The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, February 22, 2007

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OPINION

EDITORIAL
Trading interest
Given the mutual business opportunities, there is interest in Pakistan and India to expand bilateral trade. More

BUDGET
Finance Minister must Budget for Gen-A
With life expectancy going up, the post-retirement phase has become long and arduous in the absence of an effective social security system, and with decline of the joint family system. In this situation, the Government must provide larger tax advanta ges to those in the 50-plus age group that would be facing retirement, says R. VAIDYANATHAN. More

ACCOUNTANCY
Standards on financial instruments
One of the major achievements of AS 30 is that it gives detailed guidelines about accounting and recognising hedging instruments. More

Technical dips
Ever wondered how auditors verify the physical stocks of crude and finished petroleum products? It is done `by taking dip measurement of each tank,' informs Technical Guide on Internal Audit in Oil & Gas Refining & Marketing (Downstream) ... More

POLITICS
UP raises political heat on Budget eve
L'affaire Uttar Pradesh is throwing up various political combinations, with foes lining up on the same side and allies opposing each other over the fate of the Mulayam Singh government. More

INTERVIEW
Economists cannot predict the movement of stock markets
Apart from the Budget's immediate impact on stock movements, it is important to give the market at least a month for it to process and incorporate the Budget's implications into the market indices. DR SHANTO GHOSH, DIRECTOR AND PRI NCIPAL ECONOMIST, DELOITTE, HASKINS AND SELLS, MUMBAI. More

Firms will have to build size
Last week, a global Big Four accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), took over the tax practice unit of India-based RSM Pvt. Ltd. for an undisclosed sum. With a combined staff strength of more than 4,000, the merged entity is `the ... More

Tax efficiencies and treaties help M&A
Consolidation in the pharma space is clearly here to stay and India's M&A juggernaut is not likely to slow down soon. MR HITESH GAJARIA, PARTNER, BSR & CO, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS. More

LETTERS

Domestic tourism

China takes the lead

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E-paper anouncement
Pick a Winner Stock Market Contest

Cut in excise, peak customs duty likely

Spat over 7,000 tonnes milk powder contract

Auto, pharma, IT sectors to propel India Inc: Study

Economists cannot predict the movement of stock markets

Airport terminals to have `intelligent buildings' soon

Visa Group to acquire ships

RIL, Chevron likely to strengthen ties

Looking back
Feb. 11-Feb. 17
India Inc on a buying binge

The multibillion-dollar questions

Inflation targeting — Address the supply-side constraints too