After playing along with other players, Tata Teleservices has suddenly changed the game by offering a fixed call rate plan. What is the reason for this sudden move, which could affect the revenues of all players, including Tata?
E.A.S.Sarma’s appeal to the Finance Ministry to avoid public anger and work out a relief package for the industries that have been hit by the global financial crisis. Here is the latest open letter to DEA by E.A.S.Sarma (Former Secretary to GOI)
Under pressure from federal authorities, the Swiss bank UBS is closing the hidden offshore accounts of its well-heeled American clients, potentially allowing their secrets to spill into the open.
Read this letter of an IT head outlining how government policies and generous, thoughtless exemptions – all at the cost of the taxpayer have encouraged IT scams
In another hard hitting letter, former Revenue Secretary EAS Sarma has drawn attention to an investment by M/S Lakeside Investment Ltd., which may be an affiliate of the Ramalinga Raju family of Satyam Computers in the Gangavaram Port at Vizag.
A set of six B-school cases has recently become available from Harvard Business School (HBS). The cases, written by Professors Srikant Datar and DavidGarvin together with Carin-Isabel Knoop (4 cases) and James Webber (the remaining 2 cases), are on HBSitself, Stanford, Chicago, Yale, INSEAD and the Centre for Creative Leadership (a reputed specialist institution engaged in "business education")
It is incumbent on mature and dispassionate analysts not to look at the CEC's report through political or ideological spectacles and import into it hidden purposes and meanings, says BS Raghavan
An international network marketing scheme hawking expensive limited edition coins is attracting a huge following. Sucheta Dalal examines this strange quest
Vijay Mallya, the beer king of India had named his carrier services after his popular brand 'Kingfisher', but it appears as if the pilots of this airline are taking their loyalty a bit too seriously!
Users of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking sites are under threat from fraudsters. So, double check what sites you are visiting and don't reveal personal or sensitive information on the Internet.
The main reason behind the price hike is demand-supply mismatch with traders taking advantage of the market conditions, which unfortunately are not in favour of end-users.
Time magazine in 2009 placed Nandan Nilekani, in its list of ‘World’s most influential people’. The question is can he do justice to the job handed over to him, since dealing with babus and ministers is certainly not a cake walk.
The market regulator said it was necessary to put in place a moratorium before a person can be considered fit and proper again. This applies to Jermyn Capital after Dharmesh Doshi, a close associate of Ketan Parekh, severed his ties from the company only on 30th November 2008.
ICRA, an Associate of Moody’s Investors Service, said it the Union Budget for 2009-10 is expected to provide a thrust to spending in the infrastructure as well as social sectors, and selectively rationalise taxes, while at the same time ensuring that the fiscal deficit does not slip significantly below the level indicated in the Interim Budget.
A decade long delay in implementing the Disinvestment Commission’s suggestions on the bailout of Air India will now cost the government an extra Rs9,000 crore.
Indian Railway, the world's largest rail service, earns 92 paise of every rupee from passengers while spending 36 paise on its 1.4 million employees and just 3 paise on development. Does this means there is no real hope for a better rail service?
After the populist rail budget and economic survey everyone was expecting a stimulus from the finance minister. However, after his ‘lackluster’ budget, everybody, including markets felt let down.
The delicate and fragile Mumbai Skywalks, the ambitious project of MMRDA costs more than the newly inaugurated Bandra Worli Sea Link, on a per square meter basis. Is it an attempt to rob taxpayer’s money?
The battle for buying Great Offshore, the first of its kind in Indian ship building industry, is becoming interesting day by day. After Bharati’s increased offer, it would be interesting to see if ABG matches the same or makes a higher offer.
In a move to turn around the cash strapped Air India, the government is trying to get former top bosses of global carriers like Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines, on the board which is likely to be headed by Ratan Tata.
The second largest Indian software company, while reporting higher first quarter net profit, lowered its revenue and earnings guidance for the year ending March 2010 under the Indian GAAP.
Nomura, which bought Lehman Brother's India operations, last year, had more than 100 meetings with LIC before finalising the investment. This shows how serious the Japanese can get when it comes to pure business.
For the first time, after the privatisation of power distribution, consumers in Mumbai will be allowed to choose their electricity supplier. Many of the consumers desperately want to shift to Tata Power from Reliance Infrastructure as the ADA group company has been hiking power tariffs, since last three years.
Following strong protests from consumers and political parties, MERC has stayed its own order. The regulator is also trying to come out with a uniform tariff plan for Mumbai, against its own order issued on 15th June 2009.
Some US consumers were charged $23 quadrillion for buying a pack of cigarettes or dinner. This 17-digit amount is almost 2,007 times more than the national debt of the US!
The NSE’s Rs1.2 billion acquisition of a new office space at Kurla has been in the news since 14th May, but we find that there is still a lot of confusion about details. The exchange refuses to clarify.
TCS, India’s largest software company, reported a better than expected first quarter net profit but said it will remain watchful of a weak global environment while not ruling out shocks and surprises along the way.
They say, “Subah ka bhula sham ko laut aaya to use bhula nahin kehte.” Is Bajaj Auto’s re-entry into volume driven 100cc segment an effort to correct its mistake or the dwindling sales forced it to renew its focus?
After fertilizer secretary Atul Chaturvedi’s comment that any family settlement would not over-ride the sovereign right of government to formulate policies aimed at larger public interest, the government also wants the pact to be declared ‘null’ and ‘void’?
The fight between Ambani brothers couldn’t get murkier. Both brothers do have all kind of support, they want, be it political, financial and other. Yet, the younger brother allegedly wants a level playing field.
MCX-SX, a part of Financial Technologies has already sold 23% stake to the domestic banks and financial institute and now wants to cut down promoter's share to 15% as per the regulatory requirements.
Volkswagon group subsidiary, Skoda Auto had suddenly picked up sales, especially its luxury sedan ‘Superb’ which is giving a sleepless nights for almost all major car makers in India.
Most of the major central banks around the world have by and large implemented the rate cuts and are expected to hold their decisions for few months, before going in for any revision. Will RBI follow the same route?
The ambitious plan of Unique Identification Number (UIN) will comprise personal and demographic detail of each individual and is likely to benefit everybody.
Watch out! The next time you buy your baby a cough syrup or get yourself any medication, make sure to get a proper bill else you could fall prey to the multi-billion clandestine business of spurious, misbranded and adulterated drugs.
Reliance Industries' total revenues also fell 22.6% with the company attributing the downfall to decrease in prices. The downward trend in the refining margins for the company is likely to continue on account of reduction in conversion margins and crack margins during the quarter
Last month, Tata Motors sold its 1.5% stake in Tata Steel to its parent company for about Rs4.6 billion, largely to payback the debt it raised to acquire Jaguar-Land Rover.
The ongoing spat between the Ambani brothers is getting murkier and if one were to believe what the additional solicitor general of India said, then the knock-on effect could possibly be quite unpleasant.
Jignesh Shah-promoted MCX Stock Exchange (MCX-SX) has partnered with world renowned index calculator, FTSE, to create new index opportunities for the Indian financial markets
India's largest lender SBI's net profit rose in the first quarter, but at the same time its bad loans are also rising, especially its NPAs grew by 33% to Rs84 billion
From 1st August, mutual fund investors need not pay entry load for their new purchases. With the primary revenue stream from entry loads removed, a number of intermediaries are evolving new strategies to stay in business.
The renewed talks between Bharti Airtel and MTN are taking its own sweet course and time. If extension to the exclusive talk period is of any indication then the structure and terms of the potential transactions are likely to be different from what was proposed before.
Weak monsoons in India have begun to worry economists and the policy makers, who fear it may possibly drag down the country’s resurgent economic growth. According to rating agency CRISIL, laggard monsoon is likely to pose a huge challenge for the agriculture sector
As the dirty Mexican pig influenza ‘Swine flu’ spreads with dangers of throwing life out of gear globally, a mass panic over the flu has begun to grip the country, ironically when almost 60% of the patients diagnosed with it have been discharged from hospitals after treatment.
Four months since it was launched, the new pension scheme has no takers. Is it because lack of tax incentives and awareness or just lack of basic infrastructure?
The spat between the Ambani brothers is getting murkier with each passing day. After Anil Ambani's allegations on the oil ministry doing a volte-face on gas pricing, the ministry has now hit back.
Auto majors are pinning their hopes on new launches in the premium hatchback segment to give the much needed push for reviving the industry in the midst of the economic downturn.
Lower demand and financial pressure were the main reasons for decline in mobile handset sales. Despite this, the smartphone sales have gone up, surprising everyone. Is this the warning for end of low-cost mobiles?
The RBI wants a progressive adoption of technology, both in respect of cash handling and security to counter the growing menace of fake notes in the country.
India, the outsourcing, especially the call centre hub of the world, remains miles behind when it comes to domestic consumers. More than half of the customers discontinued their services after a 'bad' call centre experience.
Paint, once it’s on your walls, furniture and floors, releases gasses for years. We all want our homes to be free of cancer-causing toxins, especially when it comes to the decor we choose. These low-level emissions contain toxins called VOCs or volatile organic compounds. Here is an eye-opener.
First there was the rumour about Dell developing a handheld gaming console. Now it has become clear, that it was not handheld gaming device, but was all about the computer manufacturer entering mobile market.
Fast food joints, hotels and restaurants across Bengaluru city are seeing an upswing in home delivery orders as swine flu wary consumers avoid crowded eating joints.
All accounts of multi-level marketing (MLM) firms, which collect deposits from customers promising high return, would come under the watchful eyes of the central bank. Moneylife reported the issue under the title “Ponzi Scheme: Is RBI Passing the Buck?”
In a stunning development, the AP High Court has once again refused to grant anticipatory bail to leading investment banker Nimesh Kampani in the Nagarjuna Finance case.
According to informed sources, Ashish Chauhan would join BSE only if the exchange buys Marketplace Technologies. However, Chauhan said this company does not belong to him. What is the mystery behind this for which nobody wants to speak openly?
Many a time when you rush to withdraw cash from nearest outlet, it says ATM out of order or the security guard tells you, "No cash in the machine". Hope the new directive from RBI will correct this problem.
Nano—the much publicised Rs1 lakh car has hit a roadblock as large number of people who had booked the car couple of months back are now seen pulling out, thanks to the protracted delays in delivering the vehicle, coupled with high EMIs.
After keeping its desire under wraps for two years, ICICI Bank is yet again looking to unlock values in its units—ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, ICICI Lombard General Insurance, ICICI Securities and ICICI Home Finance.
As India dithers over a policy on 3G mobile telephony, US-based Motorola wants to test the next level (4G) that could pour cold water on the government's plan to raise Rs350 billion from selling radio frequency for the existing version.
Almost all elements which usually make an epic fight most riveting to watch, are present in the long-playing battle between Ambani versus Ambani. Even the Indian government was forced to urge the warring brothers to show "restraint" ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on 1st September.
First it was Dell, the famous computer maker entering mobile handsets market and now the world’s top mobile maker Nokia wants to get into the netbook markets in order to become a mobile solutions company.
During summer, there were reports that Indian companies suffered a huge loss of about Rs432.1 billion during the year to ended March 2009. We all are spending even more amount on just back-up equipments.
The Anil Dhirubhai Ambani group company has seen its average revenue per share falling by 6% and minutes of usage declined to Rs365 per month, during the first quarter. Is this the reason, why the company wants to target rural market with more and more value added services?
Nokia's "Money" is a new mobile financial service enables financial management and payments from a mobile phone. Mobile payments will be the next step for delivering financial services to hundreds of millions of people, both urban and rural, who are underserved by existing payment means, especially in emerging economies.
Faced with tough competition from other small capacity goods carriers, Bajaj is reviving its focus on three-wheeler segment, which not long ago was its forte.
Tata Motors, the country's largest vehicles maker, is at the bottom in customer satisfaction ranking, which is ruled by companies with foreign origins or links. Out of the total 11 carmakers, another Indian brand M&M was ranked at fourth place.
Although there is an oversupply of crude oil, the demand has also fallen by 2.3 million barrels per day, which may force oil prices to hover in the range of $70-$80.
Increased spending and interest rate cuts helped the Indian economy to grow in first quarter but a deficient monsoon could weigh on the nascent rebound in months ahead.
Uttam Galva steel’s partnership with LN Mittal, will not only mark the global steel magnate’s re-entry into India (after he split with his brothers Pramod and Vinod), but is apparently part of a larger India plan that includes a 2 million tonne Hot Rolled Coil (HRC) project at Goa, where Mittal will be the majority shareholder.
There is some bad news for Toyota lovers. While the wait has increased for Fortuner's delivery, for Corolla Altis and Innova you may have to shell out some extra money.
The global economic storm may be abating, but airlines have not yet found safe harbour. Conserving cash, careful capacity management and cutting costs are the keys to survival for the airline industry, feels IATA
The deal, financed by the Infrastructure Development Finance Co's private equity unit also marks the exit of the world's fifth largest company, BP, from India's renewable energy market
Buying a new vehicle? Apart from the model, think of the manufacturer’s commitment to support the product with spare parts. Veeresh Malik provides a ready guide
Central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi says that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi deliberately protects illegal activities that are publically known.
It’s no secret that the insurance industry has been patiently bearing underwriting losses for a long period. Delayed break-even and expense overruns are just some of the headaches faced by insurance players. At the recently held CII Insurance Summit, industry experts discussed some of these issues at length
At the recently held CII Insurance Summit, industry leaders blatantly exposed the issue of mis-selling of insurance policies and gave insights into how and why this has been carrying on for years.
CIBIL Location Plus will provide comprehensive information like customer identification details and contact addresses along with the reported dates and all the customer contact numbers to member banks.
The Indian logistics industry is set for a higher growth trajectory as a result of several government measures, which are expected to change the logistics landscape in the country.
Earlier in September, we mentioned that the new plans from Tata Teleservices have a potential to start an immediate tariff war. Bharti Airtel is the first to succumb to the tariff plan pressures
Indian bourses underwent a downward correction after the key indices Sensex and Nifty hit fresh 16-month highs amid hints of caution about stretched valuations and fears of liquidity shortage.
Wholesale prices of select edible oils continued to slide for the second week in the national capital on adequate stocks following increased arrivals amid reports state-run STC to import RBD Palmolein to improve supplies.
The agreement will help Tata Teleservices to aggressively expand its network presence on the CDMA side with Tata Indicom and on the GSM side under the TATA DoCoMo brand
The compact car segment in India is getting crowded day by day. After Volkswagen and Ford, another multinational car maker is eying India as its manufacturing hub.
South African Mobile Telecom Networks (MTN) affair with India is still very much active, despite the company calling off its much hyped deal with Bharti Airtel
Aggrieved investor files PIL in Andhra Pradesh High Court asking for SEBI to be directed to publish the committee report that has been allegedly suppressed by the market regulator to keep its current chairman away from controversy
Mobile banking in India is still in its infancy, but gaining in popularity. However, the primary question for any consumer remains security of the transactions. Moneylife gives you some basic precautions for safe transactions
BK Modi, who always had a penchant for picturesque sea-facing villas, has eventually managed to strike a ‘steal deal’ by acquiring two pristine islands by investing $200 million.
Seclore's information security management solutions will help Softcell customers enjoy end-to-end information protection for secure outsourcing and document usage control
Leading banks in the country are going all out to capture the festive spirit by substantially lowering home and auto loan rates. Customers will be cheering, but will banks be able to sustain this generosity, given the high cost of funds?
Last month we witnessed two pilot strikes. In both situations other airlines and even the Railways were benefitted while the affected carrier had to suffer massive losses
The recent announcement by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) banning mobile handsets without IMEI numbers from 1st December is not surprising. But the real question is, will the directive be effective to counter the menace of Chinese mobiles?
Earlier in September, we had mentioned that the new plans from Tata Teleservices have a potential to start an immediate tariff war. Reliance Communications is another player to succumb to the tariff plan pressures after Bharti Airtel
The low interest rate options on home loans have often ended up confusing rather than enlightening the consumer. The low home loan interest rates introduced by SBI starting this year are likely to shoot up after the festive season in November
With the second instalment under the Sixth Pay Commission due to be released, several companies and banks are waiting with baited breath to take advantage of the potential demand
The austerity move adopted by the babus got a new dimension when corporate affairs minister Salman Khurshid pointed out that even private sector companies should refrain from doling out obscene salaries. But Mr Khurshid should also pay attention to the quasi-government companies, especially the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
The Companies Act, 1956, requires companies to disclose remuneration details of employees earning more than a stipulated amount. Some companies are instead taking the easy way out, falling back on technicalities in the said Act to withhold such disclosures
Revital and I-pill are the best-selling drugs dislodging perennial favourites, cough syrups and vitamins. Pre-sex and post-sex drugs of Ranbaxy and Cipla are selling at a scorching pace
The Sensex is yet to climb the peak of 21,000 and yet several stocks are trading significantly higher than previous highs. Some, on the other hand, are still down miserably
In an attempt to test the waters before launching his own TV channel, ace Bollywood film maker Yash Chopra has forged an alliance with Sony TV to produce a mix of exclusive fiction and non-fiction serials
Indian winemakers and grape growers in Maharashtra may gnash their teeth, but there is little they can do as unseasonal rain has completely destroyed the crop
SEBI likely to ensure that mutual funds are sold by stock brokers off their trading screens. The fund units will be lodged in the demat accounts of unit holders. By Debashis Basu
Nokia couldn’t find a place among seven mobile phone makers in the smartphone category. In overall customer satisfaction, the Finnish giant is just a few points away from the bottom
Last month, Anil Ambani had charged that Mukesh Ambani was trying to make Rs50,000 crore super profits crore from gas. Now Mukesh Ambani has accused his brother of attempting to make a profit of Rs3,50,000 crore over 17 years. The actual figure is a fraction of this
Global pharmaceutical companies are under pressure to maintain market share as their patented drugs are likely to lose value after becoming generic drugs
Consumers across India are increasingly perturbed as they are unable to abundantly butter their toast, thanks to the unprecedented shortage of butter for the past two months fuelled by unrestrained exports to foreign countries
Vested interests in the real estate market are falsely spiking property prices. Developers and broking firms are creating a false bubble by exaggerating the improved market sentiment
The waiting period for Honda Activa has gone up by more than two months due to a labour strike. That has given others like Scooty Pep, Passion Pro and Axis a chance to race ahead during the festive season
European banking and financial group BNP Paribas’ Indian unit BNP Paribas Wealth Management is ready for competition as well as acquisitions, says its country head Sharad Sharma, in an interview with Yogesh Sapkale
The global slowdown has taken its toll on the health of Indian exchanges as well, with BSE and NSE witnessing revenue fall of more than 30% and 23%, respectively
An expert committee report looking into the shortcomings of the Special Frauds Investigations Office (SFIO) submitted in 2006 still lies unpublished. We take a deeper look at some of the recommendations made by the committee.
Low cement prices in AP may be early indicators of over-supply in the industry. While, industry sources expect demand to improve, analysts fear it may worsen.
Aggressive debt-funded land acquisition led to severe liquidity crunch among developers during the slowdown which led to QIP issues. But it is only a short term solution, feels CRISIL
Developers who are planning to raise funds through the capital markets are increasing property prices by 10% -15% in order to get higher valuation for their IPOs
While mobile services providers are busy with tariff cuts, their own health is deteriorating. With the falling ARPU and ARPM, will all these operators survive in the long run?
Suven’s drug discovery in the central nervous system could be the first molecule discovery in India if the company is successful in phase II and phase III studies
UTI Mutual Fund has a new scheme for the girl child - the Kanya Suraksha yojana scheme. But it has learnt from the Rajlakshmi scheme disaster and joined hands with the Bihar government this time
Real estate developers are taking customers for a ride by citing super built-up area rather than actual carpet area of residential properties before a sale
In an exclusive interview with Moneylife, Vetri Subramaniam, Equity Head, Religare AMC, gives his perspective on the current market rally and where the markets are headed. We present to you the first part in a three-part series of the interview.
In an exclusive interview with Moneylife, Nilesh Shah, deputy managing director, ICICI Prudential AMC, gives his perspective on the current market rally and where the markets are headed. Moneylife presents the first in a three-part series of the interview.
Credit ratings and information companies as well as financial institutions feel that there are apparent signs of recovery which will happen, albeit gradually
Gammon Infrastructure is exploring various other options to raise funds to finance its infrastructure projects, ongoing SPVs and future opportunities. The company thinks current market prices are too low
Buddhi Vikram, a PhD student, is in a US prison for allegedly sending threatening mail to the then President George Bush. His IIT alumni association has also failed to take up his case with US authorities
Already under severe pressure due to decontrolled prices, fertiliser companies will have no option but to switch over from gas for fuel and feedstock requirements
Nimesh Kampani made a quiet comeback to celebrate Diwali with his family in India after the Andhra Pradesh High Court quashed the Interpol Red Corner notice against him
In an exclusive interview with Moneylife, Nilesh Shah, deputy managing director, ICICI Prudential AMC, gives his perspective on the current market rally and where the markets are headed. Moneylife presents the final part in a three-part series of the interview.
In an exclusive interview with Moneylife, Nilesh Shah, deputy managing director, ICICI Prudential AMC, gives his perspective on the current market rally and where the markets are headed. Moneylife presents the second in a three-part series of the interview.
In an exclusive interview with Moneylife, Nilesh Shah, deputy managing director, ICICI Prudential AMC, gives his perspective on the current market rally and where the markets are headed. Moneylife presents the first in a three-part series of the interview.
Pankaj Kapoor is the founder of Liases Foras, a real estate research firm. He tells Moneylife that property prices are bound to fall because they have again become unaffordable
The British media in a sting operation had revealed the illegal sale of private medical records sent for computerisation to certain Indian IT companies
Microsoft, the world's largest software company, has released the latest version of its Windows operating system. Here is a review of the much awaited Windows 7
There are two industry bodies created to prevent data theft in India, but one lacks statutory power, while other is interested in sending alerts for virus, malaware and security holes of softwares.
With a total committed capacity expansion of Rs100 billion, Gammon Infrastructure Projects Ltd (GIPL) promises great action across various sectors in the near future. Moneylife speaks to GIPL’s managing director Parvez Umrigar.
Nokia has been struggling to gain a foothold in the high-end phone market that is now ruled by Apple's iPhone. Is this Nokia's last-ditch effort to derail Apple's future models or it is just trying to cash in on the iPhone's success?
In an exclusive interview with Moneylife, RR Nair, director and chief executive, LIC Housing Finance Ltd, gives his perspective on the home loan scenario and the prospect of affordable houses
Speaking to Moneylife, Mayank Shah, group product manager, Parle Products Pvt Ltd, gives us an insight into the strategies followed by the company to freeze the prices of Parle-G, its flagship product
Expecting good demand from infrastructure and housing projects in India, and markets like Sudan, Africa and Bangladesh, Binani plans to double its capacity to 15MT
After poor returns on the first fund, Osian Art Fund expects its next art fund to perform better, backed by clear regulatory guidelines and extended time period
While the Indian Railways continue to collide killing several people, the ministry is still mulling over the implementation of an indigenous anti-collision technology, patented by the government itself!
In a move that can be termed as a signal to the start of a tight monetary policy, the RBI has hiked SLR to 25% saying that liquidity situation has remained comfortable since last November
SEBI’s move to extend trading hours may be designed to take away business from SGX model, but brokers feel that the move is unlikely to end Nifty trading outside the country.
After suffering huge losses, will ITC discontinue its line of biscuits produced in mass quantity? That is what some analysts believe—but not the company, which continues to invest in these brands
Counterfeiting is a worldwide problem that is increasing and affecting many successful companies in all industries, and the new joint venture hopes to combat the menace
PIL filed by V Narayan Reddy asking SEBI to be directed to publish a suppressed committee report came up for hearing on Monday; SEBI files counter affidavit
Air India's general manager for finance, who should be in the thick of the company's financial matters, does not have information about pay and perks of the company's top bosses
Banks have been advised to maintain provisioning coverage ratio, including floating provisions at 70% by September 2010. What does this signify for banks with less provisioning?
SAT dismissed First Global Stock Broking Ltd's managing director Shankar Sharma’s appeal in a 2001 scam relating to alleged violation of norms and indulging in fictitious trading.
The commission also advised imposition of major penalty against 70 officers; both the lists are dominated by organisations based in and around New Delhi
Regulators are rightly worried about terror funding operations, but what about the potential threat to India's national security from foreign direct investment from suspicious organisations?
During the quarter the lender's fee-based revenues fell significantly on reduced investment and mergers and acquisition activity in the corporate sector
IN Bose, general manager, quality and safety, GE Shipping who also represents India at the International Maritime Organisation talks to Amritha Pillay of Moneylife about initiatives taken by the industry to cut emission and fuel consumption
The absence of a single point database for verification of security interests created by banks and financial institutions accentuates the legal risk in security interest creation, feels the RBI deputy governor
India has topped the consumer confidence index across the world. However work, life balance and increasing food prices remain the country's biggest concerns
Milestone Capital Advisors Pvt Ltd is bullish on the warehousing segment. Ashish Joshi, managing partner for real estate at Milestone, shared his future plans and views with Moneylife
Cement producers in north India expect demand to improve despite fall in prices while analysts believe demand will be unable to meet the oversupply in the market
Government has provided many benefits and tax incentives to the Shipping industry but in vain. Shipping companies have not made a mark in the past decade.
Despite dismal performance of the ball bearing industry, SKF is investing in its two new facilities at Ahmedabad and Haridwar, thus showing revival signs from this sector
Last month, Justice Raveendran had offered to withdraw from the Bench, saying he had equal shares of both RIL and RNRL but the lawyers had said he should continue hearing the case
SEBI’s discussion paper based on the recommendations of its secondary market advisory committee is suggesting some standard clauses as well as dos and don’ts in the structure and format of PoAs By Sucheta Dalal
Inventors, engineers and crackpots have been promising flying cars since the 1920s. They have all been beaten to the punch by Terrafugia, which has already received 49 orders for a $195,000 plane it will not start delivering until 2011
The ministry has had to recast its power capacity projection as new projects have been hit by equipment constraints. Earlier state electricity board debt had delayed the capacity building
The company has received 80% to 90% orders from the private sector. Analysts believe markets gained from Chinese players as the main reason for BHEL’s order book overflowing
Switch on any channel and you will see advertisements of Dove, Fair & Lovely, Pepsodent, Lux etc. HUL has been spending hugely on advertising and marketing. Why is it not leading to topline growth?
The ratings agency says that the RBI's move for higher provisioning coverage norms is likely to enhance the soundness of individual banks and correctly anticipates a rise in credit losses in the future
With intensified competition, mobile service providers have no option but to fall in line with other players and decrease tariffs. Will the increased uncertainty in the sector lead to consolidation?
Weak growth outlook, significant tariff pressure and entry of new players are leading to cautious investment outlook for incumbent mobile service providers
The gravity-based technology that could power transport systems was patented a year ago. However, corporate and government involvement to develop the prototype is still not forthcoming
The Ministry of Environment and Forests has released a draft notification that seeks to ban the use of recycled or biodegradable plastic for packaging foodstuffs
While distressed assets and delinquent accounts continue to erode banks’ profitability, very few favour offloading bad loans to asset reconstruction companies (ARCs)
Meeting to be held to discuss whether the Final Order passed by its two-member committee regarding its investigation of the IPO scam is to published or not
Under severe pressure arising from the tariff war, many mobile operators are trying to push more and more value-added services (VASs) by using their so-called 'power' gained from a huge subscriber base
Exports from Gujarat-based Ultratech Cement and Ambuja Cement have fallen during the July-September quarter. This will add to the current oversupply in the Indian market and depress prices further.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on Monday decided to make public orders passed by its two-member committee “in the interest of transparency”
NHAI has already touched the 11km-per-day mark in the first half of the current fiscal; analysts say changes in the model concession agreement will further speed up road projects
Apprehensive of high government borrowings and widening fiscal deficit, bond markets are looking for some respite from PSU divestment funds but see no chance of yields falling significantly
NTT Docomo, the partner in Tata Teleservices' GSM venture, has announced its line-up of 19 mobile handsets in Japan. Can we expect these advanced handsets from Docomo through the Tata channel?
This membership will also help ICICI Bank to provide a platform to the commodity market participants in India and abroad to participate on the global commodity exchange
Extension in market trading hours to impact reconciliation of transactions; computation and dissemination of NAV-related information likely to get delayed; delay in processing of redemption requests also likely
Though private labels are increasingly gaining a strong foothold in the organised retail segment, FMCG companies can avoid this competition by investing in innovation and product differentiation, a survey has said
The market regulator has allowed exchanges to set up a separate trading platform for SMEs; will it be any different from its previously failed attempts at creating exchanges for SMEs?
The strong recovery by the mutual fund industry is reflected in the growth in assets under management (AUM) of debt schemes which have more than doubled within a year to Rs5.68 trillion.
With the increasing threat of global warming, the world is realising that hydrogen energy has the potential to offer a pollution-free alternative to the energy needs of mankind
Doctors and professionals from outside Europe are to be stopped from taking up posts in the UK, as immigration rules are tightened to cut numbers of migrant workers
The Indian government is working on a model real estate regulation bill to provide guidelines to facilitate growth and promotion of a healthy, transparent, efficient and competitive real estate sector in the country
The developer is planning to build 28- 30 million sq ft in Hyderabad, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Goa and Mumbai and is looking to acquire new land for these projects
India Inc’s numbers for Q2FY2010 remained weak, but consumption trends signal a definite revival in the economy, say analysts; growth momentum to continue
While the NSE has been pushing for extension in trading hours to combat the Singapore Stock Exchange’s time advantage, BSE may not lend support given the SGX influence
With lacklustre demand for commercial vessels, Indian shipbuilders are eying orders from the defence sector. But do they have the necessary infrastructure and technical capabilities to handle these orders?
Tthe global wind energy giant will have to reduce the cost of its wind turbines and improve their quality if it has to shore up its financials. The question is: will it be able to turn itself around?
HomeShop18, India’s first 24-hour home shopping channel, has announced that it has raised $23.5 million or about Rs109 crore as growth capital to fund exceptional growth and rapid expansion of its business
The country's largest sugar manufacturer is trying to raise the funds quickly. Is it trying to buy the promoter’s stake in Balrampur Chini Mills, the second largest sugar producer?
SEBI has allowed exchanges to set up independent SME exchange platforms, but doubts persist over how far it will succeed at creating a thriving market in SMEs
The government approved guidelines for satellite transmission of digital broadcasting signals. But does your local cable operator have the necessary infrastructure to carry digital signals?
A year after the deadly terrorist carnage of 26 November 2008, Mumbai’s landmark icons which were bruised and battered by the brutal attacks have not let the aftermath kill their never-say-die attitude
Company officials claim that redemption payment will be done in three to four days, while investors fear that the funds will come in only after 30 days
Praveen Sood, Group CFO, Hindustan Construction Company, talks to Amritha Pillay of Moneylife on his company’s growth prospects and the current economic scenario
Opposing closure of State Bank of Indore for merger with SBI, AIBEA calls nationwide strike on 16 December, after bank management withdraws from a previous commitment not to pursue the matter
Pranay Vakil, chairman, Knight Frank India, highlights 10 home truths that the real-estate industry realised during the downturn that lasted around 18 months
Monopoly position enables international behemoths Visa and MasterCard to levy exorbitant costs on client banks; a domestic payment system would be considerably cheaper
Indiabulls Financial lent Rs225 crore to Dalmia, after he pledged his shares in GTL and GHCL along with some property, together worth about Rs250 crore. Indiabulls has filed a complaint of cheating against Dalmia.
Railway minister Mamata Banerjee’s action to come out with a white paper has come in the wake of her assertion that 'unrealistically high targets' had been set for revenues in the interim budget by her predecessor, Lalu Prasad Yadav
Union Bank's Zaveri Bazaar branch in Mumbai had accounts of Balaji Bullion Bazaar and Balaji Bullion Corp, related with Madhu Koda, where there were cash transactions worth crores which were not reported to the Financial Intelligence Unit
Shopper’s Stop reported a significantly higher profit during the second quarter. Govind Shrikhande, president and chief executive officer, explains to Pallabika Ganguly how he did it.
Despite significant underwriting losses, general insurance companies have been profitable due to their strong investment returns; this over-dependence could lead to volatility in profits
Aiming to enhance the distribution network for mutual funds, SEBI has allowed mutual fund schemes to be routed through stock exchange brokers. Are brokers equipped to handle an entirely different business?
The majority partner in Unitech Wireless feels that its targeted rollout combined with better terms from equipment vendors will reduce the capex requirements to Rs12,000 crore
Shopper’s Stop reported a significantly higher profit in Q2. Govind Shrikhande, president and CEO, explains to Pallabika Ganguly how he did it. Here is the second part of the three-part interview.
Developers who were bullish about special economic zones and information technology parks are now looking to dispose of land acquired for these projects
India’s largest lender offers attractive home loan schemes to generate demand, then loses interest when it comes to processing loan requests. One such complaint against SBI exposes the situation
New initiative will empower shareholders to vote on resolutions at a place of their convenience; voting process to become quicker and more accurate, resulting in cost savings for companies
The slowdown in the Legal Process Outsocuring (LPO) business is likely to lead to consolidation and entry of larger law firms, says research firm ValueNotes
Hathway Cable & Datacom, a multi-system operator, has filed a draft red herring prospectus for its IPO. Akshay Raheja, non-executive director, spoke to Pallabika Ganguly of Moneylife about his investment plans and growth strategies for the company.
While the franchisee model in power supply has helped to significantly reduce losses, there is room for improvement in areas like arrears recovery, bidding process and franchisee monitoring, says an NGO report
In the third part of his exclusive interview with Moneylife, Govind Shrikhande, president and CEO, Shopper’s Stop, explains to Pallabika Ganguly about how his company handles staffing issues and his strategy for category management
Falling yields on government bonds are being mirrored by the corporate bond segment, as sluggish credit growth and low interest rates lead to oversupply of money
Smart grids, which increase the connectivity, automation and coordination between electricity suppliers, consumers and networks, will make the sector more financially viable, says an expert
Edelweiss will have 74% stake in the insurance joint venture while Tokio Marine Holdings will hold the rest. Initially, the proposed venture will have Rs550 crore paid-up equity capital
The notice is said to have been issued following a probe into charges of insider-trading in securities of group company RPL. SEBI is believed to have begun the probe in early 2008, after the issue was raised in Parliament.
Switchover customers could save around 20% on their monthly bill for a consumption of 350 units. Additional savings—depending on various court orders—would just be the icing on the cake
JCB, the unit of UK-based JC Bamford Excavators, believes that demand for excavators in India would perk up as the infrastructure sector is already exhibiting an upturn
While mobile number portability would help harassed subscribers to change their operators, for the mobile services providers it will result in high churn of subscribers
In its quarterly report on commodities, StanChart has said that there is a compelling case for gold and platinum, however it feels the upside of crude oil will be capped
ONGC, with a cash surplus of about Rs18,000 crore, is losing around Rs300 crore in interest revenues annually after it was forced to discontinue the practice of calling for competitive rates for parking its cash.
Slain IPS officer Ashok Kamte’s wife, in her book ‘To the Last Bullet’, discloses incidents that occurred at Cama Hospital which could embarrass the Mumbai police even further.
In this strategic alliance between Aegis and Essar to sell each other’s fuel products through their retail outlets, bulk of the investments for adding such facilities on both sides will be undertaken by Aegis
The RBI governor has said that banks are not utilising resources efficiently and lending rates continue to be 'sticky' and 'non-transparent' to a degree
Bajaj Hindusthan, the largest sugar producer in the country, will be setting up five new coal-based power plants of 80MW capacity each at five locations on the land adjacent to its existing factories
Goyal Financials India flouts SEBI takeover norms by selling stake internally; the company has failed to submit notices and annual reports to members since 2005
Around 10 film titles revolving around the tragedy have been registered and a couple of low-budget movies are ready for release but mainstream filmmakers have stayed away
Gold spurted by Rs220 to Rs18,000 per 10gm, a level never seen before, on seasonal buying and on the back of prices in international markets touching record levels
Both BSE and NSE are planning trading platforms for mutual funds. AMFI is planning to buy 30% stake in each of them, unmindful of a possible conflict of interest
Setting up of the smart grid system would prove beneficial for industries like IT and the renewable energy sector along with power utilities, metering and power equipment providers
Major companies in build-operate-transfer (BOT) road projects believe the March 2010 target could be difficult to meet and the sector could be plagued by problems like late bidding for projects and hitches in land acquisition
.jpg "MoneyLife")
