The Nifty started Wednesday’s trade on a rather timid note. As the underlying index was quietly drifting downwards, the futures started trading at a deeper discount of nearly 10 points.

It was the last hour of trade that saw better volumes and a sharp movement. The fall amid global uncertainties has brought the Nifty once again to the level of 5400. Even the participation seems to be a little scared, as Nifty futures ended the day’s trade with an addition of over a million shares in open interest indicating creation of hedges.

As far as stock futures are concerned, we are very near to the highest-ever open interest with 195 crore shares in open interest. With nearly 70% of the stocks still trading with a premium, the bias among participants seems to be upwards. This would create a bit of pressure on the market in case of any macro uncertainty.

As we are almost half way through to expiry, it makes sense to continue with long positions, but along with long puts simultaneously so that losses are capped, still keeping all the upside open.

On the options side, Nifty August series open interest put-call ratio is at 1:58, indicating a moderately bullish composition. Even the implied volatilities element of the options which indicate the assumption of the risk remains very low. This indicates we may not see a huge downside as far as the August expiry is concerned. With over 10 million shares in 5300 August Put, the Nifty may find support around the level of 5300.

We feel one can do a Nifty bear ratio spread to hedge trading longs, by buying 1 lot Nifty August 5400 PE & selling 2 lots of Nifty August 5300 PE.
This strategy accrues profit within the 5200 & 5400 range in case the Nifty ends up in this range on expiry. On the event the Nifty heads upwards to close above 5400, one can still have a cash inflow and no cost of hedging. The strategy does incur loss below 5200, which we feel shall hold good for the August expiry.

(Bhavin Desai is Manager (derivatives), Motilal Oswal Securities )

Indian funds have grabbed seven out of the top 10 spots in the league table of leading small-cap funds across Asia, thanks to some canny stock-picking amid growing investor appetite for cheap stocks with potential to deliver multi-bagger returns.

An analysis of nearly 300 Asian small-cap schemes shows DSP BlackRock Micro Cap Fund leading the charge, delivering an 82% return over the past year. Managed by Vinit Sambre, who has been with DSP BlackRock for a little over three years, this fund has also soundly beaten the 58% rise of BSE’s Small-Cap Index since August 2009. The 30-share benchmark Sensex has gained 20% during this period while the wider BSE 500 Index is up 27%.

The other six schemes — Sundaram BNP Paribas Select Small Cap, HSBC Small Cap, JPMorgan Smaller Companies, Franklin India Prima, Franklin India Smaller Companies and ING Vysya CUB — have given investors returns between 44% and 57% on a trailing 12-month basis. These schemes manage anywhere between `46 crore and `954 crore.

Four of these funds were launched during the peak of the previous bull run between January 2007 and March 2008, and investors in them have also had to endure a massive erosion in their initial investment in the downturn that followed.

Mutual fund tracking firm Value Research called the DSP fund as an impressive product in the entire “small-cap universe”, noting that the stocks held by it were “credible, known names and there is a marked absence of momentum in the portfolio”. The fund’s holding includes companies with a high return on equity and strong leadership niches in their industries.

Value Research CEO Dhirendra Kumar said the closed-ended nature of some of these funds helped them weather the market turbulence. “These funds did not face redemption pressures through the declining phase. This, in turn helped them invest for the longer term,” he said.The DSP fund became open-ended in June this year and fund manager Mr Sambre has kept nearly 10% of his `311-crore corpus in cash to meet potential redemptions and to latch onto any opportunity in the market.

There are 10 small-cap funds in India, which manage roughly `3,450 crore in stocks. These account for just 2% of the total AUM under equity schemes.

Market experts say that as many large-cap stocks became fully priced and relatively unattractive over the past year, the rally shifted to small caps. Stocks such as cooler maker Symphony and luggage maker VIP Industries have led the small-cap charge in the market. Ahmedabad-based Symphony has surged 830% while VIP has risen 548% in the past 12 months. In comparison, top two gainers on the Sensex — Tata Motors and Tata Consultancy Services — are up 135% and 61%, respectively.

“Many small caps with excellent businesses were trading at a pathetically low valuations — many were trading below book value and at dividend yields of 5-7%,” says Deven Choksey, chief executive officer at KR Choksey Shares & Securities. “They just got purchased heavily.”

Even though small-cap funds have delivered solid returns in the past one year, experts say that investors must be cautious and have just 10-15% of their equity exposure in such funds or companies. This is largely because of the volatile nature of their stock performance.

“Investors should have a strong stomach and the ability to

withstand substantial declines in such funds,” says Mr Kumar at Value Research.

MUMBAI: A trading combination involving Nifty options is gaining prominence among savvy trading desks of institutional investors. The strategy, known as calendar spread, where traders simultaneously sell options contracts in the current month and purchase in the next month, is being recommended by brokers to institutional clients, who see sharp moves in Nifty options’ implied volatility — a key component of options pricing — in September.

“There is scope for money to be made by selling current month vols (implied volatility) and buying September vols,” said Girish Patil, manager-derivatives, Antique Stockbroking. In this spread strategy, traders use the premium they receive by selling the current series to part-finance the cost of buying options in the next month. “With only a few more days for the August series expiry, vols are unlikely to jump in this series,” Patil said.

Futures and options contracts for the August series will expire on 26th while the September series will expire on 30th next month.

Options sellers, who pocket the premium from the buyer, prefer fewer trading days in a trading month because of time value — another key aspect of options pricing. Time value of options decays closer to expiry of contracts, resulting in limited movements in options prices.

Selling Nifty 5500 calls options in the August series and buying the same contract in the September series is a good strategy in this kind of a market, said Shailesh Kadam, AVP-derivatives, PINC Research.

“This strategy bets that the Nifty will be range-bound and will not move above 5500 in the August series, while the undertone is positive next month,” Kadam said.
In the past one month, the Nifty has largely moved in a tight band between 5350 and 5450, resulting in the volatility index — a measure of traders’ expectations of near-term risks in the market — moving in the 15-20% band, the lowest range since January 2008. This indicates traders are comfortable about the market levels in the near-term.

Brokers said that options traders have struggled to make money, of late, in the absence of sharp index movements. “Vol buyers (buyers of options) have lost their money, while sellers don’t have the courage to sell vols at such low levels,” said the head of derivatives at an institutional broking house. “So, unless there is a sharp move, calendar spread appears to be the best strategy,” he said.

Walmart

WMT

0.97%

increase; green up pointing triangle is getting into the restaurant-delivery business.

The retail giant said Thursday it will offer customers the option to order 30-minute delivery from 1,400 Subway locations inside its stores by this summer, the next stage of its plan to use its driver network to go toe-to-toe with food-delivery companies such as Uber Technologies

UBER -2.08%

decrease; red down pointing triangle and DoorDash DASH -2.04%decrease; red down pointing triangle.

The latest Market Talks covering Energy and Utilities. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.

1538 ET – Oil futures pull back after three straight sessions of gains, with a tentative ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon suggesting possible support for U.S.-Iran talks. “The problem is that Iran-backed Hezbollah is not part of the agreement,” Arlan Suderman of StoneX says in a note. Recent data show some ships getting through the Strait of Hormuz, he notes. “The increased passages does not come close to erasing the energy deficit, but it does help for the time being. Nor do we see production being restored in the region.” WTI settles down 3.1% at $93.04 a barrel. Brent falls 2.8% to $95.03.(anthony.harrup@wsj.com)

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Many people believe that starting a business always requires money. While having capital can certainly help, it is not always necessary. In reality, there are many ways to start earning income using only your time, skills, and creativity.

If you are currently struggling financially and need to earn money immediately—even within the same day—there are several simple business ideas you can start right away without spending anything.

The key is to focus on services instead of products. Services rely on effort rather than capital, which means you can start immediately using what you already have.

Here are nine practical business ideas you can try today if you need to earn money quickly without any upfront investment.

1. Offer Errand Services

Many people are simply too busy to complete everyday tasks. This creates an opportunity for you to earn money by offering errand services.

You can help people with tasks such as:

• Buying groceries
• Picking up packages
• Paying bills
• Dropping off documents
• Waiting in line for services

Start by offering your service to neighbors, coworkers, or friends through social media. Even charging a small service fee can quickly add up if you complete multiple errands in a day.

Since this only requires your time and willingness to help, it is one of the easiest ways to earn money immediately.

2. Sell Unused Items Online

One of the fastest ways to earn money within the day is by selling items you already own but no longer use.

Look around your home and identify things such as:

• Clothes you rarely wear
• Old gadgets or accessories
• Books
• Kitchen tools
• Unused decorations

Take clear photos and post them on Facebook Marketplace, community groups, or messaging apps. Price them slightly lower than market value to attract buyers quickly.

Many people manage to sell items within hours, especially if the price is reasonable.

3. Offer Cleaning Services

Cleaning services are always in demand. Many homeowners would gladly pay someone to help clean their house, yard, or garage.

You can offer services such as:

• Basic house cleaning
• Garage organizing
• Yard sweeping
• Dishwashing
• Laundry assistance

Start by posting in local Facebook groups or messaging neighbors. Since this type of service requires effort rather than capital, it is perfect for earning money quickly.

Even a single cleaning job can bring immediate income on the same day.

4. Become a Local Delivery Helper

With the rise of online selling and food deliveries, many small sellers need help delivering items to customers.

If you have a bicycle, motorcycle, or even just the ability to walk short distances, you can offer delivery services for local sellers.

Message online sellers in your area and offer to deliver their orders for a small fee. Some sellers are happy to outsource deliveries because it saves them time and effort.

This can quickly turn into multiple delivery tasks in one day.

5. Offer Basic Tech Help

Not everyone is comfortable with technology. Many people need help with simple tasks like setting up apps, installing software, or fixing small phone or computer issues.

If you have basic tech knowledge, you can offer help such as:

• Installing applications
• Setting up email accounts
• Cleaning phone storage
• Troubleshooting slow devices
• Teaching basic smartphone usage

Even simple tech assistance can be valuable to those who struggle with digital devices.

You can charge a small service fee and finish multiple tasks within the same day.

6. Offer Writing or Typing Services

If you have access to a computer or smartphone and can type quickly, you can offer writing or typing services.

Examples include:

• Typing handwritten notes
• Creating simple documents
• Transcribing audio recordings
• Writing short social media captions

Students, small businesses, and content creators often need quick help with these tasks.

Promote your service on social media or among friends who might need assistance.

7. Pet Sitting or Dog Walking

Pet owners sometimes need someone to watch or walk their pets while they are busy or away from home.

You can offer services such as:

• Dog walking
• Pet feeding
• Short-term pet sitting
• Cleaning pet areas

This can be a fun and easy way to earn money while spending time with animals.

Ask neighbors or post in community groups to find pet owners who need help.

8. Offer Simple Tutoring

If you are good at a particular subject, you can offer tutoring services to students who need help.

This could include:

• Basic math tutoring
• English conversation practice
• Homework assistance
• Exam preparation

You do not need to be a professional teacher. Many parents simply want someone patient who can help their children understand lessons better.

Even short tutoring sessions can provide immediate income.

9. Social Media Posting for Small Businesses

Many small businesses want to promote their products online but do not have the time to manage their social media pages.

You can offer simple services such as:

• Posting product photos
• Writing captions
• Replying to basic messages
• Sharing posts in groups

If you already spend time on social media, this can easily become a small service business.

Start by contacting small online sellers and offering affordable help managing their posts.

When money is tight, the most important thing is to focus on action instead of waiting for the perfect opportunity. Many successful entrepreneurs started with nothing but determination and a willingness to work.

The good news is that earning money does not always require large investments. By offering useful services, helping others solve small problems, and using the skills you already have, it is possible to start earning income immediately.

Try one or two of these ideas today and see which works best for you. Sometimes, the simplest opportunities can lead to bigger business ideas in the future.

Remember, every successful business once started with a single small step.