The Hindu Business Line : `Discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast'

Woken up suddenly by earth shakes that rumbled through Asian coasts, and also news of deadly tsunami, Khan wobbled to his PC for market chat with Sridevi, Jogin and Dakshinamoorthy. Be firm!

Kay: Hey, all of you safe? Bull run seems to go into the

New Year!

Sri: Survived, yes, but I'm afraid of aftershocks, watching

met charts!

Jog: Chart indicators suggest positive near-term trend.

Pun intended.

Dax: Watch Reliance. Board meets today. I'll decide

after that.

Jog: What could be RIL buy-back price? I expect the stock

to open firm.

Sri: VSNL negative; flouting WTO norms, says a US

telecom body!

Dax: Amara Raja and Exide look weak, as anti-dumping

duty on lead-acid batteries may go off.

Kay: Jan 1 means new patent

regime and dismantling of

textile quotas. So, there can be

symbolic buying in some stocks

of these sectors in the home

stretch till the deadline. JMO.

Jog: Pioneer Embroideries

promoters sold their stake last

week. Stock is in strong hands!

Kay: So liquidity likely.

Institutional investors may also

take stake.

Sri: Retail focus under Hakoba

brand can help in re-rating of the stock. I like stitching,

you know!

Dax: Sri, you should stitch up Jog's trap before he spins

some story! :-)

Jog: Arun Bajoria resigned from Indian Jute Mills

Association or IJMA, theatrically, they say.

Dax: Any plan to evade IJMA wage agreement with West

Bengal government and jute mill unions?

Kay: I too heard he's busy cornering shares waiting for a

bull run in jute shares! Jhoot ya sach?

Dax: Trent stock has remained under-performer vis-à-vis

Pantaloon Retail. Rise possible, I guess.

Sri: In pharma, Ankur Drugs was in action. My

prescription: Take position for good returns!

Kay: BF Utilities stock has gone up fast. Too windy, so

bring down your sail, and exit the stock.

Jog: Tata Chemicals should see action. Tata's bought

shares from Hindustan Lever last week.

Dax: Soda ash and fertiliser sector in demand, so the

stock can give good returns from these levels.

Sri: Power stocks NTPC is a good selection for the

medium term. Do you see the lights!

Jog: Moonlight? But I'm having Maruti in sight. Price hike

in Jan, and stock may touch Rs 500!

Sri: Abhishek Industries at Rs 36 can be a good

investment. Why not Raymonds?

Kay: Wear helmet, fasten seatbelt, drive slow, or simply

park the vehicle and switch off.

Dax: Too much caution, Kay? Then, how do we ever make

money?

Sri: Follow Konrad Lorenz's suggestion: "It is a good

morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet

hypothesis every day before breakfast." Or, at least

before lunch! LOL

Dax: "If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your

style," said Quentin Crisp, not me!

Jog: But I want to believe in Nifty and Sensex gearing for

newer heights. Up... Up...

Kay: Up and up! Are you talking of aftershocks and

waves? Let me run for cover!

* * * * *

Lee, with inputs from Vir, Nat, Ray, Mad and Sve.

Send in your views to: Chat@TheHindu.co.in.