PREFERENTIAL ALLOTMENTS
Alok Ind board okays pref allotment of shares
ALOK Industries Ltd has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that at its meeting held on October 21, the board has approved the issue and allotment of 55,73,700 equity shares at the rate of Rs 61 per share (face value per share Rs 10 and premium Rs ... More

AUDITING
To assess members' quality of services — Company Secretaries prefer setting up of peer review board
THE move to establish a Quality Review Board (QRB) has found few takers among the Company Secretaries (CS) community with a majority of the professionals preferring the concept of a Peer Review Board (PRB) instead. The Companies Secretaries ... More

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
FDI outflow rises as Indian cos clinch more buys overseas: Unctad
The increasing number of home-grown firms such as Tata Group, Infosys, Ranbaxy and their improving ownership-specific advantages including financial capability are among the key drivers. More

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
`Avoid over-regulation for better corporate governance'
THE big challenges in the area of corporate governance today are to avoid over-regulation and sidestep unfair demands on companies, felt Dr Omkar Goswami, Founder and Chairperson of CERG Advisory. Dr Goswami was a member of CII's committee on ... More

ALLIANCES & JOINT VENTURES
SPAR Group signs pact with Solutions Integrated
MARKETING services company Solutions Integrated has entered into a 49:51 joint venture with the US-based SPAR Group Inc to provide retail activation services to marketers and retailers in India. "Marketers are increasingly aware that mass media ... More

DIVERSIFICATION
DS Group plans to invest Rs 250 cr in non-tobacco business
THE Rs 750 crore Dharampal Satyapal Group is in expansion mode. Known for brands such as BABA chewing tobacco, Rajnigandha pan masala, Pass Pass mouth freshner and Catch spices, the group is now keen to develop its non-tobacco business. Thus, ... More

OUTLOOK
Top management gurus guide Tatas' global march
MENTION leadership training and global managers at Bombay House and more likely than not one gets to see the adrenalin pumping at the Tata Sons headquarters. Almost all the brass there have considered views on the topic. Thus you have Mr Ratan ... More

Philips to focus more on Asia Pacific
THE Asia Pacific region will be the main driver for Royal Philips Electronics in the coming years and the Netherlands-based multinational company is making investments in the area of research and development. The Asia Pacific region, according ... More

Essar Shipping: Charting a new course in oil transportation
ESSAR Shipping Ltd is looking beyond the horizon of traditional shipping. In tune with the distinct shift in the outlook of the global oil industry in respect of crude transportation, the company is gradually metamorphosing from a mere ... More

PERFORMANCE
IOC: Sliding sharply on subsidy
IT has been a rather sharp slide in the performance of Indian Oil Corporation in the second quarter of 2004-05. Given that retail prices of transportation fuels were not revised enough upwards to reflect the jump in global oil prices, a fall ... More

TRENDS
Buoyancy in profit growth continues for corporates
THE story of buoyancy in profit growth continued for the corporate sector in the quarter ended September 2004. In aggregate terms, reported after-tax profits of 350 companies increased by 32 per cent. These 350 companies, including banks, ... More