Economy

MFN status to India by new Pak govt will be a positive step: KC Singh

Nawaz Sharif is very much seen as an insider of the anti-India Punjabi establishment of Pakistani politics. So will it be easier for him to steer Pakistan to path of friendship with India? Which issues are likely to be resolved more easily and which ones are likely to be stumbling blocks for both sides? Former diplomat KC Singh joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue. Q. How will...  

Gold falls, near 2-week low as dollar firms

London: Gold fell 1.2 per cent on Monday, holding near its weakest level in two weeks, as the dollar firmed on signs of an improving US job market and as holdings in exchange-traded funds slipped again. Bullion's safe-haven appeal has been dimmed by speculation the Federal Reserve could scale back its aggressive monetary stimulus after recent US labour market data pointed to a steady recovery trend in the world's largest...  

RBI puts restrictions on gold imports by banks

Mumbai: With gold imports putting pressure on the current account deficit, the Reserve Bank on Monday imposed restrictions on import of the yellow metal by banks. "To moderate the demand for gold for domestic use, it has been decided to restrict the import of gold on consignment basis by banks, only to meet the genuine needs of exporters of gold jewellery," the RBI said in a statement. As per a...  

India's exports up 1.6 pc at $ 24.16 bn in April

New Delhi: Country's merchandise exports grew by 1.6 per cent to $24.16 billion in April this year, whereas imports increased by 10.9 per cent. Imports during the reported month stood at $41.95 billion. Exports in April 2012 stood at $23.7 billion, while imports were at $37.8 billion. Due to high imports, the trade deficit rose to $17.8 billion, Commerce Secretary SR Rao told reporters on Monday. Rao attributed the widening...  

CPI inflation slows to 9.39 per cent in April

New Delhi: After better than expected industrial production numbers, which came at 2.5 per cent for the month of March, inflation has also hit a 13-month low. Consumer Price Index for the month of April is at 9.39 per cent against 10.39 per cent in March. Rural inflation was also seen going down at 9.16 per cent as compared to 10.41 per cent in March. Food prices for consumers rose...  

Sensex plunges as dollar firms up; ITC leads FMCG slide

Mumbai: Key equity benchmarks plunged 2 per cent on Monday, the biggest single day fall in more than a year, with brokers attributing the crash to profit taking after the recent run up. Signs of a recovery in the US economy also made investors jittery as they feel a portion of global liquidity flows could ease as the Federal Reserve starts tightening its monetary policy. The BSE Sensex closed at...  

Sensex ends 40 points up in special trading session

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Saturday gained 40 points in a special two-hour trading session as investors indulged in selective buying of bluechip stocks tracking gains in healthcare and metal sector shares. The 30-share index, which had regained 20,000 level after over three months on Friday, added another 39.70, or 0.20 per cent to settle at 20,122.32. Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose by 12,50 points,...  

March industrial output rises by 2.5 pc vs 0.6 pc in Feb

New Delhi: Industrial output growth surged 2.5 per cent in March compared to a contraction of 2.8 per cent in same month last year, government data showed on Friday. The figures are higher than the February data when it stood at 0.6 per cent. Industrial output grew at a meagre rate of one per cent in 2012-13 compared to 2.9 per cent in the previous fiscal. The industrial output, as...  

Rupee trims initial losses against dollar, still down 22 paise

Mumbai: The rupee trimmed its initial weakness on Friday but was quoted still down by 22 paise to 54.47 per dollar on heavy demand of the US currency from banks and importers as it was strong overseas despite good capital inflows into equities. The rupee resumed lower at 54.57 per dollar as against the last closing level of 54.25 at the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) Market and dropped further to...  

Sensex snaps 3-day rise; falls 51 points on profit-booking

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Thursday retreated from over three-month high levels by losing 51 points on profit-booking in recent outperformers such as Reliance Industries, Sun Pharma and HDFC Bank ahead of key industrial production data release tomorrow. After gaining over 400 points in past three sessions, the Sensex on Thursday declined by 51.14 points, or 0.26 per cent, to close at 19,939.04. The gauge had hit the crucial...  

Rupee down 18 paise against dollar in early trade

Mumbai: The rupee today lost 18 paise to Rs 54.36 against the US dollar in early trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange due to appreciation of the American currency against the euro overseas. Increased demand for the dollar from importers and banks also put pressure on the rupee. Dealers attributed the rupee's fall to dollar gains against the euro overseas but a higher opening in the domestic stock market limited...  

Sensex hits 3-month high, rises 215 points

Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Tuesday rose over 215 points to close at three-month of 19,888.95 and Nifty regained 6,000-point mark on sustained buying by FIIs in banking, FMCG, realty and auto sector stocks. The Sensex rose by 215.31 points, or 1.09 per cent, to 19,888.95, a level last seen on January 31. The index had gained 98 points in the previous session. The gauge had touched the day's...  

Why a resurgent american economy matters for India Inc

Fall in Canada is splendid. Around September to early October, for a couple of weeks every year, the changing leaf colours attract thousands of visitors. Two years ago, Dow India chairman Vipul Shah and his wife decided to take a trip to see the sight. There is this one train that goes to this place in Ontario, where the colours are at their best. It leaves early in the morning...  

Gold holds near two-week high; equities cap gains

Singapore: Gold neared its highest level in more than two weeks on Monday, but gains may be capped by a rally in equity markets and promising US jobs data that dampened speculation the Federal Reserve may boost monetary stimulus. Bullion has slipped almost 12 per cent so far in 2013, having posted annual gains in the past 12 consecutive years as easy monetary policy prompted investors to buy the precious...  

Sensex near three-month high; IT, metal stocks rise

Mumbai: The BSE Sensex closed near a three-month high hit on Thursday, led by gains in stocks beaten down earlier, such as TCS which was up on short covering, and Hindalco, following copper's more than 6 per cent gain on Friday. Among technology shares, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd provisionally rose 3.3 per cent, while in metals, Hindalco Industries Ltd ended 3.7 per cent higher. The BSE Sensex provisionally gained 0.47...  

Proposed US immigration bill gives preference to better educated people

Washington: US immigration authorities would give preference to better-educated and trained visa-seekers who can contribute to the American economy under a less-noticed provision of the immigration bill in the US Congress. The bi-partisan bill in the US Senate would rewrite the half-century-old standards that control legal immigration to favor skills over family ties. The winners of this proposed "merit-based" system, experts say, would be primarily from Asia, particularly from India,...  

'Speed money' puts brakes on India's retail growth

Mumbai: Hong-Kong entrepreneur Ramesh Tainwala spent 18 months operating branded clothing retail stores in India before deciding it was impossible to succeed without paying bribes. Tainwala, a 55-year-old expatriate Indian, owns Planet Retail, which held the India franchise rights for US fashion labels Guess and Nautica as well as UK retailers Next and Debenhams. He sold the brands last September to various Indian businesses. "Right now it's not possible to...  

Highlights of RBI's monetary policy 2013-14

Mumbai: Sticking to its cautious stance, the Reserve Bank on Friday cut the key interest rate by just 0.25 per cent to 7.25 per cent and kept the liquidity enhancing cash reserve requirement unchanged, disappointing the industry and stock market. The RBI in its annual monetary policy statement said there would be modest improvement in the country's economic growth to 5.7 per cent in the current fiscal, as against the...  

RBI cuts repo rate by 0.25 pc, CRR unchanged

Mumbai: In a move that is likely to bring cheers to the consumers, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut repo rate by 0.25 per cent on Friday for the third time since January. The cut may lead to softening of loan EMIs. Following the 25 basis points cut, the repo rate stands at 7.25 per cent, its lowest since May 2011 even as Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) has been...  

Inflation seen range-bound this fiscal, says RBI

Mumbai: Inflation is likely to be range-bound and stay around the current levels in this financial year as supply-side issues, along with recent price adjustments in fuel prices, will offset the recent gains, the Reserve Bank of India said on Thursday. "Headline inflation in 2013-14 is expected to remain range-bound around the current levels," RBI said in its annual Macroeconomic and Monetary Developments report. "While sluggish global growth may dampen...