The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, January 09, 2008

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Central team to visit rain-hit areas
A central team would visit the district shortly to inspect various places affected by heavy rains that lashed last month, the Collector, Mr Ashish Vachhani, said on Monday. The district administration has identified 15 rain-affected places ... More

NRIS
Govt to set up PM’s Global Advisory Council
New Delhi, Jan. 8 Seeking to tap the huge potential of Indians settled abroad, the Government has decided to set up a Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council consisting People of Indian Origin to draw upon the experience and knowledge ... More

AUTOMOBILES
Passenger vehicle sales up 8% in Dec
Motorbike down, scooter and scooterette sales up More

Auto Expo is here
More

CEMENT
Price-cut talk weakens cement cos
Cement stocks have been witnessing steep fall in the last few days. According to market participants, following the Tamil Nadu Government’s warning last week that if the private cement factories did not bring down the prices, it would have ... More

ECONOMY
Central banks succeed in easing liquidity
For the US economy, 2008 has begun on the wrong note. It began with a sub-50 reading on the ISM manufacturing index (which measures confidence, outlook, order books, employment and price pressures in the factory sector), suggesting weak ... More

ENVIRONMENT
Private equity players step up ‘green’ investments
New Delhi, Jan. 8 Private equity players and big-ticket investors are making a beeline to tap investment opportunities in ‘green projects’. IFC, the private sector lending arm of the World Bank Group, on Tuesday announced it ... More

HEALTH
US keen to evolve system for safe health products
The US has decided to evolve a system of safeguards to ensure safety to its citizens as it imported food and health products, keeping in mind the future needs.While helping the host countries to set up their own drug authorities on the ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
SEZ to be set up for marine products in AP
Hyderabad, Jan. 8 The Marine Products Export Development Agency (MPEDA), which works under the Union Ministry of Commerce, will set up the country’s first special economic zone (SEZ) for marine products in Andhra Pradesh.Likely ... More

HDFC Infrastructure Fund launched
Mumbai, Jan. 8 HDFC Mutual Fund has launched HDFC Infrastructure Fund, which is a three year close-ended equity scheme with automatic conversion into an open-ended scheme upon maturity.The investment objective of the scheme is to seek ... More

AIG launches Infrastructure and Economic Reform Fund
New Delhi, Jan. 8 AIG Investments, an asset management arm of American International Group Inc, on Tuesday announced the launch of an open-ended equity scheme by the name ‘AIG Infrastructure and Economic Reform Fund’.This ... More

PSU
RITES issues bonus shares
New Delhi, Jan. 8 RITES Ltd, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, has announced issue of bonus shares of Rs 36 crore to its existing shareholders (the Government), in the ratio of nine shares for one share held in the ... More

PETROLEUM
‘Crude oil prices may reach $150 a barrel in two to three years’
In the next two to three years crude oil prices could reach $150 a barrel, said Mr M.S. Srinivasan, Union Secretary for Petroleum and Natural Gas. He was addressing the delegates at New Exploration Licensing Policy-VII road show on ... More

Reliance may bid for oil find in S. Asia
Reliance Industries Ltd may bid with local or foreign exploration companies to find oil in the South Asian region, said Mr P.M.S. Prasad, President and CEO of petroleum business of Reliance Industries Ltd, on Tuesday.Mr Prasad was ... More

Crude leads decline in key core sector growth in Nov
Performance slips to 5.3%; coal bucks trend More

BG in talks with Petronet LNG for terminal access
Kolkata, Jan 8 British Gas is in discussions with Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL) for third party access to PLL’s Dahej terminal for importing LNG. While BG and PLL official sources are tight-lipped on the issue, industry sources say that ... More

PHARMACEUTICALS
AP pharma body seeks land for SMEs in Ongole
Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association (DPMA) has requested the State Government to allocate 1,000 acres of land near Ongole for setting up of small and medium enterprises exclusively.A delegation led by the DPMA Chairman, ... More

TAXATION
India Inc assures more robust show if corporate tax rates are lowered
New Delhi, Jan 8 Corporate India on Tuesday urged the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, to moderate its direct tax burden, promising that industry would respond with even more robust performance if corporate tax rate were cut in Budget ... More

SSI
Oriental Bank to raise SME lending in East
Kolkata, Jan. 8 Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), which has so far in the current year posted 43 per cent growth in advances to the SMEs (small and enterprises) sector in some of the eastern States, proposes to step up its lending further in ... More

TRAVEL & PLACES
First Indian visa centre opens in Beijing
Wooing tourists as part of Incredible India campaign More

RADIO/TV
TRAI seeks industry views on phase III of FM radio
New Delhi, Jan. 8 The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has sought the industry’s views before formulating recommendations on phase III of FM radio. Important issues

On the agenda is ... More

EDUCATION
CAT results declared
More

CARS
Ford India entering small car segment
Plans Rs 2,000-cr investment More

Vintage cars to be showcased at Auto Expo
New Delhi, Jan. 8 At least 100 vintage cars and classic cars and 50 vintage and classic motorcycles and scooters, some dating back to 1910, will be on display along with swanky cars at the Auto Expo 2008 beginning Thursday. The Heritage ... More

Comparisons galore
The usual set of comments made its rounds as soon as the new Bajaj car was unveiled. Journalists present at the unveiling conference promptly started to compare the car and its features. The front looks a bit like the Zen and the Hyundai i10, ... More

MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS & HOSPITALS
LifeCell gets certification
New Delhi, Jan. 8 LifeCell, a non-profit body dedicated to developing the standards in blood and cord blood banking, transfusion medicine and cellular therapy, has received the American Association of Blood Banks accreditation. ... More

READYMADE GARMENTS
Indian garment industry for collaboration with China
Bangalore, Jan. 8 The Indian garment industry is looking to cash in on improved and cost-efficient technology from none other than its rival China. Talks are on for possible joint ventures between Indian and Chinese companies for the ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IICT scientist gets RIL award
More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Nabard sanctions Rs 23.68 cr to Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 8 The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned Rs 23.68 crore to Kerala for implementing various rural development projects in the State.A total of 91 projects come under the ... More

Indira Awas Yojana scheme launched in Madurai
People below poverty line will be entitled to avail bank loans at 4% interest rate More

EVENTS
Auto Expo will see high profile one-lakh and one-crore car previews
New concept cars and bikes will be displayed More

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
More women entrepreneurs to benefit from welders training
Tiruchi tech institute extends the programme More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Kenyan violence to help Indian tea
Kochi, Jan. 8 Disruption in tea production and trading in Kenya and some other tea producing countries in the region in the wake of the post-election violence in Kenya from December 30 is likely to push up the Indian tea exports. ... More