Business News

Aiming for a higher alignment of Indian markets with global markets to reduce the impact of global events on Indian stocks, brokers are looking at a lower number of trading holidays, with a favourable response from stock exchange managements.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would inaugurate the three-day India Economic Summit on Sunday, organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Improved retail investor participation, coupled with high volatility in the market, has led to a 115 per cent jump in equity market volumes in the February to September period. This has also resulted in improved revenue for brokerages, say market players.

Come April 2010, companies will have to shell out 20 to 30 per cent more to buy insurance covers for property, aviation, engineering, marine insurance and business interruption. Reason: reinsurance rates are hardening, and are likely to go up even more.

The State Government has decided to exempt cars and motorbikes/scooters from levy of the Value Added Tax (VAT) in case vehicles are purchased by serving and ex- army men. The State Cabinet took a decision to this effect last week and now the Government is expected to issue a detailed notification in a day or two.

While private sector firms are hiring actively again, public sector undertakings (PSUs) are not lagging behind. Just a decade ago, many state companies were seen high on headcount on low on ambition, but now, things have changed.

From the heartland of the Green Revolution comes a new evolution. The granary state of Punjab known for its prosperous wheat farmers is set to transform into a banana state, after the unqualified success of a small experiment with the fruit.

For a country that ranks 11 in terms of its $45,000 per capita income (more than 15 times India?s) the credit crisis-hit Ireland is, like its November weather, a gloomy-grey picture of government mismanagement and banker-developer greed. The victims: average people ? laid-off workers, scrambling small businessmen, conservative shoppers.

With the novel idea of 'Always There, Because We Care', Hyundai Motor India Ltd, the country's largest passenger car exporter and the second largest car manufacturer, is back with its nationwide service initiative - 'Always Around' campaign in a mega avatar for the third consecutive year.

Diya Kalati has made a Rs 80 investment towards the climate change cause. The 14-year-old has bought a bucket and given up on the fancy two-way shower in her bathroom. Her aim is to bathe with a bucket of water and not use the shower anymore. This, she says, will help her reduce her carbon footprint on the planet.

In what can be termed as a clear pointer to the revival in the economy, all first year students of the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad were placed with summer internships ? in just four days.

The country?s second largest manufacturer of two-wheelers, Bajaj Auto, is looking to ride to the global top spot by 2015.

A decades-old economic benchmark is saying good-bye, after a tumultuous era when it was the official scoreboard for politicians and economists.

All persons who join public sector banks on or after April 1, 2010 would come under the government?s new pension system (NPS).

New Delhi, Nov. 5 -- They are hiring again - and at all levels. After almost three consecutive quarters that saw a hiring freeze trend with selective hiring at best, recruiters across key sectors such as healthcare, consumer electronics, automobile and information technology (IT) are actively looking to increase their headcounts.

Are real estate developers celebrating a rebound too soon? Market experts say a recent rise in property prices could stifle demand than boost profitability for developers, who seem to be in a hurry to force the pace of an incipient recovery.

Honeywell is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader engaged in developing, designing, and engineering products and solutions ranging from collision avoidance systems from aircraft to security systems for homes, buildings and critical infrastructure. Shane Tedjarati, the company?s president and CEO ( China and India) spoke to Hindustan Times on a range of issues.

The government?s ambitious plans for the power sector could well go off the rails due to a shortage of skilled manpower in the sector.

The second round of hearing on the Ambani brothers? gas dispute began in the Supreme Court on Thursday with Mukesh Ambani led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) repeating most of its arguments before a new bench constituted after Justice R.V. Raveendran withdrew citing conflict of interest.