Rajesh S Kurup &Amp; Falaknaaz Syed In Mumbai

Stories by Rajesh S Kurup &Amp; Falaknaaz Syed In Mumbai

Inflation makes truckers default on loans

Inflation makes truckers default on loans

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2008

According to sources privy to the information, default rates have touched 5-6 per cent in the past six months as against the usual 1-2 per cent. Banks and other lending organisations agree that there has been a rise in delinquency rates, but the increase has only become significant during the past one month following the fuel hike. Fuel costs account for about 60 per cent of the total operating expenses of truckers.

Risk firms bet big in Dalal Street

Risk firms bet big in Dalal Street

Rediff.com   14 Jul 2008

LIC, ICICI Prudential invest Rs 13,000 crore (Rs 130 billion) and Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) respectively in the first quarter of FY09.

Idea plans to invest Rs 647 cr in Mumbai

Idea plans to invest Rs 647 cr in Mumbai

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2008

Idea Cellular, an Aditya Birla group company, is investing around Rs 647 crore (Rs 6.47 billion) for the rollout of operations in the Mumbai circle. The operations are expected to commence in two months time.

RCom may get 20% fresh equity in MTN

RCom may get 20% fresh equity in MTN

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2008

Move to skirt public offer for S African telco.

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.

Spice may buy 39% stake in Sony TV

Spice may buy 39% stake in Sony TV

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2008

Flush with cash from his wireless telephony company's sale, industrialist B K Modi is negotiating to acquire 39 per cent stake in Indian television company, Multi Screen Media, earlier known as Sony Entertainment Television. Modi, who was earlier eyeing the 32 per cent stake held by Indian shareholders, is now looking at acquiring an additional 7 per cent held by trusts. He is also planning to re-brand the television channel as Sony Spice TV.

India to soon see slew of cheap mobiles

India to soon see slew of cheap mobiles

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2008

Electronics and white goods manufacturers such as Videocon, Spice, Usha and Mirc Electronics have begun engaging the services of Independent design houses to take on the likes of global giants including Nokia, Sony Ericsson and LG in the mobile handset space. An IDH conducts research and development and designs handsets to enable Indian telcos launch their own mobile handset brands. It takes an upfront one-time fee for the purpose.

Birla tower unit may steer Spice buy

Birla tower unit may steer Spice buy

Rediff.com   13 Jun 2008

Telecom to Telekom Malaysia in an attempt to complete the merger, sources involved in the negotiations said, declining to be identified. The group has hired Enam Financial as adviser to the transaction. Investment banking sources said the lawyers from both the parties are now busy structuring the deal so that the acquisition meets all the regulatory norms of the country and the Birlas retain control over Idea Cellular.

BSNL order: Ericsson rubs Sun, EMC the wrong way

BSNL order: Ericsson rubs Sun, EMC the wrong way

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2008

A move by Swedish telecom major Ericsson, the main implementation partner for Bharat Sanchar Nigam's (BSNL) disaster recovery (DR) program, to replace Sun Microsystems and EMC Corporation storage solutions with Hewlett-Packard (HP) products has kicked up a controversy.

Idea to invest in Spice network, tech upgrade

Idea to invest in Spice network, tech upgrade

Rediff.com   11 Jun 2008

Idea Cellular, the Aditya Birla group firm that is on the verge of taking over Spice Communications by buying out B K Modi's 41 per cent stake, is sounding out its bankers to raise funds to upgrade in the struggling telecom operator's network and technology.

Sunil Mittal: Saviour of land-line phone?

Sunil Mittal: Saviour of land-line phone?

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2008

Sunil Mittal is seeking subsidies from the Indian government to revive the dying fixed-line phones in the country. The chairman of Bharti Airtel, the leading private sector GSM service provider, has sought the removal of licence fee and service tax that are burdening the sector.

Etisalat says no to Spice

Etisalat says no to Spice

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2008

UAE-based telecommunication services provider Emirates Telecommunications Corporation has pulled out of negotiations to acquire a stake in Indian wireless telephony service provider Spice Communications, citing high valuation. Separately, the promoters were expecting a deal to be signed in the next couple of days.

Here comes the over-friendly Trojan

Here comes the over-friendly Trojan

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2008

A Trojan is a programme that appears to be desirable (like a free downloadable game or screen saver), but contains viruses or worms (self-replicating viruses) that can create havoc with the PC and the network.

Telekom Malaysia heads Spice stake sale talks

Telekom Malaysia heads Spice stake sale talks

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2008

A team of Telekom Malaysia officials will meet US-based billionaire B K Modi and officials of Idea Cellular in Mumbai on Friday, a top official at Spice Communications said. Another option is to permit Telekom Malaysia raise its stake in Spice Communications to 74 per cent. Even though, Idea Cellular will have no role to play in this deal, the Modi family will sell around 14 per cent stake and retain a 26 per cent stake.

Mikati nod for RCom-MTN reverse merger

Mikati nod for RCom-MTN reverse merger

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2008

Anil Ambani has won Lebanon-based M1 Chief Executive Officer Azmi Mikati's approval for a possible merger of Reliance Communications and South Africa's MTN Group following a meeting between the two.

Coming soon: Poor man's 'BlackBerry'

Coming soon: Poor man's 'BlackBerry'

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2008

Users of entry-level handsets will soon be able to avail of push-mail services, with the Rajesh Jain-promoted Netcore Solutions close to launching the service in India.

GIC eyes Takaful reinsurance

GIC eyes Takaful reinsurance

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2008

General Insurance Corporation, the country's only reinsurer, will be launching Retakaful -- reinsurance based on Shariah principles -- in this financial year. Retakaful will provide reinsurance support and will be based on the Islamic principles called Shariah. Reinsurance refers to insuring insurance companies. Similarly, a Retakaful company provides reinsurance support to Takaful insurance companies (insurance companies following the Islamic concept of insurance).

Insurers rake in moolah as outsourcing rises

Insurers rake in moolah as outsourcing rises

Rediff.com   31 May 2008

An increasing number of companies are outsourcing superannuation, gratuity and leave encashment programmes of their employees to insurance companies.The trend that emerged two years ago has got a shot in the arm with SAIL, Nicholas Piramal, Vishakhapatnam Port asking insurers to manage their employees' retirement programmes.

Ulips set to get costlier

Ulips set to get costlier

Rediff.com   28 May 2008

Life insurers have decided to pass on service tax to customers. The chief financial officers of life insurance companies met last Wednesday and have decided to pass on the service tax burden to customers, confirmed officials of various life insurance companies.

SBI to earn over Rs 400cr premium from non-life JV

SBI to earn over Rs 400cr premium from non-life JV

Rediff.com   27 May 2008

The amount is almost double the Rs 220 crore (Rs 2.2 billion) that a consortium of Bank of Baroda and Andhra Bank earned for its life insurance tie-up with the UK-based wealth and investment company, Legal & General Group (see table). The entry premium is a result of regulations that require foreign insurers to tie up with Indian partners. SBI will hold 74 per cent in the non-life insurance company and IAG the remaining 26 per cent.