Welcome to Business plan

"I am very consistent in my disinvestment policy. I have done it very quietly and the money raised will be use in capital assets.".....Pranab Mukherjee, FM

Business in Beijing, China - Cost of living

Monthly rental (2 bedroom) - RNB 7,500-15,000, depending on location and type of housing.

Hotel per night - RMB 400 (3 Star) - 1500 (5 Star)

Mineral water - RMB 2

Dinner at a restaurant - RMB 150-440

Fast Food meal, McDonalds set- RMB 17

Coffee at a Cafe/bar, Starbucks - RMB 25-40

Taxi fare - Starting price RMB 10

Public transport fare - RMB 2-3

Cell phone monthly charge - Local calls only - RMB 100 per month

Courtesy: Economic times

India will join league of top 10 global pharmaceuticals markets in terms of sales by 2020 with the total value reaching $50bn by then, according to a report.

As many as 56 Indian Companies, including Reliance Industries and State Bank of India, have been named among the world's 2000 most powerful listed companies, according to US magazine Forbes. 'The Global 2000' list of the biggest and most powerful companies worldwide has been topped by US banking giant J P Morgan Chase. Among Indians Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries leads the pack and has been ranked at the 126th place in the global list.

Major Central Public Enterprises have year marked a whopping capital expenditure of Rs 2.78 lakh-cr in the next fiscal with petroleum and power companies lining up Rs 1.20 lakh-cr investment. The PSUs in telecom and road transport sector would also be among the major spenders in the next financial year. The other areas where the PSUs will be aggressively investing include steel, shipping and urban development. ONGC has chocked out plans to spend the maximum with an allocation of Rs 26,523 cr, followed by Rs 12,823 cr by Indian Oil Corp and Rs 8,662 cr by ONGC Videsh. NTPC has lined up Rs 22,350 cr spend, up over 50% from the revised estimates of the current fiscal.

Predicting an 8.8 per cent growth for India this year the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says strong domestic demand will support the recovery in India and China as the world output goes up by 4.2 per cent.

India's industrial output expanded 11.7% in November year-on-year, the fastest growth in two years, rekindling the debut in whether the centre must begin withdrawing the stimulus. While it exceeds South Korea's 1.4%, It is way behind China's 19.2% growth. The robust growth could see the RBI hiking the cash reserve ratio.

Real Estate Developer DB reality said it has reported a jump of 78% in its consolidated net profit at Rs 252 crores for the year ended March 31, 2010.

ICICI Bank has been ranked 45 in the 2010 Brand Z Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brand's report

Wipro Technologies announced restructuring of its team with the appointment of Ayan Mukerji has the global head of product Engineering service group, effective April 2010. A company has also announced the appointment of Jeffrey Heenan Jalil has the head of Europe Operations.

NRI billionaire Lakshmi Mittal said he does not want a cricket team in the Indian Premier League, and was glad for not having bought one already, given the recent controversy shrouding the game.

Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Resources announced the acquisition of UK-based global mining firm Anglo-America's Zinc assets for a total consideration of $1.3 Billion (6,500 crore), catapulting it has the largest integrated zinc and lead producer in the world.

The contract for the Rs 10,000-crore innovation park planned by the state govt is likely to be awarded to Mahindra & Mahindra, which is planning to set it up on its land at Roha near Panvel.

Maxican billionaire Carlos Slim has emerged as the richest person in the world with US $53.5 billion in assets, while Indian industrialist Mukesh Ambani ranks fourth with $29 billion in US magazine Forbes' annual list of worlds top billionaires Slim is followed by Bill Gates with $53 billion and Warren Buffet with $47 billion. NRI billionaire Laxmi Mittal with the net worth of $28.7 billion, ranks fifth while Anil Ambani is at the thirty sixth spot with $13.7 billion. There are 1,011 billionaires in the world now up from 793 a year ago. Gates held the top spot for fourteen of the past fifteen years.

Two months after it made an offer to acquire a controlling stake in the bankrupt Lyondell Basek, Indian energy major Reliance Industries (RIL) is now set to be eyeing privately-held Canadian firm, Value Creations. According to media reports, RIL has submitted an expression of interest of $2-bn for Value Creation, which deals in oil sands resources.

"The economy would grow between 7 and 7.5% in 2009-2010. It would grow by 8% in 2010-11 and the year after, growth would be 9%"

The Kishor Biyani-promoted Pantaloon Retail said that the company will demerge three of its businesses, including that of food, into two of its subsidies.

Hero Honda's grip on the domestic motor cycle market is now facing a challenge from rival Bajaj Auto on the entry-level bike segment. Rival Bajaj has been going strong in over 125cc segment, with around 50 per cent market share with its Pulsar brand of motor cycles.

Vijay Mallya-headed United Spirits posts 35 per cent rise in profit at Rs 401 crore for 2009-10.

TVS Motor Company said its net profit rose 38.78 per cent to Rs 20.29 crore for the quarter ended 31 March 2010 over the same period last year.

Polaris Software reported a 42 per cent jump in net profit for the quarter ended March, on the back of a significant drop in forex losses.

IndiaFirst Insurance announced that the company has achieved Rs 200 cr mark in new business premium. The announcement was made by Dr P Nandgopal, MD and CEO, IndiaFirst Life Insurance.

FMCG player Godrej Consumer Products Ltd will acquire Indonesia-based insecticide maker PT Magasan Makmur group and its distribution companies. The cost of the acquisition a business channel reported it as 1,200cr.

United India Insurance Co has crossed Rs 5,000cr premium income in the financial year 2009-2010 and emerged as the second largest non-life insurance company in India. The company has grown at 20 per cent as against the market growth of 12 per cent.

Vodafone Essar has crossed the 100-mn subscriber mark in India, becoming the third mobile operator in the country to do so after rivals Bharati Airtel and Reliance communication.

Ruia's -owned Essar Energy announced its plans to raised about $2.5bn through an initial public offering (IPO) of shares in the UK.

IT major Infosys Technologies announced its fourth quarter results of financial year 2010 and it reported a 1.14 per cent increase in its net profit to Rs 1,600 crore as against Rs 1,582 crore, on quarter-on-quarter basis.

Rolta, a global solutions provider of information technology solutions announced the strategic acquisition of Atlanta based OneGIS, a consulting, development and system integration firm.

Private sector lender Axis bank said it is in talks with Max New York Life to acquire up to 5% stake in the latter. The bank has tied up with Max New York Life to distribute the latters life insurance products beginning April 1st after ending its relationship with MetLife.

Government is likely to raise about Rs 10,000 crore from the proposed divestment of its 11% stake in Coal India. The government at present holds 100% equity in the country's largest coal producer. It is planning to sell 10% of its stake through an IPO.

Stung by massive capacity expansion and poor utilisation of their plants, cement companies are looking at war-ravaged Sri Lanka, which is rebuilding its infrastructure. Industry sources said Madras Cement is shipping cement to Sri Lanka while Indian Cements and Dalmia Cements have got the approval from the island nation's quality certification body - a precursor for shipping cement.

Biyani-promoted Future Group has forayed into a toothpaste category under the 'Sach' brand - co-created with Sachin Tendulkar and will launch more products under the same label by the end of 2010.

Shree Renuka Sugars has completed the acquisition of Vale Do Ivai (VDI), Brazil-based Sugar and Ethanol production company.

Drug maker Lupin said its US-based arm Lupin Pharmaceuticals has received attentative approval from the US health regulator FDA for Eszopiclone tablets used in the treatment of sleep disorder.

Pipe manufacturer Welspun Gujarat Stahl Rohran along with its group company Welspun Infratech made an open offer for 20% stake in MSK projects. Days after it announced buying a controlling stake in the latter. The Rs 104.40 crore offer will open on May 6th and close on May 25th.

Vijay Mallya's UB group exited from Aventis Pharma by selling its 10.27% stake for over Rs 414 crore to Hoechst GmbH, one of the promoter entities of the drug maker. Proceeds from Aventis share sell will go to pay down depth at United Breweries holding.

The US president Barack Obama's $871-billion healthcare reform bill has cheer to Indian healthcare BPO and IT service providers.

Ratings major Crisil completed its 10,000thratings on an SME, and initiative that has saved about Rs 100 crore for these companies since it was launched.

Reliance communication has become India's second telecom operator to cross the 100 million mobile subscriber mark. This also makes the company the world's fourth largest single country mobile services operator. The company targets to reach the 200 million subscriber milestone within 1000 days.

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"Finance is the art of passing currency from hand to hand until it finally disappears".........Robert W Sarnoff.