Popular Articles

Britannia net up 11% for Q2
Food company Britannia Industries has reported an increase of 11 per cent in its net profit at Rs 59.07 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2009, compared with the corresponding quarter last year, on the back of recent launches and its focus on the Rs 5 price point.

Hike in steel prices unjustified: AIFI
The domestic forging industry today termed the increase in steel prices as "unjustified" and said such hikes can push the equipment manufacturers into losses.

News of the day

Govt allows Pepsico to inject $200 mn additional equity
The government today cleared a proposal of the US-based soft drinks major Pepsico Holdings to inject additional equity of $200 million (around Rs 930 crore) into its Indian arm within three years.

International Business

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.

Powerful, but pricey

While the growth visibility is reasonably good, the offer leaves no meaningful gains for investors in the near-term.

Shankar Acharya: A month to remember?

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

Inflation turns positive after three months

Primary articles, especially food items, pushed the headline inflation rate, as measured by the wholesale price index (WPI), into positive territory at 0.12 per cent for the week ended September 5, after staying in the negative for 13 weeks.

Supply woes

Significant new capacities in the coming months could depress cement prices leading to a drop in profitability

RS members angry over China objecting to Ladakh border road

Members in the Rajya Sabha today took strong exception to halting of work at Ladakh border road because of Chinese objection and said it was "humiliating" and a "challenge to India"s sovereignty". Raising the issue in Zero Hour, Shreegopal Vyas (BJP) said, "It is very humiliating and a challenge to India"s sovereignty."

Punjab to get 100 mw from West Bengal

Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has tied up with the West Bengal government for procuring 100 mw of power on the basis of banking arrangement, a step which could ease the problem of power shortage to some extent in the state.

Himachal unbundles electricity board

After hesitating for four years, the Himachal Pradesh government has finally gone ahead with power reforms by deciding to unbundle the mammoth Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB).

Home decor store Rosebys plans 500-700 stores over 5 yrs

In a mega-expansion spree, Dalmia group"s home decor retail chain, Rosebys, plans to rollout 500-700-stores across the country over the next 3-5 years.

Job market looking up: Infy\'s Pai

With the global economy gradually bouncing back, the IT job market is also picking up and around 2-2.5-lakh jobs in the sector are likely to be up for grabs, a top Infosys official said today.

India Inc optimistic about economic situation in next 18 months

Corporate India is optimistic about improvement in the country"s economic situation in the next 18 months and believes developing nations will become more powerful as a fallout of the global slowdown, a survey says.

Criminal cases against Maytas Properties promoters

The Hyderabad police has registered cheating and criminal breach of trust cases against the promoters of Maytas Properties, an unlisted company owned by the family of Satyam Computer Services Ltd founder B Ramalinga Raju, who is in jail after confessing to manipulating Satyam’s accounts.

Krishna meets Chinese FM Yang, reviews bilateral relations

In his first interaction with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today reviewed the bilateral relations and expressed India"s desire to broaden the multi-faceted partnership. Krishna and Yang met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Minister"s Summit in this resort island to review the bilateral ties.

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.

India to take up with Pak spoofing of ultras\' satellite phones

India today indicated that it would take up with Pakistan the issue of spoofing of terrorists" satellite phones which hamper efforts to track them.

Yemen for more Indian investments

Yemen has sought an increase in Indian investments in the areas of trade, especially in industrial, fishery, tourist sectors.

Handicrafts exports shrink 26% in May

India"s handicrafts exports contracted 26 per cent in May at $125 million compared to that in the same month last fiscal, but exporters expressed hope that the worst is probably over.

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.

\'We will come out with a vision statement soon\'

Business Standard / New Delhi October 07, 2009, 1:12 IST

SC asks ED to respond on interrogation of Pune businessman

The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to bring back huge funds stashed away in foreign banks.

Indian economy may bottom out by 2009-end: report

The Indian economy is expected to bottom out towards end of the calender year, led by recovery in private investments and exports, a report has said.

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.

Congress may retain CMs in three states

As the Congress held its fort in the key industrial states of Haryana and Maharashtra and strategically important Arunachal Pradesh, the three incumbent chief Ministers — Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Ashok Chavan and Dorjee Khandu — are likely to retain their place in the new governments.

Radhe Group joins hands with Indonesian state

Expects Rs 10K crore bilateral trade in a decade.

Will correct trade imbalance: Wen to PM

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao today assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that his country would correct the balance of trade that is currently in its favour.

GPL confident of converting minor port into deep water one

Hoping to bag environmental clearance by this month end, Gopalpur Ports Ltd (GPL) is confident of converting the minor port in south Orissa into an all weather deep water one within 24 months, two years ahead of the stipulated timeframe.

Orissa asks oil companies to open more LPG outlets

The Orissa government has asked oil companies to open more LPG outlets by appointing agents in all the 314 blocks of the state, official sources said.

Essar Steel told to pay uniform land rate

The district administration of Jagatsinghpur has advised the Essar Steel Orissa Limited to provide a uniform rate for land acquisition for its proposed steel project at Paradip.

Civil Aviation Min sets up panel to probe chopper crash

The Civil Aviation Ministry tonight set up a four-member committee to probe the cause of Andhra Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy"s helicopter crash in which he was killed.

Cut off date on entry loads

I had invested in Magnum Tax Gain and Fidelity Tax Advantage via Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs). Despite the recent regulation by Sebi abolishing the entry loads, my investments in August were made subject to an entry load. Is the new regulation not applicable for existing investors as well?

The attraction of ncds

Non-convertible debentures have some real benefits over fixed deposits.

Now is the time to season for action: Obama

US President, Barack Obama has urged the US lawmakers to join hands with him in achieving the ambitious goal of health care reform, which has been on the agenda of every president for nearly a century now, but none have been successful so far.

Pada-yatra against Posco and Vedanta University projects

The anti-land acquisition leaders and the activists of various Jana Sangathans in Orissa have intensified their stir against the projects of Posco and Vedanta, the two big ticket investments in the state.

GE to pay $50 mn penalty as part of SEC settlement

Diversified conglomerate General Electric (GE) will pay a penalty of $50 million to the US market regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as part of a settlement related to alleged accounting irregularities.

GVK Power acquires 12% in Bangalore Airport

GVK Power and Infrastructure acquired 12 per cent of Bangalore International Airport for Rs 484.59 crore.

Shinde asks power cos to start work on coal blocks in two yrs

Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today threatened action against companies that do not start work on captive mines within two years of allotment.

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.

Wockhardt shareholders nod selling animal healthcare biz

Debt-ridden Wockhardt today said it has received shareholders" approval for selling its animal healthcare business to France-based Vetoquinol SA.

Seven developers eye solar panel manufacturing units

After allotting capacities to 34 developers for generating a total of 716 Mw of solar power, as many as seven developers have come calling to the state for setting up solar panel manufacturing units here.

\'We need passion for desi technology, products\'

Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair has decried the tendency to prefer imported foreign systems, though they underperform vis-a-vis indigenous technologies and said global companies are setting up R&D units to “exploit” the vast talent pool in the country.

PSEB to issue LoI for Rajpura Project

After receiving encouraging response from private players in developing a 1,320 Mega Watt Rajpura Thermal Power Project, the Punjab State Electricity Board is expecting to issue a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the successful bidder for this project by the end of this month.

Wipro settles land deal with West Bengal for second unit

IT giant Wipro today settled the land issue with the West Bengal government for its second unit near Kolkata and would buy 50 acre at Rs 75 crore.

Wipro targets govt contracts abroad

Wipro, India’s third largest IT services company, is planning to replicate its success in the government space in India. It is now courting the state sector across the world.

The flu spreads

Business Standard / New Delhi August 13, 2009, 0:48 IST

Govt may extend tax holiday for software firms

The government may extend the tax holiday for software exporters beyond March 2010, in the Budget tomorrow.

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.

L&T\'s JV with German firm turned down

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has rejected a proposal from German firm EADS Deutschland GmbH and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) for setting up a joint venture company for manufacturing, distribution and marketing of products pertaining to electronic warfare, military avionics, radars and defence-related mobile systems. This was done after taking up the matter in six of its previous meetings

APIIC Formulation SEZ goes on stream

Aurobindo begins operations; nine more units to come up.

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 .

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.

\'I hope to reach 150,000 villages by 2010\'

Seema Sindhu / New Delhi January 7, 2010, 0:24 IST

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.

Bajaj hurt by son\'s move to exit scooters

Showing the rift in two-wheeler giant Bajaj Auto, Chairman Rahul Bajaj today differed with his son and Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj’s decision to exit production of scooters saying he was not only “not convinced” but also “hurt” by it.

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.

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.

Alpari launches forex trading platform in India

Foreign exchange trading services provider, Alpari today launched its Indian operations by offering its forex trading platform for institutional and retail customers.

Nasscom roots for alternate Vedic land

Industry body Nasscom today urged the West Bengal government to allot alternate land to information technology (IT) companies Wipro and Infosys, after the Vedic Village fiasco which led to scrapping of the 600-acre IT project at Rajarhat.

Work on Gujarat\'s largest mall put on back burner

Work on Gujarat"s second largest mall project has been suspended. With Niho Construction Ltd, the flagship construction and development company of Delhi-based Krishna Group, switching to a "wait-and-watch" mode, work on the upcoming 800,000 sq ft mall-cum-multiplex, Scottish City Centre has been suspended.

HPCL net profit at Rs 31.4 crore

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

Markets recover from day\'s lows

The Sensex is now quoting at 16,758, down by 116 points and the Nifty is placed at 4,961, lower by 41 points. The Sensex had touched a low of 16,622 and the Nifty had hit 4,921 during the course of the day.

BHEL sets up transformer manufacturing unit at Bhopal

State-run Bharat Heavy Electrical (BHEL) today said it has set up a new transformer manufacturing facility at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.

Sunil Sethi: The crisis of identity proofs

- Sunil Sethi: Remembering Oct 31, 1984">Sunil Sethi: Remembering Oct 31, 1984 - Sunil Sethi: The price of a filmmaker's estate">Sunil Sethi: The price of a filmmaker's estate - Sunil Sethi: Marketing the gifts of gods">Sunil Sethi: Marketing the gifts of gods - Sunil Sethi: The difficulty of being Khan">Sunil Sethi: The difficulty of being Khan - Sunil Sethi: Delhi's double displacement">Sunil Sethi: Delhi's double displacement - Sunil Sethi: Virtue, vice and VIPs">Sunil Sethi: Virtue, vice and VIPs

Krishna talks resettlement with Lankan foreign minister

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna met his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama here and discussed the issue of resettlement of over 280,000 internally displaced persons in the island nation.

Ten new channels on BIG TV

BIG TV, the DTH service of Reliance ADA Group, is expanding its channel bouquet with the addition of 10 new channels from June 1, including Korea"s KBS (international offering) and WB the latest, English entertainment channel from the broadcasting major Turner International India Pvt Ltd in association with their sister company Warner Bros, the company said in a statement.

Ambani residence helipad gets coastal authority nod

The proposed helipad atop ‘Seawind’, Mukesh Ambani’s residence in south Mumbai, has got clearance from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), a senior official said today.

RIL says it signed gas contract but NTPC did not

Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has said it had signed a contract in December 2005 to sell natural gas to NTPC at $2.34 per million British thermal unit (mBtu) for 17 years, but it was the state-run firm that did not reciprocate.

R-Money exits Wall Street Finance; sells 36.8% stake

Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Money has exited financial services firm Wall Street Finance through sale of its entire 36.8 per cent stake in the company.

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.

India can learn lessons from China, says Ramesh

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh commended the commitments made by Chinese President Hu Jinato during the high-level Climate Change Summit here and said India can learn lessons from China to help save the planet.

Tea with BS: Jairam Ramesh

Saubhadro Chatterji / New Delhi September 22, 2009, 0:55 IST

Bharat Biotech secures patent for Lysostaphin

Hyderabad-based vaccines and biotherapeutics manufacturer Bharat Biotech International said on Wednesday that its anti-staphylococcal molecule Lysostaphin had secured patent rights in US, Europe, China, Australia and other nations.

Orchid Chemicals targets Rs 4900 crore in 3 years

Pharma major Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd has set a target to become a $1-billion (Rs 4,900 crore) company in the next three years, said its managing director K Raghavendra Rao. The company registered an income of Rs 1,191.44 crore in 2008-09.

Oil lower in Asian trade as energy demand concerns resurface

Oil fell in Asian trade amid lingering worries over energy demand in the United States, the world"s biggest oil user, analysts said.

ONGC strengthens ethical practices

The public sector Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has cleared the ground for implementing “whistle blower policy” another major voluntary initiative to promote transparency and ethics in personal conduct and decision process.

Tata Motors: Prima-ry changes

With Volvo, Daimler and Scania gaining a foothold in the over-40-tonne heavy commercial vehicle category, it was time for Indian players to get their act together. “Indian manufacturers were not strong in heavy commercial vehicles because there was not much demand for them. But with exports and infrastructure stirring up, these have received a shot in the arm over the last four to five years,” says PricewaterhouseCoopers Leader (automotive practice) Abdul Majeed.

Kiri Dyes to raise Rs 150 cr via securities issue

Kiri Dyes and Chemicals today said it will raise up to Rs 150 crore through issue of securities in the domestic and international markets for expanding its business operations.

Indian IT firms shrug aside EU tax concern

Even as the Indian IT industry is studying the fine print of the European Union (EU) to expand the scope of value-added-tax (VAT) from January 1, to include services like back-office operations, call centre work and administrative services delivered from non-EU nations (including India), it does not appear to be unduly perturbed.

PM offered all Central help to flood-hit AP: Rosaiah

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Andhra Pradesh of all help from the Centre to cope with the situation arising out of the massive floods in the state.

NREGA gets Mahatma Gandhi tag

Government today renamed its flagship rural job guarantee programme - National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) - after Mahatma Gandhi.

Cairn India Q3 net up 23% to Rs 291 cr

Buoyed by ramping up output from Barmer oilfield, Cairn India today reported a 23 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 291 crore in the third quarter.

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.

BPCL Q3 profit declines 52% to Rs 379 cr

The government-run Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) today reported a fall of 52.6 per cent in net profit at Rs 379.09 crore for the third quarter of 2009-10.

Look before starting out on your own

Have a buffer, start small and then scale up.

Jet Airways suspends all its flights between UAE and India

Jet Airways has suspended all its flights between the UAE and India after almost half of its pilots did not report for duties protesting against sacking of two of their colleagues.

Concurrent Infra inks agreement with Ellis Richardson

Concurrent (India) Infrastructure today said it has inked an agreement with Ellis Richardson Inc for technical assistance in the field of power plants.

Gammon India Q3 PAT at Rs 21 cr

Construction company Gammon India today reported a profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 20.87 crore for the third quarter ended December 2009, whereas the same was at Rs 510 crore a year earlier.

CLP to meet today

Nearly three months after Y S Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) died in a helicopter crash, a meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has been convened on Friday to condole the death of the former chief minister and formally elect the CLP leader.

ICICI Bank raises $750 m from 5-yr bonds

ICICI Bank today said it has raised $750-million (around Rs 3,465 crore) by issuing five-year bonds at its Bahrain branch.

Another low-cost airline in city sky

Carrier’s move comes after pullouts by some bigger brands in past few years.

Cricket sponsorship keeps some biggies in the pavilion

BCCI almost doubles base price; stiffer cut-off for bidders.

Heartbreak!

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

Markets recover partially

The markets have recovered partially. The Sensex is now down 147 points at 16,160, and the Nifty has shed 46 points at 4,822.

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".

DoT allots 8 series to Reliance

On account of exhausting mobile phone numbers starting with the digit 9, the Department of Telecommunications has allotted Reliance Communications a new series beginning with the digit 8(055) for its Maharashtra and Goa circle (M&G).

Kathalguri Tea Estate labours under a Marxian delusion

The Kathalguri Tea Estate in the Dooars, is now closed. Situated 40 km from Jalpaiguri, on the India-Bhutan border, it was a big garden with more than 1,200 acres of plantation and 1,479 workers. The annual output of the garden used to be 12 million kg of processed tea and sources in the Dooars Branch of the Indian Tea Association say it could have yielded up to 16 million kg of tea if it had been run properly..

Kavithalaya Productions in talks with PE players

Chennai-based Kavithalaya Productions, owned by veteran director K Balachander or KB, is in talks with private equity players for its proposed investment plan of Rs 100 crore. Besides, the company is planning to launch a venture capital fund to support upcoming directors in the film industry.

Why didn\'t Liberhan indict Cong leaders, asks Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today accused the Congress of being "responsible" for the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, saying the Liberhan Commission that probed the incident should have indicted the party and its leaders.

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.

Defence pact with Russia to boost defence capability: India

India today voiced confidence that its agreement with Russia on a 10-year military and technical cooperation from 2011 would help enhance the operational capability of its defence forces in the next decade.

Rs 35 crore at stake in IPL-3 after Sena threat to Aussies

The third edition of the Indian Premier League, scheduled to begin in March, is under controversy after the Shiv Sena has opposed the participation of Australian cricketers in the domestic Twenty20 event, in the wake of ongoing attacks on Indian nationals Down Under.

Boy in a bubble

When a family reports that their six-year-old son has accidentally floated away in a homemade helium balloon, the result is frenzied media coverage and nationwide sympathy for the stricken parents, accompanied by copious church-going (in addition to a small number of harassed papas and mamas mulling the possibility of constructing similar dirigibles for their own little Damians). When it turns out that there was no one in the vagrant balloon and that the kid was munching biscuits in the attic all the while, there is relief, along with puzzlement. But when it later transpires that the publicity-hungry parents had concocted the whole story just to get their own reality TV show, the reactions really heat up.

Art and the man

Jai Arjun Singh / New Delhi October 10, 2009, 0:51 IST

Domestic BPO mkt to touch $6.82 bn by 2013: IDC

After establishing itself as a major player in the international business process outsourcing (BPO) market, India is now set to shift focus on the domestic market, which is projected to grow at over 30 per cent annually.

Clay Telecom offers intl roaming service for Blackberry users

Wireless telecom solutions company Clay Telecom today said it has begun offering international roaming service for Blackberry users.

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

Hog the road

Americana-on-two-wheels rolls into India. Harley-Davidson is here KYLE PEREIRA

Buffett buys into Harley-Davidson, to invest $300 mn

Once again coming to the rescue of American corporate, billionaire investor Warren Buffett will be buying $300 million worth Harley-Davidson bonds, which will help the bike manufacturer improve its cash position.

Beauty at ground level

Manit Rastogi, managing director, Morphogenesis wants nullahs in Delhi to become scenic walkways.

Sunil Jain: What inclusion?

- Brokerages, fund houses whet Indian appetite for investments abroad - Any hardening of rates due to govt borrowings a worry: Jindal - 'Challenge is to raise credit flow' - RBI"s status quo, HUL numbers take toll - As it should be - RBI sees recovery, but wary of inflation

Sunil Jain: Problem post

Are Indians likely to mail five times as many letters this year as they were expected to last year? That"s the question that comes to mind when you see the rise in the deficit for the postal department. From a revenue deficit of Rs 958 crore in the budget estimates for 2008-09, this rose to a whopping Rs 3,825 crore in the revised estimates for the year and an estimated Rs 5,395 crore in 2009-10 budget. It turns out nothing of the sort is happening. The postal department’s receipts fell from a budgeted Rs 6,159 crore in 2008-09 to Rs 5,966 crore in the revised estimates, but this is budgeted to rise again, to Rs 6,136 crore in 2009-10.

Sunil Jain: Labour's litany

If policy-makers are worried about employment, it is not without good reason. Even though employment growth is rising, labour intensity is falling, suggesting that the growth is not as permanent as you"d like. The usual policy response to this would be to give a boost to traditional labour-intensive industry but, as a paper by Deb Kusum Das, Deepika Wadhwa and Gunajit Kalita (all at ICRIER) brings out, labour intensity levels have gone down quite dramatically in even traditionally labour-intensive industries.

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

Bank stocks surge on hope of better profits

Banking stocks have gained between 5 per cent and 11 per cent on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in the last two days on higher advance tax payments by banks and a correction in valuation of small banks.

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.

RoC gives clean chit to RIL-Reliance Petro merger

The Registrar of Companies has given a clean chit to Reliance Industries, while disposing of complaints that its merger with Reliance Petroleum would benefit only promoter Mukesh Ambani.

Heavy disbursals give bank credit a big push

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

Six of top-10 firms add Rs 65,000 cr to m-cap

In lacklustre trade last week, six out of top-10 companies added Rs 65,128.41 crore to their total market capitalisation (m-cap).

Govt can save more on subsidy if gas is priced lower: ADAG

Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) today said the government can save over Rs 5,000 crore in fertilizer subsidy if natural gas from Reliance Industries (RIL) operated fields are priced at $2.34 per mmBtu.

Adventure tourism operators strike against bidding process

Adventure tourism operators in Uttarakhand are up in arms against the state forest department for its move to withdraw lease permits for the Ganga beach.

Gold demand to slip by 15 per cent worldwide in 2009: GFMS

Jewellery fabrication business worldwide is likely to fall in 2009 on high gold prices with offtake forecast to slip by 15 per cent compared to the year-ago period, a latest report says.

Japan in transition

Business Standard / New Delhi September 11, 2009, 0:53 IST

After IT, consulting, finance firms defer hiring, students worried

McKinsey, RBS postpone placements by three to six months

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).

Finance panel clears seven IIMs, 10 NITs

The process of setting up of seven IIMs, 374 degree colleges and 10 NITs has been set in motion with the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) approving the proposals in this regard.

Horror of Lehman\'s fall haunts global M&A space

The ripple effects of the fall of Lehman Brothers in September last year is evident in the field of global mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which have shrunk nearly 40 per cent since then.

India needs global support on climate change: Saran

Reiterating India’s stance on climate change, that the country did not expect external financing or technology for its domestic actions, Shyam Saran, the prime minister’s special envoy on climate change, said it would be legitimate to ask for global support if we were doing something more.

India Eco Summit: \'Affordable innovation needed\'

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

ComMin wants 3-year I-T waiver for labour-intensive exports

In an attempt to support exporters hit by the ongoing global economic crisis, the commerce ministry has proposed to its finance counterpart to exempt income tax for a period of three years for certain labour-intensive sectors like handicrafts, leather and textiles.

A K Bhattacharya: No escape from a \'fiscal holiday\'

A K Bhattacharya / New Delhi June 17, 2009, 0:28 IST

Subir Gokarn: Strategy and structure in education

Subir Gokarn / New Delhi June 29, 2009, 0:57 IST

TN seeks Rs 461 cr to put rly projects on fast track

The Tamil Nadu government has sought an additional Rs 461 crore from the railway ministry for speedy completion of projects in the state.

Gujarat reserves lignite, manganese areas

With a view to providing domestic fuel to the power projects run by the State PSUs, Gujarat government has resolved to reserve additional area having lignite resources for public sector companies of Gujarat government and for power generation joint venture with state utilities.

RIL, ONGC may be bidders in $8-billion Addax sale

India’s two largest companies — state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (RIL) — are being rumoured as the "mystery" bidders for UK-based Addax Petroleum, which could be sold for £5 billion (around $8.26 billion), a media report said here.

Sensex opens weak on global cues

The Sensex opened at 16,339 and then slipped to a low of 16,182 on weak global cues. The index is now at 16,233, down 129 points and the NSE Nifty is at 54,847, down 35 points.

Chandigarh fastner units for uniform MSMED Act

Chandigarh Industrial Fastener Association (CIFA) has sought the implementation of Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development (MSMED) Act 2006 in letter and spirit.

Proposed Base Rate likely to benefit MSME exporters: FIEO

Exporters today welcomed RBI"s proposal to shift to the base rate system for pricing of loans, saying the move would help in raising competitiveness of Indian goods in international markets by 3 to 4 per cent.

Production contracts shouldn\'t be tweaked by anyone: RIL

Energy major Reliance Industries today said that Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) like the one it had signed for KG-D6 fields with the government should not be tampered with by anyone to maintain their credibility.

Great Offshore win may create capital constraints for Bharati

Bharati Shipyard will face working capital constraints for six months to a year, say analysts, as the competitive open offer bids made by the company and its rival for control of Great Offshore are getting over on Tuesday. A six-month battle, which saw Bharati gradually increasing the open offer price to Rs 590 a share from the initial offer of Rs 344 a share made in June, has increased the acquisition cost burden for the 20 per cent stake by an additional Rs 200 crore.

Bharati Ship extends gains after ABG exit

Bharati Shipyard finally settled at Rs 178, up 10.5% from the previous close. The counter winessed trades of 1.23 million shares as compared to the two-week daily average traded volumes of 95,067 shares on the BSE.

Kronos in talks with Gujarat firms for workforce management

Eyeing the scope among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as big firms in Gujarat, workforce management solutions provider Kronos is in talks with manufacturing, pharma, ports and logistics firms in the state for its next version solution "Workforce Central Suite 6.2"

Packaged software tax riddle: Microsoft wants excise duty on it

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.

Twitter nears deal to raise $100 mn: report

Micro-blogging site Twitter is close to securing $100 million funding from about seven investors, a move which will make it a billion-dollar entity, says a media report.

IBM, Amul ink 10-year strategic outsourcing deal

IBM today said it has entered into a 10-year strategic outsourcing deal of over Rs 80 crore with the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (Amul).

Car transport by rail viable, to be extended

The pilot project initiated by Indian Railways in December 2008 to transport cars on rail has been commercialised and will be extended to other parts of the country.

Jagdish Bhagwati: Capitalism: Myths and fallacies - II

Jagdish Bhagwati / New Delhi September 16, 2009, 0:34 IST

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.

Bihar seeks Rs 23,000 cr as central assistance

Bihar today sought Rs 23,000 crore as immediate assistance from the Centre to tackle the drought situation in the state.

OIL may price IPO at Rs 1,000-1,100 a share

Oil India, the second state-run firm to hit the market with an offering of equity shares this year, may price its IPO that opens on September 7 at Rs 1,000-1,100 a share.

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.

PepsiCo net income up 9% to $1.71 bn in Q3

Driven by robust growth in its India business, beverages major PepsiCo today reported a 9 per cent jump in net income to $1.71 billion in the third quarter ended on September 5, 2009.

Sesa Goa: Asset mining

Sesa Goa’s acquisition of Dempo Group’s iron ore assets in Goa bears a stamp of Vedanta Resources Chairman Anil Agarwal’s signature strategy — buy low-value assets, pump investments into them and work to turn them into cash cows. Vedanta’s previous acquisitions of Hindustan Zinc, Balco, Konkola Copper Mines and the 2007 takeover of Sesa Goa have helped the company multiply the value of its metals business. Along the same line, Agrawal-controlled Sesa Goa aims to scale up its iron-ore trade volume through the Rs 1,750-crore Dempo deal.

Vedanta may up offer price for Asarco: Report

NRI billionaire Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Resources may increase its offer for bankrupt mining firm Asarco, according to a media report.

NTPC wants to pay marketing margins

NTPC Ltd, the country’s largest power generator, has sought permission from the Ministry of Power to allow it to pay the marketing margin on the natural gas it plans to buy from the Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

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.

Shree Cement Dec sales up 22%

Shree Cement today reported a 22.4 per cent increase in sales in December of 8.58 lakh tonnes.

Govt raises borrowing to Rs 2.99 lakh cr for H1FY10

The government today said it has stepped up its market borrowing to Rs 2.99 lakh crore for the first half of the current fiscal against Rs 2.41 lakh crore announced earlier.

Indian ADRs loss $1.44 bn in one week

Indian stocks trading on American bourses lost over $1 billion last week, with IT bellwether Infosys accounting for more than half of the total loss.

Rise in cash flow helps Cement firms shed reliance on borrowings

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

Tech Mahindra pares gains, dips 1%

The stock erased all its gains and slipped to a low of Rs 950. The scrip finally ended at Rs 957, down 1% from the previous close.

Govt not to roll back incentives given to exporters: Sharma

The government today ruled out any possibility of rolling back the incentives given to the export sector saying the country has yet to fully recover from the impact of the global financial meltdown.

No restriction on export of iron ore, says Minister

The government today said there would be no restriction on export of iron ore, as there is surplus of the mineral in the country even after its export.

US, Canada issue travel alerts warning of terror attacks

The US and Canada have issued fresh travel alerts to its citizens in India, warning them of possible terrorist attacks ahead of Independence Day.

Canada rejects NATO call to stay in Afghanistan past 2011

Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon has reaffirmed Canada"s 2011 exit from Afghanistan despite reported pleas from NATO"s chief for an extension of Canada"s deployment in the war-torn country.

BSNL may go for listing, to shelve divestment plan

Fearing opposition by employee unions, the government is considering listing telecom major BSNL on bourses by issuing nominal fresh shares and may shelve plans of directly divesting its equity for the time being.

Volatile markets end flat on global cues, realty stocks fall

Stock markets pared early gains today and ended in the red owing to subdued Asian cues.

Govt planning to abolish post of lecturers in IITs

Faced with stiff opposition from the faculty of IITs, the government is considering doing away with the lecturer posts in the elite institutes.

Subir Roy: A nation in the making

This is a story at two levels, as all good stories are — at a personal and an anecdotal on one hand and an official and ‘history in the making’ on the other.

Subir Roy: Do as Europe has done

Back in prehistory, that is, about three decades ago, when Kolkata thoroughly drowned in the monsoon deluge, we looked forward to sarat or autumn. The rains would be gone, the heat would be a bit less though the oppressive humidity would still be around, but that’s not what mattered. The special part was the sky at dusk. The grey of the monsoon clouds, still lingering, would be tinted pink and purple by the setting sun and create a riot of colours. And through this sky would pass large flocks of birds in a V formation.

Making the grade

Business Standard / New Delhi September 06, 2009, 0:55 IST

ICICI issued warning note twice: Pranab

ICICI Bank was twice issued letter of warning or advisory note in the last two years for violating the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

\'Teaser home loan rates pose payment shocks\'

The teaser home loan rate, the interest rate which is set artificially low for the initial period, could give a ‘payment shock’ to borrowers as the equated monthly installment (EMI) shot up on lenders charging regular interest rates, according to Fitch officials.