Raghavendra Kamath &Amp; Sidhartha

Stories by Raghavendra Kamath &Amp; Sidhartha

CAs face peer pressure

CAs face peer pressure

Rediff.com   4 Apr 2009

Firms denied peer review certificate may be barred from auditing

Govt asks S&P to clarify rating action

Govt asks S&P to clarify rating action

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2009

The government is also approaching the other two major rating agencies - Moody's and Fitch - to explain its fiscal strategy, the economic situation and the outlook.

DLF's retail arm plans 500 luxury lifestyle stores

DLF's retail arm plans 500 luxury lifestyle stores

Rediff.com   28 Mar 2009

Already partnering seven international brands such as Giorgio Armani and Salvatore Ferragamo, it also plans to tie up with 12-15 global brands in the next five years. The company plans to fund its expansion through a mix of equity and debt and go in for tie-ups through joint ventures and franchise routes. The focus of expansion would be in metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai in the initial phase, the official said.

Retailers put cash & carry on backburner

Retailers put cash & carry on backburner

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2009

Indian retailers put cash & carry on backburner

DLF to book Rs 2,000 crore from group firm by Apri

DLF to book Rs 2,000 crore from group firm by Apri

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2009

The company has already booked Rs 5,450 crore (Rs 54.5 billion) revenue from sale of 5 million sq ft it has sold to DAL. DLF on Tuesday clarified to the exchanges that it had been looking at various options from time to time but no definite option had been presented to the board so far for its consideration.

Centre calls for bank, industry meet

Centre calls for bank, industry meet

Rediff.com   21 Mar 2009

To discuss ways of increasing lending to optimise stimulus package impact.

Why India Inc is fuming ahead of elections

Why India Inc is fuming ahead of elections

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2009

The general elections could take a toll on the bottom lines of a host of Indian companies that have accessed overseas debt.

Redeveloping Dharavi is not viable for us: HDIL

Redeveloping Dharavi is not viable for us: HDIL

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2009

Developer to bid for work from those who win the final contract.

Satyam fallout: Auditors may get additional powers

Satyam fallout: Auditors may get additional powers

Rediff.com   9 Mar 2009

Company balance sheets could soon acquire a new look, with the government asking ICAI to suggest ways to strengthen reporting norms following Satyam Computer Services scandal 7. ICAI sources said the mandate from the government was to ensure that company managements did not use notes to accounts as a cover-up for misdemeanours. The special group will submit its recommendations over the next few weeks.

Contractors shift from realty to govt projects

Contractors shift from realty to govt projects

Rediff.com   2 Mar 2009

Companies are either taking small government projects alone or bidding for larger ones with consortium partners. The companies, which had 18-75 per cent of their order books in property development, say they are facing payment delays of 20-90 days from some of the private developers, blocking their working capital requirements. Some of them take a week's advance payment from developers to execute their projects.

Reliance Retail struggles to beat slowdown blues

Reliance Retail struggles to beat slowdown blues

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2009

Reliance Retail has added 485 stores in the last one year, taking the total count to 950 and the footprint is now spread across 77 cities (58 in the last one year) across India. While his critics say Ambani may have lost the plot as the progress of his retail plans are nowhere near what he had sought to achieve, others feel the Reliance chief is just being pragmatic given the not-so-conducive environment for expansion in retail.

Insurance premium may not fall further

Insurance premium may not fall further

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2009

Indian reinsurer General Insurance Corporation has hardened its stance while negotiating reinsurance arrangements for the next financial year. During the first round of talks with non-life insurers, GIC said that it would pay at least 5 per cent lower commission on business that is reinsured with it. Further, it has sought a share in underwriting profits, which could be as high as 50 per cent, sources involved with the negotiations said.

Apparel retailers may cut summer buys by 20%

Apparel retailers may cut summer buys by 20%

Rediff.com   23 Feb 2009

After a lacklustre winter season sale, apparel retailers are now planning to cut their summer purchases by as much as 20 per cent to save holding cost and reduce pressure on working capital.

IFCI recovers Maytas dues, ICICI Bank takes Rs 95-

IFCI recovers Maytas dues, ICICI Bank takes Rs 95-

Rediff.com   19 Feb 2009

In the coming days, other lenders are expected to initiate similar steps to recover their dues from the company, which is facing the prospects of a change of management. IFCI executives said that the company revoked the guarantee earlier this month to recover its dues amounting to Rs 95 crore from Maytas Infra.

Retailers mull alliance with foreign cos

Retailers mull alliance with foreign cos

Rediff.com   13 Feb 2009

According to sources in the Future Group, it plans to tie up with international retailers in different segments. "We can certainly look at bringing in foreign capital to our subsidiaries now," said a group official, who did not wish to be quoted. Under the new guidelines, downstream investments by an Indian company that has foreign investment but is owned and controlled by Indians will not be considered as FDI.

IndusInd Bank may get new identity

IndusInd Bank may get new identity

Rediff.com   12 Feb 2009

In a few months, private sector lender IndusInd Bank may have a new identity. The move was in line with the repositioning exercise initiated by the new management team led by Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Romesh Sobti.

Apparel retailers offer up to 80% discount

Apparel retailers offer up to 80% discount

Rediff.com   12 Feb 2009

Though end-of-season sale is common in the first week of February, what is interesting this time around is the quantum and timing of the offers. Retailers are giving away 20-25 per cent additional discounts, compared to the last year. Also, they began giving discounts at least three weeks before the ususal timing.

Birla Retail eyes 18-fold sales growth

Birla Retail eyes 18-fold sales growth

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2009

The retailer, which runs a supermarket chain under the More brand, is targeting annual sales of $4.5 billion (Rs 22,000 crore or Rs 220 billion) by March 2014 from Rs 1,200 crore (Rs 12 billion) in the current financial year. The retailer clocked sales of Rs 500 in the previous year. In 2007, the company had talked about a Rs 9,000 crore (Rs 90 billion) investment plan.

L&T, ITC, Axis stakes may stay with SUUTI

L&T, ITC, Axis stakes may stay with SUUTI

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2009

Shares of ITC, Axis Bank and Larsen & Toubro are likely to stay with the Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India, which was to be wound up in June.Legal opinion received by the government suggests that SUUTI can exist as long as all investors in one of the schemes floated by the erstwhile Unit Trust of India have not redeemed their investment, sources close to the development said. The value of the shares of the three blue chips was estimated at over Rs 15,000 cr.

Bad debts of state-owned banks under check

Bad debts of state-owned banks under check

Rediff.com   9 Feb 2009

What's worrying for the public sector banks is the rise in delinquency in the housing portfolio, which does not include real estate. But a bank chief said that with low exposure to the real estate sector, the state-run banks have fewer worries. The other area of concern is credit cards but the operations of public sector banks in this segment are small compared with the likes of ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Citibank, the largest players in the business.