Analysis of Financial Literacy Level of Retail Individual Investors of Gujarat State and Its Effect on Investment Decision

This study attempts to assess the financial literacy level of retail individual investors in the state of Gujarat, India and its effect on their investment decision. The data collection instrument consisted of a performance test and questionnaire. The performance test was used to measure the financial literacy level of investors. The median percentage of correct answer of the sample was considered to frame the financial literacy level. Forty-four variables of investment decision were studied. Out of a total of 385 respondents, 39.20% of the respondents are considered investors with a higher level of financial literacy and 60.80% of respondents are considered investors with a relatively lower level of financial literacy. This study found that financial literacy does have a statistically significant effect on the investment decision of investors.     

Study of the Concentration of Trace Elements Fe,Zn, Cu,Se and Their Correlation in Maternal Serum,Cord Serum and Colostrums

A study of iron, zinc, copper and selenium concentration levels was carried out in three compartments namely, maternal serum (MS), colostrums and cord blood serum (CS) of healthy Indian mothers (n = 42) who delivered healthy normal neonates without any congenital anomalies at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre hospital, Mumbai. Fe, Zn, Cu in maternal serum, cord blood and colostrums were estimated by flame atomic absorption spectrometry while Se was determined by graphite furnace absorption spectrometry. It was seen that there was a significant difference in the level of trace elements in the three compartments. The average levels of Fe in the three compartments were 1,132 ± 519, 2,312 ± 789 and 1,183 ± 602 μg/L while Zn was 514 ± 149, 819 ± 224 and 7,148 ± 2,316 μg/L respectively. Mean Cu values were 1,614 ± 295, 301 ± 77 and 392 ± 174 μg/L respectively while Se values were 70 ± 15, 36 ± 10 and 23 ± 8 μg/L respectively. The results indicated a positive correlation of Fe and Zn concentrations in MS versus CS which were (r = 0.386), (r = 0.572) respectively and Fe levels in MS and colostrums (r = 0.235). A few inter element correlations were found within compartments. Zn and Se showed a negative correlation in both MS (r = −0.489) and colostrums (r = −0.258) while a positive inter correlation of Fe and Zn was seen in MS (r = 0.44) and in CS (r = 0.54). This study gave us an overview of the serum and colostrum values of mother and neonates in Indian population, data of which are scarce.