Popular Articles

Crisil downgrades ratings of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
Rating agency Crisil today said that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals" rising debts have strained its financial health and downgraded the working capital loan and cash credit ratings of the drug maker.

Marketing firms give IIM-C a cause to cheer on Day 2
After the return of leading finance and consulting firms on the recruitment scene, the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) on its second day of summer placements saw general management and marketing firms giving its students a lot to cheer about.

News of the day

RBI governor allays concerns over capital inflows
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today allyed concerns about capital inflows building an asset bubble and said it is keeping a vigil on these.

Business Opportunities

First unit of Hissar power project becomes operational

The first 600 Mw unit of Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Project at Khedar in Hissar district, which will supply power to Haryana, was synchronised with the grid today by Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Hry power project to be synchronised with grid

The first unit of the 2x600 Mw Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Project (RGTPP) at Khedar in district of Haryana will be synchronised with the grid today in a record period of 35 months, thus breaking all previous records in project implementation.

Institutional investors reduce commitments in PE funds: Preqin

Institutional investors are exercising caution when it comes to their commitment towards private equity funds and the volume of funds raised in the second quarter this year fell by more than half to $79.7 billion over the same period last year, says a survey.

Inst investors committing less funds; PEs turn cautious

Private equity firms are becoming cautious about making fresh investments in India with less funds flowing into this segment as institutional investors have become more sceptical in committing funds without thorough research, experts says.

DoT to impose Rs 132-cr penalty on telcos

The Department of Telecom (DoT) is understood to have decided to slap a total penalty of Rs 132 crore on some major telecom operators for not rolling out services on time after the award of licence and spectrum. The penalty, which will be in the form of liquidated damages (LDs), are for delays since 2005, for which show-cause notices had been issued earlier.

Axis PE to launch second fund soon

Axis Private Equity (PE), a fund sponsored by the third largest private sector lender Axis Bank, plans to invest Rs 200 crore in two more companies, while it lines up its second fund. The second fund will hit the market later this year.

Emami Group: Personal care push

If you thought Kolkata-based Emami Group will take life easy after the acquisition of Zandu last year, your judgement could prove wrong. It has plans to invest some Rs 1,600 crore in its personal care business. This includes new products as well as extension and repositioning of brands.

CIL eyeing partnership with global cos like BHP, Rio

State-run Coal India is eyeing strategic partnership with mining behemoths like BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto to mine coal abroad and has floated an Expression of Interest (EoI) for the same.

SAIL \'steels\' the show, tops world in profit stakes

While SAIL is operating at full steam, the capacity utilisation among other global biggies is just 50-60 per cent.

BCCL: From zero to Rs 1,000-cr debt

Bennett, Coleman and Co Ltd (BCCL), the company owning the largest-selling English newspaper in the world, is India’s most profitable media company, with what it claims is a 47 per cent market share of English dailies in the urban markets.

Himachal records coldest and driest December in 15 years

Himachal Pradesh has had the coldest and driest December in the last 15 years, claims the weatherman.

GM-Opel\'s threatened loss of jobs strains EU principles

With thousands of jobs across Europe at stake and the spectre of an internal subsidy race that would threaten the hard-fought internal market of the European Union (EU), the General Motors–Opel saga saw another twist in the tale this week, with Brussels stepping in to play referee.

No compromise on carbon emission cut stand, says India

Barely a week ahead of the UN meet on climate change in Copenhagen, India today made it clear that there will be no compromise on its position on carbon emission cuts and will preserve its economic interest at all cost.

NTPC to hire 1,300 people next fiscal

The country"s largest power producer NTPC today said it plans to recruit about 1,300 people in the next fiscal to support the company"s ambitious target of becoming a 50,000-MW company by 2012.

BofA, JPMorgan reduce fees on overdrafts

Bank of America Corp and JPMorgan Chase & Co, the two biggest US banks by deposits, are cutting overdraft fees amid criticism from lawmakers over the way the lenders charge customers.

No frowns at Facebook

Facebook: Stock markets have wobbled of late, but has Facebook’s value really plunged by 35 per cent in just two months? For those unacquainted with Silicon Valley’s quirky financing that would be one conclusion to draw from the social networking website’s latest stock sale.

\'Healthcare opportunities not fully explored\'

Indian healthcare providers have not fully explored the opportunities in indigenisation of medical equipment and textiles, training of medical and paramedical staff and treatment of out-patients among others.

US beckons Indian IT giants

Andre Dua / September 27, 2009, 0:01 IST

Ackruti City QIP to open on Sept 3

Ackruti City will open the qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue to the qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) on September 3. This will be in respect of issue of equity shares of face value of Rs 10 each of the company.

Aurobindo Pharma gets USFDA approval for CVS drug

Aurobindo Pharma, a manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients, has received final approval for Fosinopril Sodium and Hydrocholorothizide Tablets USP 10/12.5 mg and 20/12.5 mg from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

Japanese PM calls for concrete steps to raise bilateral trade

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama today pitched for intensifying bilateral trade with India, particularly in infrastructure and technology, during his meetings with the doyens of Indian business and industry.

Everest in talks with Zydus, Adani for pre-engineered buildings

Holds an order book of 10-12 crore from Gujarat

US markets gain on strong data, growth forecast

US markets closed at 13-month highs after China reported growth in industrial production and a reputed homebuilder forecasted higher revenues.

Japan wants India to sign CTBT; PM puts onus on US, China

Pressed by Japan to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), India today clearly put the onus on the US and China for taking a lead in this direction by ratifying it.

Markets ignore IIP data, end in red

The markets opened on a flat note today and slipped into red almost immediately. Strong IIP numbers helped the index rebound into the green to touch a high of 16,897. The market, thereafter, turned volatile on the back of global cues, ignoring the earlier gains.

Sensex ends up 148pts

The Sensex has ended (provisional) at 16,844 - up 148 points. The Nifty ended (provisional) at 4,997 - up 44 points.

BSE to introduce new corporate debt market platform next week

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will introduce a secured settlement platform for the Rs 1,500 crore Indian Corporate Debt Market (ICDM) next week.

F&O Outlook: Positive surprises are unlikely

The trading pattern in the Futures & Options (F&O) segment suggests that the Nifty could breach its immediate support of 4,820 and find support at 4,750. Daily technical indicators are currently oversold but without any backing from other studies. According to a technical analyst at JM Financial, the chart set-up remains weak and hence positive surprises are unlikely.

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

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

Sunil Jain: Can Manmohan ditch Raja?

Sunil Jain / New Delhi October 26, 2009, 0:22 IST

Excellent carryover patterns

The September segment is offering fairly attractive spreads for option traders.

Sensex ends down 108pts

The Sensex has finally ended (provisional) at 16,674 - down 108 points.

Enough\'s enough

While closing his arguments before the Supreme Court Bench in the Reliance Industries versus Reliance Natural Resources (RIL-RNRL) case, RNRL lawyer Ram Jethmalani said, “I won’t trouble you (the Bench) tomorrow…I could have said a lot. But I am tired myself”.

Hectic parleys on to keep power cut in abeyance

The state may not go for power cuts in near future, as being anticipated earlier because of the widening gap between the demand and availability of power in the state.

FIIs net sellers Rs 185cr in F&O on Tuesday

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers of Rs 184.85 crore in futures and options segments on Tuesday.

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

Trades between FIIs generated a volume of Rs 63 crore on the BSE Tuesday-an increase of 357.01% from Rs 14 crore clocked on Monday. As many as six stocks witnessed trades of 12 lakh shares on Tuesday.

Karnataka keen on PPPs

The Karnataka government is in the process of inviting more private players to increase public-private-partnership (PPP) in the state. This will be extended to sectors like Railways, which has not seen much projects as PPPs so far.

Tata Steel hints at price revision

Tata Steel today hinted at increasing prices of its products.

Joint task force to try and avoid Corus\' Teesside closure

Tata Group-owned European steel maker Corus and Britain’s National Steel Co-ordinating Committee have agreed to establish a joint task force to ensure that all alternatives to mothballing the former’s Teesside Cast Products (TCP) facilities are examined.

Karl-Ulrich Kohler named COO of Corus

Tatas-owned European steel major Corus has appointed Karl-Ulrich Kohler as the new Chief Operating Officer with effect from February 1, 2010.

Consultants, banks to help companies raise funds

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

Social security number not mandatory for EPF services

The Government today made it clear that social security number is not mandatory for getting services from Employees Provident Fund Organisation as the present provident fund membership number will suffice.

IBM sets up centres in colleges

IBM has established Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in 10 colleges in Karnataka to create a platform for the development of software skills among students. The CoEs will teach students skillsets on DB2, WebSphere, Lotus, Rational and Tivoli - as well as help them develop tech business solutions.

3G auctions run into fresh storm

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

Bharti unit launches multiple SIM technology

Comviva (formerly Bharti Telesoft) is in talks with several telecom service providers, including group company Bharti Airtel, to launch a SIM (or Subscriber Identity Module) card that allows up to 10 users to share the same mobile phone with their own specific numbers.

No leaks please

Telecom Minister A Raja has been served a “gag order” against the backdrop of the 2G spectrum controversy. According to top sources in the UPA government, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee recently summoned Raja and told him not to speak to the press about the 3G auction. He has also been strongly advised to ensure that intra-ministerial communications and letters don’t reach the press through his office. Recently, Raja’s letter to Mukherjee, seeking his intervention for getting the defence ministry to vacate 3G spectrum, was leaked to the press. Mukherjee was extremely upset at this.

Cut time for making DPRs for infra schemes: Pranab

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said efforts should be made to reduce the time period for preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) to expedite implementation of infrastructure sector schemes, especially in the road sector.

Govt not forcing bank consolidation, says Pranab

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said neither the government nor the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given any directive to state-owned banks for merger or consolidation.

Aurobindo Pharma up 8.4%

The stock jumped 8.4 per cent to Rs 852.05 after the company inaugurated its formulations manufacturing facility in its SEZ at Hyderabad.

Lifeclinic plans 100 health kiosks

Lifeclinic India, a part of Lifeclinic International that manufactures and distributes automated blood pressure monitors and health stations, will set up about 100 anytime self-testing health kiosks, on the lines of public telephone booths, in Andhra Pradesh.

India may buy UK aircraft carrier

Whitehall officials examining the feasibility of such a sale.

Farm credit worth Rs 1.38 lakh cr disbursed in H1

Banks and co-operatives have disbursed farm loans to the tune of Rs 1.38 lakh crore in the first half of 2009-10, meeting over 42 per cent of the target set by the government for the whole financial year.

FIIs net sellers Rs 325cr in F&O on Tuesday

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers of Rs 325.11 crore in futures and options segments on Tuesday.

FIIs net buyers Rs 647cr in F&O on Friday

The Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers of Rs 647.45 crore in futures and options segments on Friday.

Talks on for selloff in 60 CPSUs: disinvestment secy

The disinvestment department today said it is in talks with administrative ministries of 60 Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs), including SAIL, BSNL, Coal India, for selling government stake.

Court rejects bail plea of senior VP of Satyam

A local court today dismissed the bail petition of V S Prabhakara Gupta, Senior vice-president and global head of internal audit cell in Mahindra Satyam, who was arrested in the multi-crore accounting scam in Satyam Computer Services.

WB govt requests Tatas to return Singur land

The West Bengal government today said it was in touch with the Tatas for return of the lease land at its abandoned Nano project site in Singur.

Bayer in talks to ink drug research deal

Bayer Schering Pharma — a group company of German multinational Bayer — has joined the list of multinational drug majors attempting to tap India’s capabilities in drug research.

Zenotech Labs June qtr net loss widens to Rs 3.41 cr

Drug maker Zenotech Laboratories today said reported Rs 3.41 crore loss for the quarter ended June 30, against a net loss of Rs 2.66 crore in the same period previous fiscal.

Not the right medicine

Business Standard / New Delhi November 03, 2009, 0:43 IST

Caraco agrees to undertake action to get USFDA ban lifted

Sun Pharma"s US-based subsidiary Caraco Pharmaceuticals has agreed to undertake a series of measures as per requirements of the US health regulator Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to get a ban on its manufacturing units lifted.

Nava Bharat buys 65% in Zambian coal mine

Nava Bharat (Singapore) Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Hyderabad-based Nava Bharat Ventures Ltd, has signed a share sale and purchase agreement (SPA) for acquiring a 65 per cent equity stake in Maamba Collieries Ltd (MCL) of Zambia.

Sun TV restructures business

The Sun TV Network is restructuring its distribution business into two new divisions (‘verticals’). One will handle South India operations and international business. The second will focus on expanding the Sun TV bouquet into the northern, western and eastern markets of India.

Aurobindo gets tentative nod for anti-dementia drug

Aurobindo Pharma Limited, a Hyderabad-based manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), has received tentative approval for donepezil hydrochloride tablets in 5mg and 10mg strengths from the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). The product has a market size of over $1.9 billion.

Unichem Labs gets USFDA nod for hypertension tablets

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

ReaMetrix looking for global tie-ups to market product

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

Bhupesh Bhandari: Brand them into the dust

The annual Brand Derby, the results of which were published last week in The Strategist, threw up some interesting results. First, right on top amongst the 2008 brand launches were two all-Indian entries — the Indian Premier League and Nano. Second, of the 26 brands rated by the 90 respondents, 13 came from Indian-owned companies — three cars, two direct-to-home services, two films, two apparel brands, two FMCG products, one general entertainment channel and IPL. And third, seven homespun brands made it to the ranks of the 16 most successful brand launches. The lessons to be drawn are: One, Indian marketers, if they want, can build strong brands. IPL and the Nano have gained recognition the world over. Amongst the six FMCG brands in the Derby, the one that was ranked on top was Mother Dairy’s Nutrafit probiotic milk drink. Two, companies across categories have come to realise the importance of a brand in a cluttered market.

Piyo tablet full

Rrishi Raote / New Delhi November 22, 2009, 0:59 IST

Markets spurt on positive global cues; auto, pharma, metals lead

The markets staged a spectacular rally on the back of positive overseas cues. The Sensex regained the psychological 17k mark to end at 17,198, stronger by 272 points, and the Nifty closed at 5,122, higher by 89 points. Auto, pharma, metal and high-beta realty stocks were the flavour of the day.

CLP meet to select new leader in Maharashtra

The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held here today to elect a new leader to set in motion the process to choose the next Maharashtra chief minister amid indications that incumbent Ashok Chavan is the frontrunner.

Market reaction positive to Bharti dropping MTN

The share price of telecom major Bharti Airtel Ltd today rose 4.01 per cent to close at Rs 435 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) after the lengthy talks to acquire African telecom company MTN failed on Thursday for the second time. The stock today touched a high of Rs 467 and a low of Rs 434 on BSE.

SAT sets aside Sebi ruling on Tata Tea

In a blow to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has set aside the former’s ruling in the case of Tata Tea, wherein Sebi had asked the company to pay non-compete fees to all shareholders of Mount Everest Mineral Water.

Latha Jishnu: Copyright aggression

Latha Jishnu / New Delhi December 24, 2009, 0:55 IST

TCS takes $135 million of new currency hedges

Currency volatility is a concern for India’s largest information technology company, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). So much so, that it has taken new hedging positions worth $135 million (around Rs 630 crore) for the quarter ending December 31.

Infosys BPO partners US firm to provide mortgage solutions

Infosys BPO, the business process outsourcing subsidiary of Infosys Technologies, has forged an alliance with MortgageFlex Systems to provide offerings to the mortgage industry in the US .

Etisalat DB inks Rs 750-cr BPO deals

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

AP sanctions projects worth Rs 3000 cr

The Andhra Pradesh government has sanctioned seven projects that are being set up at the Sri City Special Economic Zone and the APIIC Industrial Park in the state. These projects involve a total investment of around Rs 3,000 crore, according to Busi Sam Bob, Principal Secretary, state industries and commerce department.

Oil extends gains on dollar weakness

Oil rose in Asian trade today, lifted by a weak US dollar which came under more pressure after a report that Gulf states considered dropping the greenback for oil transactions, analysts said.

RBI not in favour of multiple BPLRs

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is not in favour of a multiple benchmark prime lending rate (BPLR) mechanism as proposed by bankers.

Music to the ears

The good, the bad, the ugly of downloading music.

BIG TV, Sony Music ink pact for Beyonce\'s concert

Direct-to-Home operator Reliance BIG TV today announced that it has partnered with Sony Music for telecasting pop star Beyonce Knowles concert at its platform.

A cane that is good for you

BS Reporter / New Delhi November 22, 2009, 0:37 IST

Regular meditation can reduce chances of death

American researchers claim to have proved that regular practise of meditation twice a day can significantly reduce chances of death in heart patients.

Anil Ambani\'s new charge against DGH, RIL

Anil Ambani group company RNRL has now alleged that upstream oil and gas regulator V K Sibal is acting at the behest of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) in exchange for undue favours and sought intervention of the Supreme Court in a petition filed today.

PE firms show interest in buying Bofa-Merrill\'s Asian assets

Many private equity companies are interested in acquiring the management of Bank of America Merrill Lynch"s Asian real-estate investment business, a media report said.

MRPL reaches understanding on buying crude oil from Cairn

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL), the refining unit of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), today said it has reached an understanding on a deal to buy crude oil from Rajasthan fields of Cairn India.

Reliance Petroleum posts Rs 105 cr profit in Q1

Mukesh Ambani-promoted Reliance Petroleum (RPL) today reported a net profit of Rs 105 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2009.

Mukesh Ambani meets Law Minister, legal experts

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

Markets at a glance

The prime minister’s assuring words about the robust economic growth and a firm close of European and Asian indices helped consolidate gains in a truncated week on account of Muharram and New Year. The BSE Sensex rose 104 points or 0.6 per cent to 17,465, while the Nifty rose 23 points or 0.4 per cent to 5,201 during the week.

Education trend 2010: What lies ahead?

Last year saw some significant reforms in the education sector, ranging from scrapping of CBSE’s class X board exam to enacting of a law to make education a fundamental right of every child. This year however, say experts, the sector might see even more significant happenings. Business Standard lists some:

Sunanda K Datta-Ray: Such charming cops

The UK police are extremely courteous even if they don"t solve crimes.

Project management gathers momentum as infrastructure grows

Over eight years ago, engineering and construction major Larsen and Toubro (L&T) decided to join hands with the Shailesh J Mehta School of Management at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. The purpose was designing a programme in project management to bridge the human resource (HR) gap in the industry.

Twitter said to be profitable after making $25 mn search deals

Twitter Inc will make about $25 million from Internet-search deals with Google Inc and Microsoft Corp announced in October, enough to push the site into profitability, people familiar with the matter said.

Pepe Jeans earmarks Rs 50 cr to open 50 stores by Sep\'10

Pepe Jeans India plans to open 50 more stores pan-India in the next 12 months which would give it a stronger market presence.

Plans on to acquire light tanks for deployment on China border

The Indian Army is planning to acquire 300 light tanks for deployment in the mountainous regions of the border with China and Pakistan, a move seen as part of efforts to beef up capabilities on the frontiers.

Floods: Army, Navy intensify rescue efforts

Armed forces today intensified search and rescue operations using 13 helicopters and over 100 boats in flood-hit states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, reeling under one of the heaviest floods in the last century.

Army short of 11,387 officers: Antony

The Indian Army is short of over 11,387 officers, Defence Minister A K Antony told the Lok Sabha today.

Andhra Bank seeks nod for LIC trail commission

Andhra Bank, whose insurance venture with Bank of Baroda and Legal & General was launched today, has approached the regulator to protect the trail commission it stands to earn from its distribution tie-up with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

\'Delhi, Mumbai airports got over 4 points in service quality\'

Government today said the Delhi and Mumbai airports achieved service quality ratings of 4.24 and 4.05 respectively on a scale of five in third quarter of the current fiscal and were aiming at reaching 3.75 at the end of stage II of their development.

\'Healthcare, energy biz will be biggest growth engines\'

Joe C Mathew / New Delhi October 3, 2009, 0:27 IST

\'We should be able to clock 20% growth in India\'

K Rajani Kanth / September 18, 2009, 0:18 IST

Special court to hear Satyam case

Earlier, CBI had written to the govt, requesting a special court to ensure speedy trial.

CEO pay: Khurshid leaves it to the board

Making it clear that it does not want to play the regulator by intervening in executive remuneration, the government today said the board is the appropriate body for it, but opined it needs to be ensured that such decisions are taken democratically.

Markets unmoved

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

Procter & Gamble in talks to buy Sara Lee brands

Procter & Gamble, the maker of Pampers diapers and Pantene shampoo, is in talks to buy part of Sara Lee Corp’s international household products unit, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Torrent Power, GPCL to set up 2000 MW power plant at Amreli

Torrent Power and Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd. (GPCL) have signed a Share Holders Agreement (SHA) for developing coal based power project at Amreli with an overall capacity to generate 2,000 Mw in a phase-wised manner.

ITC results bode well for FMCG firms

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

Cotton yield hits 4-yr low, dips 5.45%

The country’s cotton yield has hit a four-year low in the current season, as the delayed monsoon disrupted sowing earlier. This is for the consecutive year that the country’s cotton output is estimated to slip below 30 million bales (1 bale = 170 kg). The cotton season starts from October and ends in September.

Southwest monsoon withdraws entirely

It bid adieu over a week later than normal.

Ask CBI for files, DoT tells CAG

The audit of the grant of telecom licences and allocation of 2G and 3G spectrum by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has taken an interesting turn, with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) asking CAG to directly communicate with the CBI, as the required documents have already been seized by the investigation agency.

Govt examining 11-digit mobile numbers

With the explosive growth in the mobile telephony, the government is understood to have begun the exercise to amend the numbering plan to migrate to 11-digit cellular number from the current 10-digit in order to accommodate more users.

Kaya to invest Rs 100 cr on expansion

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

INVESTING: Paras Adenwala

What sense do you make of the upcoming real estate initial public offers? There is a lot of hype around them. The shares of many real estate companies that came up with public issues in the past are trading below their offer prices. What is the outlook for the sector?

Cognizant Q3 income up 21% at $136.57 mn

IT and business process outsourcing firm Cognizant today reported 21 per cent jump in its third quarter net income at $136.57 million boosted by strong growth across industry sectors.

HCL Infosystem profit falls 11% at Rs 59 cr

HCL Infosystems has seen its profit fall 10.77 per cent. The company has reported a profit of Rs 58.97 crore in the second quarter this financial year as compared to Rs 66.09 crore in the corresponding quarter last financial year.

Online sports retailer to dilute 25% equity

Playground Sports Pvt Ltd is looking at diluting upto 25 per cent equity in the Internet sports start-up to a strategic investor to fund its expansion plans and launch operations in new areas.

Markets at a glance

The markets began on a weak note with the BSE Sensex closing at its six-week low on Monday. Later, robust advance tax numbers triggered a rebound in the broader indices. Corporate advance tax payments for the quarter were up 44 per cent to Rs 48,300 crore against a decline in June quarter and a 15 per cent increase in September quarter. The market gained in three out of the four trading sessions in the week. While volumes were low ahead of an extended weekend on account of Christmas. FIIs bought stocks worth Rs 1,360 crore. The Sensex rose 640 points or 3.8 per cent to 17,361, while Nifty gained 190 points or 3.9 per cent to 5,178. However, mid caps and small caps underperformed.

ICAI seeks details of RCom\'s books to nail auditor

Accounting regulator ICAI today said it has asked Reliance Communications (RCom), which is under attack for alleged fudging of accounts and evasion of licence fee, to provide financial details before it can initiate action against the teleco"s auditors.

Anil Ambani hits at rivals; says special auditor biased

Dubbing as "biased" the special audit report alleging overstatement of revenues and evasion of licence fee by Reliance Communications (RCom), its Chairman Anil Ambani today said corporate rivals were behind the "vicious campaign" against his group company.

Google India\'s Shailesh Rao is IAMAI chairman

Google India Managing Director Shailesh Rao has been appointed as Chairman of industry body The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

\'One billion dollar loan sought from WB for urban dev projects\'

India has sent a proposal to the World Bank seeking a loan up to one billion dollar to fund its urban development projects here, Lok Sabha was informed today.

Passing the buck

With the report of the special audit into the accounts of Reliance Communication (RCom) stating that the company had misclassified its income to avoid paying licence fees and overstated its mobile phone income (by around a fourth) in other ways, you’d think the Ministry of Corporate Affairs would be interested in examining the report and taking appropriate action.

Govt approves Rs 40,000-cr power equipment order

The government today approved a bulk order for power equipment, envisaging an investment of Rs 40,000 crore, for the upcoming thermal power plants of NTPC and Damodar Valley Corporation, a move that will help overcome power shortage in the country.

India\'s high net worth population dips 32%

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

India, China to treble HNI population by 2018: report

India and China are likely to treble the high net worth individuals" (HNI) population and add $4 trillion to its wealth by 2018, leading its growth in the Asia-Pacific region, a report says.

Sanjeev Sanyal: Light at the end of the population tunnel

Sanjeev Sanyal / July 15, 2009, 0:41 IST

Tata Steel ends firm on good sales fig

The stock soared to a high of Rs 513 and finally ended at Rs 509, up 2% from the previous close. The counter clocked 1.84 million shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 2.81 million shares on the BSE.

Stocks fall in Europe, Asia on China\'s stimulus worries

Stocks fell from Tokyo to Paris and the dollar rose as the fastest economic growth in a year in China stoked speculation that government stimulus measures will be removed, while European earnings disappointed investors.

BoB to boost investment flow between India and UAE

Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched an initiative to facilitate two-way flow of investments between India and the UAE, a senior bank official has said.

FII-TO-FII: Grasim Ind traded at 3% premium

Trades between FIIs generated a volume of Rs 106 crore on the BSE Thursday-an increase of 296.11% from Rs 27 crore clocked on Wednesday. As many as five stocks witnessed trades of 16 lakh shares on Thursday.

Gurcharan Das: Relax, capitalism is not the problem

The epic, Mahabharata, thinks that human beings are fundamentally flawed and their faults make the world “uneven” (vishama). As a result, they are vulnerable to nasty surprises. Duryodhana is the chief purveyor of “uneveness” in the epic, but the others also contribute to it in good measure — Yudhishthira cannot resist gambling; Karna suffers from status anxiety; Ashwatthama has a revengeful nature; Dhritarashtra is prone to excessive love for his eldest son and so on. These human defects drive the epic towards calamity. Like the Mahabharata’s characters, investment bankers on Wall Street, rating agencies and even regulators suffer from similar failings, and it is these dangerous infirmities that brought the global capitalist system to its knees in 2008.

Tata Steel makes Rs 25-cr deposit for Incab

Tata Steel today said it has deposited Rs 25 crore for reviving ailing cable manufacturer, Incab, following directions from the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). The company is learnt to have submitted a Rs 100-crore revival plan for the cable manufacturer, awaiting clearance from BIFR, two persons close to the development had said.

IDBI Bank announces repayment of 11.5% SLR bonds

IDBI Bank today announced the repayment of its 11.5 per cent SLR bonds, 2009 on September 26, 2009.

Emerging market stocks are 'overbought'

Emerging market stocks are "technically overbought" after 12 straight weeks of fund inflows drove the global benchmark index above its 200-day moving average, Morgan Stanley said.

FII registrations fall 70%

The number of FIIs registering with Sebi this year touches six-year low.

DoT wants monitoring of MNP mechanism

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) wants operators to make their network accessible to Lawful Interception and Monitoring (LIM) for the security agencies after they switch to mobile number portability (MNP) mechanism next month-end. DoT is likely to issue directives soon to all the telecom licencees on putting the subscribers under the LIM even before MNP is activated in the system.

Cong MP on hunger strike for united AP

Congress MP L Rajagopal, who had threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike to oppose division of Andhra Pradesh, today began his fast here.

NABARD opens Rs 102-crore credit line to UP

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 102 crore to Uttar Pradesh under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

How many mouths to feed?

Business Standard / New Delhi December 17, 2009, 0:56 IST

A V Rajwade: Servicing Dubai\'s growth

A V Rajwade / New Delhi December 07, 2009, 0:32 IST

SBM to restructure loans of flood-hit

State Bank of Mysore (SBM) will restructure agriculture loans to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore in the flood affected districts of North Karnataka. The bank is predominant in four of the 14 districts affected by the floods.

Essar Oil soars on hopes of Shell refinery buy

The stock finally ended at Rs 135 after touching a high of Rs 136. The counter clocked volumes of 1.10 million shares on the BSE as compared to the the two-week daily average traded volumes of 1.17 million shares on the BSE.

Essar, Shell extend talks on refineries\' sale

Exclusive talks between Essar Oil and Royal Dutch Shell over the sale of three European refineries — Heide and Harburg in Germany and Stanlow in Britain — will continue for an unspecified period beyond today’s earlier deadline, Essar Oil said in an emailed statement.