Indian Railways blink at red signal
The big surprise in the rail budget is the jump in railways' plan outlay for 1998-99. The annual plan size is a respectable Rs 9,500 crore, up from last year's Rs 8,400 crore. The spurt was due to an increase in passenger fares which yield a net additional revenue of just Rs 450 crore. The railways will benefit from a small increase in Central Budgetary support.

DSP Equity Fund turns uncompetitive
DSP Equity Fund has been one the top performing funds during the year ended April 30, 1998. The fund has appreciated by 37.58 per cent during the year. In comparison, the BSE sensex has appreciated by 4.31 per cent and Nifty by 7.36 per cent during the same period. DSP Equity Fund seeks long term capital appreciation through investments mainly in equities.

Investors should opt for a blend of growth and value funds
Growth or Value? Historically, stocks tend to be the investment of choice, as they prove more effective than bonds or cash for providing returns needed to overcome inflation and build wealth over time. Hence, investors typically must use this most volatile asset class - equity funds - to pursue important goals that are more than five years away, such as retirement or children's education.