BS Reporters In Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi

Stories by BS Reporters In Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi

Ex-Dell chief named Microsoft India MD

Ex-Dell chief named Microsoft India MD

Rediff.com   9 Aug 2008

Filling in the vacuum created by the high-profile exit of Neelam Dhawan, who quit Microsoft India to join Hewlett Packard (India) in June this year, the software giant on Friday announced the appointment of Rajan Anandan former Dell India head (Dell India VP and Country GM) as its new managing director.

Cabinet to decide on commodity futures regulator

Cabinet to decide on commodity futures regulator

Rediff.com   8 Aug 2008

If the Cabinet approves the long-pending Forward Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Bill, the regulator will be empowered to levy penalties besides getting the powers to approve options trading. In addition, it will pave the way for the entry of institutional players like mutual funds and foreign institutional investors into the trading arena, which many believe will deepen the markets. Similarly, the FMC will be able to decide on who can set up commodity exchanges.

In India, 20 cities give 60% of savings

In India, 20 cities give 60% of savings

Rediff.com   8 Aug 2008

Delhi and Mumbai alone account for a fifth of the country's total surplus income. The country's top 20 cities, including both Delhi and Mumbai, account for just 10 per cent of the country's population but 20 per cent of its savings, 30 per cent of its income and as much as 60 per cent of its surplus income

Tatas to bid for 3,300-mw Singapore power utility

Tatas to bid for 3,300-mw Singapore power utility

Rediff.com   6 Aug 2008

Tata Power, the country's largest power utility, has emerged as the only Indian company among the six firms shortlisted to bid for Singapore's largest power utility, Senoko Power, which is likely to be sold at over $3 billion.

Banks firm on farm loans despite default fear

Banks firm on farm loans despite default fear

Rediff.com   6 Aug 2008

Despite expressing fears of rising defaults, banks committed themselves to promptly sanction fresh loans to farmers covered under the Centre's Rs 71,000-crore (Rs 710 billion) debt wavier and relief scheme.

VC funds dodge pharma, biotech firms

VC funds dodge pharma, biotech firms

Rediff.com   4 Aug 2008

The recent pullout by ICICI Venture and Citigroup Venture from a three-year-old drug discovery partnership with Dr Reddy's Laboratories points to angel investors' growing aversion to risk in pharma and biotech firms, say experts.

Home loans get costlier as banks hike rates

Home loans get costlier as banks hike rates

Rediff.com   31 Jul 2008

A day after the Reserve Bank of India's monetary-tightening measures, banks on began raising interest rates, effecting the hike for the second time in a month.

Bangalore in throes of diesel shortage

Bangalore in throes of diesel shortage

Rediff.com   25 Jul 2008

A weak monsoon and the subsequent shortage of electricity has pushed Bangalore into an unprecedented fuel crisis.

BPCL to foray into bottled water, DTH biz

BPCL to foray into bottled water, DTH biz

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2008

Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), the country's second largest oil marketing company, plans to diversify into bottled water and direct to home (DTH) services in an attempt to boost its profits.

Top 4 IT firms post modest results

Top 4 IT firms post modest results

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2008

Muted rupee-term guidance, no upward revision in dollar-term guidance, an uncertain global business environment, forex losses due to over-hedged positions and low volume growth by the top four Indian IT firms this week spooked investors on Friday.

IIT-ians oppose Dow sponsorship

IIT-ians oppose Dow sponsorship

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2008

India's premier technical institute, IIT-Bombay's golden jubilee celebrations -- to be held in New York from July 18 to 20 this year -- have stirred a hornet's nest. The reason is that Dow Chemicals is one of the main sponsors.

TCS pink slip to techies with fudged CVs

TCS pink slip to techies with fudged CVs

Rediff.com   14 Jul 2008

The IT-BPO industry is becoming increasingly alert on fake biodatas. India's largest IT serivces provider, Tata Consultancy Service, has recently asked close to 20 employees at its Kolkata centre to leave after the company, during the background verification, found that these employees have used fudged resumes to get jobs.

Weaker Re to hit HCL bottom line up to Rs 320 cr

Weaker Re to hit HCL bottom line up to Rs 320 cr

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2008

The company had hedged $2.5 billion as of March 2008, but unwound its position reducing its exposure to $1.7 billion as on June 30. The unwinding resulted in a loss. An analyst tracking the firm said: "This was expected as HCL Tech had a major portion of its hedges in forward cover. Since the company has unwound $540 million of forward covers, a major part of which will show up in other income.

July 11: Black Friday for Indian economy

July 11: Black Friday for Indian economy

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2008

The double whammy saw the Bombay Stock Exchange's benchmark Sensex fall 3 per cent or 456.39 to close at 13,469.85 even as global rating agency Standard and Poor's suggested it might lower India's sovereign rating of BBB- (investment-grade status) due to the country's deteriorating credit profile over the last 12 months.

IT sector set to hit the $50-billion mark

IT sector set to hit the $50-billion mark

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2008

Despite a tough economic scenario, the Indian IT software and services sector will touch the $50-billion mark in 2008-09, though the indicated growth is lower at 21-24 per cent (currency-adjusted), according to Nasscom.

Airlines see logic in ATF futures

Airlines see logic in ATF futures

Rediff.com   8 Jul 2008

Low-cost carriers SpiceJet and IndiGo were two of the main traders of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) at the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX), which started trading of ATF futures on Monday, market sources said. Around Rs 34.8 crore worth of ATF was traded till five on Monday evening.

Ranbaxy, others to scrap 60 drug combinations

Ranbaxy, others to scrap 60 drug combinations

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2008

The voluntary move comes a little more than a year after the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, the central authority that approves new drugs for marketing, had asked the drug makers to withdraw the 'combination drugs' as they are 'unnecessary' and may pose health hazards. The Drugs Controller General of India had banned 294 combination drugs sold under nearly 1,053 brand names from the market in June 2007.

Auditing firms face EU heat

Auditing firms face EU heat

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2008

Auditing firms in the country could soon run out of business if they do not get themselves verified according to the guidelines mentioned in the Eighth Directive issued by the European Union (EU). EU will recognise balance-sheets of companies audited by firms that fit their specified standards.

Imported aircraft: RIL, GMR, DLF evade tax

Imported aircraft: RIL, GMR, DLF evade tax

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2008

Nearly 30 Indian firms that have imported aircraft for charter use are under the scanner of the Customs authorities for allegedly flouting import norms in order to evade taxes.

Govt may ease service tax norms for truckers

Govt may ease service tax norms for truckers

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2008

The finance ministry is considering meeting a key demand of truckers by easing procedural issues and raising the abatement on service tax.