This thoroughly updated and expanded book, now in its Second Edition, continues to provide readers with the information and tools they need to understand financial situations and products. The book assumes no prior knowledge of finance and guides users from the very basics to understanding the financial impact of factors such as floating interest rates and advance EMIs.

The aim of this book is to acquaint the reader with the fundamentals of financial analysis. It uses elementary mathematics to analyse both investment and loan options. The text also covers the use of spreadsheets such as Excel to analyse common financial situations. The book contains a large number of detailed examples drawn from the Indian context that explain the concepts step-by-step using tables.

The book will be of immense use as a handy reference for all those who want to learn how to analyse financial situations and products. It should be of equal interest to students, professionals or the interested reader.

New to this edition :

A new chapter on Gold and Commodities.

A completely rewritten chapter on Taxation Fundamentals, which also includes a discussion on the new Direct Taxes Code.

Sections on teaser interest rates and tax effects on real estate investment.

CONTENTS
Preface • Preface to the First Edition
Part 1: THE BASICS
1. Simple Interest
2. Compound Interest
3. Compound Interest with Excel
Part 2: INVESTMENTS
4. Future Value Calculations
5. Future Value Calculations with Excel
6. Present Value Calculations
7. Present Value Calculations with Excel
8. Investment Avenues I: Fixed Income Investments
9. Investment Avenues II: The Stock Market
10. Investment Avenues III: Mutual Funds and Derivatives
11. Taxation Fundamentals
Part 3: LOANS
12. Equated Principal Loans
13. Equated Instalment Loans
14. EMI Loans with Excel
15. Consumer Loans
Part 4: OTHER APPLICATIONS
16. Real Estate Calculations
17. Gold and Commodities
18. Insurance Fundamentals
19. Summing Up
Appendix: Essential Mathematics