Business Opportunities

Bulk deposit rates rise again

RBI is expected to increase CRR next month to signal a rate increase.

ArcelorMittal\'s open offer for Uttam Galva from Dec 19

Global steel giant ArcelorMittal"s open offer for a 29.4 per cent stake in domestic company Uttam Galva will begin on December 19, according to a Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) filing by the secondary steel maker.

Ku Klux Klan cartoon in Indian paper angers Australia

A cartoon in a Delhi newspaper, which allegedly depicted a Victoria policeman as a member of hate group Ku Klux Klan in the wake of attacks on Indians, has sparked an outrage in Australia with acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard condemning it as "deeply offensive".

Gammon India slumps on Kota mishap

The stock finally ended at Rs 225, down 6% from its previous close. The counter clocked volumes of 520,102 shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 76,351 shares on the BSE.

UTV, Sun erase gains, end flat

Sun TV erased all its gains and finally ended in the negative terrain at Rs 333. The counter clocked volumes of 6,969 shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 18,919 shares on the BSE

Markets remain subdued

Markets continue to trade subdued.

US markets end flat

US markets ended flat on Tuesday. The Dow dropped two points to 10,545 while the Nasdaq slipped three points to 2,288.

Aviva ties up with India Post for premium collection

Private sector insurer Aviva Life Insurance today announced a nation-wide strategic partnership with India Post, which will help it collect its premium through post offices.

PEs see gains in core sector

Fund-raising to the tune of Rs 8,500 crore underway.

CIL may develop coal assets with Australian mining firms

After being awarded two exploratory coal blocks in Mozambique in March this year, state run Coal India Limited (CIL) has now stepped up its efforts to acquire overseas coal assets in Australia.

GSECL plans to procure 15 lakh MT of imported coal

State-run power generation company, Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd (GSECL) intends to procure 15 lakh metric tonnes of non-coking steam (thermal) imported coal. The company has invited bids from coal suppliers for supply of coal on high seas sale basis.

CIL\'s coal price hike may burden thermal power stations

The Coal India Limited"s (CIL"s) move of 11 per cent hike in the price of coal is likely to impose a heavy financial burden on some of the coal-based thermal power stations in the state, Gujarat State Electricity Company (GSECL), sources said.

Govt not to intervene

The government is not inclined to intervene if steel companies raise prices, Steel Secretary Atul Chaturvedi has said. “If prices can go down, they can rise also. We have no immediate plans to intervene in pricing,” Chaturvedi told reporters on the sidelines of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) Steel Summit here.

Markets near day\'s high

The Sensex, after touching a low of 17,373 recovered to touch a high of 17,453. The index is now up 71 points at 17,431.

2009: Organised retail feels recession pangs

India"s retail industry boom gave way to despair in 2009 as consumers held back big spending, forcing some companies to restructure finances, while recession-battered western retail chains would have felt glad they were not allowed to set shop.

FM submits copy of draft taxes code to PM

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday submitted a copy of the draft direct taxes code to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in the wake of apprehensions in various quarters on a proposal by the draft code to tax the employees’ provident fund (EPF) at the time of withdrawal.

Rs 1 lakh highest offer at IIM-K summer placements

Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K), the first of the IIMs to conclude summer placements this year, saw a little over Rs 1 lakh as the highest stipend offered.

Hindustan Copper rebounds, ends flat

The stock managed to erase all its losses and rebounded into the positive zone to touched a high of Rs 247.The scrip finally flat settled at Rs 237, up 0.42%. Around 44,483 shares were traded today as compared to 27,649 shares.

3G auction may start by Feb end or March 1st week

The much awaited auction of spectrum for 3G mobile services is likely to be delayed by more than a month and may commence from the first week of March next year -- schedule for which is to be announced soon.

T N Ninan: Good to great

T N Ninan / New Delhi December 5, 2009, 1:54 IST

T N Ninan: No one barked

T N Ninan / New Delhi November 14, 2009, 1:01 IST

GM plans to start govt loan repayment later this yr: report

General Motors is planning to start the repayment of a $6.7 billion loan it received from the US government later this year, says a media report.

Yahoo! abandoning Geocities

Yahoo! said it will close its GeoCities service that provides people a free online locale for home pages.

Geetanjali Krishna: The unofficial Tatkal service

It’s rather peculiar,” said a friend recently, “that of late, almost every time that I have tried to buy a train ticket, even if it is a month in advance, I have found myself wait-listed…” She was desperately trying to send off Sushil, her trusted right-hand man to Kolkata for some urgent business, and was unable to get tickets on any train going eastwards. “The air tickets cost upwards of Rs 12,000 — I don’t know what to do!” said she. Just then, her courier service provider, who happened to overhear some of this conversation, said, “Why are you getting so hassled madam? Just send him to the railway station and meet this travel agent friend of mine … he’ll get him on today’s Rajdhani to Kolkata!” But how could he do that when the train was full, she asked bemusedly. “It’s the unofficial Tatkal service,” said he.

Court hands over verified documents to Satyam accused

A local court here after verification has handed over the supplementary chargesheet documents filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the nine accused in the Satyam scam.

C&C Constructions qualifies for Rs 20k cr road projects

Infrastructure player C&C Constructions today said it has cleared the technical qualification round for building several highway projects worth around Rs 20,000 crore in the country.

No info on conflict of interest of members of gas pricing EGOM

The Prime Minister"s Office does not have any information whether Cabinet Ministers, who were part of Empowered Group of Ministers to decide on the price of gas from Godavari basin declared their conflict of interest with Reliance Industries Limited or the late Dhirubhai Ambani.

Ministers\' panel points to delay in GST launch

A high-powered group of state finance ministers today indicated that the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST), which will consolidate indirect taxes, may not be introduced as scheduled from April 1, 2010.

Where do I begin?

“What does the consumer want? What does the market want?”

Opto Circuits\' US arm in supply pact with European firm

Bangalore-based medical diagnostics products maker, Opto Circuits (India) Ltd (OCI) has announced that its wholly-owned US-based

Dr Reddy\'s, AstraZeneca may settle patent case out of court

Dr Reddy"s Labs long-standing patent dispute with Europe"s AstraZeneca over a drug to treat heartburn may be resolved out of court following a similar settlement between the European drug maker and Israel"s Teva, feel market watchers.

A red beacon for green technology

The ITC Green Center that Hillary Clinton visited last month is an early adopter of sustainable construction.

Mutual Funds splurge Rs 600 cr on wooing retail investors

Rise in portfolio value triggers higher dividends.

Sebi should simplify norms

Business Standard / New Delhi December 30, 2009, 0:33 IST

Clinton to embark on seven-nation African safari in August

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will embark on a seven-nation African Safari next week as part of Obama Administration"s commitment to make Africa a priority in the US foreign policy.

Markets continue to trade sideways

The markets have been virtually unchange din the past one hour. The Sensex is at 16,858, down 35 points, and the Nifty is placed at 5028, down 12 points.

US markets edge up on quarterly nos

US markets edged up on Friday as quarterly results were declared by Oracle and Research In Motion. The Nasdaq jumped 32 points (1.5%) to 2,212. The Dow added 21 points to 10,329.

Godrej Consumer Products net jumps 167% at Rs 93 cr

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd, the manufacturer and supplier of consumer durables, posted 167 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 93 crore for the quarter ending September 30, 2009 as compared to Rs 34.73 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Sensex firm; IT, metal stocks lead

The Sensex after opening flat has now soared to a high of 16,885 on the back of buying in IT and metal stocks.

Rupee down 5 paise at 46.93/$

Continuing with its losing streak, the rupee today fell by 5 paise in opening trade to 46.93 against the US dollar largely on fears of capital outflows by foreign funds.

Tata Steel down 4% on sharp drop in net

The stock slipped to a low of Rs 478 and finally settled at Rs 483, down around 4% from the previous close. The counter clocked volumes of 3.17 million shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 1.81 million shares on the BSE.

Sensex opens 17pts lower

The Sensex has opened at 16,336 down 17 points.The index is now at 16,263, down 95 points.

Markets recover from day\'s low

Markets have started to recover.

DIIs net sellers of Rs 171 cr in cash mkt today

Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers of Rs 171.16 crore (provisional) today, according to data released by BSE.

Watch out for UN-listed terror funding entities: Sebi to markets

Market regulator Sebi has directed all stock exchanges and other securities intermediaries to keep a strict watch on UN-listed terror funding entities, including the name of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Foreign investors see a fresh bull run

The Nifty closed above the resistance level of 4,350 on the first day of the new F&O series on short covering by foreign investors and long build-up in key stocks futures. If the Nifty could maintain support around this level, then we may see the index crossing the 4,500 levels during the coming week. Trading in the Nifty options suggests that the index can move above 4,400 with strong support at 4,300.

FIIs net sellers of Rs 73cr in F&O on Friday

BS Reporter / Mumbai October 26, 2009, 8:14 IST

Turning over a new leaf

Private equity: The private equity industry was challenged in 2009. Deal flow remained slow, portfolio companies struggled and investors in buyout funds scrambled to meet their cash commitments. Rebounding bond and equity markets helped some firms in the second half. But the rally was too late for others. As the industry enters a new decade, expect the divide between the sheep and goats of the buyout world to widen.

US markets drop on recovery worries

US markets slipped at the end of the week as worries about the economic recovery loomed once again.

Sensex makes remarkable recovery, regains 17K

The Sensex opened in the red at 16,772, mirroring negative global cues. Follow-up selling saw the index slip to a low of 16,636 - down 150 points from the previous close.

Sensex jumps over 17K, up 200pts

The Sensex after rebounding into positive zone has surged singificantly mainly on account of fresh buying in index heavyweights. The index has now re-gained the 17,000-mark, and is now up 224 points at 17,010.

Sensex slips again; realty index down 2%

The Sensex after attempting recovery has once again slipped into the red. The index is now at 16,677, down 108 points. The NSE Nifty is at 4,947, down 42 points.

FM\'s pre-Budget meeting with states on January 13

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will hold a pre-Budget discussion with state governments on January 13. Recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission on devolution of funds, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, continuation of stimulus packages and allocation for the Centre’s flagship schemes such as National Rural Health Mission and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan are expected to dominate the deliberations. A government official told Business Standard today that the states will make a strong pitch to continue the fiscal stimulus package.

Markets have a sedate start

Considering the weak US and Asian cues, our markets have opened on a quiter note. The Sensex is quoting at 16,714, down 71 points, and the Nifty is at 4962, down 26 points.

Apple to make major product announcement in Jan: report

Global IT firm Apple is likely to make a major product announcement at San Fransico next month.

Sensex slips again; realty index down 2%

The Sensex after attempting recovery has once again slipped into the red. The index is now at 16,677, down 108 points. The NSE Nifty is at 4,947, down 42 points.

No strategic sale in CPSEs: Pranab

Ruling out strategic sale of Central PSUs, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the government will follow the middle path and restrict public holdings in the CPSEs to 10 per cent.

Big Cinemas crosses global milestone of 500 screens

Big Cinemas, a division of Reliance MediaWorks and a member of the Reliance ADA Group, said it has crossed the global milestone of 500 screens with the opening of its newest multiplex in Malaysia.

Ambani brothers\' gas row has echo in LS

The gas row between the Ambani brothers had its echo in the Lok Sabha today with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav making a strong plea for gas from Reliance at cheaper rates for state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), a plea also being used by the Anil Ambani group.

JSW Steel, state govt script a sunny land takeover story

JSW Bengal Steel, the 10-million tonne steel project from the JSW Steel stable, is one of the few mega greenfield projects in the country — which would add 67 million tonnes in two years — to be sitting on 4,800 unencumbered acres.

3 Balco officials arrested for Korba chimney collapse

The police have finally arrested top officials of Vedanta Resources charged with the collapse of an under-construction power unit chimney at Bharat Aluminium Company (Balco) in September, killing 41 persons.

NIC raises concern over privacy of UIDAI database

The National Informatics Centre has raised concerns over privacy and security of proposed database of Unique Identification Authority of India(UIDAI), headed by Infosys founder Nandan Nilekani.

Tuvalu envoy makes tearful appeal; calls for strong agreement

The chief climate change negotiator of the tiny Pacific island of Tuvalu today made an emotional appeal for a strong agreement that would legally bind all countries to commitments to control carbon emissions.

Sensex ends two-day losing streak, up 240 pts

Snapping its two-day losing string, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Sensex today surged over 240 points on the back of a good show by European markets and realty and metal stocks.

3G auctions run into fresh storm

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee"s ambition to collect Rs 30,000 crore from the auction of third generation (3G) telecom licences this year is in jeopardy, with the department of telecommunications (DoT) saying it is being forced to curtail its auction plans from four slots to three.

Sunil Jain: Solving spectrum scarcity

Sunil Jain / New Delhi November 16, 2009, 0:07 IST

Taro tells shareholders to keep Sun at bay

Ahead of its upcoming annual general meeting on December 31, 2009, Israeli drug company Taro Pharmaceutical has asked its shareholders to reject a takeover bid by Sun Pharmaceuticals.

FIIs net sell Rs 459cr, DIIs net buy Rs 117cr

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers of Rs 459.18 crore (provisional) today, according to data released by BSE.

Not yet contacted by UK govt on Teeside plants: Tata

Tata Group today said the British government has not yet contacted it on the possible options to avoid closure of Corus steel plants in Teeside that could result in 1,700 jobs losses.

Wockhardt bleeds due to Rs 284-crore hit

A mark-to-market (MTM) loss of Rs 284.4 crore caused drug major Wockhardt to post a net loss of Rs 54 crore in the third quarter ended September as against a net profit of Rs 62.2 crore in the corresponding quarter of last year. Consolidated sales revenues stood at Rs 922.7 crore, a growth 2.23 per cent over the Rs 902.5 crore posted in the year-ago period. The MTM loss has been accounted for as an exceptional item and negotiations are in progress in respect of hedging instruments outstanding.

Bhupesh Bhandari: The new pharmaceutical order

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Huawei sets eye on three ITI factories

Government’s security concerns about Chinese equipment makers not a deterrent.

HC stops Zydus drug sale on Sun petition

The Madras High Court today directed Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila (Cadila Healthcare) not to sell its anti-depressant drug, Venz (venlafaxine), in the domestic market for the time being, based on a trademark complaint from Mumbai-based Sun Pharmaceutical industries.

Nava Bharat to buy 65% in Zambia\'s Maamba Collieries

Diversified firm Nava Bharat Ventures today said the company, through its Singapore-based arm, would acquire 65 per cent stake in Zambia-based Maamba Collieries for $26 million (about Rs 121 crore).

US FDA say GSK vaccine blocks cancer virus

The US Food and Drug Administration says a vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline successfully blocks the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer.

Unichem Labs gets USFDA nod for hypertension tablets

Pharma firm Unichem Laboratories today said it has received US regulatory approval for Clonidine Hydrochloride tablets USP used in the treatment of hypertension.

ReaMetrix looking for global tie-ups to market product

Bangalore-based Life sciences firm ReaMetrix today said it is looking for strategic tie-ups with global players for marketing and distribution of its new product, used for diagnosing HIV.

The Caraco headache

The seizure of Caraco’s drugs by the FDA could have an adverse impact on Sun Pharmaceutical in the near term.

Glenmark Generics launches hypertension drug in US

Glenmark Generics Ind, USA (GGI), the US subsidiary of Glenmark Generics and a leading company in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of high-quality, low-cost generic pharmaceutical products in the US, initiated the launch of Fosinopril Sodium and Hydrochlorothiazide tablets in the US market.

SC to hear Novartis case next week

The Supreme Court will hear Swiss drug maker Novartis AG"s plea against denial of patent for its blood cancer drug, Glivec, next week.

Jindal Drilling bags Rs 635 cr ONGC order

Jindal Drilling & Industries today said it has bagged an order worth Rs 635 crore from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for hiring a drilling unit for five years.

US markets drop on energy shares

US markets dropped on Thursday as energy stoks dipped on declining oil prices. Wal-Mart"s forecast about consumer spending also impacted negatively.

ICICI Home Finance NPAs rise 3.5 times

Hit by economic slowdown and dip in customers repayment capability, ICICI Home Finance Company, subsidiary of ICICI Bank, reported about 3.5 fold growth in its non-performing assets at Rs 161.43 crore at end of September 2009 from Rs 36.03 crore a year ago.

BSNL out, Airtel throws hat to buy Millicom in Sri Lanka

Luxembourg-based Millicom has rejected Indian telecom PSU BSNL"s bid to acquire its operations in Sri Lanka, but India"s largest private mobile operator Bharti Airtel has entered the ring.

Promoters make hay in bull market

Promoters of around 200 large- and mid-cap companies have sold parts of their holdings to raise a combined Rs 50,000 crore in the second quarter of this financial year (July-September), according to the shareholding pattern filed by these companies with stock exchanges.

Infy scouting for BPO firm in Canada

Infosys BPO Ltd, the business process outsourcing (BPO) operation of Infosys Technologies, is looking at raising its headcount in the Americas through inorganic growth. The company is understood to be scouting for a strategic acquisition in the $40-60 million range either in Canada or the US, according to industry sources.

Paramount in talks to buy Star Aviation

Wants to expand within the country and outside, while Star Aviation, yet to begin operations, has three aircraft ready

Etisalat DB inks Rs 750-cr BPO deals

Etisalat DB Telecom India, a new telecom operator, has signed deals worth Rs 750 crore ($150million) with three Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) service providers. The company said it had entered into five-year outsourcing agreements with Tech Mahindra, Aegis and Conflux. Etisalat DB Telecom India is a joint venture between Dubai-based Etisalat and India’s Dynamix Balwas Group. The company has a licence to operate in 15 telecom circles.

Oil weakens in Asian trade on profit-taking

Oil fell in Asian trade today on profit-taking after overnight gains driven by hopes for improved demand as the global economy recovers, analysts said.

Andhra to invest Rs 160 crore for exploration

The Andhra Pradesh government, which won four oil blocks in the VIII round of the New Exploration Licensing Policy (Nelp) bidding on Monday, will invest about Rs 160 crore in oil and natural gas related activities over the next five years.

Oil rises above $72 ahead of US company results

Oil prices rose above $72 a barrel today in Asia as investors looked to a slew of US corporate earnings reports this week for signs of economic recovery.

Top 6 cos lose Rs 68,000 cr in m-cap last week

Of the top-10 most valued firms, six lost a combined sum of over Rs 68,000 crore from their market capitalisation last week, while the rest including the country"s most valued firm Reliance Industries (RIL) and oil major ONGC saw rise in their valuation.

The Best Beatle

The original drummer of the iconic ‘60s band, Pete Best performed in Delhi and spoke about his past, present and the future.

Shibu Soren to take oath as Jharkhand CM

It will be the JMM chief’s third tenure as chief minister

RIL threatens to pull out of exploration

Reliance Industries (RIL) has threatened to stop oil and gas exploration if it is not granted the promised drilling moratorium to cover for the acute shortage of rigs.

Govt extends NELP VIII bid date by two months

The government has extended by two months the last date of bidding for the nation"s largest ever auction of oil and gas blocks to October 12.

Mukesh Ambani meets Law Minister, legal experts

Amid a continuing legal battle between the Ambani brothers over gas supply, the elder of the two, Mukesh Ambani, is believed to have met Law Minister Veerappa Moily.

Ethical indices outdo benchmarks

Even as socially responsible investing (SRI) is yet to find its feet in India, indices that screen stocks based on ethical and environmental concerns have been outperforming their benchmark peers.

ONGC loses Algeria oilfield to Chinese firm

State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has lost an oilfield in Algeria to a consortium led by a Chinese oil firm.

60% of services sector units in rural India: Survey

Sixty per cent of the country’s services sector enterprises are in rural areas, according to a report by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). The report is based on the 63rd round of survey by NSSO to estimate the economic characteristics of services sector enterprises in India in 2006-07.

F&O OUTLOOK: Nifty to find stiff resistance above 5,300

The Nifty futures moved in a narrow band and closed higher at 5,239 on poor volumes in both cash and derivates segments. The trading volume in Nifty January futures declined to 11.86 million shares from around 42 million shares on the first day of the December series. It is difficult to predict the market movement in the near future due to extremely poor volumes. However, the intra-day trading pattern in Nifty futures and options suggested that traders booked profits while bears built short positions at higher levels.

Sensex starts New Year with 20-month high

The markets opened the New Year on a promising note today with the BSE Sensex shutting the shop at a 20-month high at 17,558.73 gaining 94 points, driven by a rally in the auto and metals counters and firm European cues.

Volumes fall on Day 1 of extended trading

Extended trading hours starting today did nothing to boost the volumes on the bourses that opened nearly an hour earlier at 0900 hrs, as part of conscious efforts to align trade timing with the Asian markets.

Insurers may invest Rs 40k cr in equity mkts

Insurance companies could invest up to Rs 40,000 crore in the stock markets during the fourth quarter of the current financial year due to better sale of unit-linked plans (Ulips) in the recent month.

Ambani gas row dominates SC in 2009

2009 saw a high-voltage legal battle between the Ambani brothers over the gas dispute reaching the Supreme Court with a judge withdrawing from the bench.

What killed Kamte?

No terrorist atrocity in India has produced as much distorted reportage as Mumbai 26/11. The ill-equipped and untrained city police got all the blame, while journalists failed to ask even basic questions. Why, for instance, did the Indian Army and the Navy commandos refuse to fight the Pakistani jihadis inside the Oberoi hotel?

All is Greenberg

Enough has been written about last year’s collapse of insurance giant AIG after it had to make good all the insurance it sold against corporate bond defaults and the fact that the US government bailout happened to help Goldman Sachs, the firm that US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson once ran. Much less, however, is known about the company’s origins (it was the first reverse MNC, with its headquarters in China), of how it had such tremendous clout it could even threaten governments with US sanctions, or of how in the second World War it allowed US intelligence agency officials to masquerade as journalists of one of the newspapers it owned and collect information against the Japanese.

In search of history

Meghnad Desai admits in the preface that it is an ambitious book. Written by “someone who cannot claim to be a professional historian”, the book is the author’s own and “somewhat opinionated” account of how India became a nation. In the process, it outlines a new premise based on which Indians should “rediscover” the new India.

AI to meet foreign pilots\' hiring agencies to discuss wage cut

Air India has convened a meeting of foreign pilots" recruitment agencies on Wednesday to discuss its proposal to slash wages by 10 per cent, in its bid to reduce costs and the differences between the pay packets of Indian and foreign pilots.

Take-off troubles

Business Standard / New Delhi December 24, 2009, 0:39 IST

Nano filters down

Tata aims to create disruption in the water purifier market with the low-priced Swach.

Govt kicks off talks on bank consolidation

The government today started the process of consultation for the consolidation of public sector banks.

India Inc dispels Dubai debt fears

Stock markets skidded today, commodity prices took a beating, Kerala panicked and even Bollywood worried as Dubai’s $60-billion debt woes sparked fears over corporate and bank exposure to the crisis. Indian companies and banks played down the impact, saying the exposure was not significant.

ICICI Home Finance NPAs rise 3.5 times

Hit by economic slowdown and dip in customers repayment capability, ICICI Home Finance Company, subsidiary of ICICI Bank, reported about 3.5 fold growth in its non-performing assets at Rs 161.43 crore at end of September 2009 from Rs 36.03 crore a year ago.

No special favour given to Mahindra Satyam: Khurshid

The government today said it has shown "no favour" to Mahindra Satyam by extending the deadline for restating of accounts by six months to June 2010.

RBI to seek Dubai World exposure details from banks

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday said it would ask banks to furnish details of their direct and indirect exposure to Dubai World, the beleaguered Dubai government-owned holding company which asked for more time to repay its debt.

Microsoft launches online services in India

Software giant Microsoft today announced the commercial availability of its online services in India at prices starting from $2 (Rs 95) per user per month which will allow small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and enterprise customers to access Microsoft’s e-mail, collaboration, conferencing and productivity capabilities online.

Satyam rebounds, ends up 3%

The scrip zoomed to a high of Rs 94 and finally ended at Rs 93, up 2.5% from the previous close. The counter clocked volumes of 30.16 million shares on the BSE as compared to the two-week daily average traded volume of 14.87 million shares .

L&T\'s Satyam share sale pulls down scrip

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has sold a third of its holding in Mahindra Satyam, or 27.24 million shares, for Rs 306.54 crore, taking the software company’s share price down by 6.6 per cent, the biggest fall in five months.

Suzlon bags 27 MW wind power order from ITC

Wind turbines manufacturer Suzlon Energy today said it has bagged an order from conglomerate ITC for supplying 27 MW of wind power turbines to projects in Karnataka and Maharashtra for an undisclosed amount.

\'Rural sales pushed growth further\'

Seema Sindhu / October 31, 2009, 1:17 IST

ITC results bode well for FMCG firms

Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are likely to register a modest growth for the July-September 2009 quarter on the back of rising consumer demand which is expected to considerably reduce the impact of a disappointing monsoon on sales. Traditionally, summer and winter months make up 30-40 per cent of any FMCG company’s overall sales.

Govt to invite bids for three UMPPs soon

The qualifying bids for three Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs) in Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu would be invited by the end of the current fiscal, a senior government official said today.

Sensex lacklustre; metal index up 2%

The Sensex is still in the red and is exhibiting lacklustre movement.The index is now at 17,024, down 26 points.

Southwest monsoon withdraws entirely

It bid adieu over a week later than normal.

Bhupesh Bhandari: The reign of rural retail

Bhupesh Bhandari / New Delhi November 19, 2009, 0:17 IST

20 million handsets without IMEI to go inactive

About 20 million mobile phones without International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) will be non-functional from tomorrow as the government’s deadline to ban mobile handsets without the unique identification number came to an end today.

Godrej looks to buy some of Sara Lee\'s international biz

FMCG player Godrej Consumer Products today said it is ready to acquire some of its joint venture partner Sara Lee"s international businesses if the US-based company decides to sell its global assets.

Kaya to invest Rs 100 cr on expansion

Beauty services provider Kaya Skin Clinic will invest Rs 100 crore in setting up around 75 outlets across the country as well as in Saudi Arabia over the next three years.

Expect moderate returns in 2010

Consequent to the sharp run up in markets in 2009, investors will have to be careful in picking stocks while lowering their return expectations

New IIMs raise mentorship concerns

The existing IIMs will have to guide the new ones even as the issue of faculty crunch has raised its ugly head again

BSE allows trade in Nifty ETFs

The Bombay Stock Exchange’s (BSE’s) benchmark index, the Sensex, may be more talked about and valuable as a brand compared with the National Stock Exchange’s (NSE’s) Nifty, but the latter brings more business for NSE. Now, the Nifty may bring business for BSE, too, as the country’s oldest exchange has decided to allow trading in all exchange-traded funds (ETFs) listed on its rival exchange. These include Nifty-based ETF.

10-day CAT exam to begin today

To avoid any kind of misuse or instances of cheating during the 10-day computerised Common Admission Test (CAT), which begins tomorrow, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have published a legal disclaimer which, if flouted by any student, can attract imprisonment and a fine.

Plan for common counselling for IITs and NITs

With seats in certain national level institutes remaining vacant due to multiple counselling, the IITs and NITs could start common counselling, a move that would smoothen the admission process and reduce hardship of students.

Yahoo!, Google still hiring in India

Global majors like Microsoft, Yahoo! and Google may have decided to trim their workforce worldwide to cope with the economic turmoil, but these entities do have openings in India.

India 2020: What will we be like?

T N Ninan picks out 10 themes for the coming 10 years.

Ester Industries Q4 net up ten-fold

Plastic goods maker Ester Industries today said it has registered a more than ten-fold increase in its net profit at Rs 10.8 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, against Rs one crore in the same period last year.

Commodity futures turnover up 131%

India’s commodity futures turnover from four national exchanges and 18 regional ones during the December 1-15 period stood at Rs 4.44 lakh crore, up 131 per cent from the same period a year ago, said an official with the Forward Markets Commission (FMC).

India\'s high net worth population dips 32%

India’s high net worth individual (HNI) population shrank by 31.6 per cent to 84,000 in 2008, mainly due to a drop in the pace of economic growth and erosion in market capitalisation, according to the Asia-Pacific Wealth Report released by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Capgemini.

Reform Bills on MHRD agenda

To be tabled in Winter, Budget sessions of Parliament.

Ashok Leyland: A slow recovery

The Ashok Leyland stock continues to trade at a fairly high multiple of 25 times estimated 2009-10 earnings and 15.5 times 2010-11 earnings. The Street is pencilling in a recovery in the commercial vehicles (CV) cycle but almost all of that appears to be in the price.

People stop Tata steel plant \'spoilers\' in track

Supporters of Tata Steel in Bastar acted as a shield to prevent Communist Party of India (CPI) leaders and environment experts to visit the project affected villages and meet the people. The CPI leaders along with environment experts from Hyderabad and New Delhi had yesterday organised a public hearing on party"s banner in Badanji village. It is one of the ten villages to be affected by the 5.5 million tonnes per annum (MTpA) Tata Steel plant coming up in Lohandiguda area.

Riding on CNG demand

Rising demand for cleaner and cost efficient fuels, and the forthcoming Commonwealth Games are positive triggers for Indraprastha Gas.

WB may up lending 3 times to $7 bn to India this FY

The World Bank is expected to increase its lending to India by over three times to USD 7 billion in 2009-10 compared to the average $2.3 billion for the last four financial years.

Commodities back as gurus eschew financial assets

Raw materials may return more than financial assets for the first time in three years as the global economy rebounds, according to Bloomberg surveys and 2009’s most accurate commodity forecasters.

Emerging-market stocks will advance 32 per cent

Developing-nation stocks may rise 32 percent in the next 12 months as a faster-than-expected earnings recovery fuels a long-term bull market, Morgan Stanley said.

More Mutual Funds line up to trade on NSE

No clarity yet on brokerage fee, securities transation tax yet.

Suryakirans to enthrall Dasara crowds

Mysoreans will have the opportunity of witnessing for the first time thrilling aerobatic demonstrations by the Suryakiran team of the Indian Air Force (IAF) during this Dasara.

Polling in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal begins

Polling to elect new assemblies in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh began early this morning, in the first crucial test of popularity for major political parties after the Lok Sabha polls six months ago.

FIIs net buy Rs 300 cr in F&O

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers of Rs 300.84 crore in futures and options segment on Monday.

MNP likely to be delayed

The implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) is likely to be delayed by one to three months, with operators still not fully prepared to meet the deadline and with the government imposing new requirements with respect to security.

Will you switch?

An IMRB study details how mobile number portability will impact service providers.

Cracks in Cong over Telangana out in the open

The fissures in the Congress over the Telangana issue today came to the fore in the Lok Sabha with Y S Jaganmohan Reddy along with some other party members joining a TDP protest against the decision to carve out a separate state from Andhra Pradesh.

\'UPA govt messed up Telangana issue\'

Terming as "most immature and irresponsible" the UPA government"s handling of the Telangana problem, BJP today said the Centre "should apply its mind" to solve the problem.

Arvind Singhal: A future-defining decade ahead

Arvind Singhal / New Delhi December 17, 2009, 0:02 IST

LS passes three bills without discussion

The Lok Sabha today passed three bills in 15 minutes without any discussion as opposition members protested vociferously against price rise and carving out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh.

Reaction from double top

The Nifty has a strong support at the 5,000 mark.


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