Small Business

Bharati hikes offer for Great Offshore to Rs 560/share

With the increase in offer price the size of the proposal now stands at Rs 438.3 crore

HC told to take up Subhiksha merger plea first

The Supreme Court today asked the Madras High Court to first hear on Thursday the amalgamation plea of cash-strapped retail chain Subhiksha Trading Services Ltd with its subsidiary Blue Green Construction and Investments Ltd. The retailer was forced to shut its network of supermarkets across India due to acute financial crunch.

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.

TMB eyes Rs 20,000 cr business

Tuticorin-based Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) has set a target of Rs 20, 000 crore business by March 2010 from the present Rs 16,000 crore.

I-T raid on ABG Shipyard offices, official residences

Income Tax (I-T) authorities are carrying out search operations at various establishments of the ship- building and repairing firm, ABG Shipyard, for alleged tax evasion, an Income tax Department source said.

Current stock price of Great Offshore unsustainable: Analysts

As the takeover battle between Bharati Shipyard and ABG Shipyard for Great Offshore heats up, analysts feel it is the right time for retail investors to book profits as the fundamentals of the target firm"s stock do not support sustainability of its current price.

ABG Shipyard gears up to match Bharati\'s open offer

Ship building firm ABG Shipyard is getting ready to counter the offer price of rival Bharati Shipyard to acquire offshore drilling company Great Offshore.

ICAI goes to polls today

Ending months of campaign, which prompted the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to issue some of the oddest directives such as those requesting a curb on SMSes and emails sent by candidates, the apex body of auditing professionals in the country is going to polls tomorrow.

Last date for Metro Rail RFQ applications sale extended

The last date for sale and submission of request for qualification (RFQ) applications for the Rs 12, 132-crore Hyderabad Metro Rail project is extended till December 14, 2009, from the earlier November 27.

Ministry wants to bring warehouses under FMC

The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs has proposed to the prime minister that the Forward Markets Commission, the regulator for commodity futures, also be the regulator for all warehouses.

Forex reserves down $1.13 bn

The country’s foreign exchange reserves fell $1.13 billion in the week up to September 11 to $284.4 billion on the back of portfolio investments and revaluation of currencies.

Forex reserves up $684 mn to $285 bn

India"s foreign exchange reserves rose by $684 million for the week ended October 23 to $285.520 billion from $284.836 billion in the previous week.

Now, access Gmail, Facebook on cable TV

New technology allows access to webpages without internet.

Aluminium demand may rise in 2010

Aluminum consumption in Asia may continue to grow next year as stimulus measures in China, the world’s biggest metals consumer, and rest of the region lift demand for the metal, an executive at Novelis Korea said.

No police officer deputed to question Headley

The government today said it has not deputed any police official to go US to question David Coleman Headley, who was planning to target key installations in the country at LeT"s behest.

Airlines dole out attractive schemes to woo biz travellers

Faced with a major downslide in business traffic, airlines are now adopting innovative schemes to attract high-end and corporate travellers to fill in the seats on the front rows.

Facelift turns an old maid into a diva

The Janpath Hotel is fighting the odds with a novel plan to bring it into the limelight.

Cab Secy asks ministries not to interfere in CPSEs

Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar today did some plain-speaking, asking administrative ministries to allow Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) to function independently.

Recession impact: Gulf region is global petrochem hub

The global petrochemical industry’s centre of gravity is shifting to the feedstock-rich West Asia as dozens of new projects are coming up in the region while production falters elsewhere. According to Chemical Week, co-organiser of the Fourth Annual GPCA Forum, 19 million metric tonne ethylene, the key building block for petrochemicals, is scheduled to be added annually to the Gulf region capacity over the next five years, nearly doubling the current capacity and providing extensive raw materials for downstream industries.

PM asks Plan panel to monitor economy of states

Chairing a meeting of the full-time members of the Planning Commission, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked the commission’s members and officials to keep track of state-level development.

MTNL net declines 77.5% at Rs 20.58 cr

State-run telecom firm MTNL today reported a 77.5 per cent decline in its net profit at Rs 20.58 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2009.

Now, Dubai travel gets cheaper

Your holiday in Dubai just got a little cheaper. Thanks to Dubai World’s crash, travel portals and agencies like MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Cleartrip and SOTC are offering packages at prices almost 40 per cent lower than a week or two ago.

IRB Infra jumps on highway deal

The IRB Infrastructure Developers scrip rose 6 per cent to Rs 148.15 on securing a highway project in Rajasthan. The company emerged as the lowest bidder for the highway project to be built between Jaipur to Deoli section of NH12. The Rs 1,500-crore project is on a grant basis with a concession period of 25 years. It has sought a grant of Rs 306 crore for the project from NHAI.

Toasting an accessible spirit

Mixologist Max Warner makes us cocktails with Chivas Regal

Sensex slips 75pts amid lacklustre trade

The Indian bourses opened in the positive at 17,604 but soon slipped into the red owing to lack of buying activity and no major trigger to boost the sentiment. The index exhibited lacklustre movement for major part of the trading day. The benchmark index towards the end slipped deeper into the red to touch a low of 17,509, down 149 points from the day"s high.

Petrobras to exit ONGC block, Shell keen to get in

Brazilian firm wants to concentrate on gas finds back home

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

Asian stocks fall as airlines plunge

Asian stocks fell for the first time in three days as Japan Airlines Corp and Asiana Airlines Inc plunged on debt concerns and as lower oil and gold prices dragged down commodity producers.

Asian markets end in green

Asian markets have ended in the green today. The Hang Seng surged 237 points ( 1.12%) to 21,329.

Markets begin week in red; metals, Reliance drag Sensex

Fears of rising interest rates in the US dampened investor sentiments on Monday. The Sensex dropped over 100 points, to end below 17,000 after four trading sessions.

Bilcare weakens despite GDR issue

Bilcare ended at Rs 512, lower by Rs 2 or 0.3%, on the BSE.

Overbought markets likely to stay range-bound

The Nifty faced strong resistance above 5,300 and closed in a Doji pattern, indicating indecisiveness among participants.

Dr Reddy\'s plans to launch Lipitor\'s generic version in US

Hyderabad-based drug maker Dr Reddy"s Laboratories plans to launch generic version of the world"s largest selling anti-cholesterol medicine "Lipitor" in the US market in the next 2-3 years.

Commexes turnover jumps 42% in April-Nov

Turnover of the 23 commodity exchanges in the country surged by 42.63 per cent to Rs 47,29,971 crore till November this fiscal on the back of significant improvement in agricultural and other commodities, the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) said today.

130 firms trade at all-time highs on BSE

Stocks of 127 companies on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) have raced to touch their lifetime highs this month, even while the key domestic benchmark index, the 30-share Sensex, is still well below its all-time high of 21,000 that it had touched in January 2008.

Pharma world discovers Bharat

After decades of hunt for fortune abroad, India’s pharmaceutical companies now plan to strike gold in their own backyard. Large players from Ranbaxy to Dr Reddy’s and Piramal Healthcare are all headed to rural India to boost their revenues.

Bajaj Auto posts highest-ever quarterly profit at Rs 403 cr

The country"s second-largest two-wheeler maker, Bajaj Auto, today reported its highest ever net profit recorded in a quarter at Rs 402.83 crore, driven by good sales in the profitable bigger and sportier motorcycles category.

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.

Cochlear to launch technologies for hearing impaired

A higher generation of implantable hearing technology is slated to be soon released in India by Cochlear Limited, engaged in cochlear and bone conduction implant technology.

\'IPO expectations should be realistic\'

Deutsche Equities India is among the dominant players in the domestic capital market and ranks second based on funds raised since January 2008 till date in the equity market. Sanjay Sharma, head, Equity Capital Markets, Deutsche Equities India spoke to Rajesh Bhayani on the trends in capital market, especially in the IPO segment and the recent lacklustre listings among other issues. Excerpts:

Cadila-Novavax JV can produce 250 mn doses of H1N1 vaccine

Eyes February roll-out with 10 mn capacity in phase one

State to tie-up with private healthcare institutions

The state health and family welfare department is looking to forge partnerships with the healthcare institutions in the private sector.

SC notice to BSNL on Trai\'s plea

The Supreme Court today issued notice to state-run telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) on a petition by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), which had objected the PSU"s charging higher tariff from subscribers by way of reducing the pulse rate of each call.

Crisis unlikely to impact Indian IT vendors

The tremors from the Dubai World crisis are unlikely to be felt by Indian information technology (IT) service providers, since they do not have a major exposure to the market in that region.

GE Healthcare launches low-cost portable ECG

Taking its “In India, for India” initiative further, GE Healthcare today launched MACi, a low-cost portable ECG device.

RIL revises Lyondell offer to $13.5 bn

- BofA likely to pay bonuses close to 2007 level - Future Group pulls the plug on "Bijli Ghar" - PowerMin wants gas at $2.34 for NTPC - Another RIL cash raising on anvil - RIL to drill six new wells in KG-D6 block this year - Reliance Industries: Filling its coffers

Nasscom wants to partner govt for \'inclusive\' growth

Nasscom, the apex body representing the Indian Information Technology (IT) industry, today proposed that it would like to work closely with the government “to drive an inclusive (which benefits all sections of society) economic growth agenda”.

Raja for 2-yr extension of tax sops for IT under STPI

New Telecom and IT Minister Andimuthu Raja said he will "fight for" the extension of tax sops to IT and ITeS firms for another two years in the coming Budget.

Six in top-10 club add Rs 28,000 cr in market cap

As many as six among the top 10 firms added over Rs 28,415 crore to their market capitalisation in the past week, while companies like NTPC, NMDC and IT bellwether Infosys Technologies saw their valuations dipping.

MP\'s biggest thermal power station in fuel crisis

Madhya Pradesh"s biggest Birsinghpur based 1340 Mega Watt (Mw) thermal power generation station is facing fuel crisis with a coal stock of just 10,000 metric tonnes (MT) to generate power against its daily need of around 15,000-16,000 MT if plant functions at its full capacity.

Microsoft, News Corp in talks on web content

Software major Microsoft Corporation has held talks with News Corp for a possible deal which would involve paying the Rupert Murdoch-led firm for removing its news content from the website of Internet search giant Google, says a media report.

The return of image-spam

Image spam has made an unwelcome comeback by contributing 16 per cent to all the spam messages recorded at the end of April 2009.

Cong MP escapes from hospital; police searching for him

Police are on the lookout for Congress MP L Rajagopal, who escaped from a city hospital where he was admitted after being brought from a hunger strike site over the Telangana issue.

Rich Jaroslovsky: Google Goliath confronts David in BT\'s Ribbit

If a telephone company had a heart, Google Inc would be inspiring terror in it. As the newspaper, book and video industries can attest, Google has a knack for invading established markets and turning them upside down. Next up are the phone companies: Google Voice, still in testing, provides a free, powerful suite of Internet-based services that makes it a personal communications hub.

Mafatlal Industries to alter product mix

Mafatlal Industries, a flagship company of Arvind Mafatlal Group, is planning to increase production of school uniform and corporate uniform by reducing capacity of non-profitable product ranges like industrial fabrics, sheeting’s, government supply products etc.

Cavin Kare eyeing more overseas markets

Chennai-based fast moving consumer goods firm Cavin Kare Private Limited has planned to double its exports this year by reaching out to new overseas markets like the US and Australia, a top company official said.

Water resources department plan ceiling at Rs 2,222 crore

The annual plan ceiling of the water resources department (WRD) for 2010-11 has been fixed at Rs 2222.64 crore. It is the highest among all the departments.

RPDAC to finalise Posco R&R package

Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) for the Posco steel project in Orissa will meet next month to finalise the rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) package for the project affected persons.

Jindal\'s 1200 MW plant under cloud

The 1200 MW thermal power project of Jindal India Limited at Kaniha near here, estimated to cost Rs 6,000 crore, is under a cloud as the twelfth meeting involving the local administration, company authorities and the affected villagers remained inconclusive.

RPDAC fails to resolve land rate issues of Jindal India Power

The Rehabilitation and Peripheral Development Advisory Committee (RPDAC) meeting for three Angul based industries including the Rs 15000 crore steel project of Jindal Steel and Power Limited today failed to resolve issues related to land rate for the Jindal India Power’s 1200 Mw project in the area.

Pitroda likely to be first Chancellor of Vedanta varsity

The proposed Vedanta University is likely to get chairman of the Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda as its first Chancellor, Orissa"s Higher Education minister Debi Prasad Mishra said today.

United Europe: A distant dream

It is towards Ireland that all eyes in Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union, are currently trained. On October 2 the Irish will hold a referendum for the second time to decide whether or not to approve the Lisbon Treaty. The island-nation will thus decide the fate of a much beleaguered set of proposed changes to the 27-member EU’s rule book that has its opponents frothing at the mouth even as its supporters tout its transformational potential.

India\'s demand for sugar led to higher global India"s demand for sugar led to higher global Press trust of India / New Delhi July 14, 2009, 15:08 IST

Cox & Kings Q3 net jumps 88% to Rs 19 cr

M&M, BAE ink venture on weapon systems

Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) and global weapon system manufacturer BAE Systems have signed an agreement to create a joint venture defence company in India to focus on land-based systems.

Telstra applies to re-enter Indian telecom market

Plans majority stake in JV; to offer NLD, ILD, ISP services.

Martin Feldstein: Will recovery hit euro zone?

Martin Feldstein / December 5, 2009, 0:59 IST

Choosing the right technique

For those, who are just struggling to find the right software for technical analysis, here’s some help

ISRO chief to join Planning Commission: Montek

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said Rajya Sabha member Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan will be appointed as a member of the commission.

Leslie D'Monte Virtual mark in cyberspace

On August 13, the National Remote Sensing Agency — a part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) — put India on the global cyberspace map. It launched Bhuvan — a geoportal which allows users to explore the virtual earth on the internet for free in a 3D environment with specific emphasis on India.

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.

Madras HC asked to take up Subhiksha merger plea first

The Supreme Court today asked the Madras High Court to first hear on Thursday the amalgamation plea of cash-strapped retail chain Subhiksha Trading Services with its subsidiary Blue Green Construction and Investments (BGCIL).

Vishal Retail admitted for CDR, details to be worked on

Delhi-based Vishal Retail’s Rs 730 crore of loans will be restructured, its bankers agreed today. It has become the second major retailer after Subhiksha to go into a corporate debt restructuring (CDR) process after it said it couldn’t pay its loans.

SAIL, ONGC, IOC, NTPC may get Maharatna tag

Four public sector giants — ONGC, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), Indian Oil Corp (IOC) and National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) — were likely to get in next ten days the Maharatna status, which would empower these Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) with greater autonomy, a top government official said today.

ONGC bids for Venezuela oil block

Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has bid for Venezuela"s Carabobo oil auction along with Spain"s Repsol YPF SA and Petroliam Nasional Bhd of Malaysia.

DLF\'s net profit dips 30%

DLF, the country’s largest real estate developer, posted a 30 per cent dip in its consolidated net profit for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, on account of losses arising from non-core businesses of the company as well as continuing stress in the business environment.

Tata Comm Q3 net zooms threefold to Rs 282 cr

Tata Communications today said its net profit surged over three fold to Rs 281.80 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, over the same period previous fiscal.

BoB Q3 profit up 18% on strong growth in fee-income

Backed by a healthy growth in core fee-income, Bank of Baroda (BoB), overcame challenging market conditions to post a 17.5 per cent jump in net profit in the third quarter, overshadowing the muted earnings posted by many of its peers.

Undisbursed loans may lead to rate war, even if RBI tightens

Contrary to popular perception on interest rate movement, expected to head north following a likely central bank action on monetary tightening, banks may actually end by cutting rates in the below-prime lending rate region for at least their corporate clients.

Cost-cutting phase over, time to transform biz: HCL Tech

Indian IT major HCL Technologies today said the cost-cutting phase necessitated by the global economic downturn is over and it will work with its global customers to help redesign their business.

US sees 9 banks bail in 2010; five go belly up in 1 day

With five more entities folding up, the total number of American bank failures has touched nine in 2010.

Not a sweet ride

Ii can give high profits, but the sugar industry is volatile and influenced by many factors

Chandrayaan-II mission to be completed by 2012-13: Annadurai

Chandrayaan-II moon mission, which will help in analysis of mineral composition and undertake terrain mapping of the moon, will be completed by 2012-13, Project Director of Chandrayaan Dr M Annadurai said today.

Global Outlook eyes Rs 25cr from India

Global Outlook, a white label hosted Microsoft Exchange and collaboration services provider with its data centres in Hyderabad and Dallas in the US, is targeting to achieve Rs 25 crore revenues from the Indian market by the end of this calendar year, according to its executive chairman Dayakar Puskoor.

Apollo Hospitals Q3 net up 48% at Rs 44 cr

Apollo Hospitals today reported a 48.6 per cent increase in its net profit at Rs 43.91 crore for the quarter ended on December 31, 2009, as compared to the similar period last fiscal.

J&K Bank Q4 net up 32% at Rs 79 cr

Jammu & Kashmir Bank today reported 32 per cent jump in net profit at Rs 78.68 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2009, on the back of high interest income and other earnings.

DIIs net buyers of Rs 2,330 cr in cash mkt today

Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of Rs 2,330.25 crore (provisional) today, according to data released by BSE.

High and mighty

Away from the glamour, but important nevertheless

Markets slip, but recover soon post CRR hike

The markets slipped as a knee jerk reaction to the 75 basis points CRR hike announced by the RBI, but has soon recovered again. The CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) hike was suprisingly higher than the 50 bps expected by the markets.

Taxi permits: Chavan does a U turn, Hindi, Gujarati also ok

Under attack for making knowledge of Marathi a must to get new taxi permits in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan today did a quick U-turn insisting that fluency in any local language like Hindi and Gujarati was also enough.

Asian stocks rebound on Dubai financing; Japan shares decline

Asian stocks rebounded from earlier losses after Dubai secured $10 billion of funding to repay its debt. Japan shares dropped as a measure of business confidence showed companies are scaling back investment plans.

Undisbursed loans may lead to rate war, even if RBI tightens

Contrary to popular perception on interest rate movement, expected to head north following a likely central bank action on monetary tightening, banks may actually end by cutting rates in the below-prime lending rate region for at least their corporate clients.

Asian markets trade weak

Hang Seng is quoting at 20,332, down 530 points or 2.5%, and the Nikkei is at 10,554, lower by 313 points or 2.8%.

Asian markets remain weak

The Asian markets continue to trade weak.

Sun shines as Taro shareholders slam board re-election

In a major boost to India"s Sun Pharma, which is locked in a takeover battle with Taro, shareholders of the Israeli drug firm today rejected a proposal to re-elect directors.

Smart Portfolios ends 2009 on a high

Although Smart Portfolios kicked off on September 1, 2009, it feels good to end the calendar year on a cheerful note. The net returns in the second season are at the highest point currently. The benchmark S&P CNX 500 portfolio value has appreciated by 12.73 per cent to Rs 11.27 lakh as against its starting corpus of Rs 10 lakh. Ajay Parmar and Amar Ambani continue to outperform the benchmark with a wide margin. While the former"s return has zoomed 20.46 per cent, the latter"s portfolio value has soared nearly 19 per cent. Phani Sekhar has reported gains of 6.72 per cent so far, and Praveen Panjwani"s net worth is up by 6.3 per cent.

Exploit low volatility in range-trading market

- FIIs infuse Rs 24,800 cr in Dec quarter - FIIs net buy Rs 516cr, DIIs net sell Rs 472cr - FIIs net sellers Rs 278cr in F&O on Wednesday - FIIs net buyers Rs 695cr in F&O on Tuesday - FIIs net sellers Rs 900cr in F&O on Thursday - Positive returns on the cards, but no sharp surge

Air safety improves in 2009: IATA

India witnessed only one air accident -- the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy and four others -- this year, a period that saw airlines improve their safety record, says IATA.

Won\'t revisit cases handled by arrested CLB member: Govt

The government today said it will not relook into the investigations handled by arrested CLB member R Vasudevan, when he was heading the inspection department of the ministry of corporate affairs.

ICICI Bank Q3 net dips 26% to Rs 1,101 cr

Private sector lender ICICI Bank today reported a 26.36 per cent drop in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,148.66 crore for the third quarter (Q3) ended December 31, 2009.

Shree Cement to invest Rs 450 cr by mid-2010

Kolkata-based Shree Cement today said it will invest Rs 450 crore to increase the annual capacity of its existing units in Rajasthan by 2 million tonnes by mid-2010.

Markets languish in red

The Indian markets continue to languish in the red and the Sensex is now at 17, 592, down 50 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,258, down 16 points.

Sensex falls 155 points on weak global cues

The Sensex fell 0.88 per cent, or 155.02 points, at 17,486.06, as weak global markets encouraged investors to lock in profits in outsourcers such as Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys Technologies.

Cos raises over Rs 14,000 cr in upbeat mkt

Seven companies, including Reliance Industries and JP Associates, have raised over Rs 14,000 crore by way of treasury stock sale, private placements and bond issues in the second quarter of this fiscal.

Dhanalakshmi Bank plans brand transformation

Dhanalakshmi Bank is planning a brand transformation initiative which will include changing the logo and related branding treatment across all its customer touch-points.

Markets firm in morning trades

The markets have opened in the positive, mirroring the gains in the US and firmness across Aia. The Sensex is quoting at 17589, higher by 103 points and the Nifty is at 5254, up 29 points.

More cities under affordable housing project: Tata

The affordable housing projects launched by Tatas in Mumbai would be extended to more cities since the concept had evinced keen interest from all parts of the country, Tata group Chairman Ratan Tata has said.

IPO saga: Promoters garner Rs 20k cr; public gets Rs 20 cr

It"s called initial public offer, but it was promoters who walked away with a lion"s share in this market during 2009, when they sold shares worth about Rs 20,000 crore in their companies to the public shareholders.

'Developers will continue with affordable housing'

Raghavendra Kamath / Mumbai September 29, 2009, 0:19 IST

Bharti acquires 70% stake in Warid Telecom

Telecom major, Bharti Airtel, has announced that it has agreed to acquire 70% stake in Bangladesh-based, Warid Telecom. Bharti plans to make $300 million fresh investment in the company, thus taking the overall investment to $1 billion. The new funding will be for capacity expansion, coverage and innovative products.

Posco gets final nod from Environment Min

South Korean steel giant Posco has finally got the clearance from the Environment Ministry for acquiring forest land for its proposed Rs 54,000-crore steel project in Orissa, which has been already delayed more than a year.

Plan to set up 1,000 gas filling stations in 3 yrs

The Indian Auto Gas company, engaged in distributing LPG for automobiles, plans to set up 1,000 gas filling stations across the country over a three-year period at a cost of Rs 700 crore, a top company official said.

Hyundai to invest Rs 800 cr on small car for India

South Korean car maker Hyundai will invest around Rs 800 crore to develop a small car for the Indian market that is likely to be launched in the next two years.

Arvind Subramanian: Coordinate capital controls

Arvind Subramanian / New Delhi November 25, 2009, 0:54 IST

RBI can hike interest rates: Rangarajan

The Prime Minister"s Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan today suggested that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) could reduce money supply and raise interest rates to tame the rising prices of food articles.

Star Health to invest Rs 28 cr

Eyes Rs 700 cr premium income this fiscal.

HPCL net profit at Rs 31.4 crore

Helped by cash subsidy from the government, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), India’s third-largest refiner, managed to report a net profit of Rs 31.4 crore in the quarter ended December 2009. It posted a net loss of Rs 422 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.

BoB Q3 profit up 18% on strong growth in fee-income

Backed by a healthy growth in core fee-income, Bank of Baroda (BoB), overcame challenging market conditions to post a 17.5 per cent jump in net profit in the third quarter, overshadowing the muted earnings posted by many of its peers.

Cox & Kings makes an impressive debut

Cox & Kings (India) ended Day 1 at Rs 426, a premium of around 30% to its issue price of Rs 330.

DE Shaw reaps $500 mn in DAL deal

US hedge fund makes 40% profit; KP Singh family to go for DLF Assets IPO in the first quarter of 2010

Oiling your investment wheels

While oil and gas companies are cash rich, focus on managements’ credibility and ability to run the business.

CFM Intl to set up training facility at Hyd airport

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) has signed an agreement with aircraft engine manufacturer, CFM International (CFM), to establish a new CFM56 maintenance training centre to support its customers in the South Asian region.

Bhushan Steel-Essel set to acquire plot for Rs 1,530 Cr

Land in Navi Mumbai to be used for building Bollywood theme park.

GHIAL signs three MoUs

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) has signed three memoranda of understanding with Jet Airways, Malaysia Airports Consultancy Services (MACS) and Asia Pacific Flight Training Sdn Bhd (APFT).

Three held in RTI activist murder case

Three persons, including a lawyer, have been arrested in connection with the murder of RTI activist and graft whistle-blower Satish Shetty at Talegaon near here, police said today.

SAT sets aside insider trading charge against Pendse, wife

The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has set aside charges of insider trading against Dilip Pendse, former managing director of Tata Finance, and his wife Anuradha Pendse and Nalini Properties.

Gujarat NRE up on 100% jump in Q3 net

Gujarat NRE Coke ended at Rs 81, stronger by Rs 2 or 2.6%, on the BSE.

Godrej Industries Q3 net up eight times at Rs 44 cr

Diversified business conglomerate Godrej Industries today reported an eight-fold jump in its net profit at Rs 43.80 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, over the year-ago period.

Yes Bank net up 19%

Despite a sharp fall in treasury income compared to the year-ago quarter, private sector lender Yes Bank recorded a 19 per cent growth in net profit to Rs 125 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2009.

Pharma tops in patent suits

Pharmaceutical patents are just over a fourth of all patents granted in the country, but domestic drug makers account for almost all post-grant patent opposition filed, official data reveals.

Jay Bharat Maruti Q3 net jumps over fivefold

Auto components maker Jay Bharat Maruti today reported an over five-fold jump in net profit at Rs 5.41 crore for the third quarter.

Renault to launch 2 models in India by mid-2011

French car maker giant Renault today said it will launch two models in India in 2011 that will be rolled out from the company"s upcoming Chennai plant.

\'Copenhagen accord has inbuilt hazards\'

The Copenhagen accord on climate change was a partial success for India but it has certain “inbuilt hazards” of which the developing countries have to be wary, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has said.

India Inc to post double digit growth in profit in Q3

India Inc is likely to post 15-20 per cent growth in net profit in the third quarter, thanks to a low base year and a promising show from automobiles, capital goods, construction, metals, pharmaceuticals and sugar companies. The telecom sector, for the first time after several quarters of strong performance, is expected to show decline in net profit on the back of decline in revenue per phone.

GM hoping to get 20% revenue from overseas markets

US car manufacturer General Motors today hoped to get 20 per cent revenue from overseas markets by 2011 once it starts exporting to these countries, a top company official said.

Toyota developing sub-Innova product for India

Toyota Kirloskar Motors Limited (TKML) is looking to make further inroads into the Indian market as it puts its strategy into overdrive. With the launch of the Prius and its small car in 2010, it is looking to add another volume product to its portfolio,

Top 5 Japanese carmakers post smaller output falls in Aug

Japan"s top five auto makers have reported smaller year-on-year declines in their global production in August compared with July, showing signs of a bottoming out in auto production.

Robust auto sales hold promise of good economic showing

Auto makers Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Hero Honda today reported robust sales in November, lending optimism that the good economic showing in the second quarter would continue.

Apollo Hospitals Q3 net up 48% at Rs 44 cr

Apollo Hospitals today reported a 48.6 per cent increase in its net profit at Rs 43.91 crore for the quarter ended on December 31, 2009, as compared to the similar period last fiscal.

J&K Bank Q3 net up 16% to Rs 140 cr

Jammu & Kashmir Bank today reported growth of 16 per cent in its net profit at Rs 139.99 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2009, over the same period last year.

Apollo Hospitals Q3 net up 48% at Rs 44 cr

Apollo Hospitals today reported a 48.6 per cent increase in its net profit at Rs 43.91 crore for the quarter ended on December 31, 2009, as compared to the similar period last fiscal.

FII-TO-FII TRADES: PNB traded at 7% premium

Trades between FIIs generated a volume of Rs 167 crore on the BSE Wednesday-an increase of 133.97% from Rs 72 crore clocked on Tuesday. As many as five stocks witnessed trades of 26 lakh shares on Wednesday.

FIIs net sellers Rs 692cr in F&O on Tuesday

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers of Rs 692.18 crore in futures and options segments on Tuesday.

FIIs net sellers Rs 1,626cr in F&O on Monday

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers of Rs 1,625.66 crore in futures and options segments on Monday.

Bankers meet with telcos, UID to spread banking

With a view to spread the reach of banking, bankers will meet telecom industry and government officials here next week to explore the marriage of mobile phone technology with the proposed citizen identification project.

SpiceJet zooms on Q3 turnaround, record profit

The stock settled 10% higher at Rs 59 and witnessed trades of 240 lakh shares on the BSE.

Surge in passenger numbers to help airlines cut losses

Airlines in the country are expected to cut down their losses in the third quarter of this financial year, thanks to a consistent increase in passenger numbers and the consequent surge in yields.

SpiceJet posts profit of Rs 109 cr

Improved passenger numbers in the last three months helped low-cost carrier SpiceJet post a profit of Rs 108.9 crore in the third quarter ending December 31, 2009. The airline had incurred losses of Rs 17.96 crore during the same period last year.

Maruti Suzuki most online searched car brand: Google India

Maruti Suzuki India is the most searched car maker among potential buyers looking for online information, says a Google India study.

UPDATE: Inflation jumps to 7.31% in Dec

Wholesale prices-based inflation leaped to 7.31 per cent in December, shooting past RBI"s forecast of 6.5 per cent-level by this fiscal end, as food items such as sugar, potatoes and pulses turned costlier. Overall inflation in November was 4.78 per cent.

IDBI in talks to buy private bank

IDBI Bank Chairman and Managing Director Yogesh Agarwal today said that the public sector player had completed due diligence on a private bank for possible acquisition.

US seeks explanation from China on internet freedom

The United States has said it has held several rounds of meetings with China on the allegations of search engine giant Google that Chinese authorities were indulging in email hacking and censorship, a top Obama Administration official said.

Googled in China

Business Standard / New Delhi January 20, 2010, 0:47 IST

Coal India hopes to raise Rs 6,000 cr from stake sale

Coal India Ltd (CIL), which is actively pursuing the issue of disinvestment with the Centre, aims to raise Rs 6,000 crore through a stake sell of 10 per cent.

Unmentionables

Google/cybersecurity: Google’s cyber-complaint is the tip of an iceberg. Coordinated attacks on IT systems are common, yet companies and governments have kept largely silent. The growth of computer services that rely heavily on the Internet means the stakes are growing higher. That may explain why Google spoke up about recent attempts to steal its intellectual property -- and why the U.S. State Department has also taken China to task.

Commission expenses of life insurers up 5.64%

Spurred by growth in the number of policies renewed, commission expenses of the life insurance industry grew by 5.64 per cent in 2008-09 to Rs 15,533 crore as against Rs 14,704 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Mines Ministry to take up Hind Copper disinvestment

The Mines Ministry is expected to send the 20-per cent share sale proposal of state-run Hindustan Copper to Disinvestment Department next week, a move that may help realise an estimated Rs 11,000 crore.

NTPC undertakes 17 projects to have 75,000 Mw

State-run NTPC has undertaken 17 projects across the country for capacity addition of 17,930 Mw of power in the road map to achieve 75,000 Mw generation capacity by 2017.

CRR hike slightly aggressive, int rates not seen rising now

Economists were "slightly surprised" by the extent of hike (75 basis points) in mandatory cash reserves of banks held by the Reserve Bank, but felt that the apex bank"s move was strongly influenced by rising inflationary pressures.

RBI hikes CRR by 75 bps; repo rates untouched

The Reserve Bank of India, in its Monetary Policy review today has hiked the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by 75 basis points (bps) to 5.75 per cent, while holding the repo and reverse repo rates steady in line with market expectations.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Corporate India needs diplomacy

As corporate India expands globally, it must communicate diplomatically. Excellent communication is the key to effective corporate public affairs and global diplomacy. Without a comprehensive communications strategy that embraces all important stakeholders, those who interact with the company and form its business environment, global corporate diplomacy cannot be effective.

Undisbursed loans may lead to rate war, even if RBI tightens

Contrary to popular perception on interest rate movement, expected to head north following a likely central bank action on monetary tightening, banks may actually end by cutting rates in the below-prime lending rate region for at least their corporate clients.

PM asks bureaucrats to be innovative and quick

Talking to the civil servants, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked them to be innovative and quick, saying people resent "apathy, sloth and corruption" at any level of government more than ever before.

First day, first show

Kiran and Shiv Nadar will throw open their collection of art this evening at the HCL Technologies campus in Noida. Kishore Singh gets a preview before the formal opening of this private art museum, the first of its kind

\'GST has to be implemented simultaneously\'

A major tax reform like goods and services tax (GST) is a challenge and considerable preparation is necessary before implementing it. There is a need to bring in legal/constitutional changes, reforms in central tax system and state tax systems, said M Govinda Rao, director, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP).

Bharti Airtel rejigs top management

Bharti Airtel, in a major management restructuring today, appointed Sanjay Kapoor as CEO of India and South Asia operations. Kapoor replaces Manoj Kohli, who will now be the CEO of newly created entity International Business Group of Bharti Airtel and joint managing director.

Tata Comm, Qatari co in pact for undersea cable

Tata Communications has signed an agreement with the Qatar-based Qtel for a new undersea cable network that will connect a number of regional operators in the Gulf region with the country.

DoT may prohibit M&As among 3G players

The government is unlikely to allow any merger or acquisitions among the third generation, or 3G, mobile service providers to ensure competition.

Ball to start rolling for 3G auction tomorrow

Finally starting the process to auction 3G spectrum to potential telecom operators, the government is likely to issue guidelines giving details about the number of blocks to be sold and other related information.

DoT may prohibit M&As among 3G players

The government is unlikely to allow any merger or acquisitions among the third generation, or 3G, mobile service providers to ensure competition.

Indian ADRs lose $4 bn in a week

Indian stocks trading on American bourses lost $3.85 billion (around Rs 18,000 crore) from their total market valuation last week, with HDFC Bank and Sterlite Industries leading the pack.

Tata Communications erases gains, ends down 2%

The scrip erased all its gains and slipped into the negative to touch a low of Rs 356 and finally ended at Rs 362, down 2% from the previous close. The counter witnessed trades of 36,792 shares on the BSE as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 4,417 shares on the BSE.

Tata Comm, Qatari co in pact for undersea cable

Tata Communications has signed an agreement with the Qatar-based Qtel for a new undersea cable network that will connect a number of regional operators in the Gulf region with the country.

Bharti keen on buying African telecom PSUs

The Bharti group, which has just acquired a majority stake in the Bangladeshi mobile operator Warid Telecom, is on the lookout to acquire government-owned telcos in developing countries like Africa which are up for divestment.

ICSI, Aptech tieup

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and Aptech Limited, the global provider of learning solutions, have entered into a tie-up to impart information technology training to ICSI students and members across India. Accordingly, Aptech’s specially designed task-oriented programme titled ‘Understanding Information Technology in the Corporate Environment,’ trains students in high-end personal computing skills including MS Office, computerised accounting with special modules on IT laws and security, e-commerce.The programme will be conducted across over 170 Aptech centres in India. The duration will be 70 hours followed by an 80-minute long online assessment.

GTL Infra plans 50,000 towers in 3 yrs

GTL Infrastructure, which today agreed to buy the tower business of Aircel, plans to have a footprint of 50,000 towers over the next three years, company"s Chairman Manoj Tirodkar said here today.

Orissa CM assures bauxite for Vedanta refinery: Anil Agarwal

Global mining major Vedanta group today said that the Orissa government has assured it of raw material supply to run its aluminia refinery in the state.

Undisbursed loans may lead to rate war, even if RBI tightens

Contrary to popular perception on interest rate movement, expected to head north following a likely central bank action on monetary tightening, banks may actually end by cutting rates in the below-prime lending rate region for at least their corporate clients.


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