Popular Articles

Shree Renuka at new 52-wk high on overseas acquisition
The stock touched a high of Rs 233 and finally settled 4% higher at Rs 228. The counter clocked volumes of 1.93 million shares on the BSE.

MF inflows dip by 68% in Nov to Rs 45,124 cr
Investments in mutual fund schemes saw a sharp 68 per cent decline in November to over Rs 45,100 crore over the previous month, as investors preferred to stay away from equity market.

News of the day

M&M to focus on rural markets to boost sales
Utility vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) Ltd is planning to drive on rural markets to push its latest pick up Mahindra Bolero Maxi Truck.

Business Ideas

Usha Martin Education & Solutions forays into school management

Nation building through learning – Usha Martin Education & Solutions Limited (UMESL), forays into providing standardized end-to-end solutions and school management services to enable the creation of a national network of high quality English medium K-12 schools with a focus on non-metro towns and cities of India.

RBS to sell fund mgmt assets stake for 84.7 mn pounds

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) will sell part of fund management assets to Aberdeen Asset Management Plc for an estimated 84.7 million pounds.

National news for the week Jan 2- Jan 8, 2010

Saturday

RPTL bags 2 power transmission projects worth Rs 4,100 cr

These independent projects are likely to end the monopoly of PowerGrid.

Be curious about companies

Since the Satyam scam, the focus on corporate governance has increased manifold. Investors should keep a close watch on a company’s activities to ensure safety of their money

Markets down in early trades

The Sensex opened weak this morning following subdued cues from its Asian peers. The Sensex opened at 16,827 and is now down 61 points at 16,798.

Just imagine

Forty years ago, man landed on the Moon. Also in 1969, the Vietnam war ground on, high hippydom ruled Western youth culture, feminism was in its so-called second wave, and the collectivist kibbutz movement in Israel was at the peak of its post-war efficacy. In 1969, Ursula Le Guin was just gaining renown as a writer. In that year she turned 40, and published her best-known science fiction novel. In 2009 the author turned 80 and her book, still in print and now a classic, turned 40.

Sobha set to raise another Rs 250 cr from land sale

Sobha Developers, the Bangalore-based realty player, is set to raise another Rs 250 crore by selling a little over 100 acres of its land in Pune. The company has been making headway to settle a part of its Rs 1,900 crore debt by selling part of its 3,000-acre land bank spread across the country. Sobha recently raised close to Rs 530 crore through the Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) route. With a debt of Rs 1,900 crore, the company was leveraged 1.6 times and it is understood that a part of the proceeds from QIP is being used to settle a part of that.

Ann Woolner: UBS whistleblower gets rewarded with prison time

If he had kept his mouth shut and his head low, Bradley Birkenfeld would be a free man today. He didn’t, so now the former UBS AG banker wears an electronic bracelet on his ankle and, beginning January, will spend three years and four months in a federal penitentiary.

UBS posts 1.4 bn Swiss franc loss in Q2

Swiss banking major UBS AG continued to be in the red for the third straight quarter, with losses of 1.40 billion Swiss francs for the three months ended June, bogged down by credit and restructuring charges.

Usha Martin Edu to provide quality edu in non-metro towns, cities

Usha Martin Education and Solutions has forayed into providing standardized end to end solutions and school management services to enable the creation of a national network of high quality english medium K-12 schools with a focus on non-metro towns and cities of India.

India to again stress services at WTO ministerial talks

Movement on this seems stuck and linked initiative to defreeze progress needed, say analysts.

Oil rises above $80 amid stock market surge

Oil prices rose above $80 a barrel today in Asia as crude investors eyed a surge in global stock markets.

Govt may give sops to drug exports avoiding Europe

The Centre may give sops to drug exporters for shipments to Africa and Latin America through a route that would avoid passing through Europe, while it prepares to drag the EU to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over seizures of consignments of Indian pharma companies.

India open to free trade agreement with US

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India is open to discussions on a free trade pact with the US on the lines of the agreement New Delhi already has with the 10-nation South East Asian bloc.

Martin Feldstein: Will recovery hit euro zone?

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

Obama less attentive to Indo-US friendship: US diplomat

A top diplomat of the Bush Administration who was its point man for negotiations on Indo-US nuclear deal, has accused President Barack Obama of being less attentive to the partnership between the two countries, saying the relationship has been stalled in some critical issues.

Bill Gates II from India or China: US Survey

A sizeable number of Americans believe that the next Bill Gates will come from India or China, as the two Asian giants are fast marching ahead on the global platform, a new US survey reveals.

PTC Q3 net dips 33% to Rs 15 cr

Power trading company PTC India today reported a decline of 33 per cent in net profit at Rs 15.8 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2009.

Dadri land acquisition: No relief for R-Power

The Supreme Court today did not pass any order on a petition filed by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict quashing Uttar Pradesh Government"s notification to acquire land for the company’s 8,000 MW Dadri power project.

Vinayak Chatterjee: A mid-plan assessment

Vinayak Chatterjee / New Delhi January 18, 2010, 0:53 IST

Volkswagen to unveil new electric car at IAA

German carmaker Volkswagen AG said it would unveil several new models at the Frankfurt Auto Show, including an electric car called the E-Up.

Yahoo said to be target of hacker attacks from China

Yahoo! Inc, owner of the No 2 search engine in the US, was targeted by a Chinese attack similar to the one that affected Google Inc, according to a person familiar with the matter.

HPCL plans Rs 20,000 cr refinery

To refine 9-15 million tonnes of crude oil every year, the state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) plans to set up a plant in the Konkan region. It is looking to invest over Rs 20,000 crore for a greenfield project in Raigad or Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra.

Mount Everest soars on stake sale

The scrip zoomed to end at its 20% upper circuit at Rs 84. The counter clocked volumes of 18.67 lakh shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 1.59 lakh shares on the BSE.

Bajaj Auto up on expansion plan

Bajaj Auto shares rose 6.52 per cent to Rs 1,304.5 on the proposed increase in its motorcycle production. Bajaj’s plan to raise domestic motorcycle production by about 25 per cent in August 2009 came as a response to stronger demand in the segment.

Suzuki motorcycle sales up 20.35% in July

Two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle India today reported a 20.35 per cent rise in its sales in July at 12,585 units compared with 10,457 units in the same month last year.

Posco signs pact with OPTCL to draw power

After receiving Stage –II clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for its 12 million tonne steel plant in Orissa, Posco-India has initiated various activities including infrastructure development to expedite the project work.

UAE remains attractive choice of expatriate workers

The UAE remains a popular destination globally among expatriate workers as employment prospects have increased by up to 8.3 per cent annually and is expected to maintain its upbeat growth this year, a leading Middle East online recruitment portal has said.

V V: Correcting the fault lines of capitalism

In the long run,” John Maynard Keynes had famously said, “we are all dead.” Keynes may not have been quite dead, but he had lived a ghostly half-life in the corridors of central banks and within the academia for decades. Now with the failures of unbridled capitalism on a global scale, he is back in fashion, along with Marx. John Cassidy, the finance correspondent for the New Yorker has come with How Markets Fail: The Logic of Economic Calamities (Allen Lane/Penguin £25), which draws heavily on Keynes to recount the story of America’s housing boom and the failures of regulators and self-deception of bankers that led to the present financial crisis. The book is a sequel to Cassidy’s earlier book DotCon that dealt with the stupidities of the stock market bubble in the late 1990s, but both deal with one central idea: the belief that society is best served when individuals are left free to pursue their self-interest was “Utopian economics” and led to disaster because of “the crooked timber of humanity”, and the uncertainty that is inherent in any human enterprise.

Defiance Tech foraying into manufacturing and enterprise areas

Engineering services provider Defiance Tech, part of the multi-billion dollar Hinduja Group, today announced expanding its services to the areas of manufacturing and enterprise solutions, eyeing the markets of India, US, Europe and Middle-East nations.

State leads in Centre\'s efforts to create jobs

Karnataka claims to have gone far ahead of other states when it came to using job fairs and helping job-seekers find jobs. It is part of the Centre’s efforts to promote job creation through the development of skills and promoting employment.

Luck by chance

Lowe India chairman and Cheeni Kum director Balki strayed into advertising, hoping to meet Ramesh Sippy. Now, many years and accolades later, he has discovered the mantra to success. “Unsureness”, he tells Aabhas Sharma

Show cause notice to \'Colors\' channel for obscene visuals

Government today informed Rajya Sabha that it has issued a show cause notice to "Colors" television channel for telecasting obscene visuals in the ongoing reality show "Big Boss 3".

Exports fall 10th month in row, down 28% in July

India"s exports declined by 28.4 per cent in July over the same month last year, contracting for the tenth month in a row, as overseas shipments were hit by slowdown in major global markets like the US and Europe.

Sanjaya Baru: Bollywood\'s global market beckons

Sanjaya Baru / New Delhi January 11, 2010, 0:36 IST

3 Idiots makes B\'wood history

Rakes in Rs 240 crore in 10 days.

\'I won't let success go to my head\'

She began her career as a choreographer and then moved into film direction with aplomb. A full-time mother of three, Farah Khan is back in a new avatar as a talk show host for Tere Mere Beach Mein that is being aired on Star Plus.

Doordarshan most watched channel: Study

Using a disputed measure, TAM, the television research agency, has said Doordarshan not only commands the highest channel share compared to private networks but attracts a far greater number of viewers. It made a presentation to this effect before the information and broadcasting minister recently.

A tear for reality

Abhilasha Ojha / New Delhi October 25, 2009, 0:40 IST

Acute labour shortage spoiling coffee party

An acute labour shortage is hurting coffee production in Karnataka, which accounts for around 70 per cent of the country’s coffee output.

\'Apparel sector may see massive job losses by Jan 2010\'

Rising cotton prices have robbed the domestic garment exporters off their competitive edge in the global markets which could lead to massive job losses, Apparel Export Promotion Council (APEC) said today.

Exporters jittery over Dubai

With the Dubai World crisis, Indian exporters have again started biting their nails, even as the government assured there would be no impact on the domestic economy.

Egypt woos Bollywood

After Switzerland, South Africa, New York and Hong Kong, it is Egypt that is now looking at grabbing a piece of the Bollywood film action.

Big Bazaar: Private label push

Big Bazaar, the hypermarket of Pantaloon Retail, has come out with a breakfast cereal range under its private label, Tasty Treat. Big Bazaar already sells noodles, pasta, vermicelli, soups, namkeens, chips, toast, khari, papads, jams, pickles, carbonated drinks, ketchup and fruit beverages under the brand. It has now added breakfast cereals to the range.

Economy to grow by little over 7%: PM

Economy is likely to grow by 7 per cent or a "little more" in the current fiscal returning to a fast expansion pace after a sluggish 2008 due to the global economic crisis, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today.

India\'s growing economy to fuel oil demand: Opec

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) has projected that a rise in India’s gross domestic product (GDP) would lead to increased oil consumption next year. India oil demand was not affected by the economic crisis in 2009, and next year’s oil usage is forecast to grow further. All sectors are seeking more energy and new vehicle registrations are expected to continue the fast growth of 2009. These factors would push up oil demand by 15 per cent, making it the fastest growing product in terms percentage rise, Opec said.

Pak assures seriousness in 26/11 probe

Terming as "unfortunate" the stalled Indo-Pak talks, Pakistan has advocated delinking of resumption of composite dialogue from the 26/11 probe, saying it was "seriously" pursuing all the leads provided by India.

India may borrow less after outlay cuts: Finance Secretary

The government might consider selling fewer bonds in the year ending March after announcing expenditure cuts yesterday, Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla said.

Govt rules out additional borrowings for 2009-10

The government today ruled out any increase in its borrowing programme for the current fiscal and said expenditure needs due to failed monsoon would be met with additional tax and adjustments within the budget.

SpiceJet among top 10 budget airlines in Asia: survey

SpiceJet has been recognised amongst the top ten budget airlines in Asia, based on the results of “Best in Travel Poll 2009”, an online survey on budget airlines conducted by Smart Travel Asia magazine, which is a online travel magazine for Asia read by over 10,00,000 visitors annually.

Govt slaps Rs 32 cr penalty on telcos for unverified users

The government has slapped a penalty of Rs 32 crore on mobile operators for failing to adhere to the subscriber verification norms in 2008-09.

Ketan Parekh moves SC seeking permission to travel abroad

Stock broker Ketan Parekh, alleged mastermind of the securities scam of the 1990s, has moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to travel abroad for the treatment of his daughter.

The bold and snappy

Consumers now have a wide variety of choices available in the market for a state-of-the-art digital camera that’s compact in size. Practically every brand is competing on megapixels and in looks too in this segment. Here is our pick of the best compact digital cameras for young adults, parents with young children and compulsive picture takers. Don’t be fooled by their diminutive looks - these babies have enough megapixels to portray in detail your picture-perfect moments.

LG to invest Rs 25 cr in home appliances category

Consumer durables major LG Electronics today said it will invest Rs 25 crore in promotional activities of its home appliances during the festive season, as it targets a 30 per cent share in the segment by next year.

M&M aims to source parts from China for two-wheelers

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), the country"s leading utility vehicles maker that recently forayed into the two-wheeler space, is now eying to source parts from China for cost advantage.

FICCI seeks more sops to bolster economy

Industry body FICCI today sought more fiscal sops in the 2010-11 budget to prop up the economy.

Merc eyes heavy duty truck segment

Mercedes-Benz India today sounded bullish about the growth of the heavy duty truck segment in India and said it plans to sell 240 units of the product this year.

So, who\'s driving?

Diesel engines, automatic gearboxes, same price range... but worlds apart. You could read the following few lines and be done with this article. Even if you have not driven either of these two cars, the conclusion is foregone. The Skoda Laura 2.0 TDI with the DSG is the driver’s car here, and if you are a chauffeur-driven sethji, the Hyundai Sonata Transform 2.0 CRDI Automatic should be at the top of your list. Game, set and match. It is that simple and if you go to the end of the story, there are no surprises in store for you either. But since you are reading anyway (ostensibly not to make a purchase decision!), let me tell you what these two cars are like.

TVS reports 12% increase in October sales

Two-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company today reported 12 per cent increase in its vehicle sales during October.

Audi sales jump 8% in October

Luxury car maker Audi India today reported 8.41 per cent increase in its sales in October at 116 units over the same period last year.

Tengzhong seeks govt approval for Hummer deal

Chinese heavy machinery maker Tengzhong said today it expected to get regulatory approval for its acquisition of the iconic Hummer brand from General Motors this year or early next.

GM in pact with Reva for producing electric vehicles

US-based car maker General Motors today joined hands with Reva Electric Car Company to develop and produce electric vehicles in the Indian market as part of its plan to make the country a global hub for environment friendly vehicles.

Subir Roy: Romancing the railways

Subir Roy / New Delhi November 13, 2009, 0:03 IST

Subir Roy: Market driven drinking

How a man drinks defines him. For the last few weeks I have been doing the rounds of Kolkata’s clubs — a hallowed bastion of tradition, if there be any left. And I am sorry to say that they don’t take the matter of tradition seriously enough. What I mean is, the emphasis is all wrong. Quantity prevails over quality, not the other way round.

Bank charges may be capped

Banks may soon have to cap the charges on basic services such as issuing a draft, remittances or for stop-payment instructions.

\'We want to dominate infrastructure services\'

Kirtika Suneja / New Delhi December 10, 2009, 0:11 IST

HCL tech bags deal from News Corp Arm

To manage and transform data centre.

Gammon responsible for metro mishap: probe panel

A probe panel looking into the crane mishap at Delhi Metro site during debris clearance today held the contractor Gammon India responsible for the "unusual" incident which it said was due to "mismanagement and lack of professionalism".

\'France wants to be privileged partner in India\'s growth\'

Seeking greater cooperation in education sector, France today said Indian students are most welcome there and that it wants to be a "privileged partner" in the growth that India is witnessing now.

PM yet to decide on attending Copenhagen climate summit

With US and French leaders asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to attend the Copenhagen Summit on climate change, he is weighing options to participate in the meet where India is expected to strongly pitch for legally binding substantive outcome to deal with the challenge posed to the world.

FIIs hike holdings in 25 Sensex cos in Q1

Foreign Institutional Investors raised their holdings in as many as 25 Sensex companies in the first quarter of the current fiscal, riding on positive global cues and a decisive verdict in the general elections.

Gokaldas\' retail initiative on the upswing

Company launches ‘Cash & Carry’ format.

CM Narendra Modi tests positive for swine flu

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who returned from abroad two days back, tested positive for swine flu today, a doctor attending on him said.

Swine Flu claims its 91st victim in Pune

With the death of a 30-year-old woman, the Swine Flu toll in the city has gone up to 91, health officials said today.

Suven Life gets two more US patents for NCEs

Suven Life Sciences Limited, a Hyderabad-based biopharmaceutical company specialising in central nervous system (CNS) diseases, has received patents for two new chemical entities (NCEs) from the US Patent office.

Audi to assemble SUVs in India by March 2010

German luxury car maker Audi today said it will start assembling its Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) Q5 in India by March next year and is expecting its sales to grow by about 70 per cent in 2009.

Tatas to tighten mgmt grip on JLR: report

Having secured the much-needed funds for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) without the government help, its Indian parent Tatas are now tightening their management control on the carmaker, but are unhappy over the way their request for help was handled by the UK authorities, a report said today.

Food security law can\'t cater to APL families

The central pool of food grains is insufficient to provide for families above the poverty line (APL) who are covered by the Targetted Public Distribution System (TPDS), if they are to be all included in the proposed National Food Security Act, show data from the Planning Commission.

Aurobindo Pharma receives Swissmedic approval for cefepime for injection

Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma Limited received approval from Swissmedic, an agency of Switzerland government for therapeutic products, for the licence of Cefepime APL for injection 1g and 2g.

Gold imports may fall to 10-15 tonnes in May

Low demand due to high prices will make a dent in India"s gold imports this month which will be down to 10-15 tonnes, experts have said.

JD(U) base eroded in Bihar by-polls

CM Nitish Kumar’s party wins just 4 of the 18 seats that went to polls; RJD bags five

Not yet contacted by UK govt on Teeside plants: Tata

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

TCS to use Chennai centre for e-passport service

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the country’s largest IT services provider, will use the new data centre — which was set up by the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) — in Chennai as a disaster recovery for its e-passport service.

Partners, not allies

Business Standard / New Delhi November 27, 2009, 0:14 IST

Exports down over 33% in April, sharpest in 14 yrs

The global downturn has taken the wind out of the sails of India"s exports, which fell the most in 14 years in April, by 33.2 per cent, over the same month last year, while domestic slowdown led to imports dropping by 36.6 per cent in the same period.

Seven of top-10 firms add Rs 81,000 cr in m-cap

As many as seven of the top-10 firms added more than Rs 81,000 crore to their market capitalisation during the week, while three state-run companies -- NMDC, NTPC and ONGC -- saw erosion in their valuation.

India\'s ties with other nations not at Russia\'s cost: President

Brushing aside reports that India is moving away from Russia, President Pratibha Patil has said New Delhi"s ties with other countries would not be at the cost of Moscow.

Maruti Suzuki: WagonR gets WizeR

Maruti Suzuki’s portfolio has several small cars. That makes its task of differentiating each of these cars difficult. To bolster one of its most sturdy performers, the WagonR, which sold 135,000 last year, the country’s largest carmaker has come out with a mascot named WizeR.

Gold futures trade low on reduced offtake

Gold futures prices traded lower by 0.27 per cent today on reduced offtake at existing higher levels.

States asked to prepare action plans on climate change

The Centre today said state governments had been asked to prepare the local-level adaptation action plans on climate change, consistent with the objectives of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). Necessary assistance is also being provided to the state governments (to tackle climate change) subject to availability of funds, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said in reply to a written question in the Lok Sabha.He said a study on “the impact of climate change in India” had been launched under a joint Indo-UK Research Programme.

States asked to prepare action plans on climate change

The Centre today said state governments have been asked to prepare the local level adaptation action plans on climate change consistent with the objectives of the National Action Plan on Climate Change.

No proposal to withdraw stimulus this year: Govt

The government on Tuesday said it would not withdraw the fiscal stimulus, provided in the last one year to help the economy deal with the global slowdown, in the current financial year.

Sensex up on Maruti show

After taking a two-day break, bulls re-entered the market today buoyed by good results from Maruti Suzuki India and ITC.

Orchid gets ANDA\'s final nod from USFDA for Zaleplon Capsules

Pharma firm Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals today said it has received the final Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) approval for its Zaleplon capsules from the US Food and Drug Administration, in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE).

Maruti testing cars on CNG platform

Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India Limited is testing its cars on the CNG platform before launching them commercially in the next 2-3 years.

Centre to spend 25,000 cr for dev work in minority constituency

Union Minister of State for Minorities and Corporate Affairs Salman Khursheed today said 2,500 crore would be spend for development and upliftment works in minority dominated constituencies.

Telangana issue: Centre calls meeting on Jan 5

The Centre, in an attempt to end the imbroglio over Telangana, today convened a meeting here on January 5 of eight recognised political parties in Andhra Pradesh for a discussion on the issue, a move welcomed by a grouping of all parties spearheading the statehood stir.

Radio City Connect partners with Force India for Go Karting Championship

The Indian corporates have all the reasons to smile in this scorching summer of June, as they can take their teams on the fast track. Radio City Connect, activation arm of Radio City, India’s first and leading FM radio brand has partnered with Force India F1 team for Corporate Go Karting Championship across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Corporates from these five cities will get an opportunity to participate in the Maruti Suzuki Ritz presents Force India & Radio City Connect corporate Go Karting Championship.

Mayday, mayday

Business Standard / New Delhi September 4, 2009, 0:00 IST

\'I wear two hats-to get coal for power and to save forests\'

Business Standard / New Delhi January 16, 2010, 0:54 IST

Lupin buys cholesterol drug for $39 million

Buys US rights for Oscient Pharma"s Antara.

India agrees terror should not be linked to dialogue

In an apparent climbdown, India today agreed with Pakistan"s contention that terrorism should not be linked to the composite dialogue process as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani met here to chart the "way forward" in bilateral ties.

BSNL fails to retire Rs 7,500 cr govt loan: CAG report

State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) failed to retire a government loan of Rs 7,500 crore despite having a cash-reserve of Rs 18,829 crore as on March 2005, leading to an excess expenditure of Rs 1,089 crore on interest payment during 2005-07.

Gold hits new high at Rs 16,240/10 gm

The yellow metal rose Rs 155 on the announcement of RBI’s asset purchase, weak dollar.

States\' panel to prepare rules for land banks

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

Sukhoi listed as most rapidly growing companies of Russia

Major Russian aircraft manufacturer famous for its fighters, Sukhoi has been listed amongst the most rapidly growing companies of Russia by the Economic News Agency rating.

Who moved into my cheese?

The contemporary hotel in India is lifestyle- rather than luxury-oriented, and it suits younger business travellers just fine.

Frank Sieren & Andreas Sieren: A spark for growth

Frank Sieren & Andreas Sieren / July 11, 2009, 0:03 IST

Port capacity expansion may miss 2012 target

India’s government might miss a target to add capacity at its 12 major ports, as the economy grew less than anticipated and global trade slumped amid a recession, the shipping secretary said.

In a first, Maha asks Videocon to shift SEZ

Offers 2,000 acres in Pune’s Saswad taluk.

Subex posts Q2 net loss of Rs 3.2 crore

Bangalore-based telecom solutions provider, Subex, reported a loss of Rs 3.2 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, from a net loss of Rs 71.6 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal.

US market ends firm; MTNL ADR up 3%

US markets advanced on Monday, sending indexes to fresh 13-month closing highs, after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke reinforced expectations that interest rates would stay low to help growth.

Sensex at day\'s low

The Sensex is now at 14,879, down 531 points.

Sensex plunges further, down 460pts

The Sensex is now at 14,948, down 463 points. The NSE Nifty is now at 4,446, down 133 points.

DB Corp: Regional edge

At the upper price band of Rs 212, it will be the most valued listed media company in India.

On the margins of recovery

Corporate profit margins have recovered handsomely but are likely to come under pressure in the face of both higher salary as well as increased raw material costs.

Orient Express Q2 net loss at $24.3 mn

Luxury hotel chain operator Orient Express, in which Indian conglomerate Tata Group holds a significant stake, has reported a net loss of $24.3 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009.

Bollywood eyes private equity as banks go slow

EXIM Bank and IDBI are said to be cautious while financing films, prompting producers to tap PE players and investors like the Dar Capital group.

Reliance Communications: Paisa power

Sayantani Kar / Mumbai December 8, 2009, 0:28 IST

Future bright for bargain hunt

In the last one year, Dubai has lost much of its lustre. The global credit crunch already hit inflows into the emirate, leading to job losses and delayed real estate projects.

Strike against CBI report in Shopian case hits valley

Normal life was paralysed across the Kashmir Valley today due to a strike called by a local outfit to protest the CBI report in the Shopian case even as authorities placed top Hurriyat leaders under house arrest as a precautionary measure.

Wrong call

It’s never easy to be in public domain. Members of Parliament (MP) cutting across party lines have realised that. Madhusudan Mistry, a Congress MP from Gujarat, gave his mobile number to the voters of his constituency. “Even in the middle of the night, people, evidently drunk, used to call me to solve their petty personal problems,” Mistry recalls.

Big gap in demand-supply of skilled manpower: HR experts

Ruing over the lack of skilled manpower, human resource (HR) professionals said, during a management conference, that more interface between educational institutions and industry should take place. Organised by St. Kabir Institute of Professional Studies (SKIPS), Ahmedabad, the conference focused on "Adding Lasting Value in Uncertain Times...through Human Capital Leadership".

White paper on Rly\'s financial health likely on Dec 21

Amid increasing concern over financial health and rising operating cost, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to table a white paper on the actual condition of the PSU on December 21, the last day of the winter session of Parliament.

Winter session of Bengal assembly starts

Winter session of West Bengal assembly began here today and is likely to be stormy with the ruling Left Front moving a non-official resolution in the House demanding discussion on "Statewide anarchy by Maoists and Trinamool Congress". Announcing to move along with several other resolutions, government chief whip Syed Mohammad Masih told reporters that they had raised the issue in Business Advisory Committee meeting. He alleged that Naxalites and TMC were "unleashing a reign of terror" in the state and the latter was involved in spreading anarchy with their direct or indirect involvement with the former.

What if?

Business Standard / New Delhi September 28, 2009, 0:36 IST

Anil Kumar may plead guilty in Galleon hedge fund case

Indian-American Anil Kumar, an accused in one of the the largest insider trading scam in the US, has agreed to waive indictment in the Galleon Hedge Fund case, in an indication that he might plead guilty as per a deal struck between him and the prosecutors.

Rajaratnam pleads not guilty to insider trading

Sri Lankan Tamil-origin billionaire Raj Rajaratnam has pleaded not guilty before a court here to running an insider trading scam that allegedly racked upto $21 million in profits, the biggest such case in the US.

\'Need for rating agencies for colleges\'

Indian education has only regulatory bodies such as the All India Council of Technical Education. It also needs rating agencies like Crisil that can rank colleges by performance, said Union minister of state for higher education, D Purandeswari.

Insurers want exemption limit raised to Rs 1.5 lakh

Life insurers are pitching for increased exemption on investments in long-term policies. They have asked the government to consider raising the exemption limit to around Rs 1.5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh at present.

Life insurance sector to grow by 15%

India’s life insurance sector is expected to grow by almost 15 per cent in the current financial year and touch a total premium income of Rs 2,55,000 crore (about $ 50 billion).

'Interest rates will rise by only around 0.5%'

Shobhana Subramanian / Mumbai July 10, 2009, 0:36 IST

KFC, Pizza Hut\'s parent co Yum under ED\'s lens

US-based Yum Restaurants, which owns the franchise of KFC and Pizza Hut in India, has come under the Enforcement Directorate"s (ED) scrutiny for allegedly failing to bring in Rs 390 crore ($80 million) foreign investment in the country after getting the government approval.

Pizza Hut ropes in Lara Dutta for new campaign

Casual dining chain Pizza Hut today announced that it has roped in Bollywood star Lara Dutta to promote its newly-launched "Cheesy Bites" range.

Mexico, US, Canada announce swine flu deaths

Authorities in Mexico have announced three more deaths, as the United States and Canada each said they had another death connected with the illness.

BSE to also offer MF trading from Friday

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Tuesday said it would launch a trading platform for mutual fund (MF) units on December 4. The move comes a day after the National Stock Exchange (NSE) launched a similar platform. Central Depository Services Ltd will be the BSE’s depository partner.

Advance tax kitty rises 20% during Apr-Dec

The advance tax collection from India Inc rose 20 per cent during the first nine months of the current fiscal compared to the same period last year, with automobiles, consumer goods and metals leading the pack.

FIIs net buy Rs 886cr, DIIs net sell Rs 214cr

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net buyers of Rs 885.65 crore (provisional) today, according to data released by BSE.

Direct tax code: Com Min bats for SEZ developers

Batting for the worried special economic zones (SEZs) developers who fear withdrawal of incentives in the new direct tax code, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma today said his ministry would ensure that the sops continue.

RCom to raise Rs 6,300 cr for expansion

Will use funds to finance operations of group firms; to have a total war chest of Rs 10,500 crore.

Suzlon shifts global HQ ops back to India

The world’s third largest wind energy turbine maker, Suzlon Energy, has shifted most of its management operations back to its headquarters in Pune.

Govt to miss GST deadline

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee may meet state finance ministers next week to discuss their requirements and implementation of proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST), speculated to be delayed by over six months, is likely to be discussed during the meeting.

Steel firms under pressure as iron ore prices rise

Ore prices have increased 20 per cent in a month.

PNB, Union and Axis buy stake in Experian Credit

Experian is the second credit bureau in the country to confirm conditions after Credit Information Bureau of India.

Cane output may fall 17 MT below demand by 2012

India"s sugarcane production is projected to fall short of the demand by 17 million tonnes(MT) at the end of this Plan period (2007-2012) from a surplus supply of 14 MT now, as per the Planning Commission.

MF inflows dip by 68% in Nov to Rs 45,124 cr

Investments in mutual fund schemes saw a sharp 68 per cent decline in November to over Rs 45,100 crore over the previous month, as investors preferred to stay away from equity market.

MF industry turns less profitable

The fall in assets under management (AUM) in financial year 2008-09 has hit the net profit of the mutual fund industry. The industry’s average net profit has declined 29.84 per cent in financial year 2008-09, acccording to an ICRA report released today.

F&O Outlook: Nifty may test new high before expiry

The Nifty closed above the crucial resistance level of 5,080 on strong buying in index stocks such as Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, Tata steel and Cipla. Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Jaiprakash Associates and State Bank of India closed in the red on shorts build-up on the F&O segment. The Nifty November and December futures closed at a premium to the spot on intraday short-covering and fresh long build-up.

Sunil Jain: The great Bhopal whitewash

Sunil Jain / New Delhi December 7, 2009, 0:29 IST

Soren to take oath as Jharkhand CM tomorrow

JMM chief Shibu Soren is all set to take oath as chief minister heading a five-party coalition in Jharkhand tomorrow, which will be the seventh dispensation in nine years since it became a separate state.

Petronet LNG eyes 53% growth in top line

LNG importer Petronet LNG is eyeing 53 per cent growth in the top line at Rs 13,000 crore during the current fiscal, Petronet LNG Managing Director P Dasgupta said today.

F&O OUTLOOK: Nifty may close around 5,200 in this expiry

The Nifty closed in a Doji pattern after a breakout above 5,182 on profit-booking above 5,200. The trading volumes on the futures and options (F&O) segment declined by over Rs 10,000 crore with the number of contracts in index futures lower by almost 12 per cent. This means the participants are wary of taking positions at the current level as only two trading days are left for the expiry of the current series.

OVL joins hands with Petronas, Raspol for Venezuela fields

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has replaced Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) with Repsol YPF SA, Spain’s biggest oil company, and Malaysia’s Petronas to bid for Venezuelan oil blocks next month.

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

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

SAIL erases gains, slips 1%

The stock erased all its gains and slipped into the negative to settle at Rs 210, down 1.5%. The counter clocked volumes of 1.82 million shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 1.40 million shares. _________________________________________________

Andhra Bank eyes Rs 3600 cr business in Vizag

The Visakhapatnam zone of Andhra Bank is targeting to end the current financial year with a total business of Rs 3,600 crore.

Emaar MGF to use over half of Rs 3,850-cr IPO to repay debt

Delhi-based real estate company Emaar MGF plans to utilise over half of the amount it will raise through its initial public offer to repay part of its debt.

FMCG \'dream choice\' for fresh MBA graduates

The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector has emerged as the industry of choice for this year’s management graduates.

USL set to export its branded wines

USL Wines, a division of United Spirits, part of the United Breweries (UB) group, is set to start exporting its brands.

US to remove cap on intake of medical students

The US Administration will bring a Bill in the Congress to remove the federal cap on intake of medical students, a move that will benefit international students, including those from India, a body of Indian-origin physicians in America has claimed.

Entry load abolition will benefit MF industry: Religare AMC

Private sector mutual fund house Religare AMC, a relatively new but fast-growing player, today said that abolition of entry load charged to investors will benefit the company and the industry as a whole.

Strange but true

RBS/Lloyds: The UK’s two big state-owned banks may be in for a re-branding. Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group could end up being the country’s largest private equity firms.