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Absconding Former TMC MLA Saokat Molla Arrested By NIA In Bhangar Blast Case

One person was killed, and three others sustained critical injuries in a crude bomb explosion in South 24 Parganas district on March 19.

Lalit Modi makes 8 bombshell claims: On Dawood, PM Modi, IPL and more

Lalit Modi claims Dawood's network targeted him, attacks Rahul Gandhi, revisits IPL controversies and speaks on PM Modi in a wide-ranging interview.

Delhi Mayor's Office Receives Bomb Threat, Declared Hoax

Further investigation is underway to trace the sender.

RSS chief says ‘India’s time has come’, calls for stronger societal preparedness

Noting that powerful nations act arbitrarily, invading, bombing, disrupting the world’s oil supply, RSS chief says India should be seen as a country that will instead move forward by taking everyone along

Rajeev Thakkar on when to hold, when to exit, and why most get it wrong

For most investors, the focus is often on finding the right stock, entering at the right valuation, and identifying the next multibagger. Far fewer spend time understanding what may be the more difficult aspect of investing—knowing when to sell.Speaking at the ET Alpha Wealth Summit on Thursday on "The Art of the Exit," Rajiv Thakkar, CIO and Director at PPFAS Asset Management said that successful investing is not just about buying well but also about staying invested long enough for compounding to work. In fact, before discussing reasons to sell, he spent considerable time explaining why investors should avoid selling in the first place.According to Thakkar, one of the biggest mistakes investors make is selling because a stock has not moved for a few months.Also Read | ET Alpha Wealth Summit: Future alpha may emerge from neglected markets and asset classes, says Kalpen Parekh Investors often spend significant effort researching a company, understanding management quality, assessing industry prospects and evaluating valuations. Yet after purchasing the stock, many lose patience if prices remain stagnant for six months or a year.https://youtube.com/shorts/RiLj-X02NNE?feature=share"Investments are meant for wealth creation, not entertainment," he said, cautioning against treating investing like a source of excitement or constant action.Another common trigger for unnecessary selling is reacting to news flow. Markets are constantly bombarded with information—wars, elections, crude oil fluctuations, interest-rate decisions, capital flows and economic data. Investors who react to every headline often end up making poor decisions.To illustrate this, Thakkar recounted the story of an investor who received advance information about the severity of the Covid outbreak in early 2020. Acting on that information, the investor sold his technology stocks before the market crash. While the prediction turned out to be accurate, fear prevented him from re-entering the market, and he ultimately missed one of the strongest rallies in technology stocks.The lesson, according to Thakkar, is that even correct information does not necessarily translate into successful investment outcomes. Thakkar was particularly critical of the concept of "profit booking."Investors often feel compelled to sell simply because a stock has appreciated significantly. However, he argued that wealth is created by allowing successful investments to compound rather than by repeatedly locking in gains.Frequent buying and selling may benefit brokers, exchanges and tax authorities, but it often works against long-term investors. Hyperactivity in portfolios can destroy wealth by interrupting compounding and increasing costs.Similarly, investors should avoid selling because another stock appears more attractive. This "buyer's remorse" mindset frequently causes investors to abandon good businesses prematurely in pursuit of seemingly better opportunities."If you manage to find a genuinely good business with strong management, a large opportunity set and reasonable valuations, the best course of action is often to simply stay invested," he said.Thakkar emphasised that investors in taxable jurisdictions such as India should maintain low portfolio turnover whenever possible. Unlike institutional structures such as mutual funds or investors in tax-free jurisdictions, individual investors face taxes and transaction costs every time they trade. Excessive churn can significantly reduce long-term returns.For wealthy investors, family offices and HNIs, the ability to remain invested and minimise unnecessary transactions often becomes a major source of compounding advantage.Also Read | ET Alpha Wealth Summit: India could unlock a $5 trillion export opportunity through FTAs, says Saurabh Mukherjea While most reasons for selling are flawed, Thakkar identified several situations where exiting an investment becomes necessary. The most obvious reason is the need for capital. If an investor requires money for a business opportunity, acquisition or personal objective, selling investments may be entirely justified. More importantly, investors must be willing to acknowledge mistakes.If an investment thesis turns out to be wrong because of flawed analysis, poor due diligence or changing circumstances, the best course is often to exit quickly rather than averaging down endlessly.According to Thakkar, investors who recognise mistakes early frequently outperform those who identify good opportunities but refuse to sell losing positions. Capital trapped in poor investments cannot be deployed into better opportunities. Fraud, naturally, represents an immediate reason to exit.One of the more challenging selling decisions arises when industries face structural disruption. Questions such as whether newspapers can survive the internet, whether thermal power can coexist with renewable energy or whether traditional automobile manufacturers can adapt to electric vehicles rarely have straightforward answers.Thakkar suggested that investors should not react impulsively but should continuously evaluate incoming evidence. Investment decisions should be driven by facts rather than sentiment. If the underlying business continues to deteriorate because of technological or structural change, investors must eventually acknowledge reality and exit.At the same time, distinguishing genuine disruption from temporary noise remains critical. Exceptional businesses are not immune to becoming overvalued. Thakkar pointed to situations where valuations become so excessive that future growth is already fully reflected in stock prices. In such cases, taking profits, paying taxes and reallocating capital may be sensible.He also noted that investors may sell a reasonably valued investment if a significantly superior opportunity emerges elsewhere.During the question-and-answer session, investors raised concerns about stocks that stop performing despite sound fundamentals. Examples such as Maruti Suzuki, Bharti Airtel and even silver investments highlighted a common dilemma: should investors exit after years of gains and subsequent consolidation?Also Read | MF Tracker: Can ICICI Prudential Multicap Fund sustain its strong track record in a volatile market? Thakkar's response was that even excellent businesses can spend years moving sideways. Companies such as Hindustan Unilever, Infosys and Bharat Electronics have all gone through extended periods of stagnant share-price performance despite remaining fundamentally strong businesses.Investors should therefore distinguish between stock-price performance and business performance. As long as the underlying business continues to execute well, temporary market stagnation alone is not a sufficient reason to sell.For investors worried about selling too early, Thakkar recommended a phased approach. Instead of attempting to identify exact market tops, investors can gradually reduce exposure over time. For instance, if a stock appears significantly overvalued, an investor might sell a portion every month rather than exiting entirely in one transaction.This systematic approach helps manage the emotional difficulty of selling while reducing the risk of poor timing. Another important consideration is position sizing. Addressing a question about highly successful investments such as Nvidia, Thakkar noted that even outstanding businesses can become disproportionately large components of a portfolio.When a single stock grows from a small allocation into a dominant position, investors face a different risk—wealth preservation rather than wealth creation. His solution is gradual trimming. Investors can periodically reduce oversized positions to maintain comfortable portfolio weightings while still participating in future upside.This approach may not maximise returns, but it significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic losses and helps investors sleep better during periods of volatility.Thakkar concluded by stressing the importance of diversification and long-term investing. Most individuals create wealth through a single business, profession or sector. Their financial portfolios should therefore diversify away from that concentration rather than amplify it.Whether through mutual funds, retirement vehicles such as NPS, EPF and PPF, or diversified portfolios, investors should focus on owning inflation-protected assets for long periods. "The lower the churn in a portfolio, the greater the opportunity for compounding," he said.Ultimately, successful investing is not about perfectly timing every entry and exit. It is about avoiding unnecessary activity, admitting mistakes quickly, remaining patient with good businesses and ensuring that no single investment becomes large enough to threaten long-term financial stability.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)If you have any mutual fund queries, message on ET Mutual Funds on Facebook/Twitter. We will get it answered by our panel of experts. Do share your questions on ETMFqueries@timesinternet.in alongwith your age, risk profile, and Twitter handle.

Bomb threat to Gurugram civic body sparks security scare; search underway

The threat email brought police and security agencies on their toes, with personnel, dog squad, and bomb disposal units rushing to the civic body's Sector 34 office

From bombers to oil terminals: How Zelensky brought the war to Putin's backyard

Ukraine is stepping up its game by launching strikes deep into Russian territory, aiming at vital oil and military assets to neutralize Moscow's combat advantages. The recent operations against air bases and munitions depots are meticulously planned to disrupt the flow of resources to Russian troops.

A new plant to produce nuclear bomb fuel: Kim's message to Trump, South Korea

NIA raids ex-TMC MLA's house in Bengal pre-poll bomb blast probe

The investigation was transferred to the NIA following demands for a central inquiry into the explosion. Since assuming charge of the case, the agency has arrested several people, including TMC leader Wahidul Islam. Officials from a special NIA team arrived at Molla's residence to gather information and examine possible links to the case. During the operation, Molla's wife and daughter were seen entering the premises.

Ivanka assassination plot: Accused had blueprint of her home, wanted to 'burn down' Trump's house

An IRGC-linked operative, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges in Manhattan, accused of plotting to assassinate Ivanka Trump and orchestrating global attacks. He claimed innocence, stating, "Our children are being killed by your rockets." The indictment details alleged bombings and planned attacks, with potential life sentences.

Demanding Loan Repayment Not Abetment To Suicide: Bombay High Court

The criminal proceedings have been quashed following the court order (File)

Coca-Cola announces plans to list its largest bottler Hindustan Coca-Cola Holdings

Coca‑Cola Company is exploring a public listing in India for Hindustan Coca‑Cola Holdings Pvt Ltd (HCCH), parent company of its largest bottler in India Hindustan Coca‑Cola Beverages (HCCB), the Atlanta-based beverages maker announced early Tuesday. The maker of Coke and Sprite sparkling drinks and Minute Maid juices said in a statement that the potential listing is expected in 2027, with the sale of a portion of its shareholding in HCCH in connection with the listing.Coca-Cola currently owns 60% of HCCH after selling a 40% stake to the Jubilant Bhartia Group in July 2025.“Initial preparations are underway for a potential listing on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India, subject to market conditions and applicable regulatory and other approvals,” the statement said.The company said the potential listing “will be a significant milestone, completing the refranchising of HCCH and positioning it well to capitalise on the opportunities in the Indian market.”Sanket Ray, president, India and Southwest Asia and Emerging Large Markets Lead for The Coca‑Cola Company, called the move “another important step for HCCB. Following the listing, the bottler will be well placed to continue to pursue growth.”HCCH, and its operating subsidiary HCCB, established in 1997, operated a network of over 2,000 distributors and reached over 1.7 million customers, as on March 31, 2026. The company has an employee base of 5,000, and operates 14 bottling plants in addition to eight co-packers.The Coca‑Cola Company has retained Rothschild & Co to advise on the listing, it said, adding that “further details about the potential listing will be announced at a later date.”Rival PepsiCo’s bottling operator Varun Beverages Ltd (VBL) had made its listing debut in November 2016.

United Airlines flight makes U-turn after 4-hours in air over suspicious Bluetooth device name

A United Airlines flight from Newark to Spain made an unexpected U-turn after a passenger's Bluetooth speaker, named "BOMB," triggered a security scare. The teenager responsible had reportedly forgotten about the name. Authorities evacuated the plane and inspected it thoroughly, causing significant delays and passenger concern.

$54 Billion Drone Swarm: Pentagon's Plan To Flood Skies With Flying Bombs

The drones being tested are relatively cheap, costing around $5,000 each

Hightened security for Telangana Formation Day celebrations at Parade Ground

55 CCTV cameras, bomb squads and over 1,100 personnel to be deployed for Telangana Formation Day celebrations, says Malkajgiri Police Commisioner B. Sumathi

Manipur: Minors caught in crossfire pick up guns, bombs, lose their innocence

114 minors allegedly involved in 95 cases have been booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) between May, 2023 and April this year, state social welfare department data showed

JEE Advanced 2026 topper Shubham Kumar: 'No social media helped me secure AIR 1'

Shubham Kumar, an 18-year-old from Bihar, has secured the top rank in JEE Advanced 2026. His disciplined two-year preparation in Kota, marked by avoiding social media, limiting phone use, and consistent study, led to his success. He plans to pursue Computer Science at IIT Bombay, highlighting willpower and focus as key to achieving his goal.

Karnataka minister funded SDPI candidate's campaign? Bombshell audio goes viral

Karnataka minister funded SDPI candidate's campaign? Bombshell audio goes viral

Bomb hoax at Tiruchi Collectorate on the eve of Vijay’s visit

Bomb trial in Haryana's Panchkula today, residents directed to stay indoors

Bomb trial in Haryana's Panchkula today, residents directed to stay indoors