Commodity Online, Mumbai

Stories by Commodity Online, Mumbai

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.

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.

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.

Builders help ease home buyers' EMI pains

Builders help ease home buyers' EMI pains

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2008

For such bonanzas, prospective home buyers have a downturn to thank. Property sales have fallen 15 to 20 per cent countrywide over the last six months, owing to rising home loan rates. This has pinched the cash flows of developers, already reeling under higher borrowing costs and a range of anti-inflationary measures that restrict their flexibility to raise funds.

Bailout a blessing in disguise for Kingfisher

Bailout a blessing in disguise for Kingfisher

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2008

Although a merger with low-cost carrier SpiceJet would have made the Kingfisher-Deccan combine the largest carrier in Indian skies, it would have put a huge burden on the Vijay Mallya-controlled carrier's financials, feel experts. SpiceJet's losses have almost doubled to Rs 133 crore (Rs 1.33 billion) this year -- of which Rs 123 crore (Rs 1.23 billion) were incurred in the March quarter -- as compared with last year.

Govt plans bailout of state, pvt varsities

Govt plans bailout of state, pvt varsities

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2008

In a yet another bailout that will go down well with the political class, the government has proposed one-time assistance to state government and private universities and colleges that do not get any financial assistance from the University Grants Commission, the country's higher education standards regulator, which also funds institutions.

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.

Poverty: Politics should interact with policy

Poverty: Politics should interact with policy

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2008

Redistribution of economic and political power, inclusion of rural areas and the rural poor in development, enhancing access to resources and employment in rural areas, focus on non-farm rural activities, education and training activities and agrarian reform continue to be important areas for public policy. In Asia in general, and in India in particular, poverty has a rural face. Rural development and poverty alleviation are thus two sides of the same coin.

MTN may extend deadline for talks with RCom

MTN may extend deadline for talks with RCom

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2008

A high-profile team from MTN is also expected to meet Reliance Industries Ltd next week to take stock of the situation. RCom had informed the bourses on May 26 that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with MTN for 45 days soon after the South African giant aborted its talks with the Sunil Mittal-controlled Bharti group. The deadline will end on July 8.

Who sets global crude oil prices?

Who sets global crude oil prices?

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2008

OPEC does not set global oil price

TCS hedges $1.5 billion to tackle Re fluctuations

TCS hedges $1.5 billion to tackle Re fluctuations

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2008

Chief Executive S Ramadorai said, "We have hedged for about $1.5 billion. I believe one has to run the business on fundamentals and not on currency fluctuations." He also said it was very difficult to predict the rupee movement as in the last one-and-a-half months, the currency has begun to depreciate against the dollar.

RCom, MTN close to share swap deal

RCom, MTN close to share swap deal

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2008

South African major to make open offer to RCom shareholders. The deal would create a telecom colossus with 115 million subscribers in 25 countries.

Gold? 10 things you MUST know

Gold? 10 things you MUST know

Rediff.com   7 Jun 2008

Why is gold attracting people? And why is it that people love to invest in gold?

Is futures trading a form of gambling?

Is futures trading a form of gambling?

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2008

Trading in commodity futures -- basically an arena of stock market players -- may have started with economic objectives such as price discovery and price risk management, but, of late, has become an important part of investment portfolio promising quick and attractive returns. In fact, stock marketing and futures trading are the main instruments of speculation in the capitalist economy in which the capital is invested and reinvested with a sole purpose of making a profit.

Global warming: Make sun the first accused!

Global warming: Make sun the first accused!

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2008

Brian Bloom, the author of Beyond Neanderthal, which looks broadly at the causes and impact of climate change, says that it could be a mistaken premise. C02 emissions may be exacerbating the global rise in temperatures rather than causing it.

PCs, LCD, plasma TV to cost more

PCs, LCD, plasma TV to cost more

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2008

Electronics, IT goods makers HCL Infosystems, HP, LG Electronics and Zenith are raising prices of personal computers (laptops and desktops), LCDs and plasma TVs, and IT peripherals for the first time this year by as much as 13 per cent to offset higher cost of inputs triggered by a falling rupee. The move may nudge inflation further crimping consumer spending.

China commodity futures grows 88%, India's 10%

China commodity futures grows 88%, India's 10%

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2008

China trading volumes rose due to active trading of farm products, including sugar, soybean, corn, zinc. Trading volume hit 5 trillion yuan ($714 billion), representing an increase of 88 per cent over the same period last year, according to figures released here by the China Futures Association.

Big players plan commodity exchanges in India

Big players plan commodity exchanges in India

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2008

The Indian government recently had banned futures trading in a few commodities. But this has not dampened major companies to eye futures trading in commodities. Last week, government permitted companies with an initial capital of Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) to set up commodity exchanges. Top officials in the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and Kotak Mahindra said that they are planning to set up commodity exchanges.