Popular Articles

Trio-logy
BS Reporter / Mumbai September 5, 2009, 0:48 IST generic levitra

payday loans online
TRAI to float consultation paper on M&A norms
Telecom regulator TRAI today said it will float a consultation paper on merger and acquisitions in the sector by the next month, a move that could unleash the second wave of consolidation in the sector.

News of the day

Opto Circuits get CE certificate for portable pulse oximeter
BS Reporter / Bangalore August 11, 2009, 10:27 IST

Corporate

Essar to invest $400 mn in Kenyan refinery

Essar Group today said it will invest $400 million in upgrading the refinery it had bought in Kenya.

VC investments in cleantech firms dip 13% in 2009

Mirroring the impact of the global meltdown across sectors, investments by venture capital (VC) companies in clean technology companies fell 13 per cent on year in 2009.

Voltas FY\'09 net up 21% at Rs 251.40 cr

Tata group company Voltas today said its net profit for the year ended March 31, 2009, rose by 21 per cent to Rs 251.40 crore, over the same period last year.

Sensex weak in opening trades

The Sensex opened in the positive zone at 16,912 but however slipped into the red owing to subdued cues from the gloabl markets all over. The index is now at 16,870, down 42 points.

Sensex opens soft

Sensex has opened at 16,926.. - up 14 points. The index has slipped and is now down 27 points at 16,886.

One-line battles

After the contents of his note to the prime minister were made public, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh called up the AIADMK leader in the Rajya Sabha, D Maitreyan, to see if his ideas could get some support across the political spectrum. When Jairam said he wanted to discuss the policy on climate change with him, Maitreyan was quick to respond, “ Look Jairam, if it is political change, our Madam is ready…” Never one to be caught without a reply, Jairam was equally quick to quip, “I am now tasked with only geographical climate change … political climate is in the hands of our Madam…”

Markets likely to open on a flat note

The markets are likely to open on a flat note amid mixed cues from the global markets.

PM allays fears on eco reforms, invites US investments

Promising to push economic reforms, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited US investors to tap "enormous opportunities" in sectors like infrastructure, energy and agriculture, exuding confidence that India would return to 9 per cent growth within two years.

PM announces Rs 1,000cr assistance to Karnataka

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced Rs 1,000 crore assistance to Karnataka to take up flood relief works after undertaking an aerial survey of the rain-ravaged areas in northern districts.

Coca-Cola announces launch of \'Burn\' in India

Beverages maker Coca-Cola today announced its foray into the energy drink segment in India with the launch of "Burn".

Cutting across edges

Business Standard / New Delhi October 09, 2009, 0:10 IST

Attacks on Indians: Enquiries for study in Australia decline

Gulshan Kumar Pathania, president, Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI), has revealed that the recent attacks on Indian students in Australia has resulted in new enquiries coming down by 60-70%. “The impact of attacks on Indian students has been severe as the number of enquiries made by Indian students regarding studies in Australia has dipped significantly,” Gulshan added. Gulshan was here to discuss the role being played by Association of Australian Education Representatives (AAERI) to safeguard the interests of Indian students opting for studies in Australia.

IL&FS open offer for 20% in Matyas Infra tomorrow

Infrastructure firm IL&FS"s open offer for acquiring an additional 20 per cent stake in crisis hit Maytas Infra will open tomorrow.

Cadbury rejects Kraft\'s takeover offer as too low

Calls it ‘unappealing prospect’ from a ‘low-growth’ conglomerate.

Gammon Infra fixes Oct 27 as record date for stock-split

Construction firm Gammon Infrastructure Projects today said it has fixed October 27 as the record date for the proposed stock-split.

Markets open in the green

The markets have resumed their upmove after retreating on Monday. The Sensex has again crossed the 17k mark to 17,045, higher by 62 points, and the Nifty is at 5,090, up 23 points. Metals, energy and realty stocks are in the limelight.

Kerala Tourism starts online training course

Kerala Tourism has launched an online training programme to help travel agents and tour operators in the UK get acquainted with the state’s tourism products and in turn increase UK sales to Kerala.

UTV Software to raise $150 million

Media and entertainment firm UTV Software Communications today said it would raise $150 million (nearly Rs 750 crore) through various channels to meet its growth plans and retire debt.

AIG to take 2 yrs to repay bailout funds: report

Troubled insurer American International Group (AIG) will take two years to repay the bailout funds, which it had received from the US government at the peak of the financial crisis last year, says a media report.

Housing ministry to bring out model real estate bill

For promoting a planned and healthy real estate development of colonies and apartments in big cities, Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry has drafted a bill and invited suggestions from experts.

The actor sports a new role

Away from the silver screen, Chitrangda Singh tries her hand at everything from golf to snorkeling to scuba-diving to, now, skydiving.

UTV signs Rs 95 cr syndication deals

UTV Motion Pictures, an arm of UTV Software Communications, has signed a series of non-exclusive television rights syndication deals amounting to Rs 95 crore. The deals are across their slate of 2008 and 2009 productions, from Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Dev D to recent hits like Kaminey, Wake Up Sid and Kurbaan.

Kingfisher gets tough on non-performing employees

Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines is understood to have come down heavily on non-performing employees, even as a large number of its pilots are leaving the airline to join low-cost carrier Indigo and other rivals.

Kingfisher Airlines takes a hit on accounting concerns

The stock slipped to a low of Rs 56 and finally ended at Rs 56, down 1.5% from the previous close. The counter clocked volumes of 3.98 million shares on the BSE.

Kingfisher Airlines mulls rights offer to pare debt

Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, the Indian carrier owned by the nation’s largest brewer, may raise as much as $175 million selling shares and global depository receipts to repay debt.

Radico Khaitan seeks shareholders nod to raise Rs 375 cr

Liquor manufacturer Radico Khaitan today said it will seek shareholders approval for raising Rs 375 crore by share sale from domestic and international markets.

Kingfisher aircraft overshoots runway; passengers safe

A Kingfisher Airlines ATR aircraft with 42 passengers and four crew onboard overshot the runway after it landed at Mumbai Airport today.

Sargent appointed as GE Capital Asia-Pacific head

General Electric"s financial services arm GE Capital has appointed Steve Sargent as the President and CEO for its Asia Pacific operations.

Foreign carriers can add capacity in peak traffic

Foreign airlines can now use larger aircraft and operate additional flights to India during the peak tourist season under the fresh guidelines issued by the government.

United Breweries Q1 net up 57% YoY

United Breweries (UBL), India"s largest brewery controlled by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya, has posted a strong 57 per cent increase in net profit to Rs 35.5 crore for the first quarter of current fiscal as against the corresponding period of last fiscal. Net sales at Rs 556.4 crore was up 17 per cent, powered by a 25 per cent growth in strong beer.

FIPB to reconsider ByCell proposal on mobile services

Swiss telecom firm ByCell has approached the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to reconsider its proposal to start telecom services in India and the matter will be taken up later this week.

Indians boost tourism in Scotland despite recession

Slowly but surely, tourism is picking up in the sylvan highlands of Scotland despite recession, thanks to an increase in the number of Indian tourists, keen to explore the locales where popular Indian films were shot. The Scottish tourism industry has already registered a bumper season so far and hotels and attractions are gearing up for a busy period in the holiday season.

Mercedes-Benz: Merc's trucks roll out

Sayantani Kar / New Delhi September 22, 2009, 0:51 IST

Falcon Tyres zooms 256% post open offer

Falcon Tyres has more than tripled in little over a month, post closure of its open offer. The stock has zoomed significantly from Rs 149 on 10 June to Rs 531 today.

Govt begins hunt for DGH head

More than a month after the unceremonious exit of the controversial oil regulator V K Sibal, the government has begun scouting for a new head of the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH).

Mullen believes resolving Kashmir key to stability in S Asia

Resolving the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan is key to stability in South Asia, where all terror groups including al-Qaeda, Taliban, LeT and JeM are "working much more closely together" now than a year ago, top US military commander Mike Mullen has said.

PSU oil firms cut jet fuel prices by 5.7%

After increasing it four times in a row, the state-run oil firms today cut jet fuel prices by 5.7 per cent on easing international rates.

Jai Balaji raises Rs 198.5cr via QIP

Kolkata-based Jai Balaji Industries has raised Rs 198.50 crore through a qualified institutional placement (QIP) issue.

Hero Honda sales jump 74% in December

The country"s biggest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda Motors today reported 74.05 per cent jump in its sales in December 2009 at 3,75,838 units as against 2,15,931 units in the same month last year.

Symantec, Wipro sign pact to provide new services

Wipro today inked a new partnership with Symantec Corporation to provide data back up and loss prevention, in addition to recovery infrastructure consultancy services.

\'Energy savings can wipe out shortages\'

Vandana Gombar / New Delhi January 08, 2010, 0:45 IST

India Inc\'s hiring slows down 3.6% in August: Naukri.com

India Inc"s hiring activity, which has been on the path of revival, slowed down a bit in August and dropped 3.6 per cent as compared to the previous month, a report by job portal Naukri.com said.

Universal Cables & IFGL Q2 results

Universal Cables Limited, belonging to the M P Birla group, has clocked in a net profit of Rs 6.95 crore for the quarter ended September 30, from a net loss of Rs 1.37 crores in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Net sales were at Rs 130.11 crore against Rs 157.96 crore in the previous corresponding quarter. D R Bansal, chief executive officer, attributed this performance to the initiative of putting up a vertical continuous vulcanization line for the manufacture of XLPE cables up to 400 kV in technical collaboration with Furukawa Electric Co Ltd, Japan.

Wkly Tech Analysis: Weakness seen in first half

Markets rallied smartly at the beginning of the week owing to strong gross domestic product numbers and easing Dubai debt woes. The benchmark indices consolidated at higher levels in the second half of the week.

Range finder!

Jaguar-Land Rover cars are now officially here. We drive the Range Rover Sport to celebrate it ROHIN NAGRANI

Tata Motors to bring in hybrid city buses; development on

After developing the electric version of its flagship passenger car Indica, country"s largest auto maker Tata Motors is now working on hybrid city buses aimed at providing eco-friendly transportation solutions for Indian cities.

Honda\'s global unveiling of new small car concept at Auto Expo

Japanese auto maker Honda today said it will hold the world premiere of the concept model of a new small car that has been developed keeping the Indian market in focus at the Auto Expo here next month.

Road petrol

Should I buy the Maruti Suzuki Swift or the Ritz? I’d like to go for the petrol VXi model of either of these two. My daily travel is not more than 30 km maximum. Do you think I should go for a diesel instead?

AstraZeneca, Nektar Therapeutics sign license agreement

AstraZeneca, an international healthcare company engaged in research, development and manufacturing of prescription medicines, and Nektar Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered at California with research and development operations in Hyderabad, have entered into an exclusive license agreement for two drug development programmes.

\'Fuel-efficiency standards for auto sector by 2011\'

The government is in the final stage of notifying the fuel efficiency standards for automobile sector in the country which will be enforced from 2011, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said today.

Priceless wisdom

While addressing a conference hosted by The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri), its director general RK Pachauri said that Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh would give Teri Rs 1 crore for a campaign to spread awareness about protecting the environment. He then said, “I now request Mr Ramesh to share his wisdom with all of us.” To which , Ramesh replied, “I can only share my wisdom but cannot give you Rs 1 crore.” Before Ramesh could say anything further, Pachauri remarked, “This means now we’ll get Rs 2 crore from the minister. Three cheers for Jairam Ramesh!”

India attaches high priority to ties with US: PM

As he prepares to meet President Barack Obama in Washington, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said a "sustained and dynamic" Indo-US partnership is essential to meet major global challenges like international terrorism, climate change and economic slowdown.

United Spirits mulls bond issue to refinance Rs 3,000-crore debt

United Spirits Ltd (USL), the flagship spirits arm of the UB Group, is looking at a bond offering within the next six months in an effort to refinance Rs 3,000 crore of debt.

Tata Motors resolves compensation issues with vendors

Tata Motors today said it has sorted out differences with vendors regarding the compensation issues arising out of its decision to shift the Nano plant from Singur.

\'Our focus remains on bigger and sportier bikes\'

Swaraj Baggonkar / Mumbai November 10, 2009, 1:10 IST

Swine flu scare in Team India

A day after paceman S Sreesanth was diagnosed with swine flu, comprehensive preventive measures were today put in place to ensure that other members of the Indian cricket team were not affected by the dreaded virus.

Bajaj Auto aims 27% market share in motorcycles

Buoyed by a 100 per cent jump in sales and a 10 per cent increase in market share in September-October, Bajaj Auto is aiming for a 26-27 per cent maket share in motorcycles in FY10.

Commonwealth Games: DDA readying 5000 flats for visitors

The Delhi Development Authority is readying over 5,000 flats in South Delhi for accommodating tourists during the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Huawei Tech announces SEI CMMi Ver 1.2 Level 5 certification

Huawei Technologies India, the largest overseas R&D centre of Huawei Technologies, today announced the achievement of SEI CMMi Ver 1.2 Level 5 certification.

Prosecutors knew since 2001 about Galleon seeking data

Galleon Group LLC, the hedge fund firm at the center of a $20-million insider trading prosecution, came to the attention of prosecutors by 2001 for allegedly soliciting internal data on Silicon Valley companies.

Commotion at India-Pak peace conference

Commotion broke out today at a conference aimed at promoting peace between India and Pakistan when a section of the audience objected to the presence of JKLF leader Yasin Malik as a speaker.

Tata Steel MD terms new year challenging

Tata Steel Managing Director H M Nerurkar today said the new year would be equally challenging as last year as the global recession is still continuing.

DoT allots RCom new series for Maha, Goa circle

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

Home Ministry takes up security issues with DoT

The Home Ministry is learnt to have raised a host of security-related issues with the Telecom Department amidst security agencies raising concerns over Chinese vendors supplying equipment to Indian vendors.

DoT to seek legal view on extra spectrum allocation

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has decided to seek legal opinion in the matter of allotment of additional radio waves beyond 4.4 MHz to mobile operators.

Maruti\'s car sales up 60% in November

India’s leading car maker Maruti Suzuki India has recorded 60.1 per cent growth in car sales in domestic market in November this year on a rebound of national economy earlier than economists’ expectations.

Exports grow for first time in over a year in November

The country"s exports turned around in November 2009 after falling for 13 months in a row, posting a growth of 18.2 per cent to touch $13.19 billion.

Mahadayi Tribunal comes as a rude shock for farmers

The constitution of a tribunal to settle the dispute over Mahadayi’s waters between Karnataka and Goa, where it is called Mandovi) has come as a rude shock to the farmers of North Karnataka who were eagerly waiting for the completion of the Kalasa-Banduri nalla project.

OIL plans investment spread of Rs 4,550 cr

Oil India (OIL) has planned an investment of more than Rs 4,550 crore for the next 18 months in exploration and other expansion activities, company officials said today.

Fortis Healthcare gains on fund raising plans

Fortis advanced 1.5% to Rs 102. The stock touched an intra-day high of Rs 105 and a low of Rs 101. Around 275,716 shares were traded as against its two-week average traded quantity of 338,454 shares.

Still in rough seas

Without a strong global economic recovery, the maritime sector will find it tough to overcome the demand-supply mismatch.

'3G technology is as cost-effective as 2G'

With the state-owned BSNL’s 93-million-line tender once again the subject of a controversy, it’s but natural to elicit the views of Ericsson’s global president and CEO CARL-HENRIC SVANBERG on this. Svanberg, however, refuses to bite, except to say that the tendering procedures for BSNL have to be so transparent, it is not surprising they take so long. He is more concerned about how telecom can save the world from global warming and how India can transform itself with 3G technologies. Excerpts from an interview with SUNIL JAIN:

UTV Software Comm Q4 net down 40% at Rs 11 cr

Media and Entertainment Group UTV Software Communications today said its consolidated net profit for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2009, slipped by 40.16% to Rs 11.22 crore.

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.

M&M signs two agreements with SBH for vehicle finance

Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) today signed two MoUs with State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) for vehicle finance.

Shri Renuka Sugars acquires Brazilian VDI

Shri Renuka Sugars has acquired "Vale Do Ivai S.A Acucar E Alcool (VDI)", a Brazilian sugar and ethanol production company. The acquisition includes two sugar and ethanol production facilities located in the southern state of Parana with a combined cane crushing capacity of 3.1 mn tonnes per annum. In addition, VDI holds strategic stakes in several logistics assets including terminals for staoarge and loading of sugar and ethanol at the port of Paranagua. Larger part of the sugarcane requirements at VDI are met through its own cultivation of more than 18,000 hectares of land on long lease.

Sensex ends down 128pts

BS Reporter / Mumbai November 12, 2009, 15:31 IST

Counter-productive controls

Business Standard / New Delhi September 24, 2009, 0:57 IST

Shree Renuka Sugars jumps 4%

The stock jumped 4.24 per cent to Rs 227.65 to an all-time high, after the company acquired Vale Do Ivai SA (VDI), a Brazil-based sugar and ethanol firm. The acquisition includes two sugar and ethanol production facilities with a combined cane crushing capacity of 3.1 million tonnes per annum.

GTL Q2 net up 31% at Rs 50.22 cr

GTL today reported a 31 per cent growth in net profit at Rs 50.22 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2009. In the year-ago period, the company had a consolidated net profit of Rs 38.30 crore, GTL said in a filing to the BSE.

Siemens softens despite bagging contract

Siemens closed at Rs 571, down by 2.5% or Rs 14 on the BSE. The stock opened at Rs 590 and touched a high of Rs 605 and a low of Rs 565 during the day. A total of 272,659 shares were traded on the BSE as against the 2-week average of 109,271 shares.

UBS aims $14.7 bn profit annually in next 3-5 yrs

Swiss banking major UBS today said it aims to achieve the target of about 15 billion Swiss francs (around $14.7 billion) pre-tax profits per year over the next three to five years.

Tata Steel: Disappointing performance

The losses can be attributed to costlier raw material, higher restructuring cost and operating pressure at its Teesside operations.

Tata Steel, CSN stakeholders in Aussie mining giant

Brazil’s CSN and Tata Steel, which had once battled for control of Corus, the European steel company, are set to become stakeholders in Australia’s Riversdale Mining.

Balrampur Chini Sept quarter net jumps 193%

Balrampur Chini Mills, one of the leading sugar producers of the country, has posted a rise of 193 per cent in its net profit at Rs 42.73 crore for the quarter ended September compared with Rs 14.58 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. The company"s net sales during the quarter, however, decreased around 8 per cent to Rs 378.9 crore from Rs 411.72 crore.

Competitive pay essential for bank\'s success: RBS

Amid the raging controversy over the issue of bankers bonus, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has asserted that its ability to give competitive pay to the staff is essential for the company"s success.

Jaitley to lead BJP in RS, Sushma Advani\'s deputy in LS

The BJP today appointed its senior leader Arun Jaitley as the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House and Sushma Swaraj Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Maharashtra set to get new govt tomorrow

Maharashtra is set to get a new government tomorrow as Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and his Deputy Chhagan Bhujbal are expected to take oath of office.

Now, turf war moves to Nanur

Trinamool Congress, Left blame each other for starting violence

\'All markets are now recovering\'

Byravee Iyer / Mumbai November 3, 2009, 0:34 IST

\'We cannot regulate gas prices\'

Sunil Jain / New Delhi October 30, 2009, 0:38 IST

IDBI Bank aims to enhance base in SME, retail sectors

IDBI Bank has taken an initiative to strengthen its base in the mid-corporate, SME and retail sectors without compromising its pre-eminent position in the corporate banking business.

ONGC opposes FinMin directive to park surplus funds with PSUs

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has opposed finance ministry directive of parking its surplus funds with only PSU banks saying it is losing Rs 360 crore of interest revenues annually as state-run banks offer lower interest rates when business is given to them on nomination.

Indiabulls Power IPO subscribed 5.8 times

Indiabulls Power Ltd, partly owned by billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, got more than Rs 6,480 crore ($1.4 billion) of bids, or 5.8 times the shares being sold in its initial public offering (IPO).

Indiabulls Power IPO subscribed 6 times on Day 1

Indiabulls Power IPO was subscribed 5.95 times on combined (BSE +NSE) basis.

Listed banks\' bad debt rises by Rs 4,000 cr

Gross non-performing assets up 23% in 12 months.

Indian retail sector to touch $521 bn by 2012

Apparel and FMCG segments will be the driving forces for the Indian retail sector, which is likely to grow annually by 9 per cent to touch $521 billion by 2012, a senior retail industry official said.

Bank of Maharashtra net up 23% y-o-y

Public sector lender Bank of Maharashtra"s net profit for the July-September quarter stood at Rs 86.68 crore, up 22.86 per cent against Rs 70.55 crore reported over the same period a year back.

Sops for select exporters on cards: Sharma

The government may selectively extend more sops to exporters rather than withdrawing the stimulus given to them last year in the face of global slowdown, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma has said.

India Eco Summit: ICICI to reduce stake in Firstsource

ICICI Bank today said it would reduce its stake in BPO company Firstsource in a phased manner, even as there are reports of appointment of a merchant banker for exiting from the outsourcing company.

Parking short-term money

I have some money that I plan to use after a month. Should I invest it in liquid funds instead of a bank Fixed Deposit for better returns?

High assets reduce arbitrage funds\' returns

Is it better to invest short-term money in an arbitrage fund instead of liquid funds? The returns from the former, being equity-oriented, are tax-free after a year, while those of a liquid fund, which is a debt fund, would be taxable. More, in a falling interest rate scenario, liquid funds are not expected to return 8 to 9 per cent as earlier. On the other hand, arbitrage funds can comfortably return 7 per cent. Suggest some good arbitrage funds.

Dividend option for short term, growth for long term

BS Reporter / Mumbai July 05, 2009, 0:42 IST

NTPC to appoint merchant banker for S Africa coal mine

State-run power producer NTPC, which is eyeing coal mines in South Africa to meet the gap in domestic fuel supply, will appoint a merchant banker next month to do the due diligence of those properties.

Nomura posts Q2 profit at 27.7 bn yen

Financial services major Nomura Holdings has posted a profit of 27.72 billion yen in the second quarter, buoyed by strong growth in retail and asset management segments and expansion of its business overseas.

Industrial growth signals recovery, says FM

Buoyed over 22-month high industrial growth of 10.4 per cent in August, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said it is a recovery process from the earlier slowdown caused by the global financial crisis and possibly there could be some higher growth projection.

HSBC InvestDirect\'s S\'pore arm to give up dealing rights

HSBC InvestDirect today said its Singapore-based wholly owned subsidiary IL&FS Investmart Asia Pacific will surrender the capital markets services license granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Goldman makes \'call of decade\' by promoting BRICs

Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s forecast that Brazil, Russia, India and China would eventually eclipse the Group of Seven countries economically has been described as “the biggest market call of the decade.”

Mobile banking transaction cap up at Rs 50,000/day

Responding to banks’ petitions, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has raised the transaction limit for mobile banking to Rs 50,0000 a day.

Eco growth in current fiscal to exceed 7.75%: FinMin

India"s economic expansion could exceed 7.75 per cent during the current fiscal, helped by high GDP growth numbers recorded during the July-September quarter, the government informed Parliament today.

India, other emerging economies to be on growth path: Report

The economic and financial status of emerging market economies like India would continue to improve in the days to come and the recent downturn would help accelerate the trend, a Deutsche Bank report said.

Govt widens tax net for perks, applicable right away for entire year

Your tax burden has just gone up, with the government today issuing the new guidelines for taxation of perquisities. In fact, it could be a double whammy, as you have to pay the additional tax liability for the whole of this financial year over the next three months.

Honda Siel, Axis Bank ink vehicle finance JV

Car maker Honda Siel Cars India today said it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with private lender Axis Bank for vehicle finance.

Recovery still fragile: RBI

India’s recovery from the global financial crisis is “still fragile”, according to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor D Subbarao.

Sugar stocks jump as prices touch record high

Shree Renuka Sugars ended at Rs 229, up by Rs 7 or 3.3%, on the BSE. Over 4.07 lakh shares have changed hands at the counter. The stock hit a high of Rs 230 and a low of Rs 223 during the day.

Cairn India begins work at oil block in Sri Lanka

In its first overseas venture, Cairn India has begun work on an exploration block in the Mannar Basin, off Sri Lanka.

ONGC loses bid for Iraqi oilfield

Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) today lost a bid to acquire a large oilfield in Iraq to a consortium of Chinese, Malaysian and French energy firms.

Govt promises to bring Dubai World out of crisis

The Dubai government today said it fully expected the fallout from its massive debt problem and promised to pump in all necessary resources to ensure long-term success of Dubai World.

'Over 3,000 people will be a part of Fortis'

Joe C Mathew / New Delhi September 16, 2009, 0:45 IST

Cairn completes 100 days of Mangala production

Mangala (meaning bliss) has lived up to its name for Cairn India. Five years earlier, the company struck black gold at the RJ-ON-90/1 oil block deep inside the stark, unforgiving wilderness of the Rajasthan deserts.

ONGC, partners to invest $10 bn in Iran

Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and its partners will invest about $10 billion in two giant gas fields and an LNG project in Iran, Iranian Deputy Oil Minister Seifollah Jashnsaz said.

RIL\'s Jamnagar refineries to buy Cairn crude

Cairn India, which started pumping crude oil from its Mangala field in Barmer (Rajasthan) this August, has entered into an agreement with Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) for supplying it to the latter’s Jamnagar refineries. Cairn is likely to supply seven consignments of 200,000 barrels each to RIL during the current financial year, said an informed source. The first consignment will reach Jamnagar by end-November. The company had sold its first cargo of 208,000 barrels to Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals last month and it will deliver two more cargoes this month.

Draw export strategy of $300 bn: Assocham to govt

India should aim to increase its merchandise exports to $300 billion by 2014 and adopt a multi-pronged strategy to accelerate competitiveness of domestic goods in global markets, Assocham said.

India to vie for World Heritage monument tag with 50 entries

In a bid to attract foreign funds and overseas tourists, the government has embarked on a "major initiative" to identify 50 historical monuments in the country to be presented to the UNESCO for earning a "World Heritage" tag for them.

HPCL-Mittal pays Rs 60 crore to insure its under-construction refinery

HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL) has paid Rs 60 crore to insure its planned refinery in Bathinda in Punjab against risks during the construction phase.

Correction to stay on course

The Sensex and the Nifty closed in the red on Friday on profit-booking in technology stocks and lack of interest in other pivotals at current levels. The trading volume on the F&O segment remained lackluster as the Nifty provided little scope for trading since it moved in a tight range of 20-30 points on Friday.

IOCL to double investments on R&D

State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has proposed to double its investments on its Research and Development in order to develop newer technologies, a top company official said today.

Ranbaxy pares early gains, ends flat

The stock ended flat at Rs 410 and clocked volumes of 201,186 shares at the counter on the BSE. __________________________________

'Bankruptcy Code is not effective in times of severe stress'

Timothy Geithner / November 1, 2009, 0:58 IST

FII-TO-FII TRADES: PNB traded at 6% premium

Trades between FIIs generated a volume of Rs 107 crore on the BSE Friday-an increase of 39.82% from Rs 77 crore clocked on Thursday. As many as seven stocks witnessed trades of 20 lakh shares on Friday.

Ramsarup Ind signs power purchase agreement

Ramsarup Industries, a leading manufacturer of steel wires in India, has signed a power purchase agreement for its waste heat, CO-gas based 22 MW power plant with West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company (WBSEDCL) , a state government owned electrical utility company.

US proposal to reopen Doha deals gets cold response

India, along with several developing countries, have dismissed an idea floated by the United States to “shake up the Doha box” on the ground that such a move would undermine the progress made over the past eight years in the stalled Doha Development Agenda trade negotiations, BS was told.

Orissa Governer stresses on ethics in professional education

There is a need to include ethics and morals in the curriculum of engineering and management education, M C Bhandare, the Orissa governor said here at the Fifth Annual Convocation of KIIT University.

CAT day 4 sees less turmoil

Glitches continue, lack of feedback still an issue; IIMs assure ‘damage control’.

Raju\'s hospital care: Hearing on wife\'s plea today

The petition filed by Nandini Raju, wife of Satyam Computer Services’ jailed founder, B Ramalinga Raju, seeking the court’s permission for her to bear his medical treatment expenses, has been posted for tomorrow.

World\'s fastest train link starts operation in China

China today started operation on its fastest rail link in the world with a high-speed train connecting the modern cities of Guangzhou and Wuhan at an average speed of 350 kilometres an hour.

2009 marks turning point in Indo-Russian ties

The year 2009 proved to be a turning point in the ties between India and Russia as the two strategic allies put aside the chill and "misunderstandings" to re-discover each other in the changing global scenario and extended their defence cooperation for another decade.

Allegation that FBI working on co\'s case false: Citi

Troubled financial services firm Citigroup has said that any allegation that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is working on a case involving breach of the company"s systems resulting in millions of dollars losses is false.

Wen the honest

One of the positive fallouts for India from the BASIC powwow at Copenhagen was the thaw in India-China relations after the recent chill over Dalai Lama and Arunachal Pradesh. A warm and friendly Chinese premier Wen Jiao Bao bent over backwards to reassure Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that China was a good friend of India, adding that contrary to the impression created by the China-US joint statement issued during the visit of US President Barack Obama, China had no intention to interfere in India’s disputes with Pakistan. Perhaps feeling that Manmohan Singh was not fully convinced of his good intentions, Premier Wen insisted, “I am telling the truth, I am not a liar”!

\'Accord appears to be complete betrayal of poor, weaker nations\'

Business Standard / December 27, 2009, 0:21 IST

Sunil Jain: How rich are India\'s poor?

- Many poverties - How many mouths to feed? - High inflation numbers derail Dalal Street - Sunil Jain: And now, quotas for Muslims">Sunil Jain: And now, quotas for Muslims - New rule raises number of poor by 100 million - "Over 27% were living below poverty line in 04-05"

Small states\' genie now out

Learn lessons from Jharkhand

Centre may make statement on Telangana next week: Purandeswari

Centre might come out with a clear statement on the issue of a unified Andhra Pradesh on Monday or Tuesday, Union Minister for State D Purandeswari today said.

Haryana to seek higher funds under JNNURM

Haryana Finance Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav has directed the financial commissioner and principal secretary, urban local bodies, that the matter could be taken with the Government of India to increase the allocations under JNNURM and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT). The finance minister was reviewing the progress of central sponsored schemes with the officers of finance, public health and urban local bodies department. These schemes were being launched in the state for the welfare of all sections of society.

Bhupesh Bhandari: Korea's nuclear bomb

Some time in the summer of 1997, LG had thrown a party in Delhi. The Korean chaebol had set up shop in the country and was in a mood to celebrate. It had earlier joined hands with C K Birla but the joint venture fell through even before it could start. Globally, it had gone through a brand makeover from Lucky Goldstar to LG. It was now ready to have a go at India. At the party, K R Kim, the head of LG in India, took a few guests aside and said he knew how to make a nuclear bomb. The nasal voice was little more than a whine. Before anybody could ask how, he called a bearer, mixed whiskey in beer and handed it over to the guests — enjoy the nuclear bomb!

Picture this - Orkut goes photo blogging

Imagine you are having dinner with some friends, and in walks Shahrukh Khan or someone equally famous. You get a picture clicked with him and want to share it with the world instantly. But how do you go about it since you can’t possibly wait till you get home and transfer the pictures to home PC.

Mukesh Ambani ranked 5th best CEO in the world

Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man and chairman of the country’s largest private sector company, Reliance Industries, has been ranked the fifth-best CEO in the world by Harvard Business Review.

Airtel launches triple-play game

India’s largest private sector telecom player Bharti Airtel has launched a triple-play arcade puzzle game Getris on all three services of Airtel — mobile, Internet and direct to home (DTH).

OERC seeks public view on power regulations

With the demand for power in the state exceeding the supply by about 500 Mw to 600 Mw, the Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) today invited public comments on the consultative staff paper on power regulation in the state.

NABARD to support projects worth Rs 794 cr in TN

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 793.85 crore to implement various projects in Tamil Nadu.

Mukesh Ambani ranked 5th best CEO in the world

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

GVK eyes controlling stake in B\'lore airport

GVK Power & Infrastructure, which recently took a 12 per cent stake in Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), has said it is open to taking a controlling stake in the airport.

NFC dispatches fuel bundles to newly-built RAPS unit 6

Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) has made history by supplying 11,016 fuel rods from the imported natural Uranium to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) in a record time of six months for three reactors.

L&T, NPCIL tie up for atomic power components

Engineering and construction major L&T and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) today announced the formation of a joint venture to produce critical components for nuclear power plants such as special steels and ultra-heavy forgings.

India Inc, banks play down Dubai blues

Analysts say the crisis may discourage realty firms from venturing into that market

Tea prices spiral as rain plays truant in June, July

Prices are Rs 35 a kg more than last year.

International consultant to turn around West Bengal tourism sector

The West Bengal tourism department will appoint an international consultant by the end of next month, to chalk out a model for attracting more foreign tourists.

Citigroup Inc among biggest S&P 500 losers

Citigroup Inc, Marshall & Ilsley Corp and Huntington Bancshares Inc ended 2009 with the biggest drops in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, weighed down by defaulting property loans that may add to their declines this year.

RCom forays into handset distribution biz

Reliance Webstore, the retail arm of Reliance Communications, today said it has forayed into handset distribution and plans to have a network of 10,000 outlets across the country in the next three years.

Devangshu Datta: Looking good in comparison

- Devangshu Datta: Getting that EDGE">Devangshu Datta: Getting that EDGE - Devangshu Datta: Intimations of immortality">Devangshu Datta: Intimations of immortality - Devangshu Datta: Dropping a bomb">Devangshu Datta: Dropping a bomb - Devangshu Datta: Brave new world (contd)">Devangshu Datta: Brave new world (contd) - desi-version/10/32/367045/" class="textMost" title="Devangshu Datta: Google Earth's desi version">Devangshu Datta: Google Earth's desi version - Devangshu Datta: Search for market share">Devangshu Datta: Search for market share

India can\'t handle high fiscal deficit for long: Mukherjee

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that India will not be able to sustain high fiscal deficit in the long run, but he did not give any timeframe for withdrawing the stimulus measures that inflated the deficit.

Oil prod by PSUs fall in recent years: Prasada

Petroleum PSUs have not made any significant new find in oil and gas reserves in recent years, Minister of State for Petroleum Jitin Prasada told the Lok Sabha today.

Trikona Capital ends deal with Indian advisers

Trikona Trinity Capital, the Alternative Investment Market (AIM)-listed real estate fund, has terminated the contract with its India advisers, Trikona Advisors.

Insulin prices may come down by 70%

Insulin prices are likely to fall by up to 70 per cent as drug price regulator the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has brought some more diabetes drugs under its purview.