Market Roundup

• ITI commissions GSM equipment making facility
• Scandent Solutions BPO subsidiary wins US contract
• BHEL to pay 40 per cent interim dividend
• M&M's Uttaranchal three-wheeler plant inaugurated
• Bharat Forge sets up JV with China's FAW Corporation
• Dabur obtains first patent for yeast strain
• PC with broadband @ Rs.451 per month
• BMW signs pact with TN government for CKD plant
• Natco Pharma launches blood cancer drug
• NTPC to take legal action against Reliance over gas pact
• Finolex Cables to manufacture lamps at Pune facility
• Merck ties up with PATH for rotavirus vaccine clinical trials
• Tata Motors hikes commercial vehicle prices by 2-2.5 per cent
• Tata Teleservices adds highest number of new subscribers in Nov.
• Bajaj Auto to get into merchandising

GENERAL

• Government to consider six-laning of highways
• Plans to speed up customs clearance
• LPG shortage overcome: Mani Aiyar

• Rupee weak — bonds in range
• DSP Merrill Lynch to be delisted from BSE
• Adlabs Films Board approves issue of FCCBs
• Mercator Lines allots 30 lakh shares to promoters
• Patni Computers ADS gets listed on NYSE
• Tata AIG launches money-back policy 'Nirbhay Life'

MARKETS

• ABN-Amro to offer retail brokering services from Feb. 2006
• RBI: FIIs can buy 49 per cent in Strides Arcolab
• Federal Bank and Franklin Templeton tie up to distribute MF products
• StanChart MF launches two close-ended schemes

INTERNATIONAL

• IDC survey: Software piracy hampering economic growth
• IMF approves US$4.8bn debt relief package
• Daily Mail picks up property website
• BoE keeps interest rates unchanged at 4.5 per cent
• WorldSpace subscriber base crosses 100,000

PEOPLE

• Dr. Thomas Dueckers appointed president of Bharat Forge's global operations