STOCKS
IT stocks zoom on the eve of quarterly results
IN the matter of timing the announcements of the quarterly results, IT companies always beat others. The Hughes Software and MphasiS BFL today declared their Q3 results and upped their guidance for the Q4. But the grand opening for the earning ... More

Digital gets nod to delist
BANGALORE: Digital Globalsoft Ltd has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that it has received shareholder approval for the special resolution for delisting of the company's shares on a poll at the extraordinary general meeting held on ... More

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Hughes Soft clocks 110 pc rise in Q3 net
HUGHES Software Systems (HSS), which develops software for telecom companies, today said that its net profit for the third quarter rose by 110 per cent as it had bagged more orders. Net profit grew to Rs 23.9 crore from Rs 11.4 crore in the ... More

MphasiS BFL group Q3 net up 57 pc
THE MphasiS BFL group has posted a 57 per cent rise in net profit for the third quarter ended December 31, which touched Rs 28.5 crore compared to the corresponding previous period. Revenues grew by 28 per cent year-on-year to Rs 148.63 crore ... More

HARDWARE
PC prices to drop as Govt cuts excise duty
PRICES of personal computers (PCs) will drop by 6-9 per cent with the Government today halving the excise duty on computers to eight per cent, a move that would spur sales of branded PCs. Companies such as HCL Infosystems, Hewlett-Packard and ... More

Hardware sector hails duty cut
THE IT hardware manufacturing sector can move to the next level of hardware production and expect to see more traction in sales. Due to the Government's decision to reduce excise duty from 15 per cent to 8 per cent, PC penetration is set to ... More

Computer hardware: Keyed up
DOMESTIC computer hardware manufacturers, such as HCL Infosystems, Wipro (its hardware division) and Zenith Computers, may be the key beneficiaries of the reduction in the excise duty from 16 per cent to 8 per cent and ... More

`Sops will fuel hardware demand'
REACTING to the mini budget, Mr H.C. Tandon, Director, PCS Industries Ltd, said "we are very excited about this tax cut given to the hardware sector particularly as the industry was lobbying for the same since quite some time." "This would ... More

Abacus Netcomm opens `Think World' PC showroom
THE Chennai-based Abacus Netcomm, one of the business partners for IBM in Tamil Nadu, has launched Abacus Netcomm ThinkWorld, an exclusive showroom to showcase IBM personal computer products. The idea of such a showroom is to get closer to ... More

SOFTWARE
Good news for e-signature firms
THE simplification of procedures under direct taxes should cheer up companies issuing digital certificates, including the Government-owned National Informatics Centre, SafeScrypt and TCS. The Centre has announced that electronic filing of ... More

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Cranes buys Sigma product line
BANGALORE: Cranes Software International Ltd (CSIL), a scientific and engineering software solutions provider, has announced its decision to acquire the Sigma product line from SPSS Inc for $13 million. CSIL's fully owned subsidiary, ... More

ALLIANCES & JOINT VENTURES
neoIT in pact with Philippines co
BANGALORE: neoIT, an offshore outsourcing advisory and management firm, has announced a joint venture with Argosy Holdings in a move to build its advisory and management services in the Philippines. The Manila-based consulting and ... More

CONVERGENCE
COMMUNICATIONS CONVERGENCE
...BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
On the right track
TRAI's unified licensing regime is a step in the right direction. And it is hoped that it does not run into rough weather, unlike the Communication Convergence Bill. G. Rambabu surveys the scene. More

`Public-pvt partnerships to bridge digital divide faster'
WITH a healthy 40 per cent growth rate and projections of 200 million users by 2007, the multi-billion Indian telecom market is set to boom at an exponential rate. According to the India Economic Report published ... More

What's the buzz about broadband?
Once television needs, office needs and data transfer needs are met, what's the unique matter that can be sent down the broadways which are being created? Kripa Raman finds out. More

INCOME TAX
Experts decry I-T dept move to tax BPO units
TAXATION of business process outsourcing (BPO) units in India continues to be a vexed issue for many tax experts and industry participants. Some tax experts have been stumped by the Income-Tax department's latest decision to distinguish between ... More

NEW PRODUCTS & SERVICES
HP launches Vertical ultra slim scanner
Ms Barkha Deva, Country Category Manager (Digital Imaging Products), Hewlett Packard India, at the launch of the company's Vertical Ultra Slim scanner in the Capital on ... More