The company plans to offer end-to-end logistics solutions where it has custodial charge of the cargo. Till the back-end warehouse infrastructure is ready at the airline's national hub in Nagpur, Gopinath's freighters will fly the Dubai-Mumbai-Delhi-Hong Kong route, offering dedicated cargo space to freight forwarders and serve anyone who wants to move international freight to these cities for time-definite delivery.
Falling sales at home have failed to douse the company's zeal to grow abroad.
Colas, by industry estimates, now comprise only 38 per cent of the Rs 7,500 crore domestic market for sparkling drinks, while flavours (clear lime, cloudy lime, orange, apple) command 54 per cent. Until three years ago, cola products had a 46 per cent share of the total soft drinks market, while non-colas had 47 per cent. But the 'per head' consumption is still low, at a yearly nine servings of 200 ml.
The prices of construction steel have come down nearly 37 per cent. The price of bitumen has come down by 22 per cent since mid-November, while diesel and cement prices have come down by 10 per cent. GMR infrastructure CFO A Subba Rao estimates that construction costs have come down by 20 per cent. Construction costs account for 70-75 per cent of the project costs; the other significant variable being interest costs.
Consumer goods manufacturers, expecting to see a revival of demand from the nearly Rs 16,500 crore Pay Commission arrears for government employees, are likely to be disappointed.
Players such as Food Bazaar, Reliance, More and Vishal have already launched their private labels in this category. Names such as Tasty Treat, Disney, Ching's, Smith & Jones from the Future Group stables and Reliance Select from Reliance Retail among others are challenging the market dominance of Maggi in terms of in-store purchases in these retail formats.
Companies are trying to clean up their balance-sheets and make provisions for forex losses as they think the disclosures will not have a major bearing on their valuations, which are already down.
Most have pledged their shares as collateral to raise working capital or a term loan, to increase their holding or to fund an acquisition as a multinational had done to buy an Indian company. Companies are rushing to make disclosures on pledging of shares by their promoters after Sebi made it mandatory. Promoters have to disclose details of pledged shares if the same exceeds 25,000 shares in a quarter or 1 per cent of the total shareholding or voting rights of the company.
Korean conglomerate LG Electronics plans to set up learning and design centres across India. The centre will help employees hone their skills across departments such as industrial design, marketing, lifestyle research, economic and market research among others. The company plans to bring on board specialists in these sectors as faculty for the same.
Jaybharat Textiles & Real Estate, a textile company that forayed into real estate three years back, today has a market capitalisation higher than Grasim Industries or Tata Motors.
These will be business and mid-market hotels that will sport brands such as Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton (a long stay product). India is the second most important market for Hilton in Asia-Pacific after China, and accounts for 17 per cent of the 300-odd new hotels it plans to add in the region by 2017. It also expects India to account for 15-20 per cent of its revenues in the Asia-Pacific region by 2015.
Having faced sourcing issues for potato in 2008, food and beverage major PepsiCo is planning to ensure supply by introducing farming equipment and technology and new potato seed varieties to decrease chances of crop loss. It also aims to increase the acreage under contract farming by entering new states across the country.
The sector, for long, has been a barometer of economic activity in any country. Demand goes up in a boom as people buy more homes and cars, and businessmen put up more commercial space and factories. Conversely, the demand slumps quickly in a slowdown.
The index of industrial production data released by the government revealed on Friday that the growth in the Rs 32,000 crore (Rs 320 billion) consumer durables was in the negative -- down 3 per cent as against 9 per cent in October 2007. On the other hand, the durables sector had contributed to the industrial output rebound in the months of July (12.3 per cent ) and September (13.1 per cent).
AMCs can invest $7 billion abroad, and $300 million per AMC, but investments are way below these levels. Most equity schemes can invest 35 per cent of their assets abroad and there are schemes that invest only in overseas equity. What's holding them back is that they are not very sure if they can buy these bonds.
The move also follows on the back of the worldwide slowdown and the company's plans to go slow on establishing new Tag Heuer exclusive boutiques. The company wants to develop high-end luxury accessories for exclusive retailing though the Internet.
Bankers expect RBI to drop rates though there may not be any increase in aggregate liquidity as banks are parking surplus funds with the central bank. Some sectors like the small and medium enterprises, real estate have not been getting adequate funds and RBI may extend a refinance line or special facility whereby they can borrow at a subsidised rate.
It had initially planned to roll-out TAG Heuer phones in the first half of the current year, which it later revised to December 2008. The company now says it will launch the phones by March 2009. TAG Heuer has also revised the starting price of the phone, which was to debut in India for around Rs 2,20,000.
Expatriate CEOs, many of whom have made Mumbai their first homes, may be unnerved by the three-day terror strike in Mumbai, but none of them feel Mumbai or other parts of India have become unsafe to live and work in.
Risk perceptions will impact India's risk-rating, say experts.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances