Reality check on Sensex and India’s realty industry (Comment)

After the trough of 8,160 points, the recent turnaround in Indian stock markets that has lifted the 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) past the magical 20,000-point mark may cheer up India Inc – but it has certainly not lifted the spirits of the real estate market.

What’s significant to note … Read more »».

India, Russia to soon ink advanced fighter deal

NEW DELHI – India and Russia will soon sign a multi-billion dollar agreement to co-develop an advanced stealth fighter, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Thursday after talks with his Russian counterpart Anatoly Serdyukov.

Antony, at a joint press conference with Serdyukov termed the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) deal and another joint venture on developing … Original source on Gaea Times at : India, Russia to soon ink advanced fighter deal.

Fans of English soccer club Liverpool skeptical over prospect of another American owner

Liverpool fans skeptical of another American owner

LIVERPOOL, England – The message regularly written on scarves, flags, blogs and fan forums of die-hard Liverpool supporters the past two seasons was simple: “Thanks but no Yanks.”
So it came as no surprise – given the recent abuse directed toward co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. – that …. Source article  : Fans of English soccer club Liverpool skeptical over prospect of another American owner.

Oil heads for $84 a barrel in Asia as weaker US dollar fuels gains in commodity prices

Oil heads for $84 in Asia amid US dollar slide

SINGAPORE – Oil closed in on $84 a barrel Thursday in Asia as a weak U.S. dollar fueled gains in commodity prices.
Benchmark oil for November delivery was up 36 cents to $83.59 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York … Read more >>>.

Trade fair in Mumbai to bring Hong Kong brands to India

MUMBAI – The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will hold a Lifestyle Expo of high-quality products and brands in Mumbai later this month to build partnerships between Indian retailers and manufactures from Hong Kong and Guangdong province of China.

“Hong Kong is renowned as the design hub of Asia. Guangdong is wellknown for …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Indra Nooyi, Shikha Sharma and Chanda Kochar in Forbes List of Powerful Women

NEW DELHI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com) — Forbes list of world’s 100 most powerful women has been announced today. The list topped by US First Lady Michelle Obama includes two Indian women. India-born Pepsico chief Indra Nooyi is placed at the sixth position of the Forbes list.
Shikha Sharma, the Axis Bank chief executive hold the 89 …. Original article  : Indra Nooyi, Shikha Sharma and Chanda Kochar in Forbes List of Powerful Women.

India’s annual food inflation drops slightly to 16.24 percent

NEW DELHI – India’s annual food inflation dropped a tad to 16.24 percent for the week ended Sep 25 compared to 16.44 percent the previous week, as supply of essential items, disrupted by heavy rains and floods in parts of the country, began turning normal.

The annual inflation rate for the primary articles group, however, … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : India’s annual food inflation drops slightly to 16.24 percent.

Marks and Spencer says comparable sales up 5.3 pct in recent quarter, better than expected

Marks and Spencer sales up 5.3 pct in last quarter

LONDON – British retailer Marks and Spencer says sales were up 5.3 percent in the 13 weeks ending Oct. 2 when not counting newly opened store space.
Thursday’s report was stronger than analysts had forecast. General merchandise sales were up 7 percent and food sales rose 3.7 …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Marks and Spencer says comparable sales up 5.3 pct in recent quarter, better than expected.

Eurostar buying new trains from Siemens in 700 mln pounds ($1.1 bln) program

Eurostar chooses Siemens to build new trains

LONDON – Eurostar is buying 10 new trains from German manufacturer Siemens as part of a 700 million pounds ($1.1 bln) upgrade and expansion of its fleet.
The cross-channel train company said Thursday that the new 900-passenger trains would be capable of operating throughout Europe’s high-speed rail network.
Starting next year, …. Original source  : Eurostar buying new trains from Siemens in 700 mln pounds ($1.1 bln) program.

Long-serving Rep. Oberstar of Minn. faces serious challenge from Republican with union past

Long-serving Minn. Rep. Oberstar faces real race

CHISHOLM, Minn. – U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota has been in politics so long that when he talks about his district helping deliver the presidency to a promising young Democrat, he means John F. Kennedy.
Now in his 36th year as a congressman, Oberstar has never gotten less than … Read more »»».

BP, Azerbaijan reach joint production agreement to develop Caspian Sea oil

BP, Azerbaijan reach Caspian Sea oil deal
LONDON – BP PLC says it has reached an agreement with Azerbaijan’s state oil company to develop a new oil field in the Caspian Sea.

BP said Thursday that the 50-50 joint venture will seek to develop oil production in the Shafag-Asiman sector, 125 kilometers (78 miles) southeast of Baku.
Moving … Read more »».

To win back trust, Toyota offers 2 years free maintenance, roadside service on new US models

Toyota steps up efforts to woo back US customers

TOKYO – Aiming to win back customer trust after its string of recalls, Toyota Motor Corp. is offering American buyers of new Toyota- and Scion-brand vehicles two years of regular scheduled maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for free.
The plans, announced in a press release Wednesday from the … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : To win back trust, Toyota offers 2 years free maintenance, roadside service on new US models.

European Central Bank’s Trichet set for quizzing as euro surges to eight-month dollar highs

Markets await Trichet’s comments on strong euro

LONDON – European Central Bank head Jean-Claude Trichet faces a quizzing about the euro’s ascent to eight-month highs against the dollar when he holds his monthly press conference Thursday.
The markets will be interested to see if Trichet uses the opportunity to subtly decry the stronger currency’s effect on the … Read more >>>.

Pakistan puts dams on hold after cost increases

ISLAMABAD – The cost of building five small dams in Pakistan has increased by a whopping 180 percent in a year, causing Islamabad to put on hold the projects till the cost estimates were rationalised.

The five small dams with a power generation capacity of just 9.5 megawatt has gone up from Rs.35.6 billion … Read : Pakistan puts dams on hold after cost increases.

Oil hovers above $83 in Asia as weaker US dollar fuels gains in commodity prices

Oil hovers above $83 in Asia amid US dollar slide

SINGAPORE – Oil hovered above $83 a barrel Thursday in Asia as a weak U.S. dollar fuels gains in commodity prices.
Benchmark oil for November delivery was up 22 cents to $83.45 a barrel at midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. …. Original article  : Oil hovers above $83 in Asia as weaker US dollar fuels gains in commodity prices.

After currency intervention, Japan’s foreign reserves at all-time high in September

Japan forex reserves at record after intervention

TOKYO – Japan’s foreign exchange reserves hit an all-time high in September after the central bank intervened in currency markets for the first time in more than six years.
Japan’s international reserves rose for the fourth straight month to $1.11 trillion as of Sept. 30, up $39.45 billion from a …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Food entitlement act in India soon, says Swaminathan

TORONTO – India will soon be the first country in the world “to enact a food security entitlement act under which every family below the poverty line will get 35 kg of grain”, says M.S. Swaminathan who is in Canada to receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta.

One of the pioneers of …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Asian stock markets down after yen hits new 15-year-high, US jobs report disappoints

Asian markets down after yen hits new 15-year-high

BANGKOK – Asian stock markets slipped Thursday as investors digested the yen’s overnight climb to a new 15-year high against the dollar and a disappointing U.S. jobs report.
Oil, meanwhile, hovered above $83 a barrel as the weak U.S. dollar fuels gains in commodity prices. Gold hit a new …. Read the original article  : Asian stock markets down after yen hits new 15-year-high, US jobs report disappoints.

US very bullish on India: Hillary Clinton

WASHINGTON – As India assumes a more global leadership role, the United States is “very bullish” on India, says Secretary of State Hillary Clinton describing President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit as “yet another very clear statement” of US support.

The US relationship “is going from strength to strength” she said at the 12th annual … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : US very bullish on India: Hillary Clinton.

The new poor: Analysis finds US suburbs bearing brunt of near-historic increases in poverty

Suburbs take hit as US poverty climbs in downturn

WASHINGTON – Battered by the downturn, America’s suburbs are bearing the brunt of poverty among those of working age that has climbed to its highest level in almost a half century, creating strains on dwindling safety-net programs focusing mostly on the inner-city poor.
A pair of analyses by … Original article on : The new poor: Analysis finds US suburbs bearing brunt of near-historic increases in poverty.