Dev Chatterjee, Abhijit Lele

Stories by Dev Chatterjee, Abhijit Lele

Tata vs JioMart: The next big corporate battle to watch

Tata vs JioMart: The next big corporate battle to watch

Rediff.com   29 Jun 2021

Mukesh Ambani-owned RIL's JioMart is set to launch a slew of new products including financial services, electronics to airline tickets to take on the competition from upcoming rivals like the Tata Super app and other established players including PayTM, Amazon and Flipkart. This comes at a time when RIL's e-commerce revenues are set to grow by 35 per cent to $15 billion within four years and its core retail revenue is expected to grow at the same pace to $44 billion, as per a forecast by Goldman Sachs. "The Tata vs JioMart war will be the next big corporate battle to watch. "While Tata has an upper hand like in-house products and brands, RIL has the backing of global biggies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft," said head of a rating firm asking not to be quoted.

Economists sceptical about Sitharaman's Covid stimulus

Economists sceptical about Sitharaman's Covid stimulus

Rediff.com   29 Jun 2021

Direct economic stimulus measures such as tax cuts for individuals and industry would have helped to prop up the Indian economy which was hit hard by the lockdowns across several states in India, say economists and corporate leaders. While the measures announced on Monday are focussed more on the supply side, these steps would take a lot of time to move the needle for the economy.

Adani group strikes first coal from its Carmichael mine in Australia

Adani group strikes first coal from its Carmichael mine in Australia

Rediff.com   25 Jun 2021

The Adani group struck first coal from its Carmichael, Australia project on Thursday and will start shipping to its customers according to schedule. With this, the project will not only lift the economic prospects of the hitherto barren Australian outback, but also help Indian power plants to source cheap coal. The project had faced protests from a section of population with several banks even refusing to fund it. The group, however, went ahead with the project which included construction of a brand new railway line connecting an Australian port to the mine -- situated 300 kilometers away in Queensland.

Covid impact: Million dollar M&A deals sealed on phone, Zoom calls

Covid impact: Million dollar M&A deals sealed on phone, Zoom calls

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2021

Some buyers are insisting on a clause in the agreement that the whole deal hinges on physical verification at a later date with some part of payment kept in escrow.

Carlyle Group to acquire controlling stake in PNB Housing Finance

Carlyle Group to acquire controlling stake in PNB Housing Finance

Rediff.com   3 Jun 2021

Private equity firm Carlyle Group and associates will acquire a controlling stake of over 50 per cent in PNB Housing Finance by investing in the Rs 4,000 crore preferential issue of equity and warrants of the Delhi-based mortgage lender. After the proposed transactions, expected to be completed by January 1, 2022, Carlyle will also have the right to nominate the chairperson of PNB Housing Finance (PNB HF). This right will continue as long as it holds at least 40 per cent of the share capital on a fully diluted basis.

Covid-19 surge makes corporate India nervous about Q1

Covid-19 surge makes corporate India nervous about Q1

Rediff.com   13 May 2021

Since April, India has seen multiple strains of the coronanavirus sweep the nation, upending life and businesses alike. Out-of-home retail and discretionary categories such as durables, auto, fashion, lifestyle, hospitality, food services, travel, and tourism have been the worst-hit as Covid cases remain high, leaving state governments with no option but to curtail mobility and economic activity.

IDBI Bank back in black in FY21 after five years

IDBI Bank back in black in FY21 after five years

Rediff.com   5 May 2021

The bank expects to grow loan book by 10 per cent in the current financial year with calibrated exposure to corporate accounts and thrust on the retail segment.

FinMin asks PSBs, insurers to postpone staff promotions

FinMin asks PSBs, insurers to postpone staff promotions

Rediff.com   4 May 2021

The finance ministry has asked public sector banks (PSBs) to postpone the annual exercise of promoting and transferring their staff in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The advisory issued by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) states that the promotion process has coincided with a spike in Covid-19 cases across the country along with localised lockdowns and an increase in micro-containment zones. As there are cases of bank employees or their family members being hospitalised due to Covid-19, bank, insurance companies and financial institutions must take cognizance of the issue, the advisory issued by DFS said.

Negative outlook list may get longer, Q1 biz to be hit

Negative outlook list may get longer, Q1 biz to be hit

Rediff.com   3 May 2021

At risk of entrenched rough times are sectors like hospitality and those with discretionary spends.

South Africa's FirstRand Bank to exit India after 12 years

South Africa's FirstRand Bank to exit India after 12 years

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2021

The plan was to expand further, add more branches and also eventually become the third bank in India to start a wholly owned subsidiary after Singapore's DBS Bank and State Bank of Mauritius, but those plans never materialised due to lack of scale and rising non-performing assets in the country.

How Banks will Pester Customers to Pay

How Banks will Pester Customers to Pay

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2021

Although such alerts are not compulsory for the banks, this may become the norm now if payments are missed even for a day.

Coffee Day stares at bankruptcy as asset sale fails to make headway

Coffee Day stares at bankruptcy as asset sale fails to make headway

Rediff.com   15 Apr 2021

Attributing the delay in debt servicing to a liquidity crisis, the company said its total indebtedness was Rs 518 crore.

What is the cost of Cyrus Mistry's exit from Tata Sons?

What is the cost of Cyrus Mistry's exit from Tata Sons?

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2021

With the Supreme Court not getting into the valuation part and leaving it to the two parties, lawyers said there was nothing much for Mistry Group to negotiate.

How govt can boost infra funding in India

How govt can boost infra funding in India

Rediff.com   4 Apr 2021

For development finance institution to succeed now, the government must stand like a rock behind it and be patient.

Reliance Infra sells HQ in Mumbai's Santacruz to YES Bank for Rs 1200 cr

Reliance Infra sells HQ in Mumbai's Santacruz to YES Bank for Rs 1200 cr

Rediff.com   2 Apr 2021

The entire proceeds from the sale of Reliance Centre will be utilised only to service YES Bank debt.

RuPay takes on Visa and Mastercard with a little govt help

RuPay takes on Visa and Mastercard with a little govt help

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2021

RuPay is working on how to increase offers to customers. It is also focused on technology innovation in the card payment system.

Even as old ones lie unsolved, new cases head to bankruptcy courts

Even as old ones lie unsolved, new cases head to bankruptcy courts

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2021

Even as lenders are getting ready to send more companies to bankruptcy courts from this week, several old cases are still awaiting resolution with no clarity on the completion of the process. This includes some high profile cases from the first list of 40 companies including Videocon Industries, Bhushan Power and Steel and Lavasa Corporation, sent by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for resolution. The delay is mainly due to litigation and late clarifications by various government agencies including the Reserve Bank of India and litigation by the Enforcement Directorate.

Whistleblower accuses Edelweiss ARC of fund diversion, other irregularities

Whistleblower accuses Edelweiss ARC of fund diversion, other irregularities

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2021

The ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has launched a probe into the books of Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company (EARC) following allegations by a whistleblower of fund diversion and irregularities. The whistleblower, Paras Kuhad, a former additional solicitor general of India, had written to the Prime Minister's Office and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Kuhad has alleged that Edelweiss Group and Caisse de depot et placement du Qubec (CDPQ), a Canadian institutional investor, which hold stakes in the ARC, diverted funds and did not adhere to norms while making investments in EARC's instruments. Sources have indicated that a probe has been initiated, but the MCA did not comment on the issue.

How India can protect itself from cyber attacks

How India can protect itself from cyber attacks

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2021

The recent report in the New York Times that China had brought India's financial capital - Mumbai - to a halt by hacking the electricity supply grid has not come as a surprise to the CTOs (chief technology officers) and cyber security experts. Indian companies, including critical infrastructure providers such as power grids, ports and radar systems, lack the IT infrastructure to prevent hacking from hostile state actors like China and North Korea, warn security experts. Recently, the United States government warned of yet another breach of critical systems tied to Microsoft Exchange email systems that the company has blamed on China. The breach has impacted thousands of organisations in the US and its impact on India is still unknown.