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Sterlite Technologies wins Rs 372 cr BSNL contract
Sterllte Technologies, a leading global provider of transmission solutions, today announced that it has won a contract from BSNL, valued at Rs 372 crore for enabling a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Network based on Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology. Sterlite was awarded a major share of the total outlay of project, among competition from global players. Sterlite has streamlined its efforts to ensure that the contract is executed within FY10.

Citibank launches first universal mortgage account
Citibank today launched CitiHome One, a first-of-its-kind universal mortgage product, that would enable customers to get a home-loan as a combination of a conventional term-loan and credit line.

News of the day

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Madras HC asked to take up Subhiksha merger plea first
The Supreme Court today asked the Madras High Court to first hear on Thursday the amalgamation plea of cash-strapped retail chain Subhiksha Trading Services with its subsidiary Blue Green Construction and Investments (BGCIL).

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.

IPL sells theatrical rights for Rs 330 cr

Entertainment and Sports Direct (ESD) today bagged the theatrical rights of the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches for the next 10 years which cost them Rs 330 crore.

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.

BCCI extends Sahara\'s contract as team sponsor

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has extended Sahara"s contract for another six months as the Indian team’s sponsor for the same price the company had paid earlier. Sahara had paid around Rs 1.9 crore per test match and one-day international (ODI), while it will pay Rs 1.5 crore for T20 matches.

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.

Drought to keep India's cooking oil imports at record

India, the biggest vegetable oils buyer after China, may import record volumes for a second year after a drought in almost half the country damaged oilseed crops, a processors’ group said.

\'H1N1 virus has not mutated, vaccines on track\'

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said today that the swine flu virus had apparently not yet mutated into a more serious disease and that the development of vaccines was proceeding on track.

FMC objects to ICEX\'s midnight trade move

Bourse says it can trade in tandem with Nymex.

\'A cost-competitive and transparent system will automatically attract customers\'

Dilip Kumar Jha / Mumbai October 13, 2009, 0:49 IST

Indiabulls bourse gets FMC nod

The Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX), promoted by public sector MMTC Ltd and Indiabulls Financial Services, has got recognition from the commodity market regulator, the Forward Markets Commission (FMC). FMC Chairman B C Khatua confirmed this.

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.

Ban did not discuss Kashmir with Pak PM: UN

The Kashmir issue did not came up for discussion between UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani when the two leaders met on the sidelines of the NAM Summit in Egypt.

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.

UPDATE:China doing copy cat in Indian handicrafts, say exporters

The lamps you light on Diwali or the "rakhi" you tie on your brother"s wrist may not have been made by domestic craftsmen. Chances are you may be tying your brother a China-made rakhi and lighting Chinese lamps.

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.

Exports may slip 10% in current fiscal: Citi

In contrast to official optimism about recovery in India"s global shipments after September this year, financial services major Citi has estimated 10 per cent contraction in the country"s exports in the current fiscal.

Petronet LNG to buy 1.5 MT a year from Exxon\'s Aus arm

Petronet LNG, the nation"s largest liquefied natural gas importer, today signed an agreement to import 1.5 million tons of LNG Australia.

About 74% investors prefer buying gold at current About 74% investors prefer buying gold at current Press Trust of India / New Delhi June 9, 2009, 11:39 IST

Among those who were willing to buy gold at current prices, the preference for purchasing jewellery was higher as compared to any other form of gold, a survey by brokerage firm India Infoline Ltd (IIFL) 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.

Koutons Retail Q3 profit up 18% at Rs 15 cr

Apparel chain Koutons Retail India today said its net profit rose by 18.63 per cent to Rs 15.79 crore in the third quarter ended December 31, 2009 over the same period last fiscal.

Indian ADRs lose $4 bn in a week

Indian stocks trading on American bourses lost $3.85 billion (around Rs 18,000 crore) from their total market valuation last week, with HDFC Bank and Sterlite Industries leading the pack.

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.

Jonathan Weil: Putting the SEC in a spot

Jonathan Weil / September 18, 2009, 0:00 IST

Pandit defies Schumer

At the Bank of America Corp office in Washington, employees are fielding as many as 10 calls a day from Capitol Hill, up from about two a year ago.

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.

N-deal: India seeks speedy negotiations with US

India today sought speedy negotiations of reprocessing arrangements, as well as liberalisation of the export licensing procedures, to move forward the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

Re down 15 paise, at 46.63/$ in early trade

Extending losses for the second day the Indian rupee today depreciated by another 15 paise to 46.63 against the US currency in early trade largely on the back of dollar"s gains versus major currencies and Asian units.

Escape routes

The prodigal son who returns but may not stay, the troubled, dying salesman on the road with his young son, negotiating with the censor to write a love story in Iran, depressurising in Ladakh: a to-read list for today.

Armed forces need modernisation: Antony

Taking charge as the defence minister for the second time, AK Antony on Monday laid out the roadmap for India’s armed forces — modernisation and transparency. Antony’s very first day in office was marked by India receiving the state-of-the-art AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) platform from Israel. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is slated to get two more AWACS platforms, which is miles ahead of ground-based radars in detecting incoming missiles, enemy aircraft and monitor troop movement.

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.

Succession race hots up in AP

Supporters of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy today sought to step up the campaign for making him the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh even as the interim incumbent K Rosaiah ruled out the possibility of any division in the party.

DGCA team intensifies probe into copter crash

Intensifying its probe into the helicopter crash, which claimed the lives of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajashekhar Reddy, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation team today collected the debris of the chopper and will visit the crash site tomorrow.

A more disciplined approach

PROFILE

PM urged to ensure clearance of Bihar corruption bill: Nitish

After the Prime Minister"s advice to catch the "big fish" to weed out corruption, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today urged Manmohan Singh to ensure early assent to a Bihar bill for dealing with corrupt public servants.

Ports to set up wind mills

The two major ports in Chennai and Tuticorin are planning to set up wind mills to cater their power requirements. The two ports are planning to invest around Rs 82 crore.

NTPC looking for long term contracts for coal import

State run power firm NTPC today said it is looking for long-term supply of coal from overseas market to meet the requirements of its local plants.

Equally expensive

Though the Congress party had allocated Saifuddin Soz a seven-seater helicopter for campaigning in far-flung areas of Jammu & Kashmir, he chose to use road transport. It was only when someone pointed out that the idle chopper was also costing his party a lot that Soz decided to use it to go to Ladakh.

Wall Street ends in green; Indian ADRSs mixed

The Wall Street ended in positive territory on Wednesday. The Dow Jones moved up 61 points to 9,279. The Nasdaq added 13 points to 1,969.

Shree Cement forays power sector; to invest Rs 1,200cr

Kolkata-based Shree Cement today announced its foray into commercial power business and will invest Rs 1,200 crore in the next two years to set up a 300 Mega watt thermal power plant in Rajasthan.

ISRO earned Rs 100 cr from foreign satellite launches

ISRO earned over Rs 100 crore in the last three years by launching satellites of other countries, Minister of State in PMO Prithviraj Chavan told the Lok Sabha today.

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.

Govt-appointed panel calls for comprehensive land reforms

Says industry can’t keep growing at expense of farms, poor.

PM discusses climate change with Sarkozy, Brown

Ahead of the Copenhagen summit on climate change, India today discussed with France and the UK ways to ensure the success of the event as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Premier Gordon Brown here.

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

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

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.

Hero Electric launches 3 electric scooters

Munjals-promoted Hero Electric today launched three electric scooters priced between Rs 17,900 and Rs 32,796.

For zero-interest loan, check cash discount

The word ‘Zero’ is usually a bait to lure gullible buyers.

Unity Infraprojects bags orders worth Rs 620.76 cr

Infrastructure major Unity Infraprojects today said its joint venture with Axelia Utility Management Pvt Ltd has bagged two orders totalling Rs 620.76 crore.

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.

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.

Tata Power net drops 30% in Q2

Electricity generator and distributor Tata Power today announced a consolidated net profit after statutory appropriations of Rs 367.73 crore for the second quarter of current fiscal, down by 30.34 per cent over the corresponding period a year ago.

Hry CM to be guest of honour at Pravasi Bhartiya Divas

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would be the Guest of Honour in the Plenary-III Session of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to be organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India, and the Confederation of Indian Industries at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

Local court restricts Maytas from loans on land collateral

In a major setback to cash-strapped infrastructure firm Maytas Properties, promoted by former Satyam Computer founder B Ramalinga Raju"s family, a local court has passed an order barring the company from using land as collateral for loans.

Hill County customers told to find investors

Maytas Properties, which is trying to raise finances for completing its Hill County project, is asking its customers to find investors for the project.

Shobhana Subramanian: The margins can wait

Shobhana Subramanian / Mumbai October 9, 2009, 0:26 IST

CM hits back at Gowda over BMIC

Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa has said that H D Deve Gowda has no locus standi to criticise the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project as it was he as chief minister who had cleared allotment of land at a lower price and had even signed an agreement accepting the clause that courts in London would have jurisdiction on dispute redressal.

HUL to sell 7 residential properties in Gurgaon, Mumbai

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has put up a total of seven residential properties for sale in Mumbai and Gurgaon, which could fetch around Rs 35 crore.

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

\'What the world has experienced is an economic tsunami\'

Jaswant Singh / New Delhi August 2, 2009, 0:38 IST

MPs goodwill visit to Egypt, Greece put off as austerity step

The first foreign visit by a delegation of the 15th Lok Sabha has become a victim of austerity measure.

India will not monitor 26/11 trials in Pakistan: Krishna

In response to Pakistan"s announcement that it would begin trials of the suspects held for Mumbai attacks from October 3, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has said that India would not "monitor" these proceedings.

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.

Vast scope for research on moon: ISRO scientist

The data gathered by Chandrayaan-I mission provides vast scope for research on the moon, a top ISRO scientist said today.

Helpline for companies

A new helpline (2785 4321), a bulk SMS and e-groups have been launched for the newly set up Industrial Security Task Force (ISTF) to protect the companies from agitators.

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.

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.

Don\'t expect miracles at Copenhagen: Jairam Ramesh

India has said that developed countries should "not expect miracles" at the key Copenhagen climate summit in December and the goals sought for emission controls should be more "realistic".

Banks can stand a bigger slowdown, finds EU stress test

A stress test of the European Union’s biggest banks showed they could withstand an even deeper recession, though with almost 400 billion euros ($581 billion) in losses, according to a report to EU finance chiefs.

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.

Local techniques a hurdle in issuing catch certificates

The process of issuing catch certificates for export of marine products to European Union (EU) is now facing another hurdle. The issue of such certificates has become a complex exercise as the local fishing practices are not in tandem with the requirements of the European Commission (EC).

NIA to complete 26/11 probe in 6 weeks: Pillai

Barely a week before the first anniversary of Mumbai terror attack, Union Home Ministry has expressed hope of completing the investigation into the incident within next six weeks.

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.

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.

M J Antony: Punishing the farmer

M J Antony / New Delhi November 25, 2009, 0:06 IST

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.

Fund management fees rise with markets

Management fees to equity fund managers and investment advisors rose 42 per cent, or Rs 224 crore, in the first half of financial year 2009-10.

All police complaints to be treated FIRs

In a fallout of the Ruchika molestation case, all complaints received at police stations are to be treated as FIRs, while a move is afoot for automatic revoking of police and gallantry medals awarded to convicted officers.

ICICI raises $750 mn in overseas bonds

Four other banks ready to tap the market.

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.

Sunita Narain: Waste deep in water

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

Unitech net climbs 29%

Unitech Ltd, the country’s second-largest developer, posted a 29 per cent increase in its net profit for the December quarter, on the back of improved home bookings. Unitech registered a consolidated net profit of Rs 176 crore in the quarter, compared to Rs 136 crore in the corresponding quarter the previous year.

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.

Emirates becomes largest Boeing 777 operator

Dubai-based Emirates Airlines has become the world"s largest airline operator of Boeing 777 aircraft with the arrival of its 78th Boeing 777.

Disney mulls localised console, PC games

Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG), a division of Walt Disney Company, is contemplating introducing localised console and PC games for the Indian market shortly.

Disney, Hong Kong reach $465 mn expansion deal

The Walt Disney Co and Hong Kong"s government have reached a deal to expand the territory"s Disneyland theme park at a cost of about $465 million, officials announced today.

No child's play

Devika Banerji / New Delhi October 27, 2009, 0:37 IST

F&O OUTLOOK: Nifty support at 4,820

The Nifty closed in a Doji pattern on the last day of this month’s expiry today, indicating continuation of indecisiveness in the next series. Global cues are strong and hence the Nifty is likely to trade above 4,800 with strong support at 4,820.

Obama meets Russia PM, hopes for stronger bilateral ties

US President Barack Obama held his first meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin here today and hoped that talks between them would put bilateral relations "on a much stronger basis".

Isro's launches Oceansat-2

Aiming to provide weather forecasts and details on climate change through oceanography studies, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) today successfully launched its Oceansat-2 satellite into orbit from its spaceport here.

Windows 7 sales touch 3.5 per cent

It’s been a fortnight since Windows 7 was officially launched worldwide. It now makes up more than 3.6 per cent of all PCs tracked by research firm Net Applications.

New \'windows\' open up to computer users

With its advanced features, Microsoft’s Windows 7 comes off better than Vista and the last generation Windows XP

Pearls before swine

They said the day a black man became president of the United States, pigs would fly. Well, lo and behold, Obama was sworn in and one hundred days later... swine flu!”

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.

Ashok Leyland JV to produce die castings

Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland’s associate company, Ashley Alteams India Pvt Ltd (AAIPL) will commence manufacturing high pressure die castings. The production of the castings, which will primarily be for the telecommunications and automotive sector, will begin next month at the company’s new facility in Chennai.

Rakesh Mohan to join McKinsey as part-time global advisor

Former Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Rakesh Mohan will join consulting firm McKinsey as a part-time global advisor from October this year.

William Pesek: Dollar's replacement is just 6,700 miles away

Forget all this chatter about finding a new reserve currency. We already have one, and it’s called the yen. OK, stop laughing.

Govt banks need Rs 35k cr by \'12

FinMin seeks 5-yr growth road map from banks to assess their capital needs.

Irda asks insurers for info on commission paid to banks

Sectoral watchdog Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda) today asked insurance companies to provide information on commission paid to the banks for selling policies.

News Corp restructures broadcast businesses in Asia

Media company News Corporation today said it would restructure its Asian broadcast businesses into three units — STAR India, STAR Greater China and Fox International Channels (FIC).

Voice of India

During a recent visit to Taipei, an advertising professional, on seeing Times of India’s ‘A day in the life of India’ commercial, posed a curious question to me, “how can a commercial be borne out of such a serious issue that affects your society?” In response I explained how the parody on redtapism, far from trivialising the issue of corruption or brushing it under the carpet, resonated strongly with the voice of India. This voice accepted India with all its shortcomings and subsequently dealt with them in an open, transparent manner.

India\'s 3G telephony auction attracts int\'l interest

India today said it has received interest from international companies for launching high-speed 3G telephony services, auction of spectrum or radio waves for which will be completed by this financial year.

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 cautions NTPC on commenting on sub-judice matters

Reliance Industries (RIL) has cautioned that NTPC should not make comments on matters sub-judice lest they are construed as attempt to influence the outcome of its court case seeking natural gas at price committed in 2004.

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.

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.

Krishna tells Aussie envoy of security expectations

India’s foreign minister today advised its students to be “more discreet” in choosing educational institutes and courses of study in Australia, whose high commissioner admitted there was a drop in applications of Indian students following media coverage of attacks on them.

Indian ADRs add $3.6 bn last week

Indian stocks trading on the American bourses added nearly $3.6 billion to their market capitalisation, with copper producer Sterlite and private sector lender HDFC Bank accounting 70 per cent of the total gains.

ICICI allots 30,158 shares under stock options

The country"s largest private sector lender ICICI Bank has allotted a total 30,158 equity shares pursuant to conversion of options under the Employees Stock Option Scheme, 2000 (ESOPS).

ICICI cuts home loan rates to remain competitive

Joining the battle being fought in the market for mortgages, India’s second-largest lender, ICICI Bank, has cut rates for home loans from August 20.

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.

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.

Power situation improves in state

With power situation improving following good rains, Karnataka minister for energy K S Eshwarappa today said urban areas would get 22 hours of supply a day from August one, while load-shedding in rural ones would be to the extent of 14 hours. In Bangalore, the Bangalore Electricity Supply company (Bescom) has said it would make all efforts to provide 24-hour power supply, he told reporters here. Rural areas would get power supply for five hours in case of single-phase and five hours for irrigation purpose (IP sets) which means they would face load-shedding for 14 hours.

The best vs the good

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

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.

SBI to raise Rs 20,000 crore through equity in 2 years

Has capital requirement of Rs 50,000 cr over the next five years.

Asian markets end weak

Asian markets ended weak. The Hang Seng closed down 234 points at 20,121 and the Nikkei dropped 216 points to 10,198.

\'Hot-rolled importers not following norms\'

Steel producers facing pricing pressure are alleging that importers are circumventing import licensing requirements for hot-rolled (HR) products, which are included in the restricted list according to a Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notification in November 2008.

\'International exposure makes IMT-Dubai different\'

The Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Dubai is one of the few Indian business schools to have got an approval from the UAE’s ministry of higher education and scientific research to offer an accredited MBA programme and executive education to companies operating in the UAE. IMT Dubai’s director Farhad Rad – Serecht told Kirtika Suneja how the institute plans to remain different from other B-schools. Edited excerpts

Indian generics have made drugs affordable: Sharma

Charging the multinational companies with making several drugs beyond the reach of the poor, visiting Commerce Minister Anand Sharma today asserted it is the Indian generics which have challenged such a "suffocating stranglehold" and made the medicines affordable.

Rolls-Royce scouts for second partner

Rolls-Royce is looking to add a second engineering and design services firm in India to cater to its design requirements. Under the government’s $10-billion defence programme, Rolls-Royce has a commitment to offset 50 per cent of its research and development requirements to Indian design companies.

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.

MSME task force may suggest changes in procurement policy

The PMO-appointed task force on MSME sector is likely to suggest re-orientation of procurement policy of the government to give boost to small and medium enterprises, hit hard by the global financial meltdown.

Markets to remain volatile, say analysts

Dalal Street is likely to remain volatile this week as negative global cues would act as a drag on the trading sentiment of investors, analysts say.

BSE brokers express reservations on timing

The strong 700-member Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) brokers forum yet again expressed its reservation against the extension of trade timing by both the BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) from January 4. Last week, both the bourses had to postpone their decision to open markets by 9 am after a sharp outcry against the decision from market participants.

More efforts to lift sundry earnings

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

Abheek Barua: Dr Subbarao means business

Abheek Barua / New Delhi August 3, 2009, 0:35 IST

FMCG players mull 3-6% hike in biscuits, confectionary prices

Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) majors like Britannia, ITC and Parle Products are mulling price hikes and cost-cutting measures on the back of a weak monsoon season, coupled with soaring sugar prices.

States can now borrow Rs 21k cr States can now borrow Rs 21k cr BS Reporter / New Delhi August 21, 2009, 0:51 IST

Markets extend losses in noon trades

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.

Changes likely soon in NREGS to address drought

Mukherjee, Pawar, Montek want it widened; announcement possible on Rajiv’s birthday.

Cairn\'s Rajasthan oil fields to start production in few days

Cairn India will begin production of crude from its Rajasthan fields in a few days, company Managing Director and CEO Rahul Dhir said today.

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.

Asian economies may chart global recovery path

Thanks to a robust second quarter growth of the Chinese economy, the hopes of a global recovery led by Asia seems to be gaining momentum.

EU may drag India to WTO over state duties on foreign liquor

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in focus.

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.

Tech Mahindra wins $400 mn outsourcing deal from Etisalat

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

Markets remain firm

The markets have held on to their gains in the past one hour. The Sensex is now quoting at 17577, higher by 91 points and the Nifty is at 5251, up 25 points.

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.

Market likely to remain in corrective mode

The Sensex and Nifty closed near their trendline support of 17,400/5,220 on the back of weakness in world stocks and lack of buying interest in the futures and options (F&O) segment in the last couple days.

Irda extends deadline for collecting PANs by insurers

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irda) has extended the deadline to September 1 for collecting the permanent account number (PAN) from people purchasing insurance policies in which annualised premiums exceed Rs 1 lakh.

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.

Hero Honda holds talks with U\'khand govt over land issue

With a piece of land at the Haridwar industrial plant of Hero Honda becoming a bone of contention with the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (Sidcul), the company has begun talks with the state government over the issue.

SBI Canada\'s biz grows by 22% in 2008-09

Despite the global economic slowdown, State Bank of India (Canada), a subsidiary of SBI, saw an overall business growth of 22 per cent in July 2008 to June 2009, although its profit slightly went down, a top bank official said here on Thursday.

Dish TV to raise $200 mn via securities issue

Direct-To-Home company Dish TV today said it will raise up to $200 million (about Rs 1,000 crore) through issue of securities in the domestic and international market.

Cricket administrator Raj Dungarpur dead

Former BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur died in Mumbai following protracted illness. Affectionately called as ‘Rajbhai’ in the cricket fraternity, the 73-year-old Dungarpur, who was president of the Cricket Board for three years in the late 1990s, was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Shobhana Subramanian: The challenge before Tata Teleservices

Shobhana Subramanian / Mumbai September 11, 2009, 0:02 IST

Idea Cellular: Mixed signals

The high level of pre-paid churn in an increasingly competitive market is worrying.

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.

IPL, Nano win BS derby by several lengths

A small car that redefined frugal engineering and a carnival that promises to evergreen the gentleman’s game have won Business Standard’s 13th annual Brand Derby. The Nano and Indian Premier League have been voted the biggest brand launches of 2008 by top marketers of the country.

Tatas threaten to scrap Vista electric launch on loan delay

Tata Motors has threatened to scrap its plan to launch Vista electric cars in the UK if it does not receive a £10 million loan from the British government soon, The Observer reported today.

Subir Roy: Living together separately

One of the nicest things that has happened to Kolkata in recent times is the creation of two new parks around the eastern and southern periphery of Victoria Memorial. Earlier, for most of the year the place used to collect rubble, coming alive once a year for the book fair, only to relapse into being an eyesore.

Sprint Nextel to buy Virgin Mobile USA

Telecommunications company Sprint Nextel Corp said it agreed to acquire Virgin Mobile USA Inc in a stock deal valued at $5.50 per share in a bid to expand its prepaid cell phone offerings.

Making the grade

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

Madhucon Projects bags Rs 196 cr order from NCL; shares surge

Construction firm Madhucon Projects today said it has bagged an order worth Rs 196.24 crore from Northern Coalfields (NCL) for an infrastructure-related work.

\'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.