The utilisation of benched employees (kept ready for any immediate project) are also expected to come down more this year.

IT firms go slow on hiring, salary hikes as market gets tough

A tough global market is forcing information technology companies to go slow on their hiring plans this year. While campus recruitments have been delayed, lateral hiring has also b... »

Fewer may have been hired in 2012 as economy weakened

Companies need innovators, not just engineers

Ministers’ group wants base price for CDMA spectrum cut by half

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) has recommended up to 50 per cent cut in the reserve price for CDMA airwaves in the 800 Mhz band. This comes after the Government... »

DoT looking to start 2G spectrum auction from March 11
DoT may propose seeking Trai view on CDMA auction

LATEST NEWS

Rs 25-crore criterion only for deposit-taking NBFCs

Banks demand more tax breaks for bad-loan provisioning

Coal India needs to mine 150 mt in Q4 to meet 2012-13 target

Reliance seeks nod to de-notify part of Jamnagar SEZ

Linc Pens to sell notebooks too

India Inc braking hard on travel spends

No decision yet on DTH release of Vishwaroopam

IT firms go slow on hiring, salary hikes as market gets tough

Reliance D6 gas output may fall way short of target

Dalmia Bharat increases stake in group firm

India's Reliance Industries KG-D6's control and raiser platform is seen off the Bay of Bengal in this undated handout photo. India's Reliance Industries Ltd resumed crude oil production from its east coast MA-1 field on March 8 following an emergency shutdown in December, Upstream Regulator V.K. Sibal said on March 12, 2009. REUTERS/Reliance Industries/Handout (INDIA ENERGY BUSINESS) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

D1, D3 production down to 21 mmscmd from 60 mmscmd in 2009 »

Petroleum Ministry, Reliance agree to disagree on D6 block output
D6 block's audited accounts pending for last 3 years

Gulf Oil Corporation (Rs 89.9): BUY

We recommend a buy in the stock of Gulf Oil Corporation from a short-term perspective. It is apparent from the charts of the stock that it has been in a long-term uptrend from its December... »

Podcast: Gulf Oil (English) by Divya Pushkarna
Podcast: Gulf Oil (Tamil) by Srirengarajan A

States

Anti-Posco activists demonstrating before the Chief Minister’s residence, Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar. (file photo)

Posco seeks more time for Odisha SEZ

The South Korean steel major Posco has sought more time from the Commerce Ministry for its over Rs 53,000 crore multi-product SEZ in Odisha, as it is yet to get adequate land from the state governm... »

Green Tribunal suspends clearance to Posco project

Education

IIT education gets costlier by Rs 40,000/year

IITs will get research-oriented and undergo external peer review for quality improvement »

IIT panel may recommend raising tuition fee

Money Wise

Switch or reset, to reduce your home loan EMI

With no prepayment charges on floating rate loans, you can switch to a new lender offering a lower rate or convert within the same bank to a lower interest rate. » 1 comment

Opinion

Columns

RASHEEDA BHAGAT

A depressing start to the year

BJP activists protest against the hate speech made by the MIM MLA from Hyderabad, Akbaruddin Owaisi. — K. V. Poornachandra Kumar

Instead of a serious debate on how we can make our streets and homes safe for women, we have a bunch of lunatics giving bizarre spins on women and relationships. »

C. P. Chandrasekhar, Jayati Ghosh

Hawking the deficit

While the government’s official pronouncements emphasise the need to reduce the fiscal deficit, its actual performance in recent years has been well below projections, especially because of lower receipts. »

Editorial

Gold comfort

Increasing the attractiveness of financial savings is the only way to moderate gold imports »

Opinion

The West too has a ‘rape culture’

Reform of anti-rape laws alone is not enough, if ’rape culture’ is not confronted.

Indian society is yet to acknowledge the existence of rape culture – a set of beliefs that condones aggression on women. »

Critical issues in health insurance

Insurance products are yet to adjust to the expanding gamut of critical illnesses.

It is interesting to think about the real costs associated with managing health. We normally do not look at health management in cost terms — our instinctive reaction is to procrastinate,... »

Banking

Bank of America reaches settlement with Fannie Mae

Bank of America has reached a settlement with Fannie Mae on residential mortgage loans sold by the bank and its Countrywide unit to the agency ahead of the US 2008 financial crisis. The s... »

Industry & Economy

India Inc braking hard on travel spends

This is the peak season for business travel,yet companies are cutting down on official trips because of the uncertain economic outlook and the high air fares. Companies are reducing the n... »

Logistics

A file picture of Kingfisher aircraft. (insert) Pratip Chaudhuri

Future course of action on Kingfisher soon, says SBI

Kingfisher lenders will soon decide on future course of action with regard to the grounded airline as they do not want the company to close down, State Bank of India (SBI) said today. “Th... »

Companies

Huge losses had chocked the financial condition of the company that finds it difficult to carry out normal operations.

Haldia Petrochemicals seeks fresh credit from lenders

Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) today sought fresh credit from the lenders to keep itself afloat at a meeting in Mumbai today. Neither HPL managing director nor the West Bengal industry s... »

Banking

The product, “Bhagyalakshmi” will attract a 10% interest for the first two years, which is 0.25% lower than the company’s card rate.

LIC Housing Fin offers 0.25% discount for women

Insurance giant LIC’s home finance subsidiary LICHF today launched a new loan product for women that is offering a 0.25 per cent discount on card rate. The product, christened “Bhagyalaks... »

Industry & Economy

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrived in Kerala for a two-day visit, being received by the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at the Naval airport in Kochi on Monday. - Photo:H.Vibhu

Energy prices need to be in sync with global prices: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called upon the Union and State Governments to work together to create awareness among the public on the need for curbing energy subsidies. “Energy rema... »

Investment World

Two-wheelers lose some spark

Scooters made a comeback and entry level bikes suffered. That has completely changed the fortunes of players. »

QUERY CORNER - Sterlite Industries trying to build a base

Cipla Ltd - HOLD

Index Outlook: New highs in New Year?

MBL Infrastructures - BUY

Equities, in retail investor’s blind spot!

Pivotals: Reliance Industries (Rs 860.7)

Our hits and misses of 2011-12

‘I wish obstacles are removed and single window clearance provided’

Companies

Marico demerges Kaya as it fails to shine even after a decade

To list it separately as Marico Kaya Enterprises; consolidates FMCG biz »

Bajaj opts for being ‘different’ to take on Honda, Hero

New investment policy for urea to check spurt in gas prices

Mahindra Quanto to hit African roads this year

Temporary stoppage of work at Colgate-Palmolive's Goa unit

Dalmia Bharat increases stake in group firm

RINL sinter plant becomes operational

Borg India unveils solar power generators

Kajaria-Vennar ceramic unit to step up capacity

Industry & Economy

S. Narsing Rao, Chairman, Coal India Ltd

Coal India needs to mine 150 mt in Q4 to meet 2012-13 target

Offtake up 8% in April-Dec; production increases by 6.1% »

Energy prices need to be in sync with global prices: PM

India Inc divided on 2013-14 economic outlook

Reliance seeks nod to de-notify part of Jamnagar SEZ

Maharashtra set to tap Karnataka for drinking water supply

India Inc braking hard on travel spends

TN solar bid: Developers express apprehension

GMR Infra terminates Kishangarh Expressways pact

Centre to set up cold storage facilities at 79 localities

Stock Markets

Post-fiscal cliff, traders shift focus to monetary policy, Budget

Post-the temporary resolution of the fiscal cliff issue in the US, several market analysts say the focus now shifts to reforms, Budget, monetary policy and corporate earnings . »

Trading environment, volatile markets dent hedge funds’ performance

Day Trading Guide

SEBI dismisses appeal on flash crash

Maruti zooms to 3-year high

MTNL moves from NYSE to OTCQX

Political developments will dictate market direction: Credit Suisse

Banking

Consultation: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram flanked by Ministers of State Namo Narain Meena (left) and S.S. Palanimanickam during the pre-Budget meeting with representatives of banking and financial institutions in the Capital on Monday. — Kamal Narang

Banks demand more tax breaks for bad-loan provisioning

Want lock-in period for tax-saving fixed deposits reduced to 3 years »

State Bank of India rules out rights issue

Allahabad Bank to shore up priority sector lending

Corporate debt can get CDS now

Kotak Mahindra sees no threat from new banks

Rs 25-crore criterion only for deposit-taking NBFCs

UCO Bank seeks Rs 800 cr to raise capital adequacy ratio

ECB limit raised for infrastructure NBFCs

RBI cancels registration of two NBFCs

Economy

No hope: A farmer in Shahpur village in Jalna district of Maharashtra points to a cotton sapling that has withered due to lack of rain in this recent file photo.

Maharashtra set to tap Karnataka for drinking water supply

Water scarcity in the drought-prone areas of Maharashtra has turned grim. The State Government is looking to supply water to these areas using railway tankers, according to Jayant Patil, Maharasht... »

Ahmed urges Kerala to take note of changing trends in emigration

Power tariff hike will make industry less competitive: CII-AP

India Inc divided on 2013-14 economic outlook

Karnataka Pollution Control Board to collect hazardous waste from industries

Experts call for steps to amend Juvenile Justice Act

Mismanagement of food system causing inflation: Abhijit Sen

AP power consumers in for steep tariff hike next fiscal

Chidambaram says trade unions’ role vital in reviving core sector growth

Info-tech

Ministers’ group wants base price for CDMA spectrum cut by half

The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) has recommended up to 50 per cent cut in the reserve price for CDMA airwaves in the 800 Mhz band. This comes after the Government... »

Third quarter could be muted for IT sector

PayPal founder plans small city on Mars for vegetarians

Cisco to appoint Jeff White to head its India operations

Focus on research, AP Governor urges IT industry

Sunil Khurana is the COO of Bharti Infratel

New Facebook app to allow free voice calls to friends

Internet emits 830 mt of carbon dioxide

' No new spectrum rates on selling stake to non-telcos'

Marketing

Descendants of Hyderabad's most prominent Unani hakeem Mohd Moizuddin Farooqui who formulated Zinda Tilismath, Zinda Balm and Farooky Tooth Powder (from left) Sohail Farooqui and Owais Farooqui at a press conference in Hyderabad on Monday. -- P. V. Sivakumar

Herbal brand Zinda Tilismath to enter lozenges market

Zinda Tilismath, the 93-year-old herbal medicine brand for cold and cough, plans to enter the Rs 1,000-crore throat lozenges market. Founded in 1920, the Hyderabad-based unani medicine ho... »

No decision yet on DTH release of Vishwaroopam

Spidey, Bond make 2012 a hit for Sony Pictures India

Linc Pens to sell notebooks too

KidZania teams up with YES Bank

Forever Jewellery to expand in S. India

Inox Leisure enters Orissa

Apparel makers weave plans with DuPont for eco-friendly wear

After IPL, Golf Premier League tees off

Markets

Duty on Chinese imports lifts steel stocks

Shares of most steel companies rallied after the Government imposed an import duty of 20 per cent on stainless steel imports from China. However, some of the stocks fell from their day’s high afte... »

Post-fiscal cliff, traders shift focus to monetary policy, Budget

A bull run hasn’t brought traders flocking to the market

Geometric - Buy

Minority shareholders may be allowed to appoint independent directors

Hudson Equity sells 1.8 cr shares of Manappuram for Rs 77.4 cr

Oil stocks gain up to 6% on fuel hike hopes

Logistics

Future course of action on Kingfisher soon, says SBI

Kingfisher lenders will soon decide on future course of action with regard to the grounded airline as they do not want the company to close down, State Bank of India (SBI) said today. “Th... »

Civilian flight takes off from Kargil airport

Jet Airways offers special fares to Gulf

Gangavaram port handles 100th capesize vessel

GMR, highways body may go in for arbitration

Haryana gets first functional railway line after 33 years

Medium-lift helicopter complex opened at Phalodi airbase

Move to improve Indo-Bangla initiative for trans-border river navigation

‘Government looking for ways to blunt sharp hikes in toll fee’

Agri-biz

Nepal’s Ostrich farmer looks for Indian investment

Many will shudder at the thought of having a roast Ostrich at their dinner table given the massive size of these ratite birds. However, ostrich meat is gaining popularity globally, including India... »

Tea prices steady at Kochi auction

Vibha Seeds to raise Rs 500 cr from private equity player

Copra arrivals dry up despite rise in prices

Dip in mercury robs cardamom of its flavour

Rinac bags cold storage order from Hatsun Agro

Nabard sanctions Rs 29.87 cr to TN

With tea council in place, trade hopes for higher shipments

Spot rubber turns weak

Commodities

A major factor pushing gold is that investors find it cheaper to buy at four-month low.

Global cues, rising dollar set to help gold shine

Gold will likely rise in the domestic market on Monday, following the rise in the global market and the dollar’s gain against a basket of currencies.A major factor pushing gold is that i... »

Crude oil prices mixed in Asian trade

FinMin asked to levy commodities transaction tax

Circular trading pulls pepper futures down

Silver futures rise to Rs 59,577 per kg

Jeera futures gain on higher demand

Mentha oil futures ease on profit-taking

Silver rates

Gold rates

Life

Defying the war on knowledge

Forbidden Lessons in a Kabul Guesthouse By Suraya Sadeed Publisher: Hachette India Price: Rs 375

In 1990, at the height of the Taliban’s reign over Afghanistan, when horror stories abounded in the western world about the fundamentalist regime’s atrocities, particularly against women, a wom... »

Rent a limo ride

The sauce to go with a success story

Turn on inner sunshine

City-villages of south China

IT has always made the world go round

The FDI Games

Smartbuy

Sony Vaio Duo 11 Ultrabook hybrid review

The slider form factor, for as long as I can remember, has always been met with mixed responses. Some say, that a slider is a delicate form to follow, as they fear that the slide would wear or jus... »

Acer Aspire S7 Ultrabook review

Samsung Smart PC Ativ Pro review

HP Envy X2 review

Asus VivoTab RT review

eWorld

No place for Internet’s Davids

Surfing the Web, communicating, playing games, watching videos and listening to music online have become an intrinsic part of most urban dwellers’ lives. According to Mary Meeker’s... »

Type away your keyboard blues!

It's time to go mobile!

Is geographical diversification the way forward ?

Down to the basics, literally!

Unlimited woes?

Five predictions for storage in 2013

Agony aunt for your computer

“I like to build from scratch”

BrandLine

Model example: Mumbai-based fashion designer Masaba Gupta (centre) marries modern motifs with traditional Indian apparel in her designs.

Haute new trends

Emerging markets are set to export, and even flaunt their national and cultural heritage, in the next 12 months. Symbols, lifestyles and traditions that were previously downplayed, if not... »

Where are the agencies headed?

Rewards for success

Advertising: Hanging by a thread

Market mantra for 2013

At the altar of beauty …

Marketers woo empowered women

Get the idea, honey bunny?

Lord of the blocks

New Manager