According to the National Auto Fuel Policy, Bharat Stage-IV, the Indian version of Euro-IV, is to be applicable in the country by April 2010. However, the plant upgradation plans of the oil refiners, who have to sell petrol and diesel with the stringent emission standard from April 1, are facing a delay as suppliers of the equipment are heavily booked.
Banks are reluctant about disbursing loans for aviation studies on fears that a slowdown will hamper the job prospects in the aviation sector. The move, say analysts, may affect the fortunes of aviation training institutes.
The Indian Institutes of Technology for the first time since their inception have begun drafting plans to implement the quota for faculty members from this year onwards, despite protests from the IIT student community and opposition from some professors.
While a few say that they have already recorded a significant drop in bookings, others say that if the trend continues, the effects will be reflected on the revenues for the next three to six months.
According to Crisil Research, the average room rates in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore are likely to fall 5-10 per cent in the next few months. Industry experts said the occupancy rates could fall from 75-80 per cent now to 65-70 per cent soon.
Hospitality majors, including Le Meridien and Pride Hotel, are opposing pay channels such as Star and Zee for raising rates for the second time in six months, pending an earlier court battle between the hotel trade body and private broadcasters.
For many years now, the Congress and its allies have not had any noteworthy representation from the area. The loan-waiver package may not improve things in the next general elections in 2009, Business Standard found out in an extensive tour of the area. Most farmers said they did not find it worthwhile to go to a bank for loan because the process was too cumbersome.
The oil marketing companies are driving credit growth. The banking sector -- which typically sees credit contraction in the initial months -- has managed to buck the trend and has added nearly Rs 16,000 crore (Rs 160 billion) of advances in the first seven weeks of the current financial year thanks to the demand from the two sectors.
Demand payment of sugarcane arrears, company says there are no dues.
Brushing aside objections over brand dilution, the government has reportedly begun work on modifying the IIT Act, 1961, to ensure that the eight new engineering institutes it is setting up come under the premier Indian Institute of Technology umbrella.
"No airline is making money in India because they are selling below cost. The country is seeing a 25 per cent annual growth rate in air passenger traffic, but some slowdown is also expected. These are some of the pains when markets open up," said John Leahy, chief operating officer (customers), Airbus. Leahy, however, declined to offer details.
The crude oil rally will impact prices of aviation turbine fuel, which forms 30 per cent of the operating cost for an airline. The company incurred a loss of $23.1 million during the October-December quarter of FY08. This was against a net profit of $9 million during the corresponding quarter of 2006-07.
The sharp depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar over the last four weeks has neutralised the impact of recent import duty cuts aimed at lowering prices of commodities like edible oil, metallurgical coke and newsprint.
The procurement has already touched 19.8 million tonnes and government agencies continue to procure 200,000-250,000 tonnes daily.
Cement companies' latest quarterly performance shows that they have begun to feel the pinch of the government's anti-inflationary measures. The latest price cut of 1.5 to 3 per cent at the government's persuasion and a decision to hold prices for the next three months could impact earnings even more.
Liquor companies are set to raise prices, thanks to the hike in the cost of molasses, a by-product of sugar used to make potable alcohol. "Alcohol prices may rise as much as 20 per cent due to lower molasses production," said Abhishek Khaitan, managing director, Radico Khaitan, the country's second largest liquor producer.
Stockbroker Harish Bhasin has got Rs 22 crore stuck in the bid to take over DCM Shriram Industries, the Delhi-based sugar company. He invested the money to raise his stake in DSIL from 12.87 per cent to 25.05 per cent over the last five-and-a-half months. He bought DSIL shares from the open market. However, his open offer to buy 22.88 per cent stake has not taken off, pending an approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation's wind power foray is facing teething troubles. The state-run company plans to set up 100 mw capacity at an investment of Rs 500 crore. Its first project - a pilot of 25 mw coming up in Maharashtra's Dhule district - is being shifted to Jaisalmer in Rajasthan following protests by farmers.
US President George W Bush and his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may have their numbers wrong when they accuse China and India of contributing to the global food crisis as a result of growing prosperity-led consumption.
The premier Indian Institutes of Management will have to draw on all their management skills to solve the current financial imbroglio they are in. On the one hand, the fee hike by IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore has caused heartburn not only among students and the Union Human Resource Development Ministry but also among the other IIMs who say they were not consulted despite an existing agreement to do so. IIM-A and IIM-B have said that a fee hike is a prerogative of their own
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