Public Relations

Fortis in talks to buy Lanka hospital chain

Move comes within months of acquiring Wockhardt hospitals.

M&M erases gains, ends down 1%

The stock erased all its gains and slipped into the negative terrain to touch a low of Rs 1,005. The stock finally ended at at Rs 1010, down 1% from its previous close. The counter clocked volumes of 136,077 shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 147,279 shares on the BSE.

Multiple tops suggest short-term correction

In the past three sessions, the market has tested 5,015 and pulled back.

Govt defers ground handling policy by 1 yr

The government today deferred the implementation of the ground handling policy at airports by a year, allowing private airlines to continue their ground handling services, along with airport operators, Air India and other air carriers, inside the airport terminal during that period.

Ground handling: Pvt airlines get one more year

The private carriers would continue to provide ground handling services inside the airport terminal, along with airport operators, Air India (AI) and other selected specialised service providers, under the policy approved by the government today.

Shibu Soren invited to form govt in Jharkhand

Jharkhand Governor K Sankarananaryanan today invited Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Chief Shibu Soren to form the new government in Jharkhand.

Ground handling: Pvt airlines get one more year

The private carriers would continue to provide ground handling services inside the airport terminal, along with airport operators, Air India (AI) and other selected specialised service providers, under the policy approved by the government today.

Concern over climate change dips globally but rising in India

Concerns over climate change are only second to profit amid the slowdown, but in India it is rising and over 54 per cent continue to be "very concerned" about global warming, a survey says.

Krackjack takes on 50-50

The oldest brand in the non-salt biscuits segment is fighting back to regain market share

Govt rejigs accounts to spend Rs 25,725 cr

To dole out Rs 3,000 cr to fertiliser companies; Rs 800 cr to AI

IndianOil takes BOOT route for Paradip

What was till now a popular model in the road sector has now become a strategy for cash-strapped Indian Oil Corporation to save on capital investment. The company has managed to bring down the cost of its Rs 29,777-crore Paradip refinery by Rs 5,000 crore, by taking recourse to the build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) model.

Govt mulls leasing sick units under PPP

Eyes 90-year, revenue-sharing contract for eight fertiliser units.

Rs 17,935 cr Pune Metro Rail on similar lines to DMRC: Report

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has proposed the "company formation" method for the upcoming Rs 17,935 crore metro rail project in Pune, ruling out the possibility of the public private partnership (PPP) or the build-operate-transfer (BOT) models for implementation.

FinMin against issuing bonds to oil marketing companies

The Ministry of Finance is in favour of scrapping the practice of issuing oil bonds to government-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs).

Aerospace SEZ inaugurated

The country’s first Special Economic Zone dedicated to the Aerospace industry has been inaugurated in Belgaum district. The SEZ situated at Hattaragi, 37 km from Belgaum is promoted by Quest Global, an aerospace engineering and manufacturing company. The SEZ houses an engineering services facility, a precision machining unit and Aerospace Processing India, a joint venture between Quest and Magellan, a processing facility, which is critical for the industry.

Markets unmoved

The Sensex is now at 17,710, up 24 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,285, up eight points

Markets unmoved

The Sensex is now at 17,710, up 24 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,285, up eight points

FIIs net buyers Rs 2,207cr in F&O on Tuesday

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers of Rs 2,207.28 crore in futures and options segments on Tuesday.

FIIs net buyers Rs 2,207cr in F&O on Tuesday

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers of Rs 2,207.28 crore in futures and options segments on Tuesday.

Birla Kerala Vaidyashala eyes foreign markets

Birla Kerala Vaidyashala (BKV), a joint venture between the Yash Birla group and Kerala Vaidyashala, plans to open a store in Malaysia this month, in addition to entering other countries this fiscal, a company official said.

Markets marginally down

The Sensex is now at 17,664, down 23 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,268, down nine points.

GVK buys L&T\'s 17% stake in BIAL for Rs 686 cr

Hyderabad-headquartered infrastructure developer, GVK Power and Infrastructure (GVKPIL), today acquired the entire stake of 17 per cent held by L&T Infrastructure Development Projects in Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) for a total consideration of Rs 686 crore.

B\'lore airport extends contract with Nortel

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has extended its end-to-end managed services contract with Nortel for three years. Nortel will manage BIAL’s entire IT infrastructure, which includes data and wireless network systems and will oversee network security. This network will be managed remotely through Nortel’s Network Operations Center (NOC) in India, which will continue to ensure the high level of reliability and dependability the airport requires.

CPI leader seeks enquiry into pvt airlines\' demand for bailout

Criticising private carriers for "bad management" and seeking bailout from the government, senior CPI leader D Raja today said their functioning should be enquired into and demands "carefully scrutinised".

Motilal Oswal profit rises 74% to Rs 47cr

Motilal Oswal Financial Services reported a 74 per cent year-on-year growth in net profit to Rs 47.2 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2009.

India Infoline Investment Services ropes in M N Singh, Purwar

India Infoline Investment Services today said that its Board of Directors has approved the appointment of M N Singh and A K Purwar as independent Directors on the Board of the company.

Media deals in circulation

Industry shows revival signs as firms start raising money again.

Gammon slumps over 6%

The shares of the engineering and construction major Gammon India, which plunged 16.11 per cent in the morning trade, closed with an over 6 per cent decline on the Bombay Stock Exchange, as investors dumped its shares after one of the bridges it was constructing in Kota, Rajasthan collapsed last Thursday.

Govt to sell 8.38% in NMDC in 2009-10

The government will sell 8.38 per cent of its stake in the mining major NMDC before March 31, 2010, generating Rs 14,100 crore from the process.

Oil be alright

Abu Dhabi banks: Abu Dhabi’s banks are in an odd position. They look more exposed to the real problem areas in neighbouring Dubai than most western banks. But they have a better trump card.

Infosys nos fail to cheer markets

Markets slipped today on investor"s worries that the recent rally can be cut short soon. Better-than-expected results from IT giant, Infosys, also could not cheer up the market.

Positive closing for 2009

The market could test 5,300 going into the December settlement

Fortis Equity Fund declares 10% dividend

Fortis Mutual Fund today announced a 10 per cent dividend in its Fortis Equity Fund. The record date for the declaration of this dividend is September 9, the company said in a statement here.

Markets slip into red

Markets have erased all its gains and slipped into the red.

Breaking up banks impractical, undesirable, says HSBC

HSBC Holdings Chairman Stephen Green said proposals to separate retail and investment banking are “unrealistic” and will slow economic growth because larger firms are needed to finance big companies.

\'Focus on few stocks\'

Vishal Chhabria / Mumbai December 28, 2009, 0:01 IST

JSW Energy to invest over Rs 50k cr in 5 yrs

JSW Energy, part of the $8-billion JSW Group, today said the company plans to scale up its capacity to 11,390 Mw which entails an investment of over Rs 50,000 crore.

Jamal Mecklai: Has RBI been diversifying out of dollars?

Jamal Mecklai / New Delhi November 27, 2009, 0:29 IST

Spice Finance plans to buy 15% in NMCE

The BK Modi group’s finance arm, Spice Finance, has proposed to buy a 15 per cent stake in Ahmedabad-based National-Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE).

2009: The year that was

Sensex, Nifty hit the first-ever upper circuit in history.

Sensex near day\'s high; NTPC up 3%

The Sensex has soared to a high of 17,513 and is now at 17,501, up 157 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,214, up 44 points

Sesa Goa crashes on fears of SFIO enquiry

The stock touched a low of Rs 274 - down over 13% and finally ended at Rs 276 - down 12.5%. Over 5.59 million shares were traded on the BSE today.

\'Firms can mitigate IT skills shortage\'

The shortage of information and communications technology (ICT) skills in developed countries could become a serious issue once the worldwide economic crisis starts easing. This will be exacerbated by the falling number of masters and PhD holders in science and engineering, restrictions on cross-border movement of IT professionals and the US H-1B visa programme. However, this vicious circle could be mitigated by the Indian service firms increasingly recruiting internationally, according to a new OECD report on employment trends in the ICT sector.

Bourses\' battle riles brokers

A day after the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) decided to postpone the extended trading time to January 4, brokers said they were appalled by the one-upmanship and lack of coordination between the exchange authorities.

ICEX makes biz of Rs 2,559 cr in 4 days

Commodity exchange ICEX made a business of Rs 2,559 crore in just four days after it went live on November 27, the market regulator FMC said today.

SBI to install 7,000 talking ATMs for visually challenged

India"s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) plans to introduce 7,000 voice-enabled ATMs across the country for visually challenged customers beginning next month, a senior SBI official said here.

Direct tax kitty swells 4 per cent in October

Hit by a drop in corporate tax revenues, direct tax collections rose marginally to Rs 20,822 crore in October, compared with Rs 19,708 crore in the corresponding month last year.

Banks may duck impact of rising yields

With a sharp rise in bond yields in the third quarter, most banks have been saved mark-to-market (revaluing securities to reflect their current value) losses by a whisker.

Nabard launches six projects in state

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), which recently increased the corpus of its Tribal Development Fund (TDF) to Rs 600 crore, has launched six projects for the integrated development of tribals in Karnataka.

\'Farmer suicides persist in Yavatmal district\'

Faremers" suicides in the district were still continuing despite Rs 3,000-crore farm loans lent to farmers by banks during the last one decade, Yavatmal district Collector Sanjay Deshmukh said today.

India, UK should work for reforms in global fin system: Prez

India and Britain have a responsibility to work together for "long overdue structural reforms" of the global financial system in the wake of recent global downturn, President Pratibha Patil has said.

Cadbury rejects Kraft\'s takeover offer as too low

Calls it ‘unappealing prospect’ from a ‘low-growth’ conglomerate.

Kraft to pursue spurned $16.7-bn bid for Cadbury

Cadbury said the bid "fundamentally undervalues" the company.

JP Morgan, BofA gear up to fund Hershey\'s Cadbury bid

Two global lenders--JP Morgan and Bank of America (BofA) are preparing to lend US chocolate maker Hershey about $7 billion to bid for British confectionery major Cadbury, says a media report.

Wall Street fat cats see frugal compensation diet in \'09

The bailed out fat cats on the Wall Street woke up to stringent compensation norms this year sans hefty bonuses, as the Obama regime cracked down on excessive risk-taking ways of financial chieftains.

Not losing is new winning as Wall Street dilutes proposed laws

Four Wall Street lobbyists and about a dozen lawmakers huddled over eggs and bacon at Tortilla Coast restaurant on Capitol Hill on December 2 to discuss legislation aimed at strengthening bank regulation.

Spice Fin to buy Nepal\'s top money transfer agent

After acquiring 51 per cent stake in domestic money changer and transfer agent Wall Street Finance, the BK Modi Group-promoted Spice Finance is looking to acquire one of Nepal’s biggest money changer and transfer agent, Annapurna Finance, promoted by a local businessman.

Delphi to raise head count at Bangalore centre

US-based mobile electronics and transportation systems supplier Delphi today said it would hire 150 more engineers at its Bangalore Technical Centre to cater to the automobile sector.

Nalco shelves South Africa project; puts Iran project on hold

In a twin decision on its global operations involving about Rs 27,000-crore investment, the state-owned aluminium major Nalco has shelved its proposed project in South Africa, and has put on hold the one in Iran.

US modifies procedures to unearth travel nexus of suspects

In view of the unearthing of David Coleman Headley"s case by the FBI and several other similar incidents in the recent past, the US has modified procedure based on intelligence inputs to expose any travel nexus of terror suspects.

Audi August sales jump 69%

German luxury car maker Audi today reported 69.31 per cent increase in its sales at 171 units in August in India, compared to 101 units in the same month last year.

Doha road mapped out, walk it: Lamy to G-20 leaders

WTO Chief Pascal Lamy is going to the G-20 meeting at Pittsburgh with a clear message that the failure to reach the Doha trade deal would be "hard felt" by the global economy facing the worst crisis since 1930s.

Asian markets in red

The Hang Seng has slipped 111 points to 22,516.

Markets slip deeper into red

Prior to the derivatives expiry this Thursday, markets have shown weakness, ignoring strong cues from the US markets.

Honda Siel Power appoints BSR & Co as statutory auditors

Manufacturing and marketing of portable gensets firm, Honda Siel Power Products today said it has appointed BSR & Company an Indian associate of KPMG, as statutory auditors of the company.

Emotional response to murderous apathy?

Jarnail Singh, a Sikh journalist who acquired a celebrity status after the shoe-throwing incident at a press conference addressed by Home Minister P Chidambaram on April 7, 2009, has exercised unusual caution while narrating the incident that made him a hero for large sections of the Sikh community. It is ironic because the “heroism” for which he was hailed by many Sikh bodies, including the Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, was clearly missing when it came to narrating the events that led to the infamous shoe-throwing incident.

Gammon Infra may raise Rs 500 cr through QIP

Gammon Infrastructure Projects may raise Rs 500 crore through the qualified institutional placement (QIP) route, a top company official said.

Emami raises Rs 310 crore through QIP issue

Kolkata-based FMCG major Emami Limited has approved the qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue of 100,00,000 equity shares of Rs 2 each at the issue price of Rs 310 per equity share, aggregating to an issue size of Rs 310 crore.

China, India key to check the economic crisis: World Bank

India, China and other developing nations have played a key role in checking the economic crisis, World Bank President Robert Zoellick has said, adding there is need of multiple poles of growth as the global economy can no longer rely on the US consumers.

Glimmer of hope for Haldia port

After months of hampered operations, there is now an official assurance that the floundering Haldia Dock Complex (HDC), West Bengal"s only facility capable of handing large vessels, will have a new navigational channel by the first half of next year.

DCI gets PIB clearance for three dredgers worth Rs 1,722 cr

Dredging Corporation of India Ltd has received approval for purchasing three dredgers worth Rs 1,722 crore from the Public Investment Board.

\'We will report to UN on climate change every two years\'

Leslie D"Monte & Kirtika Suneja / New Delhi December 5, 2009, 0:15 IST

\'Cross-border deals will drive M&As\'

Shobhana Subramanian / Mumbai December 4, 2009, 0:53 IST

Three new IPO listings this week to test markets

The listing of three big initial public offers (IPOs) — JSW Energy, D B Corp and Godrej Property — this week would be yet another test for the lackluster primary markets.

Emami: Betting on homeopathy

Kolkata-based Emami, the Rs 2,200-crore fast moving consumer goods major, is on the lookout for local homeopathy companies, even sick units will do. Emami had acquired Kolkata-based M Bhattacharyya & Co, one of the country’s earliest homeopathy companies, three years ago.

States\' panel to prepare rules for land banks

The Centre today constituted a committee of industry ministers of seven states to prepare guidelines for creating land banks for meeting industrial needs.

Maharatna title likely tomorrow

The Cabinet is expected to clear tomorrow the proposal to grant the coveted "Maharatna status" to public sector blue-chips like ONGC, SAIL, BSNL, NTPC and CIL giving them increased autonomy.

Upbeat FM sees 8% growth

Upbeat on higher-than-expected growth rate for 2009-10, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the continuation or withdrawal of fiscal stimulus to the industry, given to combat the global financial meltdown, would be decided in the Budget for 2010-11 in February.

High and mighty

Away from the glamour, but important nevertheless

Alok rises on Dawn Mills deal

Alok Industries closed at Rs 22, higher by Rs 1 or 5%, on the BSE.

Jewellery exports shine on global economic recovery

The signs of global economic recovery have given new life to the Indian diamond processing industry, with export orders rising sharply by 20 per cent for execution on the occasion of Christmas and New Year.

Bengal industry feels the heat as trade unionism grows, again

Among many fallouts of the general elections in West Bengal in 2009, the resurgence of trade unionism, in particular, has significantly affected industry in the state during the last year.

Low Nano volumes drives prices of used cars

Low volumes of the "common man"s car", expected to encourage people to buy a brand new car instead of an used one, has, however, put prices in the used car market back on track.

Bajaj Auto, Honda sales surge in November

Bajaj Auto, India’s second largest bike maker, today posted a growth of 84 per cent in motorcycle sales in November at 242,390 units, against a dismal tally of 131,681 units recorded in the same month a year ago.

Kanika Datta: \'Foreign hands\' in Indian business

Kanika Datta / New Delhi December 10, 2009, 0:53 IST

Barclays to increase workforce by 10% in Asia

UK-based Barclays today said it would increase workforce in merchant banking segment across Asia by 10 per cent during 2010.

G20 ministers to talk recovery, climate change

Bolstering the world economic recovery and crafting a deal to fight climate change will be top of the agenda for G20 finance ministers meeting tomorrow in Scotland.

Govt receives complaint against Shubiksha

The government today said it has received a complaint from an ex-employee of Subhiksha alleging that the company had not paid salary for three months and closed all units without any communication.

GMR raising Rs 13,000 cr for power, road projects

In advanced discussions with many domestic lenders, including SBI, Axis Bank and IDFC for raising the debt.

\'Growth is not getting translated into participation in markets\'

Sudeep Jain & Abhijit Lele / Mumbai December 10, 2009, 0:33 IST

RBI model to provide banking services in remote areas

The Reserve Bank of India has adopted a business correspondence model, acting as an agent of a commercial bank, to provide banking services to the people of remote areas where there is no banking outlet.

Bank of Maharashtra to raise Rs 300 cr

Bank of Maharashtra will raise Rs 300 crore by September this year as Tier I and Tier II capital by issuing bonds, the bank executive director M G Sanghvi said today.

India may raise interest rates in Q4, Barclays says

Public sector lenders Bank of Baroda (BOB), Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and Andhra Bank have signed a joint venture agreement for setting up India BIA Bank (Malaysia) Bhd, a banking subsidiary in Malaysia.

IOB seeks Rs 1,000-crore capital infusion from government

Chennai-headquartered Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has written to the government for a capital infusion of about Rs 1,000 crore to maintain a capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 12 per cent and to ensure a credit growth of 20 per cent in the next 3 years.

IOB net dips 51% to Rs 176 cr

Indian Overseas Bank today reported 51 per cent decline in its net profit at Rs 176.04 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2009.

Andhra Bank profit jumps 70% to Rs 274 cr

State-run lender Andhra Bank today said its net profit rose by 69.58 per cent to Rs 273.97 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2009, over the same period last year.

Rabo's banking foray decision

Rabo India Finance, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Rabobank International, will take a call on foraying into banking in India by the end of this calendar year.

Sensex falls to lowest in 6 weeks

Down 387 points to 16,353 as banking stocks fall on hardening monetary policy.

Bank of India Q2 profit halves to Rs 323 cr; shares dip 9%

Public sector lender Bank of India today reported a decline of 57 per cent in net profit to Rs 323.34 crore for the second quarter of current fiscal, over the same period a year earlier.

Corporation Bank net rises 52% to Rs 291 cr

Public sector Corporation Bank has posted 52.29 per cent increased in its net profit to Rs 291.67 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2009 as compared with the corresponding quarter in the previous fiscal.

Andhra Bank profit jumps 70% to Rs 274 cr

State-run lender Andhra Bank today said its net profit rose by 69.58 per cent to Rs 273.97 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2009, over the same period last year.

Andhra Bank profit jumps 70% to Rs 274 cr

State-run lender Andhra Bank today said its net profit rose by 69.58 per cent to Rs 273.97 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2009, over the same period last year.

RBI restores SLR to 25%

Beginning the end of its accommodative monetary policy, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today restored the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) to 25 per cent from 24 per cent and closed the special financing window set up for mutual funds and home finance companies.

BSNL keeps \'fresh bids\' option open in expansion project

State-owned BSNL today said it was negotiating hard with telecom equipment suppliers — Ericsson and Huawei — for its Rs 32,000 crore project, to expand GSM network by 93 million lines, but has kept open the option for re-inviting bids if the talks lead nowhere.

Shyamal Majumdar: India Inc's labour pains

Shyamal Majumdar / Mumbai October 1, 2009, 1:48 IST

Jute packaging law change would affect 40 lakh farmers: Modi

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today claimed that the Centre"s move to amend the jute packaging law would have an adverse impact on 40 lakh farmers of eastern states, including Bihar.

Virudhunagar to house handloom cluster

Virudhunagar, near Madurai in Tamil Nadu is to house one of the handloom clusters which was announced in the Union Budget 2009, said Union Minister for Textiles Dayanidhi Maran.

Sensex little changed; down 19 points

The 50-share Nifty also ended almost flat at 5,041.

Petrobras to exit ONGC block, Shell keen to get in

Brazilian firm wants to concentrate on gas finds back home

Dishman-Takamul JV aims $ 50 million by 2012

Dishman Arabia, the 50:50 joint venture between Dishman Pharmaceuticals & Chemicals and Saudi Arabia based Takamul, is bullish on touching a turnover of $50 million within two years of commencement of production at its JV plant in Riyadh.

Bear Stearns staff parties on as surviving banks scrap soirees

While Goldman Sachs Group Inc scrapped its holiday party for a second straight year and some JPMorgan Chase & Co bankers had their yuletide gathering in a cafeteria, staffers of Bear Stearns Cos reunited at a velvet- roped bar that sells bottles of Cristal champagne for $450.

India doesn\'t stand out as an overspender: Montek

Refusing to be drawn into the debate over when should stimulus packages be withdrawn, the Planning Commission today said India will not stand out in the world as an overspender despite the rise in the fiscal deficit because of the sops.

Fiscal deficit rises by 73% till Nov

The fiscal deficit rose by 73 per cent to Rs 3.06 lakh crore in the first eight months of the fiscal against Rs 1.77 lakh crore a year ago, as the government cut taxes and stepped up expenditure to stimulate the economy hit by the global financial crisis.

Reforms have reduced poverty, says PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said economic reforms have helped reduce poverty in the country but admitted the rate of decline should have been faster.

Bonds gain as yields near 15-month high lure investors

India’s 10-year bonds gained the most this week, as yields near the highest levels since October 2008 attracted investors.

Imports turn viable on rising domestic prices

The recent surge in domestic sugar prices along with a strengthening rupee has made imports viable once again. About 400,000 tonnes of raw and refined sugar is estimated to have been contracted over the last two weeks. For last couple of months, millers had stopped contracting imports due to lack of price parity.

Healthy gains for Smart Portfolios

The markets rose steadily for the better part of the week on news of robust GDP numbers and allaying of fears on the Dubai repayment crisis. The S&P CNX 500 index rose over 4 per cent to 4,239, thereby taking the benchmark’s portfolio value higher to Rs 11.04 lakh as against Rs 10.60 lakh in the preceding week.

Bottom 10 MFs show sharp variation in returns

Over-exposure to mid-caps and small-caps, feel analysts.

AV Rajwade: It\'s the rupee, stupid!

A V Rajwade / New Delhi January 11, 2010, 0:50 IST

Kotak revises India\'s growth forecast upward to 7.5% for FY\'10

Broking firm Kotak Institutional Equities today revised upwards the growth estimate of Indian economy at 7.5 per cent for the current fiscal on the back of increased economic activities and turnaround in industrial production growth.

The year that was...

The year 2009 saw the industry combating the shadows of global slowdown. A year full of challenges, which kick-started with the Vibrant Gujarat summit, was also a blessing in disguise in some cases especially with pharma companies returning homewards to Gujarat or brain drain from the reputed insitutes like IITs and IIMs being contained for the time being. While acquisitions and mergers gained some momentum in the later half of 2009, some of the special economic zone projects were hit. Companies responded with more innovative solutions while waking up to newer challenges. Problems in land acquisitions continue to remain although the process has been far more peaceful in Gujarat as compared to other states. This can be guaged from the fact that the first Nano by Tata Motors at Sanand got ready this year

M J Antony: Quick-fix solution

M J Antony / New Delhi November 4, 2009, 0:59 IST

Make land losers stakeholders in development: Nirupam

Having learnt its lessons from the land acquisition experiences in Nandigram and Singur, the West Bengal government today urged the industry to make land losers stakeholders in the development process.

Rlys\' land acquisition rules will be altered: Mamata

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she had already altered the land acquisition template of the Indian Railways in a bid to ensure no land was forcefully acquired for projects undertaken by her ministry.

Overseas borrowings slip from October high

After hitting a 13-month high in October, external commercial borrowings (ECBs) and foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) issued by Indian companies dipped slightly to $2.35 billion.

Rathore granted interim bail till Jan 7

Former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, against whom fresh cases involving serious charges have been registered, was today granted interim bail till January 7 by a local sessions court hearing the Ruchika molestation case.

GSMA not in consonance with family MoU: RNRL

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Natural Resources (RNRL) today accused Reliance Industries (RIL) in the Supreme Court of unilaterally inserting provisions in the agreement for gas supply, saying it went against the family MoU of 2005 providing for fixed quantity of gas from the KG Basin for 17 years.

Robert Kelly in lead for BofA CEO job, pay a hurdle

Bank of New York Mellon Corp"s Chief Executive Robert Kelly has emerged as the front-runner for the top job at Bank of America (BofA), but compensation issues are making a hurdle to the deal, says a media report.

BofA repays US govt entire bailout money

The Bank of America (BofA) has repaid the US government the entire bailout money of $45 billion. The Department of the Treasury announced yesterday that it has received full repayment on its Troubled Asset Relief Programme (TARP) investments in Bank of America in the sum of $45 billion.

David Reilly: Bondholders take revenge on fee-hungry bankers

Companies in dire straits often roll the dice in a bid to stave off bankruptcy. The problem is that last-ditch efforts to raise new funds or restructure often come at the expense of bondholders. Struggling companies, their advisers and lenders should think twice about such strategies after an almost $700-million judgment last month against Citigroup Inc, Bank of America Corp, Wells Fargo & Co and other lenders, in connection with the bankruptcy of home builder Tousa Inc.

New Year gifts set to get chic, again

Indian corporate gifting companies are set to laugh all the way to the bank this New Year. For, after a temperamental period in 2008 and 2009 on account of the recession, corporate biggies have finally started loosening their purse strings and placing orders for high-end gadgets like iPods, digital photoframes and dual-SIM handsets to dole out to their employees as well as clients.

Jamal Mecklai: Has RBI been diversifying out of dollars?

Jamal Mecklai / New Delhi November 27, 2009, 0:29 IST

Rupee at month high, rises 8 paise at 46.22/$

The rupee today appreciated by 8 paise to hit a month"s high of 46.22 against the US currency in early trade, in line with other firming Asian currencies.

Bonds drop on rate-hike speculation

Bloomberg / January 5, 2010, 0:16 IST

Forex reserves fall by $144 mn to $283.4 bn

India"s forex reserves declined by $144 million to $283.499 billion in the week ended December 25 as compared to $283.643 billion in the previous week, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in its weekly report.

Rupee starts New Year on weak note, sheds 7 paise

The rupee depreciated by 7 paise against the dollar on the first day of New Year today due to firm demand for the US currency which rose to three-month high against other major currencies.

As Stock markets rise, short sellers on the wrong foot

FIIs back in the game, buy shares worth Rs 769 crore.

DIIs net buyers of Rs 183 cr in cash mkt today

Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of Rs 182.87 crore (provisional) today, according to data released by BSE.

\'Monetary tightening will cause some pullback\'

Abhineet Kumar & Sidhartha / Mumbai December 31, 2009, 0:26 IST

YES Bank to focus on eastern Uttar Pradesh

New-age private banker YES Bank is now focusing on eastern Uttar Pradesh and will soon expand its footprint in the region.

'We do not want to compete in terms of numbers'

Raghavendra Kamath / Mumbai September 11, 2009, 0:36 IST

\'We do not want to compete in terms of numbers\'

Raghavendra Kamath / Mumbai September 04, 2009, 1:38 IST

Vodafone looks to list Indian arm

CEO seeks changes in regulatory regime

Indiabulls Financial reduces Suzlon stake to 0.06%

Wind power major Suzlon Energy today said financial services major Indiabulls Financial Services has reduced stake in the company to 0.6 per cent, by way of releasing pledged shares.

DP World shrugs off gloom, marks UAE National Day

DP World, a regional branch of the crisis-hit UAE investment company Dubai World, celebrated the 38th National Day of the country here, ignoring the hoopla over its parent company"s debt default issue.

LIC Hsg hopes reverse mortgage scheme to be beyond 20 yrs

With the new UPA Government expected to give a push to economic reforms, LIC Housing Finance Ltd (LICHFL) hopes the Centre would resolve some pending issues to enable it to launch long-awaited reverse mortgage scheme for senior citizens.

Sangam of Tamil and English

Rrishi Raote / New Delhi July 25, 2009, 0:52 IST

A patch up? Really?

There are several ugly faces of fashion: anorexic models who survive on cigarettes and coffee is just one such instance. But, by far the ugliest thing that has happened to Indian fashion is the ongoing fight between the various “bodies”. Two bodies — FFI and the government mandated FDPC — have triumphantly announced that they have now merged and will work for the betterment of fashion. FDCI, the original fashion apex body, continues to stay aloof of this merger and may or may not also merge with FDPC.

IPO guidelines within 15 days: IRDA

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) today said it would come with initial public offer guidelines for the insurance sector within a fortnight to allow companies to raise funds from the capital market.

State oil firms to lose Rs 45,478 cr on fuel sales

State-run oil marketing companies Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum are likely to lose Rs 45,478 crore this fiscal on selling fuel below cost, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora has said. Addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee yesterday evening, Deora said such a huge subsidy support was unsustainable in long run.

Cairn India may merge businesses

Cairn India, part of the UK-based Cairn Energy, said it would merge the oil and gas businesses of four of its subsidiaries with itself, a move that would improve administrative efficiencies.

Titan Industries Q1 net up 41% at Rs 46 cr

Titan Industries, a Bangalore-based watch and jewellery arm of Tata Group, today reported 41 per cent jump in its net profit at Rs 46.04 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 compared to the corresponding quarter last fiscal.

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.

CHESS #614

When reigning world champion Anatoly Karpov lost to Wolfgang Hartmann in Hanover in 1983, it created shock waves. The 27 year old Hartmann was a lowly 2290-rated player and no prodigy. By those standards, Anand’s last round defeat to Levon Aronyan at the Tal Memorial was mundane.

Dishman-Takamul JV aims $ 50 million by 2012

Dishman Arabia, the 50:50 joint venture between Dishman Pharmaceuticals & Chemicals and Saudi Arabia based Takamul, is bullish on touching a turnover of $50 million within two years of commencement of production at its JV plant in Riyadh.

Sebi extends ASBA facility to corporates, HNIs

The market watchdog Sebi today extended the ASBA (application supported blocked amount) facility to corporate investors and high networth individuals (HNIs) to enable them to apply for IPOs or rights issue by keeping the application money in their bank accounts till allotment.

Satyam agrees to settle case with Upaid for $70 million

Mahindra Satyam (the erstwhile Satyam Computer Services) has agreed to pay $70 million (Rs 325 crore) as settlement to UK-based Upaid, which had claimed damages of $1 billion for alleged forgery, fraud and breach of contract.

Mahindra Satyam settles Upaid dispute for $70 mn

Mahindra Satyam today said its board has approved settlement of lawsuits brought by its former client Upaid Systems by paying $70 million.

Raju, family bought 1,065 properties

Satyam Computer Services Ltd (SCSL) founder, B Ramalinga Raju, his brothers and their spouses have acquired 1,065 properties with a registered value of Rs 350 crore.

Sebi asks bourses to preserve papers for five years

To ensure assistance to enforcement agencies during company investigations, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has asked exchanges and brokers to preserve original records for a period ranging from two to five years.

Sebi bans Barclays from issuing offshore derivatives

Market watchdog Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) today banned the leading English bank Barclays from issuing offshore derivative instruments following its failure to provide "true and accurate picture of transactions" as required by the regulations.

Centre may relax jute packaging norms

With uncertainty prevailing over the supply of jute bags due to the indefinite strike of the jute mills in West Bengal, the Centre plans to allow Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the other government procurement agencies to place orders for polymer bags for packaging of food grains.

Celebrity endorsement market back on track

After a lull of over eight months when virtually no new endorsement deal of any significant value was signed, the Rs 400-450 crore celebrity endorsement business is back on the recovery path.

Nifty crosses 5,000, Sensex near 17,000

The National Stock Exchange Nifty closed above the 5,000 mark for the first time in 16 months on Thursday after second-quarter advance corporation and personal income tax collections registered positive growth.

'Rationale for IT deals remains compelling'

Abhineet Kumar / Mumbai September 9, 2009, 0:20 IST

Bharti, RCom seek telecom corridor via Bangladesh

Indian telecom majors Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications (RCom) have sought to build a fibre optic network in Bangladesh to get connected to the isolated north-eastern states, a report said on Sunday.

Unitech pares gain, plunges over 5%

Weakness in realty stocks weighed on Unitech. The stock could not hold gains and slumped to a low of Rs 82. It finally ended with a loss of 5.5% at Rs 84. Around 27 million shares were traded on the BSE today.

Markets recover partially

The Sensex has recovered partially from the day"s low of 16,210, and is now down 369 points at 16,485. The NSE Nifty is down 111 points at 4,894.

TRAI to float consultation paper on M&A norms

Telecom regulator TRAI today said it will float a consultation paper on merger and acquisitions in the sector by the next month, a move that could unleash the second wave of consolidation in the sector.

Bharti may bid for Millicom\'s assets in Sri Lanka: Kohli

Just days after an aborted deal for merger with South Africa"s MTN, Bharti Airtel today said it may bid to acquire Luxembourg-based telecom firm Millicom"s operations in Sri Lanka.

Some of upcoming realty IPOs may falter: consultant

A couple of real estate initial public offers (IPOs) may falter from around 15 lined up over the next few months if the issues are not reasonably priced, a realty consultant said.

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.

CBI begins probe into copter crash, visits Nallamala forests

The CBI today began its probe into the helicopter crash that killed former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and four other persons with a team visiting the site in Nallamala forests.

PNB to raise Rs 700 cr via bonds issue

Public sector lender Punjab National Bank (PNB) today said it will raise Rs 700 crore by issues of bonds.

Bharat Forge plans Rs 50,000-cr investment in power

The Kalyani Group"s flagship company Bharat Forge is planning to make a big foray into the power sector with an investment of up to Rs 50,000 crore and a targeted generation capacity of up to 10,000 Mw, over the next 10 years.

Quandt\'s PE unit to invest $300 million in Asia

Auda International LP, the $5 billion private-equity unit of Germany’s Quandt family, plans to invest as much as $300 million in Asia over the next three years as it expects deals in the region to pick up.

HAL offers trainer aircraft to resolve IAF crisis

Not since the dark decade of the 1990s, when the Indian Air Force crashed 177 aircraft — losing 54 young pilots and some Rs 1,000 crore worth of equipment — has the air force faced such a pilot training crisis. The long-delayed Hawk trainers, which began arriving in India in 2007, have improved advanced training for IAF flyers. But the crucial introduction to flying, conducted in antiquated HPT-32 Deepak and HJT-16 Kiran aircraft, is taking a growing toll on pilots’ lives.

Aditya Birla Minacs, NorthStar in deal to provide wealth mgt

Business solutions company Aditya Birla Minacs has partnered with NorthStar Systems International, a provider of wealth management software solutions, to provide a total wealth management package.

Experts stress on tapping retail sector

The budding corporate managers need to tap the huge potential offered by the retail sector which is the second largest employer in the country after agriculture and the retailers need to imbibe a work culture driven by productive performance.

Fastrack eyes Rs 360 crore turnover in FY 2009-10

Fastrack, a branded chain of retail stores from Titan Industries Ltd (TIL), has set the target of Rs. 360 crore sales turn over for the current FY 2009-10.

I-T says unearthed Rs 122cr un-assessed income from ABG

The Directorate General of Income Tax (investigation) today claimed it has unearthed Rs 122 crore "un-assessed" income during its search operations at ship building and repairing major ABG Shipyard"s establishments.


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Recession-hit tourism sector looks up to CWG
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Tata Motors reports Q3 turnaround with Rs 400 cr net
Tata Motors, the country"s leading automobile manufacturer, reported a net profit of Rs 400.14 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2009.

Godrej Properties IPO in next 10 months
Godrej Properties (GPL), the real estate arm of the Godrej group, is likely to come out with its initial public offering (IPO) in the next 10 months, a top company official said.