Primary markets may see banks using electronic clearance systems (ECS) to clear cheques in order to reduce the gap between the time an issue closes and its listing on the bourses.The primary market advisory committee of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) met on Friday to iron out some of the logistical difficulties involved in making the IPO process faster.
Exchangeable bonds are instruments that allow a holding company or the parent company of a group to raise funds from the overseas market for use by any of the group companies. The bonds will then be converted into shares of the company for which funds were raised. RBI has sent a cautionary note to the government stating that the rules for exchangeable bonds will have to be aligned with the norms for external commercial borrowings.
JPMorgan Chase is planning to invest $100-150 mn a year in India. This fund will be looking at a range of sectors and would not be focused on one particular sector. It can bring in sector expertise, investment banking expertise and the other broader resources of a full-service financial institution. The new fund, Private Capital Asia, will take non-controlling stakes in mid-cap companies, exclusively in Asia. JPMorgan regards India as a supportive market for private equity.
India will finally sign an investment treaty - the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPA) - with Myanmar in the first week of April. The pact is going to be of critical interest to a host of oil majors looking at investments in the resource-rich country.According to sources, the treaty will be signed with the approval of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Cabinet ratification, they say, will come later.
Richard Heald, Vice-Chairman and Amitabh Malhotra, Director of Rothschild spoke about the volatile market, its implications and how this is an opportunity for Rothschild in India. Heald said that rising commodity prices are worrisome. The inflationary pressures are a concern. He advised that corporates should be open to all financing options. Investors in general want to invest in cash generating assets and commodities. With no decoupling other markets will impact India too.
The government has initiated a comprehensive review of external commercial borrowings (ECB) policy. While the details are yet to be thrashed out, the government and the Reserve Bank of India are set to raise the ceiling for the current financial year from $22 billion to $28-30 billion. Sources said the move was prompted due to a breach in the existing ceiling.
The income tax authorities have put banks and companies disclosing losses in their foreign exchange derivative structures under the scanner. Banks and companies have been called to explain the extent of losses and structures initiated in both Indian and overseas markets through their branches and subsidiaries. The income tax department will then ascertain whether banks and companies entered into transactions to hedge their portfolio or for purely speculative purposes.
Dubai-headquartered Baer Capital Partners is planning to launch 2 India-centric hedge funds this year. The two funds - Beacon India Opportunities Fund with a corpus of $400 million and the $100 million Beacon India Growth Fund - will invest in listed companies. It is also planning an exclusive $100 million FMCG fund. These funds will invest across sectors including IT, pharma, FMCG, banks and auto. It has got approval from Sebi. These funds will not involve momentum trading.
Citing the need for a more liberal regime for the banking and financial sector, RBI has opposed bilateral trade agreements. With no multilateral pacts with the WTO, the government had entered into free trade agreements, whose scope was later expanded to services, investment and even bilateral tax treaties. RBI has urged other countries such as UK, US and Europe to show reciprocity in granting branch licenses to Indian banks as they expect a similar treatment from India.
Rise in euro against the dollar is benefitting exporters trading the currency. Traders book forward deals to benefit from bullish European currency.
L&T is planning a foray in PE fund in the real estate market with a Rs 4500 crore fund.
Wants CBDT to plug loophole in the system.
The Income Tax department has suggested an amendment for taxation of bad debt to the Central Board of Direct Taxes
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has clarified that only the premium collected for providing health cover in the case of unit-linked health insurance policies will be eligible for tax benefits.
Move targeted at companies with high promoter holdings.
On Tuesday, the 32-member Parliamentary Committee is understood to have met officials of the Securities and Exchange Board of India, Reserve Bank of India, stock exchanges, various brokers, Unit Trust of India, Life Insurance Corporation and State Bank of India. The committee is expected to meet officials of the finance ministry next week.
According to sources close to development, the paper proposes four new concepts for making the taxation of foreign companies in India and foreign transaction of Indian companies, especially overseas mergers and acquisitions, more transparent.
Sebi has proposed waiving off stamp duty on e-issuance of bond to the ministry of finance.
Half of the 10 IPOs to have hit the market since the beginning of this year have been from the real estate space. J Kumar Infra Projects, KNR Constructions, SVEC Constructions and the now withdrawn Emaar MGF are the worst hit, according to analysts.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes has proposed that the sale of capital assets of a company operating in India, but registered overseas