Guwahati, Sept. 8 -- India's Retail Investing BoomIndia has seen an explosion of retail investors, with demat accounts jumping from 3.6 crore in 2019 to nearly 19.4 crore by 2025. Much of this growth is coming from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where mobile trading apps are fueling participation. Many new investors, however, still track only stock prices and simple gains, overlooking their actual average cost per share and the Internal Rate of Return (IRR). These two metrics, though often ignored, can make the difference between guesswork and informed investing.

Stock Average BasicsWhenever you buy shares at different prices, your true cost is the weighted average of all purchases. This is your breakeven point-the price above which you make ...