Business Line articles from November 2011

Business Line archives from November 2011

The optimal solution? Intel Ultrabook.
November 30, 2011... With tablets quickly taking over portable computing, computer manufacturers have to get their act together if they want to save the laptop. And what better solution than the ultrabook? Intel has laid down the parameters for what an ultrabook...

Funky lights.
November 30, 2011... Light up your home and garden with these fun and innovative Clover lights from Visage. The lamps are made of matte white lacquered aluminium and coloured plexiglass. They come with a compact fluorescent light source and integrated power pack....

Lacklustre demand keeps edible oil on leash.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Demand let-up during the month end kept edible oil prices under check on Tuesday. Crude palm oil futures on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange are expected to trade within a narrow range this week due to the...

Fast trains a better bet than air travel.
November 30, 2011... Byline: S. MURLIDHARAN At a time when the plight of the airline sector in India engages the attention of everyone involved with the sector, some lateral thinking could help. Why not consider fast trains as an alternative to airplanes? Fast...

Talent hunt for Indian cinema.
November 30, 2011... Byline: a Our Bureau Indian cinema is about to witness a transformation with the discovery of South Indian talents in the field of cinema through auditions in India and abroad. Auditions will be held in 15 foreign countries such as the UK,...

KSWDC eyes all-time high repayment and recovery.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Backlog of unaudited accounts, pending files cleared The Kerala State Women's Development Corporation (KSWDC) hopes to achieve an all-time high of Rs 12.32 crore on the repayment and recovery front during this financial...

Second coming of the 3 {+r} {+d} dimension? LG Optimus 3D II.
November 30, 2011... While a lot of companies are yet to play catch up with LG that introduced the world to glasses-free 3D handsets, LG is waiting for no one and will be launching the sequel next year. The Optimus 3D II, hence, will already be ahead of the curve....

Spice Market's Sunday best.
November 30, 2011... Byline: archana.a@thehindu.co.in Archana Achal What is it that one loves about Sunday brunches? Being the in-between meal, it is perfect for that day when you're just too lazy to cook both breakfast and lunch for family and the invariable...

Sluggish demand drags pulses lower.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Sluggish demand pulled down pulses and pulse seeds in mandis here on Tuesday. Slack demand and weaker futures pulled down chana (kanta) to Rs 3,200 a quintal. Chana (desi) declined to Rs 3,200 a quintal. Taking...

National Bio Energy Mission soon: Farooq.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau A National Bio Energy Mission is being developed to push sustainable development of the renewable energy sector, Mr Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), said here on Tuesday. He was...

Global server shipments up by 7.2% in Q3: Gartner.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau IBM leads in global server revenue with over $3.8 b Worldwide server shipments grew by 7.2 per cent in the third quarter of 2011, while revenue increased 5.2 per cent to $12.3 billion, according to a report from research...

Will a weak rupee help exports?
November 30, 2011... Byline: ASHOAK UPADHYAY Popular wisdom based on an economic principle that has outlived its utility can often play rough with those who hold dear to it. With the rupee in free fall, most policymakers must be shaking their heads in relief;...

aOur attitude towards innovation has changed'.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau One of the striking transformations of this era is how brick-and-mortar companies have used the communication revolution and the Internet to speed up their processes. Manufacturers are ordering parts online and getting...

Catholic Syrian Bank adopts 91 Eco Clubs.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau On the occasion of the 91 {+s} {+t} foundation day of the Catholic Syrian Bank, Mr G. Padmanabhan, Executive Director, Reserve Bank of India, inaugurated the adoption of 91 Eco Clubs by the bank at schools and colleges. ...

Flex it Flexible displays.
November 30, 2011... Thin is already passe. With the potential to turn device displays around, flexible displays are being developed by the likes of Nokia and Samsung. Recently, Nokia showed off a prototype of a flexible device that not only bends, twists and turns...

Maharashtra sugar up on demand; UP market quiet.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent The sugar market was quiet in Uttar Pradesh with traders awaiting the Centre's monthly release quota for the open market on Tuesday. However, prices at the Vashi wholesale market, increased by Rs 10-15 a quintal in...

Dumping duty levied on hot-rolled flat products from EU, US, S. Africa, Taiwan.
November 30, 2011... Byline: K.R. Srivats The Finance Ministry has imposed definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of hot-rolled flat products of stainless steel from the European Union, South Africa, the US and Taiwan. This duty will be applicable for five years...

Progress Software appoints new chief.
November 30, 2011... Byline: a Our Bureau Mr Jay Bhatt has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Progress Software. He will take charge on December 5. Mr Bhatt will also be part of company's board of directors. The US-based IT solutions firm has...

PE funds finding exit difficult as IPOs dry up.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Priya Sheth Market conditions force 25 firms to defer public issues With several Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) being called off due to market volatility, private equity investors who hoped to gain by exiting through the IPO route...

Running on low-voltage.
November 30, 2011... More than half the power generation capacity created in the current fiscal so far has come from private producers. This is phenomenal considering that they accounted for less than 10 per cent a mere four years ago. Clearly, State utilities and...

When the poor too ran..
November 30, 2011... Byline: Heena Khan aoeWe live in jhuggis (shanties), down the Barakhamba Road. We came here early to collect plastic bottles, discarded by the runners, from the road as we knew there would be a marathon today. We do this every year,a says...

Touch me not Gesture Cube.
November 30, 2011... We never know if we are going to get our hands on this device a only literally! Based on 3D spatial movement tracking this little cube serves as a portable, multi-display communication-entertainment device. Concept videos show that you can swipe...

Mixed trend in spot turmeric market.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent A mixed trend was seen in spot turmeric prices with rates of hybrid varieties dropping and that of other varieties increased on Tuesday. aoeThe hybrid variety price decreased by Rs 200 a quintal, whereas the price...

Draft procurement Bill pitches for open competitive bidding.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Open competitive bidding should be the preferred method of procurement by all Ministries and Departments of the Central Government, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other autonomous bodies controlled by the...

VRS for BSNL, MTNL staff not possible this fiscal: Telecom Secy.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for employees of Government-owned telecom firms, BSNL and MTNL will take some more time as the Telecom Ministry is yet to take a final call on the same. aoeIt (VRS) is not going to...

Maryland could be gateway to US for Indian biz: Governor.
November 30, 2011... Byline: V. Rishi Kumar Mr Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland State in the US, is on a hectic trade mission to India. During his visit here, a large contingent of trade delegates and officials from Maryland interacted with...

Europe needs to break free.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Ulrich Beck It seemed as if the European crisis was raising the old question of the finalite of unification, on November 28: should Europe become a nation writ large, a federal state, a mere economic community, an informal UN, or...

Zoomlion in tie-up with Universal.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau China-based Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology Development Company Ltd, has tied up with Pune-based Universal Construction Machinery and Equipment Ltd for distribution, marketing and servicing of its concrete...

Maoists disrupt iron ore traffic on East Coast Rly's K-K line.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Santanu Sanyal The recent death of the Maoist leader Kishanji (Mallajola Koteswara Rao) is taking the predictable toll of the railway freight traffic. The iron ore movement along the 450-km ling Kirandul-Kotavalasa (K-K) line,...

aDeprivation criteria' in census will exclude vast sections of poor from entitlements.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The ongoing Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), to be used for identifying the rural poor for extending food and other entitlements, will end up excluding vast sections of the vulnerable, including the disabled, say...

We need a tall leader.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Ranabir Ray Choudhury A few days ago, a financial contemporary held a debate on an aoeAgenda for Renewala, to which one turned for some guidance on the state of the economy and paths to recovery. What one learnt instead, from reports...

RDCIS scientists awarded.
November 30, 2011... Byline: a Our Bureau Senior scientists and engineers of Research and Development Centre for Iron and Steel (RDCIS), Ranchi, have bagged a number of awards during the National Metallurgists Day (NMD) celebrations 2011. RDCIS is the corporate...

ARCHOS 70b eReader.
November 30, 2011... Archos has a history of producing functional, and by that we mean aesthetically challenged, Android tablets. The 70b follows that same pattern, but with some e-reader functionality crowbarred in for good measure. The screen is a backlit...

Glamour girls.
November 30, 2011... Show off your glitzy side with the Golden Glamour Collection, the new range of cosmetics from L'Oreal Paris. All your makeup needs will be taken care of with the specially created blush, eye shadow and liner, mascara, nail colour and lip colour....

Banks can open branches in Tier-II centres without prior RBI approval.
November 30, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Commercial banks can now open branches in Tier-II centres without prior approval from the RBI. The RBI had earlier announced this in the second quarter review of the monetary policy. In a notification issued on Tuesday, the...

Cotton down Rs 500 a candy on lack of orders.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Weak demand from mills and exporters pulled down cotton by Rs 500 a candy of 356 kg on Monday. The Sankar-6 variety traded at Rs 34,800-35,000 a candy, down Rs 500. While 40,000 bales of 170 kg each arrived in...

Companies need to constantly evolve to cope with change, says Seshasayee.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau It is the task of the leader to ensure that the organisation changes itself in response to the aoediscontinuousa changes in the market and society, said Mr R. Seshasayee, Executive Vice-Chairman, Ashok Leyland. ...

Karunanidhi avery happy' with Kanimozhi getting bail.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau aoeI feel very happya said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader, Mr M. Karunanidhi, to a question on his reaction to the news of his daughter and Rajya Sabha Member, Ms Kanimozhi, being released on bail. While...

Southern investors shying away from public issues.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Priya Sheth West continues to dominate due to higher 'risk appetite' Initial public offerings (IPOs) and follow-on public offers (FPOs) have received overwhelming response from retail investors and non- QIBs from the West while the...

We need national health cover.
November 29, 2011... Byline: P.T. JYOTHI DATTA Is it time for a national health security net, possibly on the lines of the United Kingdom's National Health Service? The poser from a senior Government official handling healthcare, to three journalists, came as...

Pepper gains a little on bullish reports.
November 29, 2011... Byline: G.K. Nair Pepper market moved up marginally on Monday after remaining highly volatile, on bullish reports and limited activities. Market opened on an easier note and fell sharply, but moved up sharply at the beginning of the...

Gautier welcomes FDI in multi-brand retail.
November 29, 2011... Byline: V. Rishi Kumar To set up three more stores by March French luxury furniture maker Gautier France SAS today announced the opening up of its fifth store in the country through its venture partner Ebony Gautier, and mentioned that the...

Edible oils flat on slack demand.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Palmolein and groundnut oil were unchanged despite lack of demand on Monday. Sunflower fell by Rs 5 for 10 kg, cotton oil by Rs 4 for 10 kg and rapeseed oil by Rs 2 for 10 kg on seasonal higher arrivals. Demand is...

GVK Bio close to acquiring US-based Spectrum Biosciences.
November 29, 2011... Byline: V. Rishi Kumar GVK Biosciences, part of the diversified GVK Group, is close to acquiring Spectrum Biosciences, which is based in Frostburg, Maryland (US). Spectrum Bio provides dedicated contract compound management services to the...

Subex plans to raise $135 m.
November 29, 2011... Byline: a Our Bureau Subex Ltd, provider of business support systems (BSS) for communications service providers, is looking to raise $135 million to redeem foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) of $131 million. aoeWe intend to raise the...

Gitanjali Gems redeems FCCBs worth $110 m.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Gitanjali Gems, one of the largest integrated branded jewellery companies, has redeemed its Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds worth $110 million. Gitanjali Gems issuance of one per cent FCCB worth $110 million matured...

Taxing super-rich more could slash US deficit.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Paul Krugman The supercommittee was a superdud a and we should be glad. Nonetheless, at some point we'll have to rein in budget deficits. And when we do, here's a thought: How about making increased revenue an important part of the...

Vodafone offers for Sabarimala pilgrims.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau A telephone company has announced a series of initiatives for Sabarimalapilgrims. Using the Sabarimala Portal users can download and dedicate Ayyappa devotional callertunes and ringtones. Subscribers can access this portal...

Farmers' association supports retail FDI.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Indian Farmer and Industrial Alliance (IFIA), a joint venture of Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) today said the Government move to allow 51 per cent FDI in retail will be helpful to the farm community as it...

Rice market firm; waits for new export orders.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Prices of full-grain aromatic and non-basmati rice varieties were firm with marginal variations while brokens of Pusa-1121 variety decreased by Rs 50-100 a quintal on Monday. Few new export contracts of pure...

Connect 2011 will focus on innovation, entrepreneurship.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Connect, the annual event showcasing the strength of Tamil Nadu in the areas of information, communication and technology, this year will give thrust on innovation and emerging entrepreneurship in the State. ...

Centre considering share buy-back for Coal India.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Department seeks Ministries' views on cash-rich companies to meet divestment target The disinvestment department has set the ball rolling for finding mechanisms other than public share sales for achieving the...

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
November 29, 2011... FDI in retail Regarding aoeStates up the ante on FDI in retaila ( Business Line, November 28), Government control on FDI is necessary to protect domestic players up to some extent. As organised retail in India is still ascending the learning...

Potential-linked credit plan for Madurai envisages Rs 3,489-cr outlay.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent The Potential Linked Credit Plan (PLCP) prepared by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), envisages an investment of Rs 3,489 crore under priority sector advances for Madurai district for...

3 wounded in Aurobindo pharma unit fire.
November 29, 2011... Byline: a Our Bureau Three workers sustained grievous injuries in a fire which broke out in the unit of Aurobindo Pharmaceuticals at Pydibheemavaram in Srikakulam district in the early hours of Monday, according to sources. The fire was...

Soya oil drops on tepid buying.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Soya oil dropped to Rs 602-603 for 10 kg (Rs 604-608) on Monday on scattered demand even as arrivals of soya seeds in Madhya Pradesh were unchanged at 3.25 lakh bags. Soya solvent fell to Rs 567-571 for 10 kg (Rs...

Bangladesh garment exports to India see a big spurt.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Anil Sasi Impact of duty-free access to 46 apparel items In October, a month after India announced duty-free access to 46 apparel items from Bangladesh, exporters from that country have reported orders for readymade garment worth...

TCS sees no major slowdown in new business.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau While there is no major slowdown in new business, the information technology industry is facing a volatile environment with regard to rupee depreciating against the dollar in the last couple of months, according to Mr S....

Avigo Capital invests Rs 150 cr in Religare Finvest.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Religare Enterprises Ltd, has announced that Avigo Capital (Avigo) has completed an investment of Rs 150 crore in the company in the form of compulsory convertible...

States should move to specific duties for petrol.
November 29, 2011... Byline: SUMAN BILLA Recent increases in the prices of petrol have resulted in an uproar, forcing both the Central and State governments to rethink their position on petroleum products. While the Centre can look at moderating the high...

Sugarcane subsidy announcement hailed.
November 29, 2011... Byline: a Our Correspondent The Tamilnadu Foodgrains Merchants Association (TFMA) has welcomed the announcement by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, to extend a subsidy of Rs 10,000/acre to farmers cultivating sugar cane crop...

Nagarjuna Fertilisers to set up customised manure plants.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Nagarjuna Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd (NFCL) is setting up customised fertiliser plants here and in different parts of the country to supply the right kind of manure (area-specific and crop-specific) to the farmer,...

Sensex rises 471 on news of bailout for Italy.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau News that the IMF was preparing to dole out a600 billion to bail out Italy drove Indian stocks up. aoeIt is strange that this news, that is not confirmed by either the giver or the receiver, can actually take the Sensex...

Sugar slides on weak consumption.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Sugar prices at the Vashi wholesale market were down by Rs 10a12 a quintal on Monday on weak demand. The market is keenly waiting for the announcement of the new month's free-sale quota as mills have exhausted...

Mamata says awill not allow' FDI in retail.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress supremo, Ms Mamata Banerjee, on Monday said that the relaxed foreign direct investment (FDI) norms in the retail sector will not be implemented in the State. According to...

IDBI Intech plans to enter consultancy space.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Adith Charlie IDBI Intech, a wholly owned technology subsidiary of IDBI Bank, is planning to venture into the management consultancy space for small and mid-size banks in the country. It has already embarked on a pilot project with...

Set the House in order.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Mohan Murti I did a quick Google search on adisruption in parliament'. The results were an incredible 5 million hits in 0.20 seconds a all only on the Indian Parliament. Members of the government, the Opposition parties and the...

Get ready to log onto Technopark at Kollam.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Technopark-Thiruvananthapuram, in association with the Group of Technology Companies, conducted a roadshow for Technopark-Kollam, its first venture at neighbouring Kollam, as part of the hub-and-spoke model of expansion in...

aPvt sector to blame for denial of captive iron ore mines to RINL'.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The private sector is principally responsible for denial of captive iron ore mines to the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (the steel plant) here and the local people's representatives are also unable to exert pressure on the...

Kanimozhi, four other accused in 2G spectrum case get bail.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The Delhi High Court on Monday granted bail to DMK MP Ms Kanimozhi and four other accused in the 2G spectrum case. The four others are Mr Sharad Kumar, Director/Promoter of Kalaignar TV; Mr Karim Morani, Director of...

Poor offtake pales turmeric.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Poor demand for the finger variety of turmeric dragged it down by Rs 100 a quintal on Monday despite thin arrivals, said Mr R.K.V. Ravishankar, President, Erode Turmeric Merchants Association. aoeThough demand for...

Food inflation will come down further: Rangarajan.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau If you are worried over food and vegetable prices, here is good news. The food inflation is coming down due to good monsoon and it could ease further in the next three months, according to Dr C. Rangarajan, Chairman of...

Ericsson bags 5-year managed services deal from Airtel.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Swedish telecom equipment major Ericsson has bagged a multi-million dollar deal to manage Bharti Airtel's mobile network in 15 circles. This also includes 3G networks in three circles where Airtel is using Huawei's...

Biocon (Outperform).
November 29, 2011... StanChart Securities CMP: Rs 317 Target: Rs 370 Biocon's strength in insulin and MAbs is paying dividends with marquee partnerships with Pfizer (insulin) and Mylan (MAbs). Domestic insulin and potential afirst in class' EU approvals in...

Why are women's health outcomes in India so poor?
November 29, 2011... Byline: C.P.Chandra-sekhar There are several senses in which the health of women and girls can be considered as the basic indicators for the health of a society. Precisely because of gender discrimination, the health conditions of females...

Chamber seeks separate commerce ministry.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The Malabar Chamber of Commerce has sought creation of a ministry for commerce in Kerala. In a memorandum to the Finance Minister, Mr K.M. Mani, the chamber has said that industry and commerce departments are now...

SBI-led banks agree on financial revamp package for Air India.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The State Bank of India-led consortium of banks has broadly agreed to the financial restructuring plan of Air India. This plan includes conversion of short-term working capital loan of Rs 7,000 crore into cumulative...

Escorts' net dips 5% on higher material costs.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau Weighed down by rising commodity costs, Escorts Ltd has posted a five per cent dip in consolidated net profits to Rs 125 crore for the fiscal ended September 20, 2011. The tractor and farm implement maker follows an...

PM's coal meeting put off.
November 29, 2011... Byline: a Our Bureau A meeting called by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to review the performance of the power and coal sectors on Monday has been postponed. No new date for the meeting has been proposed, government officials involved...

Mobile phones get costlier on weaker rupee.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Thomas K Thomas Samsung, BlackBerry Indian brands increase price Mobile handset makers have increased phone prices by 10-15 per cent across various models due to a weakening rupee. Most of the handsets sold in India are imported...

Educomp Solutions jumps after bank securitisation.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Dow Jones The stock of Educomp Solutions was up 16 per cent at Rs 217.40 on Monday, outperforming broader market, (the BSE Sensex rose three per cent), after the firm said it got a Rs 410-crore sanction towards the buyout of its...

CM's stand against FDI in retail trade hailed.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Correspondent Trade and industry bodies here have thanked the Chief Minister, Ms J. Jayalalithaa, for her firm stand against allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail trade in Tamil Nadu. Mr V.S.Manimaran, President,...

aIndia's exposure to stocks is one of the lowest in the world'.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Our Bureau The nation has 75 cr mobile connections, but less than 1.5 cr depository accounts Mr Akshay Agrawal, Managing Director, Acumen Capital Market India Ltd, has stressed the need to create more awareness among the public to...

Infosys to replicate rural BPO model globally.
November 29, 2011... Byline: Balaji Narasimhan Buoyed by the response to its rural BPO activities in India a like the recently launched rural BPO in Kaup and its upcoming plan to launch a rural BPO in Bagepally a Infosys BPO has decided to set up rural centres in...