man relate to your story then your campaign is likely to be successful.
In my humble view, the Congress has pulled a master stroke with the 'Jai Ho' campaign. Time will tell if it translates into votes.
The link to one of the videos - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUZblPEdEd8&feature=related
Every Indian was brimming with pride when Rahman picked up his two Oscar. There was a sense of national achievement, albeit half of the people did not know what an Oscar was. The movie struck a chord with the people. The Congress party swiftly connected the dots to capitalize on the popularity. The Congress party on its platform of hope for the aam admi linked itself with the story in the movie of a common man who makes it big. There is a emotional connect in the song and the theme of the Congress party.
On most occasions such political gimmicks have failed miserably, remember the glorious 'India Shining' campaign. The reason for these failures can be attributed to the lack of connection with the average person. Its great that the GDP grows at 9% but how does it translate to his life. If you can make that connection and help the common man relate to your story then your campaign is likely to be successful.
In my humble view, the Congress has pulled a master stroke with the 'Jai Ho' campaign. Time will tell if it translates into votes.
The link to one of the videos - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUZblPEdEd8&feature=related
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Heir Apparent
I write this post after watching Manchester United beat Inter Milan by two goals last night. The self proclaimed 'special one' was no match for Alex Ferguson's men and tactics.
There has been a lot of talk about who will replace Alex Ferguson when he announces his retirement. I for one am convinced that it will be Jose Mourinho. If you look at the intrinsic quality of the two coaches there are some similarities. Both men deflect the pressure of their teams and take it on to themselves. Both are master tacticians and realize that a football match is not won by the players skill alone. They have a sense of humour but of a different nature. Sir Alex has the amiable British banter, while Jose is more cynical and subtle.
One striking similarity is their attention for detail. In his press conference Jose said he knows everyone at United. He mentioned that spoke to the 'grassman' (groundsman) before the game. It is a reflection on the amount of preparation he puts into each game.
They both have different approaches to the game, but each is a uniquely successful man. I look forward to seeing Mourinho at Old Trafford in the years to come.
There has been a lot of talk about who will replace Alex Ferguson when he announces his retirement. I for one am convinced that it will be Jose Mourinho. If you look at the intrinsic quality of the two coaches there are some similarities. Both men deflect the pressure of their teams and take it on to themselves. Both are master tacticians and realize that a football match is not won by the players skill alone. They have a sense of humour but of a different nature. Sir Alex has the amiable British banter, while Jose is more cynical and subtle.
One striking similarity is their attention for detail. In his press conference Jose said he knows everyone at United. He mentioned that spoke to the 'grassman' (groundsman) before the game. It is a reflection on the amount of preparation he puts into each game.
They both have different approaches to the game, but each is a uniquely successful man. I look forward to seeing Mourinho at Old Trafford in the years to come.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
New Breakfast Trends
Eating out has really caught on in India in the last decade. Visits to restaurants for lunches and dinners are fairly common and occur on a weekly basis. We have imbibed a lot from the west and the most recent addition is 'breakfast at the cafe'.
A typical day for any Indian would begin with a cup of chai and Times of India accompanying his breakfast. Now the breakfast varies depending on which part of the country he is from. Parathas in the north, idlis in the south and poha in the west are the conventional choices (of course there are plenty of options and egg remains the universal choice). The reason I am talking about this, is because there is a new trend of having breakfast at the cafe. McDonalds has launched a new breakfast menu across few cities. Costa coffee and Barista already have the breakfast option.
What this means is that there is a significant number of people willing to have their breakfast outside home every morning. We have moved from traditional fare to cereals and now breakfast on the go. I would attribute this change to the effect of western sitcoms. Its not a question good or bad, these guys have identified a growing trend and are capitalizing on it. It makes the food industry more interesting now.
A typical day for any Indian would begin with a cup of chai and Times of India accompanying his breakfast. Now the breakfast varies depending on which part of the country he is from. Parathas in the north, idlis in the south and poha in the west are the conventional choices (of course there are plenty of options and egg remains the universal choice). The reason I am talking about this, is because there is a new trend of having breakfast at the cafe. McDonalds has launched a new breakfast menu across few cities. Costa coffee and Barista already have the breakfast option.
What this means is that there is a significant number of people willing to have their breakfast outside home every morning. We have moved from traditional fare to cereals and now breakfast on the go. I would attribute this change to the effect of western sitcoms. Its not a question good or bad, these guys have identified a growing trend and are capitalizing on it. It makes the food industry more interesting now.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Now its Gold
Gold the ethereal shiny metal has been in the spotlight of late. We Indians have a fairly complex equation with gold. In the Western world it is viewed just as any other asset.In India it has a lot of symbolic value, parents gift their daughters on their wedding day. Gold remains the most popular gift on Diwali. In essence, gold is not traded frequently and mostly owned in physical form.
There has been a shift in recent years. Securitazion of gold has made it more accessible and to some extent reduced its elusiveness. Gold exchange traded funds (ETF's) allows you to own gold without physically owning it. Gold is now a financial asset which is traded on an exchange along with its derivative products like futures etc..
The real estate bubble burst and the equity markets collapsed in 2008. Oil witnessed a three fold increase in price but has now collapsed to reality. During this entire period gold has been quietly rising. Now when you compare returns across asset classes gold has outperformed. Now a lot of money is chasing gold, the quintessential safe haven.
I am no expert, but I can identify euphoria. The gold rush seems to be reaching the crescendo of madness, what with all the small players wanting a piece of the action. I see the headline of newspaper in the future reading, "Now its gold.....
The graph above is very interesting. The price from 1978-80 went from $200 to $820. The nature of the current incline seems to be following a similar trajectory.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Beach
I walk on the sand, with no one around me,
only my footprints follow me.
I wonder where my destination is,
as I watch the sun come out of its cover.
Illuminating this dark world.
The beach is empty, the waves are my only companions.
I venture into the water, not too deep though.
A wave hits me and I am back on the sand.
The journey is easier here, no challenges, no hardships.
The beach is filled with people now, the sun fully out.
I look behind me and realize that my footprints have disappeared.
Few people head for the water, the rest throng the sands.
I wake up to the fact;
the water is where I should venture.
only my footprints follow me.
I wonder where my destination is,
as I watch the sun come out of its cover.
Illuminating this dark world.
The beach is empty, the waves are my only companions.
I venture into the water, not too deep though.
A wave hits me and I am back on the sand.
The journey is easier here, no challenges, no hardships.
The beach is filled with people now, the sun fully out.
I look behind me and realize that my footprints have disappeared.
Few people head for the water, the rest throng the sands.
I wake up to the fact;
the water is where I should venture.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Anatomy of a Trade
Warren Buffet recently stated that, you only know who was swimming naked when the tide goes out. But some people just enjoy the nudity. I guess it must be fun for some to remain uncovered (pun intended). I for one, prefer to keep my trunks on..
The movement on the ticker entices a trade. The risk capacity dictates the size. The ego maneuvers the time duration. The stop loss is forgotten in the book.
The beta attracts, it titillates and it destroys. The joy in the volatility subsides when the margin calls you. The ride is over, the wallet is empty. Its time to move towards sanity.
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