The beginning

Bombay Stock Exchange is just opened for trading. Though, as I write my notes, the market is in green, as always there are contradictory opinions as to how the markets would move today, and in days and weeks ahead. Some say it would move up while the most say it will remain volatile. My brother feels Sensex would dip down to level of 10k in another 6 months as he feels there is more to come on subprime lending and yen carry trade. Hearing his predictions, next morning I exited the stock market liquidating all my modest mutual fund investments. A typical novice investor reaction! This was almost a fortnight ago. And now some of the market experts feel that Indian markets wouldn't be as badly hit as it is made out to be. On investments and especially on the stock markets front, like most of the rookie investors, I am a pathetic timer. I sell when I should be buying and I buy when I should be selling. So whats new?

I am confused. An engineering graduate, I have done my masters in finance. Wannabe investment banker on the campus, I landed into management consulting and now I work in Information Technology. Twice I had an opportunity to course correct my career. Once when in school, my career counsellor advised me to opt for career in commerce rather than engineering. And second time, on the campus when I opted for a management consulting firm rather than investment bank. On both occasions, I followed my mind rather than heart. But now I have decided to be economist and the economist will I be!

PS: BTW, the makret's just down by 66 points!!!!!