The commerce ministry has sought a review of foreign direct investment policy in the pharmaceutical sector, in the light of recent takeovers of domestic companies by multinationals.
With Reliance Industries openly expressing displeasure about the merger between its joint venture gas partner, Atlas Energy, with Chevron, all eyes are now on Atlas' special shareholder meeting on February 16, called to approve the proposed merger.
After 15 months of negotiations, the Aditya Birla Group has finally agreed to buy out the US firm Columbian Chemicals Company (CCC) for $875 million from One Equity Partners, the merchant banking arm of JPMorgan Chase. This has catapulted the group to become the world leader in carbon black with a combined two million tonne annual production.
Foreign cigarette companies could soon find it harder to sell their products in India. The government is looking into a proposal to ban foreign direct investment (FDI) in the wholesale marketing arms of these companies. It is also exploring the possibility of shifting the import of tobacco products from the open general licence (OGL) to the restricted list.
The Aditya Birla Group is in acquisition mode again. It appears set to acquire US carbon black manufacturer Columbian Chemicals. According to two independent sources, negotiations are at the last stages, and a deal is expected to be announced next week. The size of the deal, said these sources, is expected to be around $900 million (Rs 4,100 crore).
Five months before the put option window closes, JP Morgan has come out with a report stating that Essar's stake in Vodafone Essar is around $2 billion, which is far less than what the shareholder agreement between the two companies in 2007 envisaged.
The Mumbai-based Shah family of the diversified Anchor Group has decided to put its FMCG portfolio of oral care and personal care products on the block, according to two independent sources.
A stake sale deal between Patni Computer Systems and iGate is on course, but has been delayed due to procedural issues.Sources involved in the deal said they include tax-related developments and offshore transaction fees.
However, the Carlyle-Advent consortium could revise its bid upwards, said two independent sources tracking the deal.
Vinod takes centrestage as Pramod stays away from deal; uncertainty over the latter's continuity on Ispat board.
The O P Jindal Group has emerged as a strong contender for Ispat Industries, the debt-laden company owned by Pramod and Vinod Mittal.
As and when the sector opens up to FDI, the world's second-largest retailer will automatically get equity in Pantaloon Retail or will enjoy right of first refusal, said the sources.
MNP allows a subscriber to change his or her service provider without changing the mobile number.
Key government departments have come to a consensus on the definition of a "group company" in the context of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the wholesale cash & carry trade. Under current policy, while 100 per cent FDI is permitted in wholesale trade, a cash & carry entity can sell only up to 25 per cent of its turnover to group companies.
NTT had earlier sought the combined 63 per cent stake of the promoters and private equity firm General Atlantic Partners, but their exclusive talks failed due to a valuation mismatch.
For over a year Sanjay Chandra, managing director of the Unitech group, has been under a cloud for various reasons.
The company, which finds itself at the centre of the real estate scam, as alleged by the Central Bureau of Investigation, is housed in a dilapidated building, and from the exterior, nobody can ever guess that the fourth floor of MMFSL would be so swanky.
Sajjan Jindal's JSW Energy moved a step closer to securing its coal requirements, signing a definitive agreement with the management of CIC Energy on Wednesday, to buy them out and take control of the Toronto-listed company. CIC Energy has an 'A-grade' mining-cum-power complex called the Mmamabula Energy Complex in Botswana, Africa. The field there is estimated to have 2.6 billion tonnes of high-thermal coal, mostly above 6,000 Kcal/kg of calorific value.
Telcos say tariffs could be cut by up to 20 per cent. While post-paid customers constitute only 5 per cent of the total customer base of 670 million, they make up over 15 per cent of revenues thanks to their relatively higher average revenue per user (Arpu).
A committee of secretaries will be meeting soon to consider a draft proposal, which suggests that decision-making on all policy issues pertaining to FDI be transferred from the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) in the Ministry of Commerce to the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in the Ministry of Finance.
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