Yahoo improves its search engine

Searches on the Yahoo engine should soon deliver more results, thanks in part to new filter functions, reports the company. view complete news..

US Black Friday shoppers spend more than in 2008

US shoppers were out in full force Saturday during the year's most important weekend for retailers after laying out an estimated $10.66 billion on Black Friday in stores. view complete news..

Spanish govt preparing broad economic overhaul

Though the cabinet has agreed on the outline of the Sustainable Economy bill, the Socialist administration will consult with opposition parties, business, labour and authorities in Spain's autonomous regions before sending the measure to parliament, she said Friday. view complete news..

WTO holds first ministerial meeting in four years

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) begins its first ministerial meeting in four years Monday aimed at reviewing the work of the 153-member group. view complete news..

EU, China sign agreements on environment, trade

Chinese and European Union leaders signed five agreements on trade and environmental technology on Monday as they held a summit focussing on global economic issues and climate change. view complete news..

Thailand's Dusit group to build five luxury hotels in India

Thai hospitality chain Dusit, acclaimed for blending modern global service standards with the country's traditional hospitality in its hotels, hopes to open its first luxury property outside the country in New Delhi next year. view complete news..

Tea production to go down due to weather: Tea Board chief

Tea production in India will be marginally lower this year than in the year before due to erratic weather, says Tea Board of India chairman Basudeb Banerjee. read more news..

High taxes hitting food processing sector: ASSOCHAM

Taxation of over 18 percent on branded processed agricultural products is adversely affecting the competitiveness of the sector, an industry lobby has said in a report released on Sunday. view complete news..

Mobile phones with zero IMEI will go useless from Tuesday

Mobile phones without unique identification numbers (IMEI) will stop buzzing from Tuesday, as recently the government had made it mandatory for all service providers to disconnect services to mobile phones that do not have International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers - unique 15-digit security code - or zero IMEI. view complete news..

Uttarakhand seeks Rs.10,000 crore central package

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Saturday sought a Rs.10,000 crore annual package from the central government for the upkeep of the state's natural heritage. view complete news..

Haryana hopes to double agricultural yield by 2020

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Sunday said his government has set a target of doubling agricultural production by 2020, and urged scientists to develop better technology to help farmers. view complete news..

With crops failing, 3.3 mn people in Bihar risk death by hunger

Over 3.3 million people in Bihar risk death by hunger due to a new enemy. A senior official has blamed climate change for this year's drought, which has placed so many people at risk.

"It seems that climate change is responsible for drought in 26 districts of the state. Crop production is falling. And it has largely affected districts that were earlier flood-prone," the Bihar government's Principal Secretary Vyasji told IANS. view full news..

India, Canada agree on historic n-deal

India and Canada have agreed on a civil nuclear deal that will enable New Delhi to access Canadian nuclear technology and uranium after a gap of 34 years. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the development "augurs extremely well" for the ties between the nations. view complete news..

India-US reprocessing pact in a week: M.K. Narayanan

India and the US will conclude a crucial pact on reprocessing spent fuel in a week or so, with negotiators trying to sort out the right language to accommodate each other's concerns, India's National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan said in Port of Spain. view complete news..

Integrity a must in the stock market, says regulator

Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) member K.M. Abraham has said integrity was a must in stock trading.

"If there is no integrity, it can play a lot of havoc," Abraham said Saturday night while delivering the inaugural address at the 20th anniversary celebrations of share broking company Capstocks and Securities. view complete news..

Markets open strong after previous week's losses

Equities opened on a positive note on Monday, after some major losses during the week before on account of the turmoil in the global bourses because of the debt woes of Dubai World. view complete news..

Domestic demand will help India grow faster: Pranab Mukherjee

The Indian economy has been able to face up to the recent global economic slowdown and will grow faster backed by strong domestic demand and a young population, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Chandigarh on Saturday. view complete news..

PM returns after visit to US and Trinidad

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned to the capital on Sunday night after his state visit to the US and Trinidad and Tobago, where he participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). view complete news..

Indo-US services trade may cross USD 150 bn by 2015: CII

A fast growing services trade between India and the US, which has remained relatively stable despite the global economic crisis, is expected to cross the USD 150 billion figure by 2015 – even faster than the bilateral merchandise trade, according to recent study by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). view complete news..

India logs 7.9 percent growth in second quarter

Signs of an upturn in the Indian economy were reinforced on Monday with official data on the country's gross domestic product (GDP) showing a 7.9 percent growth in the second quarter of this fiscal, taking the markets and experts by surprise. view complete news..

China announces ambitious emission caps, NGOs elated

China announced a 40-45 percent reduction in the carbon intensity from the business-as-usual scenario by 2020. Carbon intensity measures the amount of carbon dioxide -- the main greenhouse gas that is causing global warming -- emitted per unit of industrial output. India's carbon intensity is one of the lowest among emerging economies. view complete news..

regulators charge Philips, others over cathode ray tube cartel

European Union regulators Thursday formally charged Dutch electronics giant Philips and other manufacturers of cathode ray tubes (CRT) of forming a cartel aimed at inflating the price of television sets and computer monitors. view complete news..

Dubai shock waves shake London stock market

The London Stock Exchange felt the shock waves of the Dubai World debt moratorium call Thursday, with the FTSE 100 index dropping 3.2 percent. view complete news..

Dubai announces restructuring of Dubai World

The process has begun with the appointment of a Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO). Aidan Birkett, managing partner, corporate finance at Deloitte LLP will be the CRO and will work with Dubai World's executive management team to oversee the restructuring and ensure the continuity of its operations. view complete news..

Koutons to open 100 new stores this fiscal

Retail apparel firm Koutons India plans to open 100 new stores and expects revenue to grow by 35 percent this fiscal, a top official said in New Delhi Thursday. view complete news..

No special favours to Mahindra Satyam: Minister

Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Thursday said his ministry had granted no special favours to Mahindra Sataym in giving it extra time to state its book of accounts.

"No special favour is being shown to anyone. No rigidity will be shown either. I think the best that can be done for the stakeholders is being done by them. Whatever assistance they have asked, we have given," Khurshid told reporters in New Delhi. view complete news..

Ansals API to invest Rs.1,000 cr in mid-housing segment

Realty major Ansals API Thursday said the company will be investing Rs.1,000 crore by 2010 in the mid-housing segment.

"There is a huge demand in the middle housing segment. We are planning to invest about Rs.1,000 crore in this segment in the next one year," said company vice chairman and managing director Pranav Ansal. read more news..

Indian retail market to reach $535 bn by 2013: Report

India's retail market is expected to reach $535 billion by 2013, says a report on fashion and lifestyle franchises released in New Delhi Thursday.

"With anticipated $30 billion fresh investment over the next five years, modern retail will show impressive compound annual growth rate of 40 percent," said the Fashion and Lifestyle Franchise Report 2009-10. view complete news..

Rs.443 cr collected as airport development fee

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel Thursday said Rs.443 crore has been collected as development fees by Delhi and Mumbai airports till October.

International passengers flying out of Delhi are charged Rs.1,300 as airport development fee, while the corresponding fee for domestic departures is Rs.200. In Mumbai, an international passenger pays Rs.600, while a domestic flier pays Rs.100. view complete news..

Malta woos Indian firms, signs MoU with CII

There are huge opportunities in Malta for Indian firms in number of sectors, said Executive Chairman of Malta Enterprise, Alan Camilleri who is leading a high level business delegation from Malta.

Camilleri explained during a Business Forum on “Doing Business with Malta” organized jointly by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) & Malta Enterprise in New Delhi that the existing opportunities in Malta for Indian firms are in sectors like tourism, ICT, health, maritime, financial services and film production. view complete news..

States also have responsibility to control price rise: Pranab Mukherjee

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Thursday said that state governments too have a responsibility to control the shooting prices of essential commodities.

Intervening in the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the price rise, Mukherjee said "from the field to market, there is a huge mismanagement". view complete news..

Overseas Indians have promoted Brand India: Manmohan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began his three-day visit to the Caribbean nation with a call to nearly a million persons of Indian origin in this region to be "active partners" in "a new India" and lauded overseas Indians for promoting Brand India. view complete news..

Markets recoup losses after initial bloodbath

Indian equities managed to stem the losses suffered in the morning and afternoon sessions Friday, with the Sensex, benchmark index of the Bombay Sock Exchange, ending trade 1.32 percent lower after falling more than 3.82 percent owing to fears of a debt default by Dubai World. view complete news..

No impact of Dubai World default on India: Anand Sharma

The risk of a multi-billion-dollar debt default by Dubai World, ranked among the largest state-run conglomerates in the region, will have little impact on the Indian economy, a senior Indian minister said on Friday.

"India is a very large economy. It's a resilient economy. I don't think some development in real estate in Dubai will have an impact on the Indian economy," Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said. view complete news..

Heavy rush expected on last day of trade fair

A heavy rush is expected on the last day of the Indian International Trade Fair (IITF) Friday, organisers said.

The trade fair attracts large crowds on the last day as exhibitors slash rates of items in order to sell them before they leave. The Nov 14-27 trade fair is being held at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. read complete news..

Huge opportunities for Indian SMEs in Finland

Indian SMEs can reap benefits from joint projects with Finland SMEs, said A.K Sood, Head, International Cooperation, Department of Science and Technology in New Delhi on Thursday.

On the sidelines of the 15th Technology Summit & Technology Platform organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Sood told SME Times about the need of R&D development in India and said that both the countries need to work collaboratively on joint projects. view complete news..

CSR credit can internalize corporates' sustainability commitment

The government foresees CSR credit as a tool to internalize sustainability commitments from enterprises. Furthermore institutional support will be instrumental in ensuring sustainable development with a rational, reasonable and humanist approach, said Salman Khurshid, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs. The minister also said that an active society can play a key role in filling the gap between the Government and corporate. view complete news..

FIEO for monthly ceiling on raw cotton export

The Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) has appealed the government to allow 50 lakh bales of raw cotton for exports in a year with monthly ceiling of 4 lakh bales to enable textiles and garment exporters to maintain their export markets. view complete news..

Wall Street stocks gain on optimism for US economy

US stocks rose Wednesday after three separate reports offered signs that the US recovery is gaining steam.

Consumer spending and new home sales rose more than expected in October, while weekly jobless claims dropped to their lowest rate since September 2008. An index of consumer confidence from the University of Michigan and Reuters also rose. view complete news..

Emerging countries to discuss US climate offer at Beijing

Ten days before the start of the Copenhagen climate summit, the offer by President Barack Obama to cut US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be discussed by ministers and officials from India, China, Brazil and South Africa who meet in Beijing on Friday.

The US move left many members of the Indian government's negotiating team at the Copenhagen talks dissatisfied. read more news..

Sugarcane price: Farmers clash with police in UP

Agitated over the government's sugarcane policy, farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar and Baghpat district disrupted a rail route, targeted public vehicles and clashed with the police, officials said Thursday.

Several groups of farmers resorted to vandalism in Muzaffarnagar's Ahlam town, about 350 km from Lucknow, and also damaged rail tracks there. view complete news..

Orissa seeks Jharkhand's help to check illegal mining

Orissa has sought Jharkhand's help to check illegal mining in the state, a senior official has said.

"I have recently written to the secretary of mines and geology of Jharkhand," said Orissa's Steel and Mines Secretary Ashok Mohadeo Rao Dalwai. view complete news..

Say no to nuclear plant, Mahasweta tells tribals

Railing against a proposed nuclear power plant in West Bengal's Haripur, celebrated writer Mahasweta Devi has urged tribals to send five post cards each to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying no to the plant. view complete news..

TVS Motors launches India's first auto-clutch bike

Two-wheeler maker TVS Motor launched India's first auto-clutch bike "Jive" priced at Rs.41,000, and an automatic scooter "Wego" in Chennai Wednesday.

"With Jive and our other model 'Flame', our target is to have at least 10 percent (of the executive bike market) in nine months. Currently our presence is very minimal in the segment," TVS Motor chairman Venu Srinivasan told reporters after the launch. read more news..

Balrampur Chini posts Rs.42.7 crore profit

Sugar maker Balrampur Chini Mills has posted a net profit of Rs.42.73 crore for the quarter ended Sep 30, as compared to Rs.14.58 crore earned in the year-ago period. view complete news..

Apollo DKV eyes tie-ups with other insurers

Apollo DKV Insurance is in talks with three insurers for partnership agreements, a top official said in Chennai on Wednesday.

"We are talking to life and non-life insurers for a possible co-insurance arrangement," Antony Jacob, chief executive of the health insurer, told reporters after launching a new health insurance policy. read more news..

Govt calls all-party meeting on sugarcane pricing

With the government facing hurdles in finalising amendments to the bill on sugarcane pricing, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Wednesday convened an all-party meeting to thrash out a political consensus on the issue. view complete news..

Computer sales up 24 pc in July-September quarter

In another sign of recovery in Indian industry, the sales of personal computers in the country were up 24 percent in the quarter ended Sep 30 and touched 2.19 million units, according to leading market research firm IDC. view complete news..

Healthcare to become $77-bn sector in India by 2012: Report

India's healthcare sector is expected to grow at 23 percent annually to become a $77-billion industry by 2012, a report released Wednesday said.

According to the report, jointly prepared by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) and Yes Bank, India's healthcare sector has grown at 9.3 percent annually during 2000-09. view complete news..

New EU rules seen raising cost of Indian chemicals exports

Indian companies export chemicals worth $2 billion per annum to Europe and are worried about the new legislation -- Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals -- that seeks to manage risks arising from the use of chemical substances. view complete news..

Maintaining Kolkata port a liability: Govt

The shipping ministry has expressed concern over the mounting navigability maintenance costs of Kolkata and Haldia ports and asked authorities to justify the existence of these ports.

To continue a port in Kolkata with the present depth of 4-5 metres "seems to be a liability", said a letter signed by R. Srinivasa Rao, director of ports operations at the ministry, and sent to the Kolkata Port Trust chairman Oct 20. view complete news..

Sufficient fertilisers available: Govt

During the kharif season this year, "sufficient quantities of fertilisers were made available by the department in various parts of the country," said Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Srikant Jena while replying to a calling attention motion on the shortage of fertilizers and seeds and steps taken in this regard. view complete news..

India seeks $3-bn World Bank aid for widening highways

India has approached the World Bank for $3 billion to fund widening of 7,000-km single-lane national highways into double lanes, Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath said Wednesday.

"We have applied to the World Bank for $3 billion ($2.97 billion) for building double lanes on 7,000 km of national highways, which have single lanes. Funds are not a constraint for the highway projects till 2010-11," Kamal Nath told reporters here. view complete news..

Manmohan Singh invites Indians abroad to join country's growth story

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited people of Indian origin abroad to take advantage of modern technology and flexible policies to build a "true intellectual and business partnership" between Indians and Americans. view complete news..

Pakistan nixes India-Afghanistan transit trade

Pakistan refused the demand made by Afghan officials at a meeting in Kabul earlier this week on the ground that the trade agreement was between Pakistan and Afghanistan and India had no role to play in this, Online news agency reported. view complete news..

327 central projects behind schedule: Minister

A total of 327 projects were behind schedule by one month to 16 years, with the maximum defaults in the road transport sector, according to the data available with the ministry of statistics and programme implementation. read more news..

Food inflation jumps to 15.58 percent

Annual food inflation based on the official wholesale price index jumped to 15.58 percent for the week ended Nov 14, as prices of potatoes more than doubled, while onion became dearer by 27 percent over the past 52 weeks. view complete news..

Customers not getting full benefits of rate cuts: RBI chief

Inefficiencies in the banking system were not allowing customers to fully enjoy benefits of rate cuts, said the chief of India's central bank in Mumbai on Wednesday. read more news..

Reprocessing deal well before August 2010 deadline: US

While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted that some "minor" problems relating to the India-US nuclear deal could be resolved in a couple of weeks, the US has expressed confidence the deal would be done well before the August 2010 deadline. view complete news..

Focus on non-agri exports to Phillipines, govt. to exporters

Indian exporters should shift focus from agri exports to other export items to the Philippines, the world’s biggest rice importer, Director, Ministry of Commerce & industry, Govt. of India, V L Kantha Rao told SME Times on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday. view complete news..

Focus on R&D, skill development: Nath

Focus on India-specific products, India-specific R&D and skill development will drive growth for the Indian Earthmoving and Construction Equipment Industry (ECE), Kamal Nath, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, said. view complete news..

No need to ban cotton export, says Maran

The Union Minister of Textiles, Mr Dayanadhi Maran, has said the current situation does not warrant any ban on raw cotton export.

The ban is being keenly sought by different stakeholders of the textile and clothing segments of the industry. view complete news..

Changes in Direct Taxes for gems, jewellery industry sought

The gems and jewellery industry wants provisions such as search and seizure and tax on gross assets in the Direct Taxes Code to be modified.

It says these provisions could be detrimental to the sector’s growth which has been showing signs of recovery after reeling under recession.

Industry representatives also appealed to the Government to incentivise units in SEZs and EOUs. view complete news..

Young Turks need to find alternate ways for finance

To start a small business, young entrepreneurs always find that adequate finance at reasonable interest rates is a big challenge, but they must understand that there are other alternatives for their financial requirements, says experts at a MSME conclave organized by Economic Times in the national capital recently. view complete news..

US levies fines on airlines who stranded passengers

Three US airlines were fined a total of $175,000 Tuesday for leaving passengers stranded nearly six hours on an aircraft, the first-ever such penalty imposed by the US government. view complete news..

US economy grew 2.8 per cent in third quarter

The US economy grew at an annual rate of 2.8 percent in the third quarter of this year, according to an updated government estimate Tuesday that confirmed the US has likely emerged from its deepest recession in decades. read more news..

Ciena Corp. beats Nokia Siemens to buy Nortel assets

The US network specialist Ciena Corp beat Nokia Siemens Networks Tuesday to acquire debt-ridden Nortel's optical networking assets, with the American company winning the auction with $769 million. view complete news..

Tokyo stocks up on bargain buys

Tokyo stocks inched up Wednesday after a day of choppy trading as investors snapped up bargains following the previous day's losses. view complete news..

US central bank issues rosier outlook on economy

The US Federal Reserve Tuesday raised its growth forecasts for the US economy, but warned that unemployment in the US will remain for some time at its highest levels in a generation. view complete news..

US stocks edge lower on revised growth figures

The Commerce Department in an updated estimate said the economy grew at an annual rate of 2.8 percent in the third quarter, down from the department's first estimate of 3.5 percent. Worse-than-expected consumer demand and higher imports weighed on the numbers. view complete news..

Dunlop to start production from Sahaganj unit Dec 2

"Through a notice at the entrance of the Sahaganj plant, the management of Dunlop India has informed its employees today (Tuesday) that the production at the plant will resume on and from Wednesday, December 2, 2009," a company release said. read more news at - SME Times

HCL, Cisco team up for security solutions services

HCL Security, a wholly-owned subsidiary of hardware major HCL Infosystems, Tuesday said it has signed an agreement with technology firm Cisco to provide internet protocol-based safety and security solutions in India and abroad. view complete news..

Mumbai brokers oppose extension of trading hours: Survey

An overwhelming majority of brokers of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) are opposed to any extension of trading hours, according to a survey report released in Mumbai Tuesday. read more news..

Finnish companies on the lookout for Indian tie-ups

Finland is planning to have a larger presence in India, with a delegation of more than 120 members arriving here, seeking to forge tie-ups in areas such as renewable energy, clean technologies and healthcare systems.

Businesses from both countries have converged at the ongoing India-Finland Technology Partnership Forum to be held through the week. view complete news..

Suzlon signs pact with Australia's energy firm

Pune-headquartered wind power major Suzlon Energy Wednesday signed an agreement with Australia's Infigen Energy to provide 20 units of wind power generators with a capacity to generate 42 MW. read more news..

Satyam scam is of over Rs.14,000 crore: CBI

The accounting scam at Satyam Computer Services is to the tune of Rs.14,000 crore (Rs.140 billion/$2.8 billion) and not Rs.7,800 crore (Rs.78 billion) as the company's disgraced former chairman B. Ramalinga Raju stated earlier this year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has said. view complete news..

Reservation for economically backward is complicated: Commission

Reservation for economically backward classes is not possible without constitutional amendments, members of the commission looking into the issue said in Agartala on Wednesday. view complete news..

Chhattisgarh seeks higher support price for paddy

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh Tuesday asked the central government to raise the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy to Rs.1,400 per quintal from the present Rs.950 per quintal. view complete news..

Govt sets up body to review portfolio investment policies

To encourage foreign portfolio investment, the Finance Ministry has set up a working group for suggesting changes in the existing policy on foreign capital inflows by FIIs, NRIs and venture capital funds. read more news..

India, US announces partnership to guide eco coop

India and the United States on Monday announced the establishment of a new US-India Economic and Financial Partnership to strengthen bilateral engagement and understanding on macroeconomic, financial sector and infrastructure-related issues. view complete news..

India-France bilateral trade hit by slowdown, says envoy

Bilateral trade between India and France will be hit this fiscal on account of the global economic meltdown, a French diplomat said in Kolkata on Tuesday. view complete news.

Form "Sovereign Fund" to rescue swings of capital market: ASSOCHAM

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has proposed to the government to create a "Sovereign Fund", proceeds of which be utilized to rescue and arrest possible volatility in domestic capital market as also encourage it’s orderly growth for a stable and progressive financial system. read more news.

India-US vow to stimulate global economy, expand partnership

Vowing to expand the India-US "global strategic partnership for a better world", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama have set an agenda in five key areas which include stimulating global economic revival. read more news.

FIEO fears 'asset bubble', urges judicious use of inflow

Despite heavy capital inflows there is virtually no increase in capacity building and expansion which may result in 'asset bubbles' both in realty and in equity markets, according to Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). view complete news.

LLP a 'fantastic opportunity' for MSMEs: Minister

The Limited Liability Partnership is a 'fantastic opportunity' for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and it would inevitably give a whole new profile to the sector, said the Minister of Corporate Affairs, Salmaan Khurshid in New Delhi on Tuesday. read complete news.

Focus on non-agri exports to Phillipines, govt. to exporters

Indian exporters should shift focus from agri exports to other export items to the Philippines, the world’s biggest rice importer, Director, Ministry of Commerce & industry, Govt. of India, V L Kantha Rao told SME Times on the sidelines of an event on Tuesday. view complete news.

US will offer emissions reduction target at Copenhagen talks

The United States will offer a mid-term target for cutting its climate-damaging emissions when world governments meet for the critical UN-backed Copenhagen summit next month, US media has reported, citing a senior administration official. view complete news..

Tokyo stocks down on worries about domestic finances, strong yen

Stocks lost ground in Tuesday morning trading in Tokyo due to concerns about the state of government and private sector finances and the stronger yen.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 50.32 points, or 0.53 percent, to stand at 9,447.36. view complete news..

US stocks gain on surprise home sales recovery

US stocks surged Monday after the release of some surprisingly buoyant data on home sales.

Existing home sales surged to 6.1 million units in October, the highest annualised rate since February 2007 and up 10.1 percent from September, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). view complete news..

Govt needs to control the prices of cotton: H. K. L. Magu

SMEs will be unable to book orders from buyers, if the price of cotton is not controlled by the government, said H. K. L. Magu, Director, Magsons Exports in an exclusive interview to SME Times.

Excerpts of the interview...

Is the impact of recession over by now?
Magu: Yes, recession is over but not in the real context. Actually, until and unless the sales in USA improve (the retail sales) buyers will not be able to book more orders. In fact, consumers in US are following the concept of saving money as they have never faced recession earlier. The situation has been bad and people had to sell their houses. Now, they are saving money. They are reluctant to invest at the moment. In fact, the buyers did not have the budget to buy a lot of merchandise. view complete complete interview..

Benefits of exporting for small business

Somehow, people have the perception that a small business does not export. A business that is going international is usually assumed to be a large company, and with this perception in mind a lot of small business owners shy away from trading internationally. It is the problem of scale that frightens them, but is this indeed true? view complete news..

6 million tonnes of sugar to be exported this yr: USDA

India, the world's largest sugar consuming nation, may import a record of six million tonne in the 2009-10 season due to a sharp dip in domestic production, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a report. view complete news..

Cost-cutting reduces HDFC Standard's capital needs

Cost-cutting measures by private life insurer HDFC Standard Life Insurance Co. is likely to reduce its planned capital infusion by around Rs.100 crore to Rs.250 crore this fiscal, a top official said Monday.

"The cost-cutting measures are likely to cut the amount of fresh capital required this fiscal to Rs.250 crore as against the initial estimate of Rs.350 crore," said Pranesh Parasnis, principal officer and executive director of HDFC Standard Life. read more news..

South Asian Petrochem drops project with Japanese firm

Kolkata-based South Asian Petrochem Monday said it has dropped a project to build a polycarbonate plant in association with Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp of Japan due to the global slowdown. view complete news..

Reliance Infrastructure awarded Rs.780-cr Haryana project

The Haryana government has awarded a Rs.780-crore contract to Reliance Infrastructure for four-laning the Gurgaon-Faridabad road, state officials said in Chandigarh on Monday.

The build, operate and transfer (BOT) project is expected to be completed by May 2011. The Ballabhgarh-Sohna road will also be widened as part of this project. view complete news..

IFC to provide $51 million financing to bank to help SMEs

International Finance Corp (IFC), a member of the World Bank group, will provide trade financing of $51 million to Kotak Mahindra Bank as part of its effort to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) hit by the global meltdown. view complete news..

No ambiguity in gas price, quantity and tenure: RNRL

There was no ambiguity in the agreed price, tenure and quantity of natural gas to be supplied by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) from the Krishna-Godavari fields, the counsel for Reliance Natural Resources Ltd (RNRL) told the Supreme Court Tuesday. read complete news..

ADB to fund Rs.315-cr tourism project in Punjab

The Asian Development Bank has sanctioned a Rs.315-crore ($68 million) project for tourism infrastructure development in Punjab.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Monday gave the green signal to the project at a meeting with ADB officials here. view complete news..

Himachal to set up bio-technology park

The Himachal Pradesh government Monday gave the green signal for setting up a bio-technology park in the state and decided to invite bids from private developers, an official said. view complete news..

China wants special visa policy for its workers in India

China has asked for a "special policy" for its labourers to help businesses of the two sides finish ongoing projects in India, a top Chinese official said in Kolkata on Monday.

"I have written to the external affairs ministry suggesting a special visa policy would help finish ongoing Chinese projects in India," said China's consul general in Kolkata Mao Siwei. view complete news..

India unveils ambitious solar power mission

India's ambitious mission to ramp up its solar power hundredfold in the next 13 years and reduce dependence on fossil fuels was unveiled here Monday. view complete news..

Deora, Pawar to meet today over ethanol supply

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar will meet Tuesday to discuss the issue of supply of ethanol for blending with petrol. view complete news..

Manmohan rolls out red carpet for American investors

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday made a vigorous pitch for attracting more American foreign investment in areas ranging from infrastructure to agriculture and green energy and underlined that no investor is more welcome in India than the investors from the US. view complete news....

MSME Task Force to meet today

A meeting of the newly formed SME Task Force is scheduled to be held today to discuss issues related to marketing infrastructure and MSME development in the North East region and Jammu & Kashmir. This was disclosed to SME Times by Madhav Lal, Development Commissioner, MSME ministry, on the sideslines of a conference organised by FISME in New Delhi today. view complete news..

Indian industry associations sign economic pacts with US firms

As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began his first state visit to the US with an invitation to the business community to stay engaged with India, a dozen agreements were signed for deepening Indo-US economic cooperation. read more news....

Manmohan outlines vision of strategic ties with US

A day before he sits down for talks with President Barack Obama, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday outlined his vision of a strategic relationship with the US and said they were finalising the details of the nuclear deal that will make their landmark atomic agreement "fully operational". read more news....

Canada saved India-US n-deal; it now needs to think beyond

Canada and India have been reluctant dance partners in decades past for reasons ranging from a heated disagreement on nuclear non-proliferation to Cold War-era divergences to name but two. It is only in recent years that Ottawa has expressed an interest to make New Delhi one of its international priorities and is seeking to re-develop a historically neglected relationship. more news....

Nokia to bid for Nortel assets

Toronto-based Nortel has been selling its businesses bit by bit to pay off its creditors after it sought and got bankruptcy protection in the US and Canada in January after last year's huge losses. Nokia Siemens Networks, which failed to acquire Nortel's next-generation wireless business in July, has once again entered the bidding process - jointly with the equity firm Equity Partners. read more news at - SME Times

No substitute for US dollar: India PM

Describing the downturn in the US economy as a "temporary setback," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said there was no substitute to the US dollar for replacement as the global reserve currency. read more news....

Dubai Global Tea Forum to start from March 9Dubai Global Tea Forum to start from March 9

The third Global Dubai Tea Forum would be organised here March 9-10, WAM news agency reported.

The forum would be organised by the Dubai Tea Trading Centre (DTTC), an initiative of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC). read more news....

Stop stimulus, use money to help poor: World's Communists

The financial bailout packages by various governments are not radical enough to pull the world out of the economic downturn, but would only help to enlarge the profit avenues of corporate houses, according to communist leaders from around the world. more..

Mexico's economy contracts 6.2 percent in third quarter

Mexico's gross domestic product fell by 6.2 percent in the third quarter relative to the same period of 2008, beating analysts' expectations, authorities said.

Inegi statistics institute said Friday that, excluding seasonal factors, the country's GDP rose 2.93 percent in the July-September period compared to the previous quarter, indicating an end to the recession. read more news....

Gulf countries, South Korea discuss free trade pact

The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members and South Korea have concluded a three-day technical meeting as part of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the two parties, WAM news agency reported Sunday. more..

Speak to employees before selling any state-owned firm: Mamata Banerjee

While ruling out divestment of any unit under her ministry, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the government to consider giving shares of state-run companies it planned to disinvest to the employees. more..

Life insurance industry to grow 15 pc current fiscal

The life insurance industry in India is expected to grow by 15 percent this fiscal and may cross the Rs 2.5-lakh crore mark in total premium income by March-end, industry body Life Insurance Council said on Sunday. more..

Govt keeping close watch on steel imports: Steel minister

Steel imports into India are under close government scanner after allegations by domestic steel majors of large scale dumping by China and East European countries, said Union Steel minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday.

"We are keeping close watch on imports and will take steps if large scale import of steel is noticed," Singh told a news agency. read more news..

30 percent of industry planning to hire: Survey

Indian Industry is of the view that, after reeling under the impact of global slowdown over the last one year, the economy and industry have started showing some signs of improvement in recent months. However, the economic recovery may not create too many opportunities for job seekers in the near future. more..

India and China are not in competition: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reiterated that India and China are not in competition as there is enough economic space for the two Asian giants to realise the growth ambitions of their countries. read more news.....

India seeks Obama's reaffirmation of nuclear deal: Manmohan Singh

At his Tuesday summit with President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would seek "a positive reaffirmation" of his administration to carry forward their landmark civil nuclear deal forged during the previous Bush administration. view complete news....

Manufacturing sector showing signs of recovery due to stimulus: CII

India's manufacturing sector witnessed an increased rate of recovery in the second quarter this fiscal, primarily helped by government stimulus even as exports continued to decline, says a survey conducted by an industrial lobby. more..

ITPO to work with export councils: report

A recent media report has revealed that the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) will work in tandem with the country's various export promotion councils in what would be a "partner in progress" strategy in the trade domain to highlight India's growing strength and resilience in merchandise goods and services exports. view complete news....

Leather cluster hit by rising rupee: media report

A recent media report has said that the fast-rising rupee, vis-a-vis the US dollar, had hurt the $4 billion Indian leather industry, as currencies of competing countries, especially China, that made slower gains against the dollar, and in some cases have even declined. read more news....

Indian handicrafts cos to participate in Munich fair

In order to explore potential for Indian handicrafts in the world markets, at least 12 companies are participating in the Heim+Handwerk Fair which will kick start from November 25 in Munich, the economic centre of the southern Germany. read more news....

China's millionaires to cross 450,000 mark

The personal wealth of the rich in China has continued to expand despite the global economic downturn, and a new study says their number could cross 450,000 by the year-end. more.

US, Europe job markets to remain weak until 2011

Although much of the world appears to be emerging from the economic crisis, joblessness is expected to remain high in the US and Europe at least until 2011, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Thursday. read more news.

Oil prices dip as inventories stay high in the US

Oil prices dropped Friday and were likely to stay under USD 80 because of high energy inventories in the United States, the biggest energy-consuming nation in the world, said analysts.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, fell 75 cents to USD 76.71 a barrel after slumping by more than USD two Thursday. read more news.

After protests, govt agrees to restore earlier sugarcane pricing

Bowing to angry protests from opposition parties and farmers, the government Friday agreed to restore the earlier sugarcane prices.

The issue was resolved at an all-party meeting convened by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha. The government has also decided to bring in a new bill on sugarcane pricing in parliament. view complete news.

Srei consortium buys majority stake in DPSC

India Power Corp Ltd (IPCL), a consortium comprising Srei Infrastructure Finance and Bhaskar Silicon, was Friday selected for picking up a controlling 57.17 percent stake in power utility DPSC Ltd.

The stake was previously held by state-owned diversified company Andrew Yule along with financial institutions like Life Insurance Corp and United India Insurance Co. read more news.

IDBI Fortis to double headcount, increase branches

Private sector insurer IDBI Fortis Life Insurance is planning to double its headcount to 2,000 as well as expand its branch network in the country.

"Currently we have 35 branches. This will be increased to 200 by next year and our employee strength will be doubled to 2,000," Aneesh Srivastava, chief investment officer of the company, told reporters in Chennai Friday. read more.

Gammon Infra bags contract worth Rs.850 crore

Construction major Gammon Infrastructure has bagged a highway project worth Rs.850 crore from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the company said Friday. read more.

Honeywell bets on India for growth opportunities

Global technology and manufacturing major Honeywell International is upbeat on growing its business in India in the light of opportunities emerging in aerospace, homeland security, environment and infrastructure.

"We are upbeat on growth opportunities in India, where the economy is buoyant and the government is pro-active in encouraging investments in high-technology sectors," Honeywell India president Anil P. Gupta told reporters here. read more.

India to have guidelines for probiotic food by 2010

Scientists Friday said that the government was in the process of formulating guidelines for regulation of probiotic foods, which have flooded the Indian markets, and the guidelines would be in place by January 2010. read more.

Online Indian shoppers spent $2,000 on average last year

Indian Internet shoppers spent on an average $2,086 (Rs.97,200) in the past 12 months, according to the Visa e-Commerce Consumer Monitor survey report released Friday.

"Indian respondents spent an average of $2,086 in the past 12 months. Respondents from Asia Pacific spent an average of $2,526 during the same period," the Visa survey said. read more news.

India will be among top three economies by 2050: US think tank

Discerning a dramatic shift in the world's economic balance of power, a US think tank has projected that by 2050 India would become one of the three largest economies of the world with the US and China. view full news.

Kerala IT park projects get SEZ status

In a press release issued Friday, the IT department said the third phase of the Thiruvananthapuram Technopark will be developed over 92 acres, where the construction of a signature building with one million square feet built-up area has already commenced. view full news...

India, Nepal press ahead with Pancheswor project talks

India and Nepal Friday kicked off water-sharing talks in the Himalayan republic that will finally give a push to the massive 6,000 MW Pancheswor Multipurpose Project more than 10 years after the two governments signed a treaty to develop the hydro-power project. view complete news.

Disinvest, use money for green assets: Finance Commission chief

The government should sell off half its public sector undertakings and use the $200 billion it will thus make to build environmental assets, 13th Finance Commission Chairman Vijay Kelkar said in New Delhi Friday. read more news.

Govt mulling revival of closed fertiliser units

In order to increase urea production, the government is considering reviving closed units and has drawn up a new investment policy to attract investments in this sector, the Rajya Sabha was told Friday.

"To increase investment in the urea sector, a new investment policy to attract investment has already been announced," Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Srikant Kumar Jena said. more.

Govt will introduce polymer bank notes soon

In a bid to check proliferation of counterfeit currency notes and make bank notes last longer, central bank will introduce 100 crore polymer notes of Rs.10 denomination on a trial basis soon, it said on Friday. read complete news.

7 sub-committees of MSME task force submit reports: Rai

Seven sub-committees of the newly formed SME Task Force, under the Chairmanship of principal secretary to PM Dr Manmohan Singh, T K A Nair, submitted their reports on different issues related to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the national capital today, Secretary, Ministry of MSME, Dinesh Rai told SME Times on the phone after the end of the two-day meeting of the task force. view complete news.

No import of rice as of now; will review situation: Sharma

"We are not importing. We have adequate stocks. We will review if there is any need (in future)," Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma told reporters in New Delhi after a meeting of the empowered panel of ministers on food, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. view complete news.

India should aim at $300-bn export target by 2014: ASSOCHAM

India must set an export target of $300 billion by 2014 as global economies would recover by then, says the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
"Export zone requires sustained support as it has suffered the most during the economic downturn," said ASSOCHAM president Swati Piramal in an assessment report on export submitted to the commerce ministry. read complete article at - SME Times

Manmohan confident US will overcome economic crisis

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is pretty confident that the US will recover from the global economic crisis, thanks to the skills of the US business class and the US educational system. view complete news.

Strengthening rupee may create difficulties to small exporters

A Sakthivel, President, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), while commenting on the continuous depreciation of the US Dollar stated that the rupee may strengthen to around 44 to a dollar creating difficulties to the MSME export sector which is dealing with a price sensitive recession hit global market. read more news.

Unemployment expected to rise in 2010 in Italy

Italy's unemployment rate is expected to increase to 7.6 percent in 2009 and rise even higher in 2010, according to the latest economic outlook from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. more.

Large gold, silver mine inaugurated in Mexico

The Pinos Altos mine is located in the northern town of Ocampo, in Chihuahua state, and is "one of the most important and modern mining projects in Mexico, with a capacity to process 4,000 tons of material a day in its underground and open pit operations," the ministry said in a statement Wednesday. view complete news..

'Green' tyres to boost mileage, cut pollution

They could help add an extra mile or two per gallon (3.78 litres) to a car's fuel economy, says a new study, reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases in the process. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are leading to global warming. read more news.

Recession adds nine million to ranks of Latin American poor

The current global crisis will cause the number of poor people in Latin America to rise by nine million to 189 million this year, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) said in a report presented in Santiago. more.

China's millionaires to cross 450,000 mark

The personal wealth of the rich in China has continued to expand despite the global economic downturn, and a new study says their number could cross 450,000 by the year-end. read complete article at - SME Times

US, Europe job markets to remain weak until 2011

Although much of the world appears to be emerging from the economic crisis, joblessness is expected to remain high in the US and Europe at least until 2011, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Thursday. read more news..

Getting ready for a tight monetary policy

The recent statements by the Prime Minister and other leaders, at the national and international fora, about India’s current economic status have one common thread – that the Indian economy is recovering fast and it is time we begin thinking about rewinding the stimulus packages we have been pursuing for the last one year to pump liquidity into the system in view of the global meltdown. read complete news.

RIL influenced oil ministry to hike gas price: RNRL

Reliance Natural Resources Ltd (RNRL) told the Supreme Court Thursday that Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) had the full marketing freedom for Krishna-Godavari gas and accused it of influencing oil ministry officials in getting the price hiked for state-run NTPC. more.

JSW Steel partners with Japanese firm

Indian steel major JSW Steel Thursday announced an agreement with Japan's second largest steelmaker JFE Holdings to set up a greenfield project in West Bengal and an automotive steel manufacturing unit in the country. more.

Manthan gets $15-million second round venture funding

Leading software product firm Manthan Systems secured $15 million from three venture capital partners in the second round (series b) of funding, the company said Thursday.

Besides the two existing investors - IDG Ventures India and DFJ ePlanet Ventures - Fidelity International has participated in the second round of funding, the company said in a statement here. more news.

Wipro Infocrossing inks deal with US mining firm

Wipro subsidiary Infocrossing signed a five-year deal with the US-based Cliffs Natural Resources Inc, an international mining and natural resources firm, to provide IT infrastructure services, the global software major said Thursday. more.

Six out of eight Indian carriers post losses: Patel

Six of the eight scheduled airlines in India have posted cumulative losses of Rs.2,025 crore with Kingfisher Airlines accounting for Rs.1,602 crore, parliament was told Thursday. more news.

Parliament adjourned till Monday as sugarcane row continues

Work in both houses of parliament stalled for the second consecutive day Friday with opposition members stirring up a massive row over sugarcane prices and demanding a better deal for farmers. more news.

Fear of litigation halts SEZ de-notification: Goa CM

Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said fear of litigation had forced the central government to go slow on the de-notification of three special economic zones (SEZ) allotted to the state. read complete news.

India eyeing overseas fertiliser projects

India is interested to set up joint ventures abroad in the fertiliser sector to reduce its urea imports, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Kumar Jena said Thursday. more.

Haryana's exports touch Rs.35,000 crore

Despite the global slowdown, Haryana's exports crossed the Rs.35,000-crore mark in 2008-09, a top government official said in Chandigarh on Thursday. more.

Cabinet discusses auction, vacation of 3G spectrum

The government Thursday discussed the issue of allocation of third generation (3G) spectrum as well vacation of airwaves by the defence ministry for commercial use, but declined to divulge details.

"The cabinet discussed the issue but I am not authorised to give any details," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after a cabinet meeting under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. more.

Annual food inflation rises to 14.55 percent

Annual food inflation, based on wholesale prices, moved up to 14.55 percent for the week ended Nov 7 from 13.68 percent the week before, official data released Thursday showed.

The 52-week average prices of onions were higher by 35 percent and potatoes became costlier by 30.7 percent, according to the data on wholesale price index released by the commerce ministry. more.

Cabinet approves National Solar Mission

In a major boost for the energy sector, the cabinet Thursday approved the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission that aims to generate 20,000 megawatt of power a year by 2022. read complete article.

Opportunities galore for SMEs in aerospace and defence: Report

With the government keen on increasing the share of indigenous procurement and laying down necessary policy framework, time is ripe for Indian SMEs to explore business opportunities in the aerospace and defence sector, a recent report has revealed. more.

Indian textiles, apparel market ripe for FDI: Maran

Indian textiles and apparel market is currently valued at US$ 40 billion and is growing at 14%, and most of the top global apparel retailers have their scouring network in India like JC Penney, Nautica, Dockers, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Kohl’s, Liz, cK, Sprit, M&S, GAP, United Colors of Benetton, Mango, Zara and Dillard's, said Thiru. Dayanidhi Maran, Union Textiles Minister while inaugurating the 25th IAF World Apparel Convention in the capital recently. more.

Credit, Exit Policy issues dominate MSME Task Force meeting

The newly formed SME task force met for the second time in the capital on Thursday under the Chairmanship of principal secretary to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, T K A Nair, wherein the reports of two Sub-groups, namely Credit and Exit Policy were considered. more.

Textile industry renews demand for banning cotton exports

The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has shown its strong disappointment on the sky-rocketing prices of domestic cotton and expects a suspension of cotton exports at once. read more news.

Brazil airline company to test sugar-based aviation fuel

Brazil's Azul Airlines will conduct a demo flight by 2012 to test a sugar-based aviation fuel manufactured by a US firm, the company has announced.

The flight will mark the culmination of a project to evaluate the technical and sustainability aspects of the renewable jet fuel produced by the US company Amyris Biotechnologies Inc. more.

Energy projects worth $34 bn planned in Chile

Some $34 billion is to be invested in a series of energy projects in Chile through 2015, roughly 35 percent of the total for initiatives across the full range of industrial sectors. read complete news.

70 percent of Cuba's farmland under threat

Seventy percent of Cuba's land under cultivation is being affected by erosion, salinity and acidity, agriculture ministry officials said.

The director of the Soil Institute, Dagoberto Rodriguez, said Wednesday at a press conference in Havana that only half of Cuba's 6.6 million hectares (16.3 million acres) of arable land is under cultivation. read complete news.

Spain's economy contracts at slower pace in third quarter

Spain's Gross Domestic Product contracted at a slower pace in the third quarter, declining 0.3 percent relative to the previous three-month period and four percent year-on-year, according to final figures from the National Statistics Institute, or INE. read more news.

EU budget for 2010 to increase by six percent

Following tough negotiations, European Union (EU) governments and the European Parliament have agreed on the bloc's budget for 2010.

A decision was reached to increase expenditure by six percent to 122.9 billion euros (about $183 billion), EU diplomats said Wednesday night in Brussels. The budget must still be approved by parliament in December. read more news.

US stocks fall slightly on technology earnings

US stocks posted modest losses on poor profit forecasts from technology firms and a surprising dip in home construction.

Earnings from Salesforce.com and Autodesk were worse than expected. Other technology shares losing ground Wednesday included Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Cisco and International Business Machines (IBM). read more news.

Govt to face heavy burden if gas sold as per family pact

The oil ministry argued in the Supreme Court Wednesday that the government would face a heavy burden if natural gas was supplied to Reliance Natural Resources Ltd (RNRL) by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) based on a family pact. read complete article at - SME Times

Honeywell to open new technology centre in India

US-based multinational company Honeywell plans to set up a new technology centre in India with an investment of $34 million.

"The centre will also include labs for process and applications development for other speciality materials technology areas, including fluorine products and nylon materials," the company said in a release. read complete article at - SME Times

Ambani brothers, Mittal lead Forbes' India Rich List

Mukesh Ambani has emerged the wealthiest person in India with a net worth of $32 billion, as the number of Indian billionaires in Forbes' "India Rich List" this year has nearly doubled to 52, thanks to the rebound in stock markets. read complete article.

Mittal exits Kazakh oil block exploration

Steel baron Lakshmi N. Mittal has pulled out of a joint venture with ONGC Videsh Ltd, formed for exploring oil in a block in Kazakhstan.

Mittal Investment Sarl has decided to discontinue participation through the joint venture vehicle ONGC Mittal Energy Ltd (OMEL) in the Satpayev exploration block, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) said in a release. read more news.

HDFC Standard Life to cut costs before public offer

Mumbai-based insurer HDFC Standard Life Insurance has said it wants to rationalise expenses and enhance business before it hits the capital market in 2010-11. read more news.

Lok Sabha adjourned over sugarcane price

The Lok Sabha was adjourned Thursday, the opening day of the winter session of parliament, when the entire opposition united to oppose the new sugarcane pricing policy. read complete article at - SME Times

India committed to closer SAARC ties

India is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in an 'asymmetric' and 'non-reciprocal' manner for the benefit of the countries in the region, stated the Union Minister of External Affairs, S.M. Krishna in New Delhi on Tuesday. read complete news.

Around 1000 German firms want to invest in India

About 1,000 German firms may invest in India, the second fastest growing economy in the world, said Guenther H Oettinger, the Minister- President of State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany), on Tuesday. read complete article at - SME Times

Harper lauds Punjabis as partners in progress of Canada

Visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper Wednesday said that the Punjabi community settled in his country had contributed to its development and acknowledged them as "partners in progress". read complete article at - SME Times

Delhi govt to sell flour at below market rates

The Delhi government Wednesday said it will start selling flour at below open market rates from Saturday.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said arrangements have been made to sell good quality whole wheat flour through 132 centres in the national capital. read complete news.

Australia's ban on uranium sales to India makes no sense

Australia's ban on uranium sales to India made no sense at a time when that country was trying to develop its economy, deputy opposition leader Julie Bishop has said.
Bishop said that Canada's decision to resume uranium sales to India signals a huge lost opportunity for Australia. read complete news.

India gives high priority to deepening economic ties with US: Envoy

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barrack Obama's summit could provide a springboard for deepening India-US cooperation and setting new directions in their relationship, particularly in the economic arena, according to the Indian envoy in Washington. read complete news.

Industry needs to accelerate growth: Anand Sharma

The Indian industry required to speed up its growth and enhance productivity, said Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma stating that the government is creating an investor friendly regime to to keep pace with the economic growth and build infrastructure. read complete news article.

Systems in place to check large foreign fund inflows: FM

As foreign fund inflows exceeded $15 billion this year contributing largely to an appreciation in the value of the Indian rupee and adding to the woes of exporters as well as policymakers, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Wednesday said India has a system of monitoring such flows and will take counter-steps if distortions emerge. check out complete news article..

Role of B2B portals and Indian SMEs

B2B portals have set a new paradigm of competitiveness in the business world and it is the new age business model of the ever-changing business world. Some of the large scale suppliers and buyers are heavily betting on it. more.

Making the web safer for business - the Tradeindia way

No one can deny the fact that there are risks involved when dealing online with people who might be acting under false identities. The main obstacle that stands between a buyer/ seller and online inquiries is the security of one's external connections and a lack of trustworthy online trading partners. more.

Vikran Pandit stays at Citi with $1 annual salary

Banking giant Citigroup's Indian-American Chief Executive Vikram Pandit will continue to work for an annual salary of $1 even as the group raised the annual base salary for two of its executives. more.

Brazilian oil giant announces new offshore find

State-controlled oil company Petrobras has announced the discovery of an estimated 25 million barrels of oil in Brazil's Atlantic waters.

The deposit is located in the Campos basin, off the north coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Petrobras said in a statement. more.

US stocks pushed higher by oil, metal gains

US stocks posted modest gains Tuesday amid a rise in commodity prices, continuing to push major indices to their highest levels in 13 months.

Crude oil rose 0.3 percent and metals like gold and copper rose, spurring gains in many commodities producers. more.