Bhupesh Bhandari &Amp; Byravee Iyer In New Delhi &Amp; Mumbai

Stories by Bhupesh Bhandari &Amp; Byravee Iyer In New Delhi &Amp; Mumbai

PE investors suffer $2.24 bn loss in '08

PE investors suffer $2.24 bn loss in '08

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2008

Private equity investments in public firms have tanked as much as $2.24 billion so far this year, thanks to the massive erosion in equity markets as well as the present economic downturn, a latest study says.

Kishore Biyani may seek peace with suppliers

Kishore Biyani may seek peace with suppliers

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2008

Kishore Biyani, the retail baron, seems ready to smoke the peace pipe with suppliers with whom he has been at loggerheads for the past few months. The move comes at a time when some of his recently launched private-label product categories are outselling those of multinational rivals such as Nestle.The founder of Future Group of retail chains including Food Bazaar and Pantaloon recently launched a series of in-house value-for-money consumer products.

Banks reduce deposit rates, say rates will decline

Banks reduce deposit rates, say rates will decline

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2008

The decisions come within 24 hours of the home loan package offered by public sector banks. Chennai-based Indian Bank reduced interest rates of domestic term deposits of Rs 1-5 crore (Rs 10-50 million) by 150-25 basis points across various maturities.

No big cheer for textile firms

No big cheer for textile firms

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2008

The government on Sunday announced a package of Rs 1,400 crore (Rs 14 billion) under the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme and 2 per cent interest subsidy up to March 31 next year. But the textile industry had demanded 4 per cent interest subsidy along with reintroduction of the duty drawback scheme.

Consultants reel as M&A advisory biz disappear

Consultants reel as M&A advisory biz disappear

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2008

The economic slowdown, which has come like an avalanche in the last few months, has changed the way the country's top management consultants do business.

Hotels plan tough protection measures

Hotels plan tough protection measures

Rediff.com   28 Nov 2008

Hotels are not typically equipped to handle terrorist attacks and present ideal soft targets around the world, according to experts. Even the private security guards that the hotels hire do not always have the expertise to use weapons. This is set to change now, hotel officials say.

Realtors plan cut in staff, wage bill

Realtors plan cut in staff, wage bill

Rediff.com   25 Oct 2008

Parsvnath Developers is expected to sack its non-performing staff post Diwali as part of its cost cutting measures. "Non performers have to go. Cost cutting measures will start in 15 to 20 days,'' said Pradeep Jain, chairman of Parsvnath, told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in New Delhi on Friday.

Cybercrime, phishing flourish as markets falter

Cybercrime, phishing flourish as markets falter

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2008

Sample this. Five cyber-thieves, allegedly part of a network that hacked into the account of a Noida businessman, were nabbed today for a Rs 1.66 crore (Rs 16.6-million) cyber hack. They used Internet banking to transfer the money from the businessman's account with the Punjab National Bank's Noida branch to their own account.

Finally, Ranbaxy becomes part of Daiichi Sankyo

Finally, Ranbaxy becomes part of Daiichi Sankyo

Rediff.com   21 Oct 2008

While 22 per cent of the promoters' stake in Ranbaxy was sold through an off-market transaction, the remaining came from a preferential share allotment. Daiichi Sankyo had earlier picked up more than 20 per cent of Ranbaxy's shares through an open offer. Ranbaxy Chairman and Managing Director Malvinder Mohan Singh said the remaining 12-13 per cent promoter shareholding will change hands in the coming weeks, thereby taking Daiichi's share in Ranbaxy to over 60 per cent.

Repo cut: India Inc sceptical

Repo cut: India Inc sceptical

Rediff.com   21 Oct 2008

India Inc, while welcoming the Reserve Bank of India's move to cut the key interest rate, expressed doubts on lenders' response to pass on the benefits to customers.

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

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.

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.

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.

'Unbundled' handsets a lucrative business

'Unbundled' handsets a lucrative business

Rediff.com   20 Sep 2008

Mobile telecom service providers are up against a new problem -- unidentified operators have been found to take out subsidised handsets from their 'bundled' connections and ship them to overseas markets at significantly higher prices.

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.

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.