Popular Articles

GVK ties up with QS for selling clinical trial data bases
Contract research services provider, GVK Biosciences today said it has entered into a strategic partnership with US-based Quantitative Solutions (QS) to develop and market clinical trial outcome data base.

Vedanta eyeing JV for steel making
The billionaire Anil Agarwal-promoted Vedanta Resources is in talks with European and Japanese steel producers to get into steel making.

News of the day

Tata Tea Q3 net declines 76% to Rs 92 cr
Tata Tea, engaged in tea plantation and processing business, today announced a consolidated net profit of Rs 92.23 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2009, down 76.71 per cent over the corresponding period last fiscal.

International Business

Police shift fasting students to hospital

Eleven students of Osmania University, who have been on an indefinite hunger strike demanding a separate Telangana state, were shifted to hospital on Monday after their health deteriorated.

SET Max making another pile from IPL ad revenue

SET Max, the official broadcasters of the Indian Premier League (IPL)cricket tournament, has already hit a sixer with the third edition of the twenty20 league. The channel is estimated to rake in over Rs 650 crore, 30 per cent higher than it got in IPL-2.

Telangana crisis puts India-Sri Lanka Vizag ODI in jeopardy

The political crisis in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue has hit cricket as well and the BCCI is planning to shift the second India-Sri Lanka one-dayer in Visakhapatnam to another venue due to security concerns.

FMCG firms have the edge in battle with retailers

Organised retailers and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firms have begun their slugfest yet again as the time approaches for redrawing of annual sales contracts.

Markets open strong

Dalal Street has opened on a firm note, mirroring the strong global cues. The Sensex is quoting at 16680, up 79 points and the Nifty is at 4978, up 26 points. Consumer durables, metals and realty stocks are seing a lot of action in morning trades.

Shankar Acharya: A month to remember?

Shankar Acharya / New Delhi October 08, 2009, 0:59 IST

Share price volatility inversely proportional to IPO grade

Volatility in share price of a company is inversely proportional to the grade assigned to its initial public offer, as firms with high grade show relatively less fluctuations in share prices, a study said.

Eight companies show interest in Rajpura thermal plant

As many as eight power companies have shown interest in setting up a 1,320 Mw thermal Plant near Rajpura in Patiala.

CBI charges Raju, others in fresh Rs 430-cr scam

The CBI has charged Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju, his brother B Rama Raju and eight others with creating fictitious customers and siphoning off Rs 430 crores from the IT firm.

Maytas Infra wants to recover Rs 380-cr inter-corporate debt

Maytas Infra Ltd, the troubled infrastructure company promoted by the family of Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju, is making efforts to recover Rs 380 crore inter-corporate debt from Satyam Computer Services, according to Maytas Chairman K Ramalingam.

Govt withdraws four directors from Satyam board

The Union government has withdrawn four of the six directors appointed by it on the board of Satyam Computer Services Limited. The government has taken this decision following the permission granted by the Company Law Board (CLB) to this effect.

PM hopes India-France build alliance in nuke energy

Against the backdrop of industrialised nations (G-8) putting curbs on full nuclear cooperation with countries like India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves for Paris today hoping that the visit would help India and France "build" its strategic partnership in nuclear energy, defence and other areas.

Krishna asks Indian students in Australia to show restraint

Concerned over reports of some Indian students in Australia retaliating in the wake of spate of attacks on them, Government today asked them to exercise restraint.

Malaysia 2nd largest importer of Indian spices

Indian spices to pep up the hot curries are a sure winner here with Malaysia emerging as the second largest importer, after the United States, with its imports worth $79 millions last year.

Employment in jewellery sector rises 3.80% in Jan-March 2009

The gems and jewellery sector, hit hard by the global financial meltdown, has begun showing signs of improvement with employment reporting a 3.80 per cent increase during January-March 2009.

Natural rubber exports shrink to 94 tonnes from 3,159 tonnes

India"s natural rubber exports slumped to just 94 tonnes in May compared with 3,159 tonnes in the same month last year, as domestic prices far exceeded global rates, according to state-run Rubber Board.

China\'s rise has enormous implications for US: Campbell

Obama"s top diplomatic nominee for East Asia said that the rise of China has enormous implications for the United States. And as the Obama Administration plans to engage China on a host of economic and diplomatic issues, human rights and Tibet would continue to remain a subject of concern, he said.

SBI to double number of branches selling gold coins to 1,100

Country"s largest lender State Bank of India will double the number of branches for retail sales of gold coins to 1,100 in the current fiscal to reach out to all important centres of the country.

FBT is off, it\'s back to perquisites tax

Employees will have to pay tax on Esops, superannuation and ‘other amenities’.

MP govt invites bids for IT park again

After making three futile attempts to sell the controversial Crystal IT park, the only IT-specific SEZ in Madhya Pradesh, the state government has again invited tenders for a co-developer.

Situation in North-East far from comfortable: PM

As violence in Manipur and Assam continued unabated, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said situation in the North-Eastern states was far from comfortable.

Auto component makers go slow on new investments

Despite the surge in automobile sales in recent months and new vehicle development programmes of car makers, auto component makers are wary of committing further investments in building new capacities. They have adopted a wait-and-watch attitude to see if the demand sustains. “Component makers are investing with caution and moving in a phased manner. They are not adding capacity in big strides, like a few years ago, but only incrementally,” said Ashok Taneja, president, Shriram Pistons.

Centre ignores Mamata on Lalgarh

Ignoring Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress boss Mamata Banerjee’s strong objections, the Union home ministry will continue its anti-Maoist operations in Lalgarh and even expand these to other parts of West Bengal.

Adopt carrot and stick policy to get money from Swiss banks

Industrialist Rahul Bajaj today said the government should adopt a carrot and stick policy to bring back Indian money stashed in Swiss banks and suggested that identities of account holders should be protected.

Maytas Infra sells stakes in 2 expressway projects

In a bid to tide over its financial crisis, Maytas Infrastructure, the listed company promoted by Satyam Computers’ B Ramalinga Raju, has decided to sell part of its shareholding in Cyberabad Expressway Pvt Ltd and Hyderabad Expressway Pvt Ltd to Terra Projects Ltd, a company owned by the Kolkata-based Neco group.

Vendanta to bid for UMPPs, coal blocks

Vedanta Resources Chairman Anil Agarwal today said the company will bid for the Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPP) and coal blocks as and when the government puts them on auction and added it has plans of Rs 70,000 crore till 2011-12.

GM bankruptcy likely next week: Report

The US government is preparing to steer General Motors into bankruptcy as early as the end of next week, a plan which would provide billions of dollars more in federal funds to the ailing auto maker, says a media report.

Envoy urges US firms to build partnership with India

Asking the US corporate sector to build a lasting partnership with India in high technology including the defence sector, new Indian envoy Meera Shankar has said that New Delhi is looking at optimising its ability to procure the best equipment from anywhere in the world.

Gateways to our cities

India’s new airports use an international architectural language, but a local twist might have been interesting, suggests Anand Sankar

Cong appoints observers for M\'rashtra, Arunachal, Haryana

Congress today appointed central observers in Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Pradesh, to facilitate election of the party"s chief ministers.

MNS plays spoiler for Sena-BJP alliance

By securing 13 seats in its maiden outing in the Assembly polls, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has dealt a blow to Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, making victory easier for the ruling Congress-NCP combine.

Exchanging bow-vows

Social networking, dating and mating portals enter even pets" lives.

Apple plans to embed ads in operating system

Imagine this scenario. While you are booting your computer or notebook, an advertisement pops up and the screen freezes for some time. The ad could be an audio or a plain visual one. Regardless, it may offer you some product or could even offer the operating system (which enables you to start or boot your computer) free or at a lower cost. Tying you down for a few more seconds, the ad automatically fades away and allows you to continue with the booting process.

Rupee at 46.44/$, down 33 paise

The Indian rupee today depreciated by 33 paise against the US currency in early trade on strong demand from importers for the dollar, which rebounded against other major currencies.

PM says, corruption hurting eco growth, investments

Emphasizing on the urgent need of a multi-prong approach to curb corruption, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said it is hurting India’s economic growth and discouraging investors from coming to this country.

Karnataka seeks to expand railway network

V Madhu, principal secretary, infrastructure development department, government of Karnataka said that the government was keen to partner with the railway ministry to expand the network in the state. Incidentally, the rail coverage in Karnataka lags neighbouring Tamil Nadu by a factor of two with the former having only 16 kms of railway lines per 1000 square kilometres compared to Tamil Nadu’s 30 kms.

Pulses import rises by 20% during Apr-Oct

India imported 20 per cent more pulses during the April-October period this year at 1.59 million tonnes to bridge the demand-supply gap in the domestic market that has led to a sharp rise in prices.

Wheat export ban to stay

India, the world’s second-biggest producer of wheat, won’t end a ban on exports of the cereal to avoid food shortages after drought and floods damaged crops of rice and sugar cane.

Bajaj Auto Fin to seek shareholders nod for MF biz

Two-wheeler and consumer durables loan provider Bajaj Auto Finance today said it would seek shareholders" approval through postal ballot to start mutual funds and finance infrastructure projects.

Sensex gains 186pts on F&O expiry

After yesterday"s massive 520 points rally, the Sensex today opened on a flat note. It slipped into the negative zone for a while and touched a low of 14,078.

L&T adds 2% on good Q4 numbers

The stock touched a high of Rs 1,374 and finally ended up 2% at Rs 1,342. The counter clocked a comparatively heavy trading volume of 1.18 million shares as against the two-week daily traded average of 8,79,982.

CG Mantra to add four more studios

CG Mantra Digital Media Private Limited, a Noida-based animation and VFX (visual effects) academy, is planning to add four more studios – one each at Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Pune – by the end of this financial year with a total investment of Rs 10 crore.

Online social networking to provide swine flu updates

To encourage information sharing, collaboration, and interactivity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have been working jointly to provide consumers and partners with social media tools like widgets, mobile information and online videos.

IT ind may miss export target of $60 bn by FY10: Nasscom

The country"s software sector is likely to miss the much-touted target of touching $60 billion exports by FY10, due to unprecedented slowdown in key markets like the US and Europe, IT industry body Nasscom said.

Vehicle scrappage incentive buzz gets stronger

If a committee set up under the heavy industries ministry approves a recommendation of the auto industry, the country may soon get a scheme which would incentivise a vehicle buyer for scrapping his old vehicle in exchange .

\'Our Indian operations are helping us better the technology\'

Swaraj Baggonkar / Mumbai January 5, 2010, 0:31 IST

Tata Motors Dec sales more than doubles at 51,627 units

The country"s largest auto maker Tata Motors today said its total sales during December last year more than doubled to 51,627 units, up from 25,219 vehicles sold in December 2008.

Pai to head Sebi\'s internal audit committee

In a move to promote transparency and improve corporate governance standards, the capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), has proposed the formation an audit committee to oversee its financial reporting process and disclosure of financial information.

\'Bhuvan should be accessed by different organisations\'

Bhuvan, an indigenously developed satellite mapping tool similar to Google Earth, should be widely accessed by different organisations and agencies for their programmes, Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan said today.

Volkswagen introduces Polo in India

German auto major Volkswagen today introduced its small car Polo and said it will launch sedan version on the same platform in the second half of this year.

Infosys BPO to acquire US McCamish for initial $38 mn

IT bellwether Infosys Technologies today said its subsidiary Infosys BPO will acquire US-based McCamish Systems for an initial payment of $38 million (about Rs 176.6 crore).

Bajaj aims 1 mn-mark with Pulsar 135 LS launch

Two-wheeler maker Bajaj Auto today said it is eyeing 1 million sales a year from the Pulsar brand in the next fiscal with the launch of the Pulsar 135 LS.

30 die due to cold wave in UP

Over 30 people died in Uttar Pradesh (UP) due to a cold wave, as foggy conditions prevailed for the second day today in many parts of the northern region, with some states also experiencing light showers.

Jyoti Basu in hospital, condition stable

Marxist patriarch Jyoti Basu was today admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital here with slight pneumonia infection and doctors attending on him said his condition was stable.

Unity Infraprojects bags Rs 54.56 cr order

Construction company Unity Infraprojects today said it has received a contract worth Rs 54.56 crore from Amanora Park Town for construction related works.

Subhiksha stores to reopen as franchises

Two stores to open in Chennai, hiring begins.

Tata may roll out 200 Nanos daily by March

As Tata Motors gears up for test production, it is targeting 200 Nanos daily from its Sanand factory by March 2010, according to vendors.

SAIL, ONGC, IOC, NTPC may get Maharatna tag shortly

Four public sector giants -- Oil and Natural Gas Corp, Steel Authority of India Ltd, Indian Oil Corp and NTPC -- are likely to get in next ten days the coveted Maharatna status, which will empower the PSUs with greater autonomy, a top government official said today.

Party time

Make-up artist Vidya Tikari fancies exotic seafood in the kitchen.

ONGC bids for Venezuela oil block

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

Lawmakers oppose Obama proposal to fund IMF

Two Democrat Congressmen today appealed to their colleagues in the US Congress to oppose the Obama Administration"s proposal to fund $108 billion to the International Monetary Fund.

Pak launched nuke programme after 1971 defeat: Congress report

Pakistan launched its nuclear weapons programme after its 1971 military defeat to India in order to "augment its inferior conventional forces," a Congressional report has said.

Wipro, Infosys rejected alternative land: WB govt

Days after scrapping the proposed IT township project at Rajarhat, the West Bengal government today said it had suggested alternative land to Infosys and Wipro, a proposal rejected by the IT majors.

NDTV to buy back 26% in subsidiary from NBC

Media firm New Delhi Television (NDTV) today said it will buy back NBC Universal"s entire 26 per cent stake in its subsidiary NDTV Networks Plc.

Deserved rap on knuckles

Business Standard / New Delhi October 15, 2009, 0:37 IST

Luminous Power Tech appoints Arun Nagpal as CEO

Power and energy storage company Luminous Power Technologies today announced the appointment of Arun Nagpal as Chief Executive Officer of the company.

Fred Bergsten & Arvind Subramanian: Resolving global imbalances

Fred Bergsten & Arvind Subramanian / August 22, 2009, 0:01 IST

\'Nothing to do with the dispute of industrialists\'

Murli Deora / August 9, 2009, 0:21 IST

\'You have to turn the whole system upside down...\'

Bimal Jalan / New Delhi July 26, 2009, 0:03 IST

Kashmir should be an independent state: Gaddafi

In a major diplomatic embarrassment to India, the maverick Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has supported the idea of an "independent state" for Kashmir and said that it should be a "Baathist state" between India and Pakistan.

Panacea bags Rs 1,000-crore Unicef contract

Panacea Biotec today bagged a three-year contract worth over Rs 1,067 crore ($222.37 million) from Unicef for supplying its EasyFive vaccine.

SC directs EC to allot common symbol to MNS

The Supreme Court today directed the Election Commission to allot a common symbol of "Railway engine" to Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for contesting the coming assembly elections in Maharashtra.

Maytas Infra board moves CLB for removal of former director

In a surprise move, the Maytas Infra board today approached the Company Law Board (CLB) to remove erstwhile director R P Raju from proceedings in a case filed by the government for superseding of the company"s board.

Govt allocates Rs 1,740 crore for disadvantaged sections

The government has allocated Rs 1,740 crore to expand educational and economic opportunities for the disadvantaged section of the minorities through various schemes, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

We ended ozone-depleters well ahead of schedule: Jairam ramesh

India has been successful in phasing out ozone depleting substances (ODS) like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) 17 months ahead of the targeted date, said Union Minister for Environment & Forests, Jairam Ramesh, while addressing a conference to observe International Ozone Day here today.

India to push for more space in IMF, WB at G-20

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leaders of emerging countries like Brazil, China and South Africa are expected to make a big push for more space and a stronger voice in global financial institutions at the G-20 Summit starting in Pittsburgh this Thursday.

India says it will be \'deal-maker\' at Copenhagen talks

Seeking a fair and equitable agreement at the key climate talks at Copenhagen, India has insisted that it would be a deal-maker and "not a deal-breaker" at the December meet aimed at tackling the pressing issue of global warming.

Developing countries have no emission reduction obligations

India and other developing countries have no emission reduction obligations and will take appropriate mitigation actions on voluntary basis as supported and enabled by finance and technology provided by developed nations, the government said today.

Night without end

Business Standard / New Delhi December 04, 2009, 0:25 IST

Gaps remain unplugged in India-EU FTA talks

India and the European Union (EU) have agreed to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) by 2010, though it appears to be a far cry as they still have differences over the inclusion of social issues like labour laws, human rights and environment.

Tata Tea Q3 net declines 76% to Rs 92 cr

Tata Tea, engaged in tea plantation and processing business, today announced a consolidated net profit of Rs 92.23 crore for the third quarter ended December 31, 2009, down 76.71 per cent over the corresponding period last fiscal.

Surviving the nightmare

- A tear for reality - RIP sweet child - Evidence of Krishna - Old money - Beat it, no more - The ultimate high

Food laced with drugs: Kasab

Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab has complained to the 26/11 terror trial court that food given to him in jail is laced with tranquilisers, but medical experts say there is no truth in his allegations, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said here today.

Implement mechanism to reduce delay in licence renewal: IBAI

The Insurance Brokers Association of India (IBAI) today demanded implementation of a mechanism to reduce delays in renewal of licences and dub-bed the recommendations of the Swarup Committee as being “unpractical” and “misconceived”.

Hyundai net jumps 104% in 2009 on India, China sales

Riding on back of brisk sales in India and China, Korean car major Hyundai Motor Company today said its net profit for the year 2009 zoomed by 104.5 per cent at 29.615 trillion won (about Rs 1,18,950.16 crore) from the previous year.

Sunita Narain: Waste deep in water

Sunita Narain / New Delhi November 06, 2009, 0:24 IST

PNB may seek Rs 3,000 crore of World Bank fund

The country’s second-largest public sector lender, Punjab National Bank (PNB), is planning to seek Rs 3,000 crore from the proposed $3-billion (around Rs 15,000 crore) funding from the World Bank (WB) for recapitalisation of public sector banks in India.

IIFCL to raise Rs 5,000 cr from taxable bonds in FY10

State-owned infrastructure finance company India Infrastructure Finance Company (IIFCL) today said it is planning to raise up to Rs 5,000 crore to fund various projects.

Markets end firm

The Sensex ended at 16,357, up 50 points, and the Nifty ended at 4,891, up 24 points (provisional closing).

Heartbreak!

It’s painful to watch Tendulkar’s brilliant knocks go in vain.

Talks over Gorshkov\'s price likely to conclude: Naval chief

Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta today said negotiations between India and Russia over price of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov could be concluded within next two days.

Facebook receives $200 mn investment from Russian firm

Social networking site Facebook has received a $200 million investment from Digital Sky Technologies, an internet investment group, in exchange for a 1.96 per cent stake in the company.

A historic visit by PM: US

A week after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was accorded a red carpet welcome in the US, the Obama administration has termed his visit as "historic" and said both the countries had some "specific accomplishments".

HM set to launch premium car

C K Birla group company Hindustan Motors(HM), the makers of the Ambassador car, is all set to launch a niche car in the premium segment.

Govt not to import rice as of now, says Sharma

India will not import rice as it has adequate stocks of the grain, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said today after a meeting of the empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on food.

India Eco Summit: Govt may announce more sops for exporters

The government is likely to announce more sops to exporters engaged in labour-intensive sectors like engineering, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia said today.

3rd edition of IPL fails to attract big bucks

Lalit Modi’s high-profile auction of international players for the domestic Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament failed to attract the big bucks today. Eight teams ignored the star-studded Pakistan players. They were expected to be sold at fancy prices.

Isro looking at 25 per cent revenue growth

The Indian Space Research Organistaion (Isro) is looking at 25 per cent growth in revenues this fiscal over Rs 1,000 crore attained last year, betting big on satellite launches and carrying space crafts of other countries.

Time to get app hungry

From music to mind games to muscle-building exercises, mobile applications are the key to turn your cellphone into a know-all mate.

Nokia launches affordable touch devices in Gujarat

Nokia,maker of mobile devices and a pioneer in mobile telecommunications today, announced the availability of its latest touch devices—Nokia 5230 and Nokia 5530 XpressMusic in the market.

Regaining strength?

Early signs of a recovery in demand along with measures to improve profitability at Corus indicate that Tata Steel may bounce back into the black

The Hog is here

Anand Sankar / New Delhi September 8, 2009, 0:08 IST

Small savings rate up for review

The government is beginning a review of the administered interest rate structure for small savings schemes and plans to set up a committee headed by a former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor to suggest a roadmap for possible decontrol.

GE Q2 profit falls on finance

General Electric Co reported a 47 per cent decline in second-quarter profit as a global recession hurt the finance, health care and NBC Universal divisions, contributing to a bigger drop in sales than analysts predicted.

UK to be major global hub for SBI to control Europe ops: Bhatt

- Bank stocks surge on hope of better profits - SBI upbeat on foreign growth, to scale up Singapore ops - Scarce lending by banks hitting tractor sales, complains sector - Unitech Wireless raises Rs 5,000 cr for network roll out - Advance tax collections shore up in Q2 - SAIL"s Bhilai Steel Plant bank account attached

Unitech Wireless raises Rs 5,000 cr for network roll out

Unitech Wireless, the joint venture between realty major Unitech and Norway"s Telenor, has raised Rs 5,000 crore as loan from State Bank of India to finance the roll-out of its network as the firm will be launching mobile services in next three months.

RIL\'s Q2 tax provision may rise by Rs 263 cr: Auditors

Corporate giant Reliance Industries (RIL) today said its auditors have pointed out a possible increase of Rs 263 crore in its current tax provisions for quarter ended June 2009 due to the budgetary proposals of the central government.

Karnataka seeks 40-45 mmscmd KG-D6 gas from Centre

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking 40-45 mmscmd of natural gas for industries in the state, joining the growing crowd of users jostling for the fuel from fields operated by Reliance Industries.

Heavy disbursals give bank credit a big push

Fortnight ended July 31 witnesses Rs 29,500-crore jump.

Reddy to seek financial assistance from Centre

Andhra Pradesh will seek financial assistance, including an additional Rs 2000 crore under NREGA, from Centre to meet the drought situation prevailing in the state.

ICICI Bank for doubling returns; to be in top-5 listed cos

Unsatiated by trebling of its share price to Rs 750 since March, ICICI Bank has embarked on an ambitious plan to double return for investors in three years and be counted among the country"s top five valuable entities, CEO and Managing Director Chanda Kochhar has said.

Hot off the press

There’s really no room for revolution in the design of a book. Makers and users — not professional designers — have perfected its form and features over millennia. (The real revolution, if we’re looking for one, was the invention of the alphabet by the Phoenicians 5,000 years ago.) After all, a book is basically a text-bearing surface, organised for convenience.

Parsvnath to develop township project in Rohtak

Realty firm Parsvnath Developers today said it has received approval from the Haryana government for a township project in the state, in which the company would invest about Rs 380 crore.

IAEA appoints Japan\'s Amano as new chief

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today formally appointed Yukiya Amano of Japan as its new director general from December 1, succeeding Mohamed ElBaradei.

Japan Airlines to cut 1,000 jobs, seek more loans: Sources

Japan Airlines Corp (JAL), restructuring under state supervision, is likely to tap financial institutions for around 170 billion yen in additional loans while considering cutting more than 1,000 jobs through an early retirement program after October, sources said.

Computerised CAT to cost less than Rs 2,000

In what should come as a huge respite for Common Admission Test (CAT) candidates, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have hinted that the registration fee for the computer-based test this academic year will not be as high as similar tests like GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test, for admission to business schools overseas).

A year after Lehman

Business Standard / New Delhi September 16, 2009, 0:29 IST

Exemptions under dual GST are key challenges

One of the key challenges in the implementation of a Goods and Services Tax (GST) is with regard to exemptions from the tax for specified goods and services. In the Indian context, given the plethora of exemptions that currently exist in regard to numerous goods and services, under the respective Central and state laws, the challenge is a larger one. The matter gets complicated if one were to consider that in addition to the exemptions, there exist exemptions from the tax, both Central and State, that are based on the geographic locations of the manufacturing units. These are commonly known as area based exemptions.

Industry favours GST, but opposes dual mode

Indian industry is of the view that the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be beneficial for the economy, but the deadline of April 1, 2010, is not realistic, a leading consulting firm said in its survey.

The best vs the good

Business Standard / New Delhi September 18, 2009, 0:34 IST

New innings for Modi as GCA chief

After trouncing Congress by winning five out of seven seats in Gujarat by polls on Monday, BJP today surprised the rival by taking over the reins of Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) from Congress. Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was elected as its president in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the body.

India Eco Summit: \'Affordable innovation needed\'

Kirtika Suneja / New Delhi November 11, 2009, 0:35 IST

Ness Tech to scale up India operations

With the key IT outsourcing markets showing positive signs in terms of demand, Ness Technologies which provides R&D services to its global clients from offshore locations, has announced to expand its Indian operations. The company which presently employs close to 3,000 people in India, has announced opening a new facility in SEZ in Bangalore with 300 seats at present to be scaled up to 600 by March 2010.

Nasscom lowers forecast of animation and gaming inds for 2012

The apex body of IT software and services, Nasscom, today lowered its forecast for the animation and gaming industry for 2012 on account of the global economic downturn.

Officer\'s Choice crosses 10 mn cases mark

Allied Blenders and Distillers today said its heritage whisky brand, Officer"s Choice, has crossed the 10 million cases mark to become the fastest growing whisky brand in the country clocking a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 31 per cent over the last three years.

Pranab may fall back on disinvestment for Budget: Economists

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee might have to fall back on disinvestment and other non-tax revenue sources while presenting the Budget for 2009-10 on July 6, economists believe.

'Should the investment allowance be brought back?'

Using tax rebates to induce investment will favour sub-optimal projects that are not related to either local or global demand - it"ll take India back to the "80s.

MP may not switch to GST

The Madhya Pradesh government has said it would not adopt the goods and service tax (GST), made mandatory by the Centre for all states by 2010.

Rural growth tops durable firms\' Budget wish-list

With the last two stimulus packages working wonders for the packaged goods industry, players in the sector are now rooting for one more round of fiscal incentives to further boost demand in the domestic rural markets and be competitive overseas. They are hopeful the new government will meet their major demands in this Budget session.

Sensex to rise 14 per cent, says Nomura

Post the market rally, returns expectations will need to be tempered.

Govt reviewing export sectors for more stimulus, says DGFT

The government is assessing the needs of major export-oriented sectors hit by the economic slowdown to provide support for their fast recovery, Director General of Foreign Trade R S Gujral said today.

Power stocks in red; Tata Power down 5%

Amid a hectic rush of investors for subscribing the initial public offer of NHPC, shares of power companies, led by Tata Power, today tanked in afternoon trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange(BSE).

Auto, metals send mkt into a 390-point tailspin

Stock market indices slipped On Thursday as investors rushed to book profit in select sectors such as auto and metals.

ABG exits Great Offshore race

In a surprise move, ABG Shipyard today exited the race to acquire Great Offshore and sold its 8.2 per cent stake to three financial investors. The ABG moves comes after seven months of intense rivalry with Bharati Shipyard through a series of competitive counter-bids.

Ad spend on social media set to grow by 44 per cent

Social media sites have enjoyed a steep surge in popularity, but fail to attract advertisers at the same pace. Only 13 per cent of the total Internet ad spends have gone into social media initiatives for the year 2008-09, according to a recent study of the top 500 marketers in India (Digital Media Outlook 2009 report by Webchutney).

MS wants excise duty on packaged software

Software giant Microsoft’s representatives will soon meet finance ministry officials trying to persuade them to impose excise or countervailing duty instead of service tax on packaged software.

Bhatol re-elected chairman of GCMMF

Parthi Bhatol, Chairman of Banas dairy, was today re-elected as the Chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns Amul brand.

BEML to produce stainless steel wagons

BEML Limited, a Mini Ranta Category-I Public Sector under the Ministry of Defence and Steel Authority of India, a Navaratna Company under the Ministry of Steel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for supply of stainless steel.

More efforts to lift sundry earnings

Non-traditional revenues are expected to fall to Rs 2,760 crore for 2009-10.

SRK detained at US airport, released after diplomatic intervention

Early Saturday morning, as India woke up to celebrate its 63nd Independence Day, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was detained at Newark Airport in the US and questioned for over two hours. Later, the Indian Mission intervened and secured the release of the 43-year-old actor.

Zydus Cadila gets DCGI nod to conduct H1N1 vaccine trials

Drug maker Zydus Cadila today said it has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct clinical trials for the swine flu (H1N1) vaccine.

CLB allows Maytas Infra to file FY10 results by June 30

Crisis-hit Maytas Infra today said the Company Law Board (CLB) has allowed it to report quarterly accounts for the current financial year by June 30, 2010.

The sky's the limit

Branson: Richard Branson is making headlines on three continents. The serial entrepreneur is selling Virgin Mobile USA to partner Sprint-Nextel well below its IPO price. But his latest mediocre performance in the US isn’t stopping him elsewhere. Abu Dhabi is ponying up money for his loopy spaceship venture and his Aussie airline Virgin Blue is planning a rights issue. Branson"s record doesn"t give investors any certainty.

India to host Doha meet in Sept

WTO chief has confirmed his participation.

Vedanta eyeing JV for steel making

The billionaire Anil Agarwal-promoted Vedanta Resources is in talks with European and Japanese steel producers to get into steel making.

TCS recalls 1,200 from the US

In a bid to reduce costs and increased offshoring focus, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest information technology company, has recalled close to 1,200 employees from the US and has decided not to hand out any salary increment this year.

Nitin Desai: Climate negotiations

Nitin Desai / New Delhi July 16, 2009, 0:43 IST

Attrition rate Indian BPO industry\'s biggest challenge: Book

The BPO industry in India has undoubtedly been a very popular field of employment in recent years but one of the biggest challenges it is facing is a phenomenal rise in attrition rate, says a new book.

Satyam BPO on hiring spree

The BPO arm of Mahindra Satyam seems to be on a hiring spree with plans to recruit additional 300 persons by next month even as the parent is rationalising its headcount.

Rise in cash flow helps Cement firms shed reliance on borrowings

Realisation improves as national cement prices rise by Rs 90 since 2005-06.

TechM bags $400-mn deal

New telecom licensee Etisalat DB Telecom has awarded a $400-million (nearly Rs 2,000 crore) IT applications and infrastructure outsourcing contract to Tech Mahindra. The contract is spread over a 10-year period.

Sensex falls 155 points on weak global cues

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

IPOs in 4 group firms possible: ICICI

ICICI Bank on Friday said it could make initial public offerings (IPO) in four subsidiaries or sell stake in its insurance ventures after the sectoral foreign direct investment (FDI) limit was raised.

Don\'t count ADR, GDR to decide bank\'s nationality: ICICI

ICICI Bank has asked the government not to take into account overseas securities like ADR and GDR when deciding on whether a bank is Indian or foreign.

No surrender fee on Ulips after 4 yrs

Irda also takes mortality, morbidity charges out of overall 3% cap

Kishau project may be given to UJVNL

After reaching an agreement with Himachal Pradesh, the Uttarakhand government is now focusing on 600-Mw multi-purpose Kishau hydel project, which is likely to be given to Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (UJVNL) for implementation despite intense lobbying by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd (THDCL).

Uttarakhand annual plan size fixed at Rs 5,574 crore

The Planning Commission approved the annual plan outlay for Uttarakhand for the year 2009-10 at Rs 5,574.7 crore.

Indo-Canada bilateral trade to touch $20 billion: diplomat

India and Canada are in the process of finalising a bilateral trade and investment related agreement that would further boost their growing trade ties.

Govt decision on IHFL sale likely in 3 months: Official

Public sector lender IDBI Bank expects government"s decision on the sale of its Pune-based home loan subsidiary -- IDBI Home Finance (IHFL) -- in the next three months, a top official said.

Jaiprakash Power Ventures to raise Rs 1,500-2,000 cr

Jaypee Group firm Jaiprakash Power Ventures today said it will raise Rs 1,500-2,000 crore through convertible bonds issued to foreign investors and institutional placement by next month to augment its generation capacity.

Subir Roy: The cobweb of wires is clearing

- Subir Roy: A nation in the making">Subir Roy: A nation in the making - Subir Roy: Do as Europe has done">Subir Roy: Do as Europe has done - Subir Roy: Redraw your street">Subir Roy: Redraw your street - Subir Roy: Dogs will be dogs">Subir Roy: Dogs will be dogs - Subir Roy: A homestead in the heart of town">Subir Roy: A homestead in the heart of town - Subir Roy: Living together separately">Subir Roy: Living together separately

Revisiting Charandas Chor

Naya Theatre, sans its founder — thespian Habib Tanvir, who passed away recently — is firmly back on its feet. The 50-year-old theatre group opened to housefull shows of Tanvir saab’s classic Charandas Chor earlier this week in the capital. After the veteran theatreperson passed away in June this year, his daughter Nageen and group manager Ram Chander took over the reins of the 20-people strong group, based in Bhopal. Naya Theatre is now busy preparing for the group’s 50th anniversary, an event that will be held in Bhopal and will see many of Tanvir saab’s plays being performed.

Spectrum policy under fire in RS

The Opposition on Thursday lambasted the telecom ministry, alleging that the 2G spectrum allocation to mobile operators resulted in a loss Rs 60,000 crore to the exchequer, a charge rejected by the government. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha that the difference in the valuation of spectrum awarded by the government in 2007 to private players and the value realised in transaction with foreign companies in each case had been minimum Rs 6,000-7,000 crore.