Sachin P Mampatta And Samie Modak

Stories by Sachin P Mampatta And Samie Modak

Companies with worst corporate governance scores

Companies with worst corporate governance scores

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2019

Recently listed companies scored 54, compared to 58 for the BSE100 firms and 61 for entities in the Sensex pack. The report noted that issues remain in IPO companies in which there seems to be a need to institutionalise governance practices.

Why markets remain unfazed despite GDP shocker

Why markets remain unfazed despite GDP shocker

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2019

Hopes of revival and earnings growth in 2020, surprise tax cuts, and robust foreign flows - thanks to easy global monetary policies - are a few reasons why the markets have managed to digest the low GDP footprint. Select bluechips such as Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finance, Asian Paints, and ICICI Bank have gained sharply this year. On the other hand, YES Bank, Zee Entertainment, and Indiabulls Housing have seen a sharp fall.

Post Karvy, legal shadow cast over collateral business

Post Karvy, legal shadow cast over collateral business

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2019

In the aftermath of the Karvy incident, lending against third-party collateral facility raises questions over regulations concerning banks and brokers which are at loggerheads. While Sebi and NSDL have ordered the transfer of securities, which were kept as collateral, lenders followed the old business model of sanctioning loan against shares and allegedly overlooked certain parameters. Legal experts feel that this could lead to a collapse of the loan-against-shares market as it raises questions over the sanctity of the pledged securities.

CSR spends and the menace of ghost beneficiaries

CSR spends and the menace of ghost beneficiaries

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2019

Ghost beneficiaries aren't the only kind of issue companies face during a period of unprecedented CSR spending, touching nearly Rs 12,000 crore in 2018-19. Frauds related to procurement, construction, and end-use of funds have had companies engaging forensic auditors to keep tabs on how money is spent, revealed conversations with those involved in such investigations. Firms are also increasingly strengthening their own capabilities to better implement their programmes.

CSR spend by listed companies highest-ever in FY19

CSR spend by listed companies highest-ever in FY19

Rediff.com   13 Dec 2019

The biggest spend (Rs 4,406 crore) was for Schedule VII (II), which involves "promoting education, including special education and employment enhancing vocation skills, especially among children, women, elderly and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects". The FY19 spend was 17.2 per cent higher than Rs 1,0128.3 crore spent during the previous year.

Indian hedge funds way behind Asian peers

Indian hedge funds way behind Asian peers

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2019

Indian funds did better than Asian ones in only four of the 10 months -- till October. Despite much market optimism, presumably around policy interventions and guided by buoyant flows, India's macro backdrop may be turning for the worse.

Why investors shouldn't panic

Why investors shouldn't panic

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2019

Investment experts said the key to generating superior returns was "asset allocation" and taking money out of the table from themes that have performed well and into themes that are available at a discount.

India Inc is hiring more contract workers these days

India Inc is hiring more contract workers these days

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2019

Lower cost and easier termination may well be among the reasons that companies seek to have employees on contract. The share of employees on contract has increased to 57.3 per cent of the total workforce this year as compared to 53.7 per cent in the previous year.

Why India Inc is unwilling to hire women

Why India Inc is unwilling to hire women

Rediff.com   22 Nov 2019

The lack of a strong diversity policy on the part of companies, a limited pool of women candidates as well as socio-cultural factors contribute to their low numbers.

Disclosing every loan default is now mandatory for listed firms

Disclosing every loan default is now mandatory for listed firms

Rediff.com   21 Nov 2019

Sebi has now said any default of payments of interest or principal on loans taken from financial institutions, including banks, will have to be disclosed if it continues beyond 30 days.

5 superstar investors end Samvat 2075 with tepid gains

5 superstar investors end Samvat 2075 with tepid gains

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2019

While Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is up 14.9% during the year to Rs 12,381 cr, Ashish Dhawan is up 68.4% to Rs 810 cr, Ashish Kacholia is down 23.4% to Rs 515 cr, Rajiv and Dolly Khanna are down 74.6% to Rs 116 cr and Vijay Kedia is down 6.2% to Rs 294 cr.

R&D spend: Auto, pharma top the list

R&D spend: Auto, pharma top the list

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2019

The biggest spender was Tata Motors, with Rs 4,224.6 crore assigned under the R&D head.

Economic slowdown makes small investors turn net sellers

Economic slowdown makes small investors turn net sellers

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2019

Session-wise data indicates small investors have taken money off the table in more sessions than they have pumped in additional capital.

India Inc still reeling under the menace of data theft

India Inc still reeling under the menace of data theft

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2019

Around 41 per cent of these companies saw such instances, compared to the global average of 29 per cent. India's number is higher than other countries such as the United States (26 per cent), the United Kingdom (32 per cent) and Japan (27 per cent). It is also worse than other emerging markets. China had 39 per cent of firms affected by data theft. It was 19 per cent and 16 per cent for Brazil and Russia, respectively.

LIC's investment in private sector at 16-year low

LIC's investment in private sector at 16-year low

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2019

This is despite the private sector companies outperforming their public sector counterparts, reports Sachin P Mampatta.

Analysts unanimous: Corporate earnings, Sensex set to zoom

Analysts unanimous: Corporate earnings, Sensex set to zoom

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2019

Market players say following the tax cuts, the market mood had changed from bearish to positive, which should help sustain the rally.

Anil Ambani's Reliance Capital inches closer to exiting MF biz

Anil Ambani's Reliance Capital inches closer to exiting MF biz

Rediff.com   11 Sep 2019

Close to 21.5 per cent of this will be sold to Japan's Nippon Life, which will then become the sole promoter of the fund house.

Titan, a good bet for Rakesh Jhunjhunwala

Titan, a good bet for Rakesh Jhunjhunwala

Rediff.com   9 Aug 2019

Titan accounted for 59.6 per cent of his disclosed portfolio at Rs 8,355 crore. This is more than 10 times the next biggest holding, Federal Bank, at Rs 619 crore.

Debt profile worsens for V G Siddhartha's unlisted private companies

Debt profile worsens for V G Siddhartha's unlisted private companies

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2019

The financials of six privately held companies associated with Siddhartha show an increase in debt and falling ability to meet short-term obligations.

MFs witness sizeable churn due to corporate defaults

MFs witness sizeable churn due to corporate defaults

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2019

Half a dozen stocks from the large-cap universe and over two dozen from the mid-cap universe have been replaced.