27.09.2006

TRAI for auction, fixed fee in 3G spectrum allocation
3G spectrum to be allotted circle-wise
Auction is preferred route
Each operator to get 5 MHz initially for 3G services
WiMAX spectrum to be offered at a fixed price

Cimate change
Global warming has added 0.2 degrees celcius per decade over the past 30 years according to a study conducted by NASA.
The study said that the earth was now within about 1 degree celcius of the maximum estimated temperatures of the past million years.

National security and Chinese investment
The Chinese have been planning a whopping Rs. 61,000 cr investment in 13 Indian ports.
They are also involved in a strategic port – Gwadar Deep Sea port in Pakistan.
Indian security establishment fears that allowing Chinese investment poses a threat to national maritime security, as these ventures could give the Guojia Anquan Bu, the Chinese ministry of state security, a base to operate.
CPM demands that the investments should be allowed.

Shinzo Abe is the new Japanese Premier.
He succeeds Junichiro Koizumi. He is the first post World War II born politician to become Premier.

“Blood Diamond” threatens Surat diamond industry
“Blood Diamond” is a Warner Brothers film based on a story abuot the business of conflict diamonds and how its perpetrators used the profits to fund terrorist cells to establish brutal dictatorships in poor African nations.
Surat’s diamond industry (Rs. 45,000 cr in size) comprises 6000 small and big diamond cutting and polishing units which employ around 7 lk people.
9 out of world’s 11 rough diamonds are cut or polished in Surat.

The Amir Khan starrer “Rang De Basanti” nominated for Oscars, says the Film Federation of India.

US Business holding pattern
Of the 13.2 mn housinesses in the US, 90% are family owned and managed.
About 200 of the Fortune 500 companies are family owned.

SEZs – Special Economic Zones
There are 3000 SEZs in the world. India has 14 of them operational and 60 approved SEZs. China has 54.

Drug price control on ‘abnormal’ rise in prices
The GoI (Government of India) is in the process of asking companies to lower the prices of drugs which are outside price control, but have recorded a price increase of above 20% in any given 12 month period, which is deemed as ‘abnormal’.

India tops the BRIC brat pack
India is the leader of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China group) pack when it comes to business competitiveness, according to the 2006 Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum.
The toppers in the list are Switzerland, Finland and Sweden.
Contrast this with the World Bank (International Finance Corporation) report placing India at 134 of 175 countries in ease of doing business!

Housing price index adds to comfort level
The government’s move to launch a housing price index is welcome.
The index will help prospective buyers get a fix on how property prices have moved over time. They can then take a call on whether to wait for the down-cycle or to buy fast before prices rise still higher.
Branded tea business in the country is of Rs. 4,000 cr in size.

Cost of retailing
In emerging market the cost of retailing is relatively lower with rent, labour and other expenditure barely being 25% of the operational costs, as compared to developed markets where it is about 55%.
Banks may get more time to turn Basel II compliant

Andrew Fasto
Is the former Enron CFO (Chief Financial Officer), whose off-the-books deals led to the collapse of Enron.
Enron was ranked 7 on the Fortune 500 list of companies before the revelations of financial mismanagement triggered its fall. The collapse cost investors billions of dollars
It was after this collapse along with some other financial scandals that US has passed the Sarbanes Oxley Act which subjected companies to stricter financial disclosure norms.