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Mukesh Ambani ranked 5th best CEO in the world
Mukesh Ambani, who heads India"s most valuable company Reliance Industries (RIL), has been ranked among top five best performing CEOs in the world by the prestigious Harvard Business Review.

Rlys PPP projects go off track
The Railways" ambitious plan to raise Rs 1,00,000 crore in the Eleventh Plan (2007-12) to develop rail infrastructure projects through public private partnerships (PPP) appears to have gone badly off track. Most key projects are still to get started, mainly because of the inability to get a fix on a viable PPP policy.

News of the day

VW shareholders okay issue of 135 mn shares
European auto giant Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft today said its shareholders have approved the proposal for issuing 135 million new preference shares, a move aimed at ensuring greater financial flexibility prior to the company"s proposed merger with Porsche AG.

Management

Tata Power net down 28%

Tata Power Company reported a 28 per cent fall in net profit at Rs 182.1 crore for the second quarter ended September, compared to Rs 252.9 crore for the corresponding quarter last year.

Nalco to foray into energy sector

National Aluminium Company (Nalco), a leading producer of aluminium in the country, intends to enter the energy sector as an independent power producer.

Fitch downgrades Ansal Properties on debt restructuring

Global rating agency Fitch today downgraded long-term rating of Ansal Properties and Infrastructure (API) due to restructuring of company"s debt.

RIL net drops 6.4% on refining margin pinch

Higher MAT, depreciation also take their toll, says company

South sees 64% drop in private equity investments

Private equity (PE) investments in south India dropped 64 per cent between April and September 2009 to $626 million from $1,752 million during the same period last year. The number of deals too dropped 48 per cent, according to Venture Intelligence, a research service focused on PE and M&A

Alstom bags Rs 365 cr orders from Hindalco

Alstom Projects India, subsidiary of French firm Alstom, today said is has bagged orders worth Rs 365 crore from Hindalco Industries, for supply and installation of four gas treatment plants in the country.

Ahluwalia Contracts bags four orders worth Rs 242 cr

Construction firm Ahluwalia Contracts India today said it has bagged four orders worth Rs 242 crore from various vendors for construction-related works.

Markets gain on reform buzz, positive news

Stock markets surged on hopes of a push to domestic economic reforms, positive G-20 talk and firm global markets. The Sensex gained 340 points to end at 16,499 and the Nifty closed at 4,898, up 102 points.

Car sales jump 34%, bikes up 14% in Oct

Domestic passenger car sales have recorded 33.88 per cent increase at 1,32,615 units in October from 99,052 units in the same month last year.

Bungalow in Lutyen\'s Delhi may flare up Congress-TMC face off

Real estate in Lutyen’s Delhi zone has the latest reason for rattle between the Congress and its biggest ally of the second UPA—the Trinamool Congress. According to top Trinamool sources, mercurial Mamata Banerjee is again angry with the Congress—even before the previous contentious issues could subside—over non-allocation of a preferred bunglow for her party office in the capital. Banerjee had zeroed in on bungalow number 14 on Bishamber Dass Marg as the ideal place to house her party office in Delhi.

Dinakaran case: Lawyers in Karna HC abstain from court

Several Karnataka High Court lawyers today protested against continuance of Chief Justice P D Dinakaran, facing allegations of land grabbing, forcing him to suspend the proceedings and leave the hall.

Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland rush to increase bus supply

Tata Motors, India"s biggest auto company by revenue, has speeded bus production at its massive Dharwad facility, primarily to avoid any delay in honouring its commitment to supply low-floor buses to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

Whistling in the dark

Monday and Tuesday were supposed to be the days for the mock auction for 3G spectrum, with the final auction to be held on January 14. Naturally, then, reporters rushed to meet Telecom Minister A Raja when the last date for the mock auctions passed without anything happening. Instead of announcing a new date, or giving the usual “no comment”, Raja surprised everyone by saying, “The date has not been pushed.”

Gulf Oil\'s rights issue likely in Dec

To raise Rs 80 crore for working capital requirements

ONGC-Hinduja JV loses rights to dev Iran\'s oilfield to China

In a major setback to India"s oil diplomacy, the ONGC-Hinduja Group alliance has lost the rights to develop Iran"s South Azadegan oilfield to CNPC of China.

Ashok Leyland\'s Pantnagar plant to be ready by March next

Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja group flagship company, would commission its Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand by March next year. The unit for making medium and heavy vehicles is coming up at an outlay of Rs 1,300 crore, according to its director and chief operating officer Vinod K Dasari.

NHPC bets big on Arunachal

State-run National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited, the largest hydel power company of the country, is betting big on Arunachal Pradesh which is estimated to have hydro-power potential of more than 50,000 megawatt(Mw).

Sun TV rejigs its distribution biz

Sun TV Network is planning to restructure its distribution business and team with a creation of two verticals — South India operations and International business and the second would focus on expanding Sun TV bouquet into the north, west and eastern markets of India.

Wasted effort

Business Standard / New Delhi December 31, 2009, 0:44 IST

Jet to raise $150-200 mn in 3-4 weeks

Jet Airways plans to complete its first tranche of fund raising of around $150-200 million over the next 3-4 weeks, a senior company official said.

Asian Paints at new all time high

The stock surged further to a high of Rs 1,373 - up 7% from the day"s low. It finally ended up 3% at Rs 1,350. Around 41,101 shares were traded on the BSE today.

Panel moots Rs 3,000 cr investment in dairy sector

Anticipating an investment of Rs 3,240 crore in dairy and live stock sectors in Kerala in the next three years, an experts" committee has recommended the government to set up a live stock development finance corporation to ensure better credit flow in this high potential area.

Gulf Oil & ENIL's Q1 result

Gulf Oil Q1 FY10 PAT at Rs 21 cr

Kharif crop output to fall 15-20%: FM

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the production of Kharif or summer crop would decline by 15-20 per cent, as 252 districts in 10 states are drought-hit.

Apollo opens hospital in Mauritius

Chennai-based healthcare major Apollo Hospitals Group has opened Apollo Bramwell in Mauritius with an investment of $70 million (around Rs 350 crore).

FDC closes buy-back offer; promoters\' stake rises to 65.76%

Drug maker FDC today said it has bought back shares worth Rs 17.78 crore from its shareholders, following which the promoter group"s holding in the company has increased to 65.76 per cent.

Nair briefs UN about India\'s views on climate change

Ahead of the climate summit next week, a senior Indian officials has met UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon to discuss the country"s stand on climate change.

Bankers don\'t see interest rate spike in next 6 months

Leading bankers do not foresee any rise in the interest rates at least for the next six months and want the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to keep the monetary stance unchanged in its policy review due later in the month.

Swine flu will expose global health inequality: WHO

The global swine flu pandemic will expose the failure of the international community to invest in health protection in poor countries, the world"s top health official warned here today.

Loans against rent receivables is commercial realty exposure: RBI

Reserve Bank of India today said bank loans whose repayment is done from future rental generated from properties like shopping malls and office premises will be treated as commercial real estate exposure (CRE).

Peerless focus on new biz

In keeping with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines for the Residuary Non-Banking Finance Company to exit deposit-taking business by March 2011, Kolkata-based Peerless General Finance & Investment Company scaling down its RBFC operations, while focusing on new business lines like asset and wealth management.

Aban Offshore slumps 8% on sharp drop in net

Aban Offshore slumped over 8% to Rs 1,130 on the back of 65% decline in net profit.

Canara Bank Q3 profit zooms 50% to Rs 1,052.58 cr

State-run Canara Bank today reported a 50 per cent jump in net profit to Rs 1,052.58 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2009.

SC restores powers to Prasar Bharati CEO

In a relief to Prasar Bharati CEO B S Lalli, the Supreme Court today restored to him the executive powers taken away by a recent order of the Delhi High Court.

Trai view on capping of licences by Nov-end

Telecom regulator Trai today said it could not give its fresh views on the crucial issue of capping of licences by September 5 as licensing policy needed a closer look for the growth of the industry.

T N Ninan: The real gas issues

T N Ninan / New Delhi August 29, 2009, 0:12 IST

BoB net jumps 17.5%

With a modest rise in net interest income (NII) and decline in treasury income, Bank of Borada (BoB) has posted a net profit growth of 17.5 per cent to Rs 832.49 crore for the quarter ended December compared to Rs 708.37 crore recorded in the same period of the previous year.

DLF gains on metro rail fund raising plans

DLF rallied nearly 3% to Rs 373. The scrip touched an intra-day high of Rs 376. Around 3.9 million shares changed hands at the counter as against its two-week average traded quantity of 3.8 million shares.

Get the swine drunk

While the world grapples with a cure for the H1N1 swine flu, those in the trenches are coming up with their own solutions. Russian soccer fans, Reuters informs us, have been advised to drink a lot of whisky on their trip to Wales for the World Cup next month. “We urge our fans to drink a lot of Welsh whisky as a form of disinfection,” Alexander Shprygin, the head of Russia’s supporter association VOB told Reuters. The Russian health ministry had issued an advisory against travelling to the UK because of the swine flu virus but, armed with the Shprygin Solution, it is expected that several hundred fans will travel to support the team.

Cox & Kings\' Aussie arm acquires 2 firms

Cox & Kings (Australia), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Cox and Kings (India), a travel and tour company, has bought MyPlanet Australia and Bentours International through a share sale agreement from First Choice Holdings Australia. The acquisition is being done through an ‘earn-out mechanism’ and is not being paid for from funds raised for acquisition from the company’s recent initial public offering (IPO).

Protectionism, an issue of concern, needs to be resisted: USIBC

Observing that voices of protectionism emanating from the political quarters, is an issue of concern for American businesses, an Indo-US chamber has said it believes that such trends need to be resisted.

Zenotech moves CLB to oust Ranbaxy-appointed board members

Pharma firm Zenotech has approached the Company Law Board (CLB) seeking removal of two of its board members, appointed by Ranbaxy, alleging "operational mismanagement".

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.

HC allows TVS to use Bajaj\'s patented tech

The Madras High Court on Monday set aside its earlier order restraining country’s third largest two-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motors from manufacturing and marketing vehicles with twin spark technology.

SC notice on Govt plea on gas dispute; hearing on Sep 1

The Supreme Court today sent the Ambani brothers’ cross appeals against the Bombay high court judgment to a three-judge bench to be constituted by September 1, which indicates that there would be no early decision on the myriad questions raided by the parties.

Bill ready to open gates for UID

Bill Gates, co-founder of global software giant Microsoft, today expressed a keen interest for becoming a partner in India’s unique ID programme. Speaking at ‘Transforming India through technology’, an event organised by software body Nasscom, Gates said he planned to take the issue forward when he met Nandan Nilekani, the newly-appointed chairperson of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

Spencer's to prune investments per store

Spencer’s, the retail arm of the Rs 13,500-crore RPG Enterprises, will be focusing more on large format stores this fiscal and prune down investments per store in order to beat recession blues and turn the company profitable.

NMDC to resume diamond mining at Panna in 3 months: Steel Min

NMDC, the country"s largest iron ore producer, is set to restart mining at the Panna diamond reserves in Madhya Pradesh in the next three months with the Supreme Court giving conditional nod to such activities at the site.

US apex court refuses to stay Chrysler-Fiat deal

The US Supreme Court has refused to stay the much-touted Chrysler-Fiat deal, paving the way for the bankrupt American auto maker to steer itself out of bankruptcy soon.

Patent row: SC allows TVS Motors to manufacture \'Flame\'

The Supreme Court today allowed TVS Motor Co to manufacture ‘Flame’, the 125 cc bike which was caught in a patent row with Bajaj Auto Ltd. But the finished two-wheelers would not leave the company’s warehouse. Both parties were also restrained from using the order for any purpose, including publicity.

Mumbai SEZ in danger of being scrapped

The country’s largest special economic zone (SEZ), promoted jointly by Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and his confidant Anand Jain, is in danger of being scrapped. The zone was being set up by a company called Mumbai SEZ Ltd in the Raigad district of Maharashtra.

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).

STPI-Berhampur fails to attract IT majors

The third Software Technology Park of India (STPI), being set up in Orissa at Ambapua on the outskirts of Berhampur, has failed to attract major IT companies even though the construction work on the STPI centre is nearing completion.

After a robust 2009, India Inc start \'10 with Rs 5,800 cr QIPs

After robust 2009, wherein funds garnered via the Qualified Institutional Placements (QIP) route touched a record Rs 41,522 crore, India Inc seem keen to start this year too on an earnest note. Most companies prefer the QIP route as it cheaper and quickest route with minimum disclosures. There"s no lock-in and the whole process takes little time.

Bank of Maharashtra net down 7%

Public sector lender Bank of Maharashtra reported 7 per cent drop in net profit to Rs 112 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2009 as against Rs 120.6 crore in the year-ago quarter.

Watch out!

Colours and clothing may waltz in and out of style, but the watch is an accessory that rarely sees an off season. Here are a few picks to flaunt this summer:

Sun Pharma FY\'09 net up 22 % at Rs 1,817.73 cr

Drug maker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries today said its net profit rose by 22.24 per cent to Rs 1,817.73 crore in 2008-09 over the same previous fiscal.

Consultants, banks to help cos raise funds for CDM projects

Raising finance for companies eyeing renewable energy projects would no more be a tough task as banks and consultants are working on innovative solutions to help these companies.

US can challenge India if it fail to meet climate goals

Even though the Copenhagen accord is not legally binding, the United States would not only "review" its implementation by India and China, but also would "challenge" them if they do not meet the goals set by the agreement, the White House said.

US Senate set to pass health care bill by Christmas

After months of tough negotiations, Senate Democrats have come together to back a sweeping health care legislation, providing a powerful boost for President Barack Obama"s top domestic policy goal that promises to extend medical coverage to 31 million Americans.

Two more die of swine flue in Andhra

Two more persons died of swine flu (H1N1 flu virus) on Sunday, taking the total death toll to nine in Andhra Pradesh.

Assembly, Council to condole YSR\'s death

Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah said a meeting of the state Legislative Assembly and Council would specifically be convened to condole the death of former chief minister, Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Aditi Phadnis: Son-rise in Andhra?

- Succession race hots up in AP - AP Cabinet wants YSR"s son Jagan as next CM - YSR"s death may hit infra companies - V V: Gray"s anatomy of the mind">V V: Gray"s anatomy of the mind - India has lost an outstanding leader: Manmohan Singh - PM, Sonia pay homage to YSR

Suzlon net rises 14%

Debt-laden wind energy major Suzlon Energy has posted a net profit of Rs 14.1 crore for the third quarter, ended December 31, 2009, against a net loss of Rs 64.87 crore in the third quarter of the previous last year.

Novartis India to quadruple its business in 5 years

Novartis India, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based Novartis AG, is all set to grow its business revenues by four times in the next five years. The company"s over-the-counter business unit is looking at introducing more products in the consumer healthcare segment.

Suzlon enters Swedish market

Suzlon Energy has forayed into the Swedish market with its first order coming from Triventus AB, a wind power developer and consultant. The order is for two S88-2.1 megawatt wind turbines. Suzlon will also sign service and maintenance partnership contracts with a subsidiary of Triventus for future projects in Sweden, the company said in a statement to the stock exchanges.

FIPB nod to Hyatt-Emaar JV for hotels in India

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has cleared global hospitality major Hyatt group"s proposal to set up "Hyatt Place" hotels in the country in a joint venture with realty firm Emaar MGF, with an investment of about Rs 125-150 crore.

Newsmaker: Ankit Miglani

Ishita Ayan Dutt / Kolkata September 11, 2009, 0:52 IST

ArcelorMittal sponsors 78 for ITI training

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ArcelorMittal India, planning to set up a 12 million tonne greenfield steel project in Keonjhar district has sponsored 78 young people including 16 girls from its project site villages in Patna tehsil of Keonjhar district for ITI training at Don Bosco, Rourkela.The company has entered into an agreement with Don Bosco, Rourkela for the academic year 2009-2010 and 2009-2011.

BoA to mull Mundra SEZ proposal for hiking power capacity

The Board of Approval (BoA) in the Commerce Ministry will again take up, on June 2, the proposal of Mundra Port and SEZ for almost doubling the power generation capacity at its sector specific special economic zone at Kutch in Gujarat.

Tech M begins open offer for Satyam

After hitting the upper circuit barrier for three consecutive days, Satyam Computer Services’ share price was 0.5 per cent down today, to close at Rs 80.45 from the previous close of Rs 80.85.

Orissa to access local mood before Lee visit to Posco site

The Orissa government today said it would assess the local situation in the trouble-hit site for Posco"s proposed Rs 50,000-crore steel plant before allowing South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to visit the place in January.

Murugappa group to invest Rs 586 cr in group firms

The Chennai-based Murugappa grorup, which crossed Rs 15,500 crore in turnover, is planning to invest Rs Rs 586 crore in 2009-10 through its group companies.

Ultra Motor launches two electric scooters

Two-wheeler maker Ultra Motor Company today launched two new electric scooters priced between Rs 28,300 and Rs 31,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Sunil Jain: Media\'s decade

Sunil Jain / New Delhi January 04, 2010, 0:20 IST

World is getting hotter faster: US lawmakers

Hitting hard at global warming sceptics, powerful US lawmakers have accused them of "engaging in a policy of distraction" by promoting hacked e-mails, which claimed that scientists had exaggerated the crisis and asserted that the world is getting hotter faster.

UN climate summit opens amid calls for early action

A crucial UN climate summit opened here today amid calls for "early action" to combat the threat and with the hope that emission reductions promised by key countries had put the world closer to a global warming control pact.

T N Ninan: A grim challenge

T N Ninan / New Delhi October 3, 2009, 0:41 IST

\'Consolidation will happen in the domestic drug industry\'

P B Jayakumar / Mumbai September 25, 2009, 0:10 IST

Aditya Birla Capital Advisers raises Rs 675 cr

Aditya Birla Capital Advisers, the private equity arm of Aditya Birla Financial Services Group, today announced closure of its first fund with the investment commitment of about Rs 675 crore.

No plan to change FDI norms in retail: govt

The government today said there is no plan to change existing FDI rules in retail, a day after Chairman of the world"s largest retailer Wal-Mart Inc met the Prime Minister and reportedly pressed to open up the sector.

\'It will be a long and slow recovery\'

Devika Banerji / New Delhi December 6, 2009, 0:28 IST

Bajaj Auto gets European patent for ExhausTEC

Leading auto maker Bajaj Auto today said its technology ExhausTEC, which helps improve performance of a two-wheeler, has been granted a patent by the Munich-headquartered European Patent Office.

Financial closure of 1,980 Mw plant in 3 mths: Sterlite

Firm had failed to complete closure within 12 months of project allotment. Has been given grace of 3 months

Bajaj Auto\'s net grows nearly 3-fold

Bajaj Auto recorded a near three-fold increase in net profit at Rs 475 crore in the quarter ended December 31, 2009, beating market estimates. India’s second-largest motorcycle maker saw high demand for its vehicles, essentially driven by the high-margin, but low-capacity bikes introduced recently.

Sterlite Industries posts 42% fall in Q1 net

Sterlite Industries, the Vedanta Group diversified base metals producer, has posted 42 per cent decline in net profit at Rs 924 crore in the first quarter of the current financial as compared to Rs 1,595 crore in the same quarter of the previous year. Net sales of the company also plunged by 21 per cent to Rs 4,537 crore from Rs 5,770 crore. Earnings per share (EPS) slipped, therefore, to Rs 9.49 from Rs 16.25 in the first quarter of the previous year.

Bajaj Auto Q3 net jumps threefold to Rs 475 cr

Two-wheeler giant Bajaj Auto reported a smashing 189.24 per cent increase in its net profit at Rs 475.14 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2009.

Tata Motors starts distribution of Prima range of trucks

The country"s largest auto maker, Tata Motors, today said it has started distribution of its Prima range of trucks and plans to launch three more products in the segment during the current fiscal.

Religare Finvest ties-up with Corp Bank on services to SMEs

Religare Finvest, the non-banking finance arm of Religare Enterprises, today said it has entered into an agreement with public sector Corporation Bank to offer services to small and medium enterprises.

New gr puts 200 small bauxite players in lurch

The small and medium bauxite players in Gujarat are seemingly left in the middle of nowhere as the new government resolution (GR) has kept the mining lease for the mineral reserved for a state run PSU.

Toyota may launch Prius by Jan

Likely to kickstart its hybrid plans for India by a preview at Auto Expo 2010

Pune swine flu toll climbs to 97

The swine flu toll in the city rose to 97 with the death of a 29-year-old youth, health officials said today.

BoB surges on Q3 net jump

Bank of Baroda (BoB) ended at Rs 556, higher by Rs 33 or 6.4%, on the BSE.

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.

IMF warns of excessive capital inflow in Asian economies

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned today against excessive capital inflow in some Asian countries although he said the IMF sees no imminent threat of asset price bubbles.

Manufacturing in dec at 7-month high, PMI shows

The manufacturing sector in December climbed to its highest level since May 2009, signalling a faster monthly improvement in the key economic activity, an HSBC survey said today.

CRR hike not to affect pvt sector\'s credit flow: Subbarao

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor D Subbarao said the hike in the cash reserve ratio (CRR) announced today, would not affect credit availability to the private sector and harden interest rates immediately.

Letters: Dialling trouble

Telecom giant Bharti Airtel has managed to declare a profit but its results show a real problem in even the top line. This underscores the need for these market leaders to find other ways to monetise customers. The plain vanilla voice market is no longer profitable, but these companies haven’t done much by way of value added services apart from the caller tunes, which is now an old story.

TDSAT says it alone can decide on Star-BSNL dispute

The telecom tribunal TDSAT has held that the ongoing arbitration between broadcast major Star India and telecom major BSNL is not valid and that it has the sole jurisdiction to decide on the disputes between the two.

Non-bank funds cover up for lower credit flow

The flow of resources from other entities to the corporate sector has almost made up for the shortfall in non-food bank credit.

Sugar mills get a bitter taste over power tariff

Energy-starved Karnataka has deferred a decision on purchasing power from cogeneration sugar mills in the state.

India disappointed with WTO ministerial outcome

India today said it is disappointed with the outcome of the recent WTO ministerial in Geneva as "nothing" substantive was done to resolve the differences to free global commerce.

BofA appoints Brian Moynihan as President and CEO

Financial services major Bank of America today said its consumer banking chief Brian T Moynihan will replace Kenneth D Lewis as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company on January 1, 2010.

CM to meet PM on water project

Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa will lead an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 13 seeking his intervention to withdraw the revocation order on the Kalasa-Bandori Nala drinking water project.

\'Globalisation rules must take India, others on board\'

India, Latin America and Africa must be taken on board while framing the rules for globalisation in the post-economic crisis scenario, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said at world economic forum"s (WEF) annual meeting here.

India to hold meeting of BASIC group partners

India will on Sunday hold a meeting with its BASIC group partners comprising China, Brazil and South Africa in the capital to firm up a common position on the climate front post-Copenhagen.

Efforts on to complete N-deal before PM\'s US visit

Top US and Indian officials are making hectic efforts to conclude the discussions on critical reprocessing deal on spent nuclear fuel before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh"s high-profile state visit here next week.

India, Canada to finalise nuclear agreement soon: Gavai

India and Canada will soon finalise the civilian nuclear cooperation agreement that will pave the way for new opportunities for both the countries, a senior Indian diplomat has said.

Suffering silently

Women continue to play regressive roles on the small screen

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.

Spark Electra to hit Indian roads in 12 months

The electric version of General Motors India’s small car Spark will hit the Indian road in the next 12 months, said its vice president P Balendran.

Hyd metro rail project\'s pre-qualification date extended

The last date for receipt of pre-qualification applications for Hyderabad Metro Rail project has been extended from November 2 to November 27 due to administrative reasons in view of elections for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

NEWSALERT: Voltas director Kulkarni retires

Tata Group firm, Voltas today said its non-executive independent director S D Kulkarni has retired from the board of the company.

Rationalise turnover tax: Gems & jewellery sector

The move will encourage setting up of diamond bourses.

Gold strikes fresh peak of Rs 18,550

Gold continued its rising spree today to set a fresh record at Rs 18,550 per ten gram in the bullion market today as dollar remained weak.

Maruti to expand vehicle prod capacity at Manesar plant

Maruti Suzuki will expand its passenger vehicle production capacity at Manesar by around 2 lakh units over the next 2 years.

Formula One to focus on India, track foundation in Oct

Brushing aside government"s stand that Formula One is not a sport, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone today said the foundation stone of the race track in India would be laid in October for the showpiece event next year.

Sensex off day\'s high; metal index up 3%

The Sensex has erased some of its gains and is now at 17,666, up 109 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,267, up 34 points.

World Gold Council appoints Ian Telfer as new Chairman

World Gold Council (WGC) has announced the appointment of Ian Telfer as its new Chairman.

Third quarter gold demand halves

High prices along with floods and poor monsoon led to the fall

Aptech to provide IT training to ICSI students

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and Aptech have entered into an exclusive tie-up to impart quality IT training to ICSI students and members across India.

BSE suspends short selling in four scrips from July 31

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) today said short selling in four scrips, including Corporation Bank and IndusInd Bank will not be available on the bourse with effect from July 31.

NIIT Tech scales 52-week high, ends off day\'s high

NIIT Technologies surged 3% to settle at Rs 130. The counter clocked a volume of 4.82 million shares as against its two-week average traded quantity of 321,073 shares.

NIIT Tech\'s Q4 net down 15 per cent

Foreign exchange losses of Rs 22 crore in the quarter ate into the profits of Delhi-based NIIT Technologies, which posted a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 26.3 crore for the fourth quarter ended 31 March, 2009, down 15 per cent from Rs 31 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.

2009 - Economy wins slowdown battle; loses against prices

India achieved the distinction of being the second-fastest growing economy amid the global recession in 2009, but the joy was marred by the decade"s sharpest rise in food prices to the chagrin of common man.

Rs 120-cr NTPC scam: CBI team to visit England soon

A two-member CBI team will soon leave for Britain to follow the trail of about Rs 120 crore allegedly received by an Indian entity from a Russian firm to secure an equipment supply order from the state-owned power major NTPC.

3 Idiots to come under Maha govt scanner

Controversy continues to dog Aamir Khan starrer "3 Idiots" with the Maharashtra government today deciding to examine its content after the film reportedly inspired a ragging incident in a Mumbai medical college.

Life insurance industry death claims payout rises 21% in Q1

The Life Insurance industry paid 20.74 per cent higher death benefit to its policy holders at Rs 1,717 crore during the first quarter of the current fiscal.

Life insurers go slow on expansion to check costs

Most private players see a decline in premium income.

Domino\'s Pizza to increase headcount by up to 1,800 in FY\'10

Global quick service restaurant chain Domino"s Pizza is planning to hire up to 1,800 new employees during this fiscal to service its expanding chain.

New MFs to look beyond cities

Funds will have to launch products tailor-made for semi-urban, rural markets.

Disclose commission from insurers, MFs: RBI to RRBs

To increase transparency, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today directed regional rural banks (RRBs) to disclose the commission they receive from mutual funds and insurers for referring their products to customers.

Miners seek graded royalty on ore

India exports 100 million tonnes of iron ore to China.

DIPP proposes further relaxation of FDI for realty

The Department of Industrial Promotion and Policy (DIPP) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has proposed further relaxation of the foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for the real estate sector.

Bonds yields may ease

The yield on the government bonds may ease on Monday as investors await fresh cues on interest rate trend.

Golden Tobacco surges 5%

The stock was locked at an upper circuit limit of 5 per cent to Rs 114 after the company said its board will meet on 1 December to consider a proposal from Pramod Jain to acquire 25 per cent stake in the company.

Markets snap four-day winning streak

The markets ended their four-day winning streak as global indices closed lower. The Sensex closed at 17,343, weaker by 57 points, and the Nifty closed flat at 5,169. The broader indices, however, outperformed the benchmark indices. The consumer durables pack was the leading sectoral gainer for the second day in a row while FMCG and metals showed weakness.

Volvo raises vehicle prices by 3-4%

Volvo Trucks India today said it has increased prices of its vehicles by 3-4 per cent starting this year on account of rising input costs.

Mutual Funds splurge Rs 600 cr on wooing retail investors

Rise in portfolio value triggers higher dividends.

Citibank launches first universal mortgage account

Citibank today launched CitiHome One, a first-of-its-kind universal mortgage product, that would enable customers to get a home-loan as a combination of a conventional term-loan and credit line.

Bank deposits set to give negative return

With inflation on the rise and projected to rise further, the real return on your fixed deposits could soon turn negative.

RFL eyes Rs 5,000 cr consumer lending

Religare Finvest (RFL), the non-banking finance arm of Religare Enterprises, could infuse an additional equity of Rs 650 crore in order to meet a lending target of around Rs 5,000 crore by March 2011 under its consumer business segment.

Next big resistance at 5,400

As expected, the S&P CNX Nifty closed at 5,201 levels on long rollovers in index futures and key stocks futures. The index is expected to consolidate above 5,200 in the new series before moving above the short-term target of 5,350. The rollovers in the Nifty January futures, at 22 million, were at a five-month low, which indicates that bears are waiting in the wings. At similar point in July 2009, the Nifty had gained over 500 points in a couple months to move above 5,000 in September 2009. A similar trend may see the Nifty moving above 5,500 in the near future.

Debt recovery tribunal cannot accept equity shares

The Delhi high court last week ruled that equity shares cannot be considered as liabilities under the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act. Therefore, a claim to issuance of shares or delivery of shares in place of debt repayment cannot be regarded as an action seeking the recovery of a debt as defined in Section 2(g) of the said Act. This ruling against the order of the debt recovery tribunal in Delhi came in the case, Cochin International Airport Ltd vs Hudco.

Aviva to roll out four insurance plans by \'09-10

Aviva Life Insurance Company Limited, one of India"s leading life insurance companies, plans to come out with 3-4 new insurance products including a new Children"s insurance plan before the end of the current financial year.

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.

Newsmaker: Narayan Datt Tiwari

Shishir Prashant / Dehradun January 1, 2010, 0:23 IST

CIL price hike likely to push power rates up

May squeeze cement companies’ margins, but the steel sector is unlikely to be affected much.

Markets remain subdued

Markets continue to trade subdued.

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.

Fortis gains on Rs 250cr investment plans

The stock soared to a high of Rs 136 and finally ended at Rs 134, up 4% from its previous close. The counter clocked volumes of 1.75 million shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 466,405 shares on the BSE. ______________________________________________________

Dr Reddy\'s Lab rises 2.3%

The stock jumped 2.3 per cent to Rs 1,204.55 after the company said Phase-III clinical trial for its anti-diabetic molecule balaglitazone achieved the set parameters.

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.

Markets slip after brief recovery

Markets have once again slipped into the negative zone. The Sensex is weak and is now down 68 points at 16,285.

Sensex rebounds into positive territory

The Sensex has rebounded into the positive terrain and is now at 16,386, up 32 points.

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.

Singapore exchange may lose edge in Nifty futures

The share of SGX Nifty has risen from 2% in March to 5.9%.

Sensex ends up 247pts

The Sensex finally ended (provisional) at 17,032, up 247 points. The NSE Nifty ended (provisional) at 5,060, up 71 points.

Rs 1,000 cr to MSMEs to help face global competition

The Centre has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore under the National Manufacturing Competition Programme in the 11th Five-Year Plan to help micro, small and medium enterprises face global competition, Minister of State for MSMEs Dinsha J Patel said.

\'NTPC claim has no bearing on gas dispute\'

The Union government has told the Supreme Court that the rights and obligations of NTPC and RIL could not be regarded as similar in status to the private arrangement between RIL and RNRL. In an affidavit filed yesterday in the appeals by the Ambani brothers on their gas dispute, the government stressed that NTPC “is not only a public sector undertaking but the process involved for price determination in the case of NTPC gas was by international competitive bidding.”

Gas row: Govt says NTPC deal not the same as pvt accord

Government today filed its affidavit in the Supreme Court on the ongoing gas row between the Ambani brothers saying that the arrangement for public sector NTPC cannot be equated with any agreement between RIL and RNRL.

Sensex off day\'s high

The Sensex has come off from the day"s high and is now at 17,203, up 71 points. The NSE Nifty is at 5,106, up 15 points.

DoT gives Bharti a week to comply with audit queries

As part of its special audit on selected companies, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has told Bharti Airtel to provide all required information to the auditor by December 14.

Defence offsets rise to Rs 8,000 crore

94% foreign investment in aerospace alone.

Govt approves road projects worth Rs 6,152 cr in five states

The government today approved road projects worth Rs 6,152 crore in five states for upgrading nearly 562 km of four-lane highways into six lanes.

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

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.

Sun Pharma net profit dips 11.5%

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, India’s largest drug firm in terms of market capitalisation, posted a 11.49 dip in net profit during the quarter ended September 30, compared with the same period last year, due to regulatory issues and the resultant loss of revenue for its US subsidiary, Caraco Pharmaceuticals.

US markets end mixed; Mahindra Satyam surges

US markets were mixed on Wednesday. The Dow slipped 19 points to 10.452 on weak energy shares. The Nasdaq, however, added nine points to 2,185.

UP announces incentives for IT/BPO, realty

To lure the Business Process Outsourcing and IT/ITeS industry, the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh has showered various sops. The realty sector, too, has been blessed with many relaxations.

Three solar companies to set up units in Andhra

The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has issued offer letters, so far, to an Indian and two American companies for setting up solar power plants at Kadiri in Anantapur district where it has earmarked an area of 5,000 acres for allotment to solar power projects.

Sunanda K Datta-Ray: Migration's migraine

Sunanda K Datta-Ray / New Delhi October 10, 2009, 0:34 IST

Army warms up to Akash missile

India’s long-criticised Akash anti-aircraft missile is now blazing towards success. Its counterparts in the DRDO’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, the Prithvi and Agni ballistic missiles, were on target from the start; the anti-tank Nag missile will also enter service shortly; the Trishul short-range anti-aircraft missile was abandoned unceremoniously. Now, after years of rejection from the military, the Akash is being accepted as a world-class missile.

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.