Russia–Ukraine Peace Talks: What Indian Investors Should Watch Right Now

The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) in Madhya Pradesh will issue green bonds as a public issue on February 10 to raise funds for building a solar power plant. This will be a first of its kind in India.

The green bond issue will open on February 10 and close on February 14. the bond is expected to list on the National Stock Exchange after February 22.

What is a Green Bond?

A green bond is a type of debt security that a company issues to finance or refinance projects that have a beneficial impact on the environment and the climate. A climate bond is another name for a green bond.

About IMC

The chief municipal corporation for the city of Indore is the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC). The Commissioner (Nagar Aayukt) of the Issuer is Smt. Pratibha Pal, an IAS, and the Mayor are Shri Pushyamitra Bhargav. IMC is secured under the AMRUT Scheme of the Indian Government. Additionally, Indore Municipal Corporation owns 50% of Indore Smart City Development Limited (ISCDL), a Special Purpose Vehicle established under the Companies Act of 2013 to carry out Indore Municipal Corporation's Smart City Mission plan to build a smart city (SCM). ISCDL has contributed to the successful execution of a number of projects.

IMC Green Bond Details

According to DRHP, the corporation would issue four individually transferable and redeemable principal parts non-convertible debentures (NCDs) with a face value of Rs 1,000 each (STRPP). Each NCD of Rs 1,000 will include one STRPP A, one STRPP B, one STRPP C, and one STRPP D, each with a face value of Rs 250. The duration of STRPP A is 3 years, STRPP B is 5, STRPP C is 7, and STRPP D is 9 years.

The green bond issue would need a minimum application size of Rs 10,000 (or 10 NCDs), with subsequent applications coming in multiples of Rs 1,000.

India Ratings & Research gave the proposed green bonds an AA+ rating with a stable outlook. Care Ratings has given the issue an AA rating with a stable outlook, nonetheless.

According to the Income Tax Act of 1961, NCD holders are not entitled to any special tax benefits. If the NCD is held for less than 12 months the holder must pay short-term capital gains on interest income or for more than 12 months, the holder must pay long-term capital gains on interest income.

The book-running lead managers for the issue are AK Capital Services Limited, SBI Capital Markets Limited, and Vistra ITCL (India) Limited, while KFin Technologies is the registrar.

Objective

According to the source, the civic corporation of the nation's cleanest city hopes to raise at least Rs 245 crore through green bonds that will be utilized to build a 60 MW solar power at the villages of Samraj and Ashukhedi in the Madhya Pradesh district of Khargone and the electricity from it will be used to pump water to Indore from the Narmada river in Jalud village, which is located in the nearby Khargone district and is around 80 km distant.

The official projected that Rs 300 crore will be needed to build up the solar power facility.

A solar power plant building tender has already been announced, and once it is approved, construction will take two years, the municipality will save Rs 25 crore per month after the projected solar power facility at Jaludis constructed.

Financials of IMC Bond

The corporation's revenue income for the financial year 2021–2022 was Rs 1,739.95 crore as compared to Rs 1,508.10 crore in the same time the previous year.

While the corporation expenditure was Rs 1,107.88 crore in FY22, excluding interest and depreciation.

The total debt in 2021–22 was Rs 579.43 crore, down from Rs 648.45 crore in the same time the previous year.

Return & Ratings

The Green Bonds Issue offers an effective return of 8.42% annually and a coupon rate of 8.25% p.a. payable every six months. the NCDs are intended to be listed on both NSE and BSE. CARE Ratings Limited and India Ratings & Research Private Limited have rated the Green Bonds as "CARE AA: Stable" and "IND AA+/Stable," respectively.

To Invest in IMC green Bond Issue with the Swastika app or visit the link or apply through the Indore 311 App.

When it comes to saving taxes and growing your wealth at the same time, ELSS (Equity Linked Savings Scheme) stands out as a popular option. It’s one of the most beginner-friendly investment choices, especially for those new to the stock market or looking for tax-saving opportunities. In this simple guide, we’ll explain what ELSS is, how it works, its benefits, and things to keep in mind before investing.

What is ELSS?

An Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS) is a type of mutual fund that invests primarily in stocks (equity) and comes with the added benefit of tax savings. By investing in ELSS, you can claim deductions of up to ₹1.5 lakh under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. This makes ELSS a great choice for those looking to reduce their taxable income while potentially earning higher returns.

How Does ELSS Work?

When you invest in an ELSS, your money is pooled with funds from other investors and managed by a professional fund manager. The fund manager invests this money in a diversified portfolio of stocks across different sectors, aiming to generate long-term capital growth.

Here’s a quick overview of how ELSS works:

• Lock-in Period: ELSS has a lock-in period of 3 years, meaning you cannot withdraw your money before this period. This is one of the shortest lock-in periods compared to other tax-saving options like Public Provident Fund (PPF) or National Savings Certificate (NSC), which have longer durations.
• Growth and Dividend Options: ELSS offers two choices – growth and dividend. In the growth option, you receive returns only at the time of redemption (after 3 years or more), while in the dividend option, you may get periodic payouts whenever the fund declares dividends.
• Risk and Returns: Since ELSS invests in equities, the returns are market-linked. This means they can fluctuate based on stock market performance, but historically, ELSS funds have offered better returns than traditional tax-saving instruments like fixed deposits.

Benefits of Investing in ELSS

1. Tax Savings: As mentioned earlier, you can save up to ₹1.5 lakh in taxes by investing in ELSS under Section 80C. This makes it a great option for anyone looking to reduce their tax liability.
2. Short Lock-in Period: ELSS has a relatively short lock-in period of 3 years, which is much shorter than other tax-saving options like PPF (15 years) or NSC (5 years). After the lock-in, you can choose to continue the investment or redeem it.
3. Potential for High Returns: Since ELSS invests in stocks, it offers the potential for higher returns compared to fixed-income tax-saving options. However, the returns are subject to market risks.
4. Diversification: By investing in a range of companies across various sectors, ELSS helps reduce risk while taking advantage of different growth opportunities in the stock market.
5. Systematic Investment Plan (SIP): ELSS allows you to invest through SIP, which means you can start investing with as little as ₹500 per month. SIPs help you invest in a disciplined manner and reduce the impact of market volatility by averaging out your purchase cost over time.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Investing

1. Market Risk: Since ELSS invests in equities, the returns can be volatile and fluctuate based on the stock market's performance. It's essential to have a long-term investment horizon to ride out short-term market movements.
2. 3-Year Lock-In: While the lock-in period is relatively short compared to other tax-saving options, it's important to remember that you cannot withdraw your money before 3 years.
3. Choose the Right Fund: There are many ELSS funds in the market, each with different performance records. It's important to choose a fund with a good track record and consistent returns over time. Consider consulting a financial advisor or doing your own research before investing.
4. Tax on Gains: While you can save taxes when investing in ELSS, the gains are subject to Long Term Capital Gains (LTCG) tax. Currently, gains above ₹1 lakh are taxed at 10% without the benefit of indexation.

Conclusion

ELSS is a great option for beginners who want to save taxes and earn potentially higher returns by investing in equities. With its short lock-in period, tax benefits, and growth potential, it stands out as one of the best tax-saving investments. However, it’s important to understand the risks involved and have a long-term perspective. Whether you’re investing through a lump sum or SIP, ELSS can be a smart addition to your financial portfolio.

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Should the Indian Stock Market Timing be Extended to 5 PM?

The Indian stock market timing is currently set at 3:30 pm, but there is talk of extending it to 5 pm. The move is being considered for a variety of reasons. One of the primary reasons is to align India's market timings with that of other major global markets, which will enable traders to calculate all their losses at once. Another reason is to increase liquidity and trading volumes. Longer trading hours provide more opportunities to transact, which can lead to more trading volumes. Additionally, the longer time frame can also help traders manage overnight market risk more effectively, which can attract more market participants eventually.

However, it is important to note that the volume in the market is concentrated towards the first and last hour. Despite the extension of trading hours by an hour in 2010, there has been a negligible effect on volume growth in the markets. Furthermore, India has lost a chunk of its trading volume to Singapore and Dubai due to taxes and risk hedging, and not due to trading hours.

The extension of trading hours can also help in hedging the risk in domestic markets, but it may not be beneficial for active retail F&O traders in the long term. Tracking P&L for long hours can be stressful and may affect their mental health. Additionally, active traders do not make money primarily due to over-trading, and longer hours may accentuate this problem.

While the move could boost revenues for the capital markets business in the short term, it may lead to lower participation and liquidity in the long run, which will affect everyone. Therefore, it is important to consider all the factors before extending the trading hours.

Below are the Stock Market Timings All over the World

• United States: The two major US stock exchanges (NYSE and NASDAQ) are open. From Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
• Canada: the Toronto Stock Exchange is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., similar to Eastern Time.
• China's Shanghai Stock Exchange is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time. For lunch, it closes between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
• The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is located in Hong Kong and is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. It is closed from 12:00 am to 1:00 pm for lunch.
• Japan: The Tokyo Stock Exchange is open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm local time, however, it is closed from 11:30 pm to 12:30 pm for lunch.
• India: The Bombay Stock Exchange opens from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time.
• Europe: The London Stock Exchange opens in the United Kingdom from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time (GMT).
• Germany: The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• France: The hours of operation for Euronext Paris are  9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
• Switzerland: Local time for the Swiss Exchange is 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Australia: Local time for the Australian Securities Exchange is 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

कीमती धातुओं के भाव  में पिछले सप्ताह गिरावट तेज़ हो गई हालांकि अमेरिकी बेरोज़गारी के दावों और बेरोज़गारी दर बढ़ोतरी के साथ क्रिप्टो करेंसी बिटकॉइन में 8 प्रतिशत की गिरावट होने से कीमती धातुओं की कीमतों में कुछ सुधार देखने को मिला। अमेरिका की एस वी बैंक के दिवालिया होने की खबरों से शेयर बाजार में बिकवाली का दबाव रहा जिससे कीमती धातुओं के भाव को निचले स्तरों पर सपोर्ट मिला। फेड चेयर जेरोम पॉवेल के हॉकिश संकेतों से कीमती धातुओं में दबाव बना, पॉवेल ने सचेत किया है कि बढ़ती मुद्रास्फीति और रोज़गार बाजार में लचीलेपन से उम्मीद से ज्यादा ब्याज दरे बढ़ाने की सम्भवना है। हालांकि मार्च महीने में होने वाली फेड की बैठक को लेकर पॉवेल ने किसी योजना से इंकार किया है, और आगे ब्याज दर बढ़ोतरी और ब्याज दर बढ़ोतरी की गति को आर्थिक आकड़ो के प्रदर्शन पर निर्भर होना बताया है। पिछले सप्ताह अमेरिका के साप्ताहिक बेरोज़गारी के दावों में बढ़ोतरी दर्ज की गई है, लेकिन जोल्ट्स जॉब ओपनिंग और एडीपी नॉन फार्म एम्प्लॉयमेंट चेंज के आंकड़े अनुमान से बेहतर दर्ज किये गए है। डॉलर, जो सोने के विपरीत दिशा में चलता है, इस सप्ताह तीन महीने के उच्च स्तर पर पहुंच गया, जबकि बेंचमार्क अमेरिकी ट्रेजरी यील्ड भी तेजी से बढ़ी क्योंकि निवेशकों ने निकट अवधि में फेड द्वारा अधिक आक्रामक ब्याज दर बढ़ोतरी की उम्मीद में डॉलर की और रुख किया है। हालांकि, पिछले सप्ताह अमेरिका से जारी नॉन फार्म एम्प्लॉयमेंट चेंज के आंकड़े अनुमान से बेहतर रहे, लेकिन बेरोज़गारी दर में बढ़ोतरी और प्रति घंटे की औसत आय में कमी, फेड को मौद्रिक नीति पर नरमी के लिए बाध्य कर सकता है।

इस सप्ताह अमेरिका के मुद्रास्फीति, रिटेल सेल्स, पीपीआई, कंस्यूमर सेंटीमेंट और यूरोपियन सेंट्रल बैंक की मौद्रिक नीति कीमती धातुओं के लिए महत्वपूर्ण रहेगी।

तकनिकी विश्लेषण:

इस सप्ताह कीमती धातुओं में दबाव रहने की सम्भावना है। सोने में सपोर्ट 55000 रुपये पर है और रेजिस्टेंस 56400 रुपये पर है। चांदी में सपोर्ट 61500 रुपये पर है और रेजिस्टेंस 65000 रुपये पर है।

With its high salary and stable jobs, the technology sector is frequently regarded as one of the most profitable and secure industries in the world. This illusion has been dispelled for many employees, however, by the current trend of tech layoffs. Numerous IT firms announced significant layoffs in 2023, leaving thousands of employees scrambling to find their next position. This article will describe how tech layoffs are now happening in 2023 and offer advice on how employees may deal with layoffs and look for new opportunities.

The global recession is one of the main causes of the present trend of IT layoffs. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly slowed down the world economy, which has resulted in a decline in the demand for technological products and services. In an effort to reduce costs, several businesses that are struggling to preserve their profitability have turned to layoffs. In addition, the rapid rate of technological advancement has led to the automation of many jobs, which has rendered them redundant and left employees without work.

The impact of tech layoffs is far-reaching, affecting not just the employees who lose their jobs, but also their families and the local communities in which they live. While the employees may receive some financial support in the form of severance packages or unemployment benefits, they still face the stress of finding a new job in an uncertain job market.

What can employees do to deal with layoffs in the IT industry and discover new opportunities? Here are some suggestions:

1. Stay Positive: Losing a job can be a traumatic experience, and it is important to stay positive and maintain a healthy outlook. Focus on the skills and experience you have gained and look for new opportunities to utilize them.
2. Network: Your network is your biggest asset when looking for a new job. Reach out to your friends, family, and former colleagues for support and let them know that you are looking for work. Attend industry events and join professional organizations to expand your network and make new connections.
3. Update your resume: Your resume is your personal marketing tool, and it is important to keep it up-to-date. Highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments, and tailor your resume to the job you are applying for.
4. Explore new opportunities: The current job market may not be as favorable as it once was, but there are still many opportunities available. Consider exploring new industries or roles that you may not have considered before. You may be surprised at what you find.
5. Stay current: The technology industry is constantly evolving, and it is important to stay current with the latest developments. Attend training and educational programs, read industry publications, and stay updated on the latest technologies.

Conclusion

IT layoffs are a reality in today's market, and they can be challenging to manage. You may improve your chances of landing a new job by staying positive, networking, updating your resume, exploring new opportunities, and staying current. Just keep in mind that your talents and experience will help you thrive in your future position and that your layoff is not an indication of your ability level.

Any organization must prioritize recruitment since it affects both the talent pool and the business's ability to develop. But finding the proper candidates is frequently difficult for the HR department. Let's examine some of these difficulties and how to get beyond them.

Finding Candidates with the Right Skills -

The search for people with the necessary skills and qualifications is one of HR's biggest challenges. To find the best applicants, HR might use pre-employment evaluations and competency testing. Additionally, they can work with educational institutions to find suitable applicants and offer training courses to help current employees improve their abilities.

Ghosting-

which occurs when an applicant abruptly ceases responding to communications from a potential employer, is a regular problem that HR must deal with. This delays the hiring process because HR must locate a substitute. Finding and hiring a new employee can be expensive, especially if the hiring process is starting from scratch. Ghosting can lead to the loss of potentially excellent applicants who might have been a good fit for the business.

Time and Cost -

The recruitment process can be time-consuming and expensive.

Solution: Automation of the recruitment process can reduce the time and cost involved. By using online job portals, resume databases, and applicant tracking systems, HR can streamline the recruitment process.

Retaining Top Talent -

Once the right candidates are recruited, retaining them is another challenge faced by HR. To retain top talent, HR can offer competitive salary packages, flexible work arrangements, and opportunities for professional growth.

Diversity and Inclusion -

Another challenge faced by HR is ensuring diversity and inclusion in the recruitment process. HR can implement diversity and inclusion policies and conduct bias training for all employees involved in the recruitment process. They can also use blind resume screening to eliminate unconscious bias. In conclusion, recruitment is a challenging process for HR departments, but with the right solutions, it can be made smoother and more effective. Automation, collaboration with educational institutions, implementing diversity and inclusion policies, and offering attractive employment packages can help HR overcome the challenges of recruitment and bring in top talent.