Market Roundup

• BPCL to expand retail presence
• L&T bags Rs.1,000 crore order from ONGC
• Semindia to invest US$3bn in semi conductor facility
• Bharat Hotels takes over Grand Eastern
• Rane receives additional orders from Volkswagen
• Coromandel Fertilisers to set up pesticide formulation unit in J&K
• Ansal Properties signs MoU with UP Govt. for hi-tech city in Lucknow
• Government mulls BSNL, MTNL merger
• Air Sahara to start flights to London from Jan. 6
• Lankan Airways to gain in tourism from India, China
• Bombay Dyeing to set up textile unit at Pune
• O2 launches Microsoft-based handset, the Xda Atom
• Samsung to set up handset-manufacturing plant in Haryana
• Spice Telecom seeks entry into NLD and ILD segments
• MTNL video services for Rs.300 per month
• Heinz ties up with Lankan firm to distribute Dilmah tea
• Kingfisher targets Jet passengers
  

GENERAL

• Economy grows by 8.1 pc in H1
• Put more funds in irrigation: PM
• LPG shortage to be over by December end: Aiyar
• Kannur Airport project approved by state cabinet

• Rupee flat;bonds fall
• SBI to lend Rs.550 crore to SMEs in AP
• Bajaj Allianz ties up with Syndicate Bank to promote rural insurance
• Societe Generale to offer wealth management services
• BoI ties up with ICICI Pru Life
• Ratnakar Bank to issue shares on rights basis
• Avaya to concentrate on SMEs for growth

MARKETS

• ONGC is 'Biggest Wealth Creator' on stock markets
• Nirma to split equity shares in 1:2 ratio
• JM Morgan mandated as price stabilising agent for ICICI Bank issue
• Orchid allots GDRs to Citibank
• Welspun-Gujarat Stahl raises US$75mn through FCCBs
• Rabo India acquires 3.08 per cent stake in Dabur

INTERNATIONAL

• UK's Daily Mail group to sell off regional papers
• British Airways to axe 35 per cent managerial jobs
• RIM served a double blow
• US hurricanes to sink Lloyd's of London by a record £2.9bn

PEOPLE

• Firdose Vandrevala exits Tata Group - to head Motorola India
• Fowler to be new CEO of SumTotal