BS Reporters In Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore

Stories by BS Reporters In Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore

Dell plans to up focus on India biz

Dell plans to up focus on India biz

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2008

As a part of this strategy, the company is rolling out its first brand campaign in India roping in real-life business heros and entrepreneurs to endorse its products, especially targeting the small and medium businesses. This is in a slight change in its marketing strategy which was earlier largely focussed on the large enterprises.

FinMin may ease taxes on jet fuel soon: Minister

FinMin may ease taxes on jet fuel soon: Minister

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2008

According to the package, the dues will be cleared in six monthly instalments by March 2009. Current ATF purchases will get 90 days' credit, supported by bank guarantees. Also, jet fuel price revisions will henceforth happen every fortnight. Praful Patel on Thursday admitted in the Lok Sabha that it may take another two months to make the recently-opened third runway at the Delhi airport fully operational.

Banks gearing up to reduce rates

Banks gearing up to reduce rates

Rediff.com   23 Oct 2008

Yes Bank plans 100 bps cut, other private players to wait; public sector may move first. The bank, which currently disburses loans to corporate clients at around 17 per cent, may also pare deposit rates by 50 basis points in December.

ECB norms eased further

ECB norms eased further

Rediff.com   23 Oct 2008

The list of end use includes investments in the industrial sector, foreign direct investment in joint ventures or 100 per cent subsidiaries, first-stage acquisition of shares in disinvestment and open offers as well as micro-lending to self-help groups by NGOs.

Retailers bear the brunt of MNS protests

Retailers bear the brunt of MNS protests

Rediff.com   22 Oct 2008

Protests following the arrest of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday crippled retail businesses in and around Mumbai, the commercial capital of the country

Singur fiasco, a worry for US investors

Singur fiasco, a worry for US investors

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2008

American investments in West Bengal are likely to suffer to a certain extent due to the Singur issue.

Crisis to impact coffee supply

Crisis to impact coffee supply

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2008

'Credit restrictions and the lack of liquidity caused by the crisis could lead to a reduction in supply. While coffee fundamentals remain in a tight balance, the price outlook in the short run is likely to continue to be dominated by the instability of world financial markets,' said Nestor Osorio, executive director, ICO.

AI plans seamless connection to New York

AI plans seamless connection to New York

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2008

Air India has announced that it will be adding to the seamless transfer facility to passengers from Bangalore travelling to international destinations like New York, Newark, London, Frankfurt and Chicago by introduction of a new hub and spoke flight between Bangalore and Mumbai from October 26.

Axon race: HCL gets a free run as Infy pulls out

Axon race: HCL gets a free run as Infy pulls out

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2008

Infosys had bid at 600 pence a share for the UK company. Infosys will get the one per cent inducement fee that Axon has to pay to the party unable to close the deal.

New York firm to buy Chennai BPO for Rs 950 cr

New York firm to buy Chennai BPO for Rs 950 cr

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2008

New York-based REcap Partners-LLC is all set to buy out Chennai-based business process outsourcing firm HOV Services along with its two units operational in Beijing and Hong Kong for around Rs 950 crore

Charge your e-bike at the nearest auto station

Charge your e-bike at the nearest auto station

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2008

The Ahmedabad-based company plans to collaborate with local garage owners in installing battery charging stations at a radius of around three kms. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore are some of the cities identified for setting up battery stations. The initiative is planned to be implemented during the first quarter of 2009.

Dow halts R&D work at Chakan after govt order

Dow halts R&D work at Chakan after govt order

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2008

Dow India would comply with all the directives stated by the government to work outa solution to the current situation, the company said. Recently the company's research facility at Chakan was razed by a group of villagers, following which members of the Warkari sect claimed responsibility for the act, saying they would not allow the facility to come up at a place which is sacred to the followers of the 17th century Bhakti movement saint Tukaram.

Race is on, Axon may prove to be a winner's curse

Race is on, Axon may prove to be a winner's curse

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2008

A 700-750 pence per share final price for Axon ($900-910 million) cannot be ruled out by the time the bidding war ends, say CLSA analysts. However, regardless of whoever wins this largest overseas acquisition, Emkay Global Financial Services analysts opine that Axon could well prove to be a winner's curse since a long-drawn bidding war might tell on the bottom lines of both firms.

Govt cold to Mallya's FDI proposal

Govt cold to Mallya's FDI proposal

Rediff.com   27 Sep 2008

Though FDI is allowed in the sector, foreign carriers cannot acquire stakes in Indian airlines.

CEO killing: 150 firms take stock of situation

CEO killing: 150 firms take stock of situation

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2008

Anxious executives from 150 Greater Noida factories met on Wednesday to take stock of the simmering labour unrest in the sprawling industrial township in the outskirts of Delhi after Graziano Transmissioni Managing Director Lalit Kumar Chaudhary was killed by a mob of retrenched workers on Monday. Privately, many of them said it would now become hard to downsize in the impending industrial slowdown.

Airlines struggle to cut costs

Airlines struggle to cut costs

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2008

Airlines have been conducting fuel efficiency analysis, which involves fuel calculations on a daily basis, based on the availability of optimum routes in terms of wind, flight levels and overflying charges, route rationalisation to prune the number of flights and increase utilisation. They also want the Centre to grant ATF a declared goods status, which would result in a uniform levy of 4 per cent sales tax at the state level.

'Studio i' to handle architectural KPO

'Studio i' to handle architectural KPO

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2008

The company's operations will be carried out from its facility at Divyashree Park SEZ in Whitefield, Bangalore. Initially, the company plans to recruit about 20 persons to begin operations and gradually increase the strength to 150 to 200 by end of first year of operations depending on the projects to support Gensler requirements.

Now, Ranbaxy AIDS drug under US lens

Now, Ranbaxy AIDS drug under US lens

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2008

It is now probing the quality of AIDS medicines supplied by the company to developing countries under US government-funded programmes. Estimates suggest that Ranbaxy has received over $9 million from the programme so far. Ranbaxy had a turnover of $1.5 billion in 2007-08, of which a quarter came from US sales.

Essar Steel lines up $4-bn investment in N America

Essar Steel lines up $4-bn investment in N America

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2008

The investments would be made in the company's acquired companies, Algoma in Canada and Minnesota Steel in the US, as well as greenfield plants in Trinidad and Tobago. The groundbreaking ceremony for the first steelmaking facility in Minnesota's Iron Range was held on Sunday.

Greenpeace campaigns for tracking e-waste

Greenpeace campaigns for tracking e-waste

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2008

This, says Greenpeace, is necessary because most computers and other gadgets during their dismantling land up in the hands of people who do not have the knowledge to handle them. They often burn the printed circuit boards to recover metals and this releases toxic fumes of dioxins and Gullet that are poisonous, and carcinogens. Greenpeace has called for manufacturers to clean up their act and take back their products for its final disposal in an environment-friendly manner.