The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, July 26, 2006

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Slow monsoon progress could hit soya, bajra
The slow and weak progress of monsoon may lead to trouble for many crops, according to a study done by the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX). The exchange's "Knowledge Management Team" is attempting to track monsoon, ... More

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
Maharashtra gung-ho over non-conventional energy
`Geothermal, tidal power have good prospects in the State' More

SOCIAL SECURITY
Principal prefers separate co for pensions foray
To enter market with existing JV partners More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
Polycom offers multi-link video service facility
The police, jails and judiciary may soon be networked More

ECONOMY
RBI hikes key interest rates; bank loans may turn costlier
Repo, reverse repo raised; bank rate, cash reserve ratio unchanged More

Will the interest rate hike work?
Generally, higher interest rates have a cooling effect on an economy that has overheated. However, the Indian economy already appears to be cooling from its impressive growth. Thus the interest rate hike could further depress industrial growth, and t hat is clearly what the RBI should not let happen. More

Dr Reddy's balancing act
RBI REVIEW OF MONETARY POLICY More

Will the hikes hurt my wallet?
Reverse repo rate is the rate of interest that the RBI pays other banks from which it borrows money. Repo rate is the rate of interest that the RBI receives from the banks it has lent to. The reverse repo rate tends to set the floor for the ... More

Rate rise: Easy call for the RBI
It was widely expected. The increase in the repo and reverse repo rates to 6 per cent and 7 per cent respectively in the RBI's first quarter review of monetary policy came as no surprise. Central banks, the world over, are in a tightening mood if ... More

Mixed reaction to RBI move
Reacting to the 25 basis point increase by the RBI in repo and reverse-repo rates each to seven per cent and six per cent respectively in the quarterly review of the monetary policy, industry chamber FICCI has called the decision `inappropriate.' ... More

RBI's pre-emptive approach
The central bank, which was hitherto reacting to events, is now following the practice of the West in predicting the course of events on the basis of the available indicators and taking measures to forestall them to the extent possible. More

Business Confidence Index down 8 pc, says NCAER
Political Confidence Index slips 30.6 pc in Q1 More

`Non-farm sector likely to feel rate hike impact'
Borrowing costs to go up, particularly for retail sector More

Mixed reactions from industry
More

`RBI initiatives will help curb inflation'
Credit squeeze due to rate hikes unlikely, says Chidambaram More

RBI cautions on high credit growth
Deposit mobilisation crucial: Reddy More

RBI move to check inflation
The Reserve Bank of India's move to raise short-term rates by 25 basis is being seen by banks as a pre-emptive measure to control inflation. Though it is unlikely to up deposits, lending rates may inch up, say bankers. More

FOREIGN TRADE
Pak refusal to extend tariff sops to figure at Dhaka
`Maintaining positive list is against the letter and spirit of SAFTA' More

INFRASTRUCTURE
US co upbeat on Indian architectural space
Domestic arm to assist in design-build services More

Meet on city development
The Kerala State Centre of the Institution of Engineers (India) in association with other professional societies is organising a meet on Wednesday to identify projects for adoption under the Thiruvananthapuram City Development ... More

Non-aeronautical projects: GMR Infra confident of gains
GMR Infrastructure is confident that thenon-aeronautical activities in and around the various airports,whichit is developing, will generate a sizeable stream of revenues. The non-aeronautical activities would include advertising fee, lease ... More

Nod for 12 infrastructure projects
The Empowered Institution formed under the Scheme for Support to Public Private Partnerships in Infrastructure has accorded `in principle' approval to 12 projects. An official release said that the total investment for these ... More

Seeking sanity in the real estate market
"Today, though the real estate sector is growing at a blistering 30 per cent annually, our cities are crumbling with little or non-existent infrastructure — all a result of haphazard or no urban planning." — MR DEEPAK S. PAREKH, CHAIRMAN, HDFC More

PETROLEUM
Natural gas catches investors' fancy
Hits upper circuit in early trading; turnover tops Rs 100 cr More

Cairn Energy to float IPO by March
Signs $ 1-b banking facility to fund Rajasthan oil field More

ONGC in talks with Shell for coal gasification projects
More

HPCL to invest Rs 918 cr in retail network
IIM-A to study retail outlets of all OMCs More

SSI
Corporation Bank schemes for SMEs
Corporation Bank on Monday launched three schemes for SMEs - Corp SME Gold Card Scheme, Corp SME Credit Card Receivable Funding Scheme and Corp SME Receivable Funding Scheme'. A bank release said that Mr Vinod Rai, Special ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
A plutonium plant?
There is more to reports in the Washington Post about plutonium reactors being set up in Pakistan than what meets the eye. Among other things, the reports say that Pakistan is "building a powerful new reactor for producing plutonium," ... More

Seminar on research facilities at CSIR
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) seeks to open itself up to scientists and technologists in a big way. The CSIR proposes to enlarge its science support base by roping in even school students. But despite the best ... More

WTO
No revival of Doha round talks in sight: Kamal Nath
`No adverse impact on economy' More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Govt services at the click of a mouse in villages soon
Centre to set up kiosks on a public-pvt partnership model More

Nabard to rate over 30 MFIs
Duration of scheme extended; more rating agencies roped in More

HUMAN RESOURCES
PSBs hiring more from B-schools
SBI plans direct hiring from graduate colleges More

INCOME TAX
Postal Dept urged not to accept returns
Three postal unions — National Federation of Postal Employees, Federation of National Postal Organisation and Postal Officers' Association have urged the postal department not to accept income-tax returns. The unions said that they were ... More

Ministry reminder on interest income
The Finance Ministry on Tuesday asked taxpayers to ensure that interest income from savings instruments is taken into account for tax calculation purposes while filing the return of income for assessment year 2006-07. It has in a ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Pepper exports rise on tight supply in global market
Output likely to be lower in 2006 More

Rubber continues to fall; may slip to Rs 85
Fundamentals remain unchanged; funds quit counter More

Ban on exports weakens sugar counters
Expectations of extra quota for festive season also dampen sentiment More

TOURISM
Kerala to focus on `responsible tourism'
Minister hopes to attract Rs 1,000-cr investment over the year More

ECONOMIC OFFENCES
States told to curb hoarding of essential items
The Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, on Tuesday assured all help to State Governments in curbing activities relating to black marketing and hoarding of essential commodities. Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the issue of price ... More