FLASH II. The results from FLASH II tests Sven Ackermann FEL seminar Hamburg, April 23 th, 2013.
Business flash february ii fornight 2013
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Transcript of Business flash february ii fornight 2013
Market at a glance – as on 1st March, 2013
Sensex (Peak 21207 on 10 Jan 08) 18,918
Daily turnover (BSE + NSE) - Volume 12,126 Cr
Oil Price (per barrel) – WTI $ 91.02
Gold Rate (per 10 gm) : 22 ct Rs. 27,650
Forex Rate (per U.S $) Rs. 554.90
Forex Reserve (Peak $316Bn as on 23May08) $ 291.91 Bn
Winners and Answers to the last quiz
1 190 Lts
2
Concorde3
The Jurassic Period, of Jurassic Park fame is named for the
Jura Mountains of Switzerland, where may fossils have been found
4 1959 by Fair Child Semiconductor Company
5 Buckminster Fuller
Quiz February I Fortnight – Answers are given below
1. Baby Blue Whale drinks this many liters of milk every day
a. 10 lts
b. 50 lts
c. 190 lts
d. 230 lts
2. For what is the Jurassic period named?
3. What airplane has not been flown commercially since 2003?
a. Concorde
b. Airbus 380
c. Boeing 747d. McDonnell Douglas MD80
4. When was the first integrated circuit made?
a. 1945
b. 1959
c. 1963d. 1969
5. Who invented the Geodesic Dome?
Industry Information
Leading retailer Lifestyle is confident of
meeting the competition that foreign direct
investment in multi-brand retail is expected
to unleash with a combination of strategies
it pursues, including localisation of the
product. “I am not saying I am not worried.
But I am not excessively concerned,”
Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd. (India)
Managing Director Kabir Lumba said,
pointing out that the FDI policy also had a
lot of strings attached. Moreover, only some
brands were keen on India, not all, he
added
Lifestyle is ready to face
competition :
Nestle, the world‟s largest food company,
reported its slowest growth in business and
profits in several years for 2012 as it
continued to underperform multinational
peers such as Unilever and
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare in
India. Analysts blame increasing
competition, lack of innovation, parent‟s
indifference and excessive focus on
margins at the cost of volumes among
others as Nestle India last week reported
11% growth in sales for 2012, its slowest in
eight years and far behind Hindustan
Unilever‟s 17% and GSK Consumer‟s 15%
growth. Worse, Nestle India's contribution
to its Swiss parent' s revenues declined to a
meager 1.57% from 1.69% a year ago. In
comparison, Indian units of Unilever, GSK
Consumer and Procter & Gamble have been
significantly increasing share to their
parent's kitty every year.
Nestle Trails Global Peers in
India Yet Again :
After capturing a share of wallets of urban
Indian households, top retail entrepreneur
Kishore Biyani has now trained his sights
on youngsters who constitute almost half of
the country‟s 1.2Bn population. Less than a
year after selling Pantaloons department
store chain to AV Birla Group, Biyani‟s
Future Group is back in the lifestyle market
with a smaller format of casual western
wear for the youth primarily in tier 2 and tier
3 cities. “This is a format for a different
market and an area where we are currently
not present in,” Biyani told ET.
Biyani Back in Market with
New Youth Brand :
Industry Information
Global market research firm Nielsen is set
to survey small grocery or kirana stores
across nearly two dozen Indian cities to
help consumer goods makers target these
outlets more effectively. Trade Dimensions,
the survey which will be carried out over
the next six months and cover each grocery
store in these cities, is the most exhaustive
project of its kind to be undertaken by the
US-based firm that tracks what consumers
watch and buy.
Nielsen Plans to Survey Kirana
Stores to Study Buying Habits :
The heads of General Electric and Vodafone
have added their voices to the growing
negative commentary about India‟s
business climate, piling the pressure on the
government to draw a line under this
discourse in its upcoming budget. On
22Feb, GE Chairman and CEO Jeffrey
Immelt said there was growing concern
among American and European CEOs
about India‟s business climate and warned
against policies that were unfair and bad for
much–needed investment. “If you put
yourself in the shoes of an American or a
European CEO, most of the articles (in the
press) have been negative. That has clearly
concerned people,” said Immelt, adding
that next week‟s budget must address the
concern of foreign investors and push
infrastructure development
GE, Voda CEOs Slam Unclear
Policy Regime :
Its cool quotient may be fraying at home,
but Apple‟s iPhone has become the second-
largest smartphone brand in terms of
revenue and the fifth-largest by volume in
India, muscling its way up the league tables
helped by an advertising blitzkrieg and
some aggressive pricing. Yet-to-be-
released data from industry trackers and
mobile retailers is expected to show that
Apple has dislodged BlackBerry and
wrested revenue market share from No. 1
Samsung in the last quarter of 2012, no
mean feat, analysts say, for a company that
has long viewed India as a non-priority
market. In fact, just six months ago, Apple
CEO Tim Cook was quoted as saying India
did not have high potential in the
“intermediate term”.
India Bears Fruit for Apple :
Undeterred by the “worst environment the
market has seen in the last 50 years”,
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles plans to
truck on with its strategy, and launch one
truck variant a month over the next 17
months from its Oragadam plant near here.
“Despite the shady and extremely
challenging truck market, we have not
reduced our production plan. Our next
launches will include 9 - 12 tonne vehicles
and tractor trailers,” said Marc Llistosella,
Managing Director and CEO, Daimler India,
a wholly-owned subsidiary of German
truck-maker Daimler AG.
Daimler promises a new
variant every month :
Industry Information
Automakers Renault and Nissan will set up
a 300-seater knowledge processing unit in
Chennai‟s Mahindra World City Special
Economic Zone, according to three persons
with direct knowledge of the development.
According to the plans, Renault-Nissan
could later ramp up the strength of the unit
to 3,000 people. A ballpark calculation
suggests that the initial investment would
be `40Cr, including rent and other
amenities.
Renault-Nissan JV to Set up
KPO Unit in Chennai :
The ministry of heavy industries is drafting
a policy framework that will provide a norm
for manufacturers of hybrid kits that enable
existing passenger cars to convert into
hybrids. This new technology kits that
Indian joint ventures such as KPIT
Cummins and Bharat Forge are at an
advance stage of manufacturing would lead
to significant improvement in fuel
efficiency. A retrofitted hybrid kit will
provide at least a 15-25% higher fuel
mileage in existing cars. The new proposal
will give a fillip to existing vehicle owners
keen on converting to hybrid vehicles by
deploying a parallel system that co-habits
with existing power systems.
Soon, You Will be Able to
Convert Your Car into Hybrid &
Save Energy :
Industry Information
German automobile major Mercedes-Benz
launched its latest product from the G-class
sport utility vehicles (SUVs), the G63 AMG,
in India. The G-wagen (Gelandewagen or
cross country vehicle), in its 34 year of
series production, is the longest serving
vehicle in series production. The G63 AMG
launched here on 19Feb is priced at `1.45Cr
(ex-showroom Mumbai) and replaces the
earlier G55 AMG.
Merc launches high-end SUV :
Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has said
that he was “not opposed” to Malaysian
group AirAsia‟s alliance with the Tata group
to set up a new low-cost carrier in India, but
indicated that he would have preferred it
more if the country‟s preeminent
conglomerate had started its own airline. In
his first comments on the development,
Singh said the purpose of a recent policy
change in the civil aviation sector, which
allows foreign airlines to own up to 49% of
an Indian carrier, was to increase
investment in existing Indian carriers.
Would be Nice if Tatas Set Up
Own Airline - Ajit Singh :
Tata group company Voltas on 21Feb
announced joining hands with Swiss textile
equipment maker Benninger AG for
distribution, sales and marketing of its
products in India. In a statement issued
here, Voltas made the announcement about
the agreement. “The co-operation will focus
on leveraging Benninger‟s ability to provide
leading edge products and the long-
standing expertise in continuous wet
processing, while building on Voltas‟
established sales and marketing network
across the country,” the statement said.
Voltas partners Benninger AG :
Industry Information
Country‟s largest software services firm
Tata Consultancy Services on 18Feb said it
is expanding its operations in the UK with a
new delivery centre in Liverpool. The new
facility in Liverpool will be fully operational
in Jul this year and will house over 300
employees, TCS said in a statement. The
company has invested in a new delivery
centre in Liverpool, dedicated to delivering
government services that require Impact
Level 3 (IL3) security constraints, it said.
TCS plans to use the facility to deliver
services to the Home Office, following a
multi-million, multi-year contract that was
awarded in Nov‟12, to manage the
technology needs and support services of
the newly formed Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS), the statement added.
TCS Expands UK Ops, Sets Up
New Centre in Liverpool :
Azim Premji has become the first Indian to
sign up for the Giving Pledge, an
undertaking by large-hearted billionaires to
dedicate a majority of their wealth to
philanthropy. The Wipro founder and
chairman, who has already committed
nearly `9,000Cr to the cause of education,
will direct more of his charitable giving to
the endowment supporting his
philanthropic foundation, Premji wrote in a
statement.
Premji Ist Indian to Sign Up for
Charity Pledge :
The slight improvement in profitability at
Indian software services companies during
the Dec quarter is only a flash in the pan,
and margins are headed inexorably
downwards, analysts said. For more than a
decade, software companies enjoyed
among the highest profitability levels for
any industry, adding to their allure, but a
confluence of forces is swiftly pushing
margins down to levels seen for businesses
dealing in commoditised goods such as
textiles.
Indian IT in Losing Battle on
Margin Front :
1. The gravity mapping satellites of NASA ended the successful mission to moon by crashing
on the rim of water. What is the name of these gravity mapping satellites of NASA
2. Scientists in the months of December revealed a planet that could support life. Orbits a
sun-like star near the Earth. What is the name of the star around which this planet was
found orbiting ?
3. Name of the book on NSC Bose that was presented to the president of India at
Rashtrapathi Bhavan on Feb’13 by professor Anita B Pfaff
4. Name the court that ordered India to go ahead with the development of Kishanganga
Hydro Electric Project in Gurez Valley near Bandipura in North Kashmir
5. Name the table tennis player, who is credited as the architect of the famous Ping-pong
Diplomacy between China and USA
Industry Information
In the wild, it is a common strategy for the
predator to single out the weakest prey
animal and chase it down for a kill. In the
cut-throat market for outsourcing deals,
too, it works much the same way, and a
wounded Hewlett-Packard is fair game for
Indian software companies desperate to win
new contracts. “Indian outsourcing
companies are aggressively attacking HP.
which is a very vulnerable target right now,”
said Peter Bendor-Samuel, founder and
chief executive officer at Everest Group, a
Dallas, Texas-based outsourcing advisory
and market research firm.
Indian IT Waiting to Pounce on
HP Deals :
Hewlett-Packard (HP) Chief Executive
Officer Meg Whitman said the world‟s
largest personal-computer maker will
evaluate selling small businesses or
projects that don‟t fit its plans while
keeping its main operating divisions.
Whitman‟s remarks came in an onstage
interview with Katy Huberty, an analyst at
Morgan Stanley, at the securities firm‟s
technology conference on 26Feb in San
Francisco. They echoed comments she
made on the company‟s quarterly earnings
call on 21Feb. In a regulatory filing on
27Dec, HP said it would consider disposing
of “assets and businesses that may no
longer help us meet our objectives”.
HP CEO Meg Whitman all Set
to Evaluate Sale of Small
Businesses :
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said he was
not satisfied with the company‟s pace of
innovation over the last few years, and that
it had mishandled its early mobile strategy.
“We didn‟t miss cellphones, but the way
that we went about it didn‟t allow us to get
the leadership. It‟s clearly a mistake,” Gates
Microsoft‟s former CEO, said in a rare
interview with CBS. Gates hedged
questions on whether he was happy with
Chief Executive Steve Ballmer‟s
performance. He said Ballmer had achieved
a lot but that both he and Ballmer were not
satisfied. “Ballmer and I are two of the most
self – critical people I know,” Gates said.
Microsoft Made Errors in Early
Mobile Strategy - Gates :
Industry Information
Top performing executives in India Inc are
likely to walk away with a
disproportionately higher share of
increment payouts this year, more than ever
before. Officials from a cross section of
companies, including HDFC Bank and ICICI
Bank in financial services, Ashok Leyland
among manufacturers and Dabur, LG and
Shoppers Stop in the consumption space
told ET reporters that they will reward top
talent disproportionately more than other
executives.
Top Talent to Get Better Salary
Hikes Than Rest :
Tata Group watchers say new chairman
Cyrus Mistry may seek insights from Tata
Log, a book by Harish Bhat, Tata Global
Beverages MD and former Titan COO, about
the strategic and operational challenges
that Tata companies faced during Ratan
Tata‟s tenure. Brand experts believe Mistry,
who took charge of the group in Dec, needs
to rejuvenate India‟s best-known brand, too,
because it is facing some challenging times
both in domestic and international markets
and is at a crossroads today.
Tata’s Old Pillars Need to
Emulate TCS, Titan :
Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies
Entertainments has named Venky Mysore
as the Chief Executive Officer. Mysore will
take full responsibility for all the operations
of the production house, in addition to his
current role as CEO and MD of the Kolkata
Knight Riders. Mysore comes with over 25
years of experience in the financial services
industry across several global markets. He
has held several leadership positions in the
US, Canada and Asia. He has been the CEO
and MD of KKR since October 2010 and has
lead KKR to become a successful and
profitable businesses, also the defending
Champions of IPL.
KKR CEO Venky to Take
Charge of Red Chillies Too :
Industry Information
Brand valuation tools gain wider acceptance as they
offer top management numbers instead of abstract
forms to value and re-invent brands. A Brand Finance
study shows exactly how top brands have been
impacted by global and local events
Value of Top Brands Hit By Scams, Slump :
Five out of India‟s ten most valuable corporate brands
-- Tata Motors, Reliance Industries, State Bank of India,
Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum – have seen value
erosion over the past three years, according to a
Brand Finance study available exclusively to ET. Tata
Motors saw its brand value drop by over 1,000Cr, but
still managed to remain at the top as India‟s most
valuable corporate brand. RIL and SBI, the next two on
the most valuable brands list, also saw an erosion in
brand value in the 2013 list
Most Valuable Brands Strained :
The postal department plans to enter the banking business with the Reserve Bank of India deciding to grant new bank
licences to entities with credible track-record.
Consultant appointed
Sources said the Department of Posts, which has a strong foot print in rural areas, has appointed Ernst and Young
(E&Y) as the consultant for the proposed „Post Bank‟. “Ernst and Young is expected to submit a detailed project report
by Apr, after which all the necessary measures will be taken up to apply for banking licence,” a source at the Ministry of
Communications and Information Technology told PTI.
Coming soon, Post Bank of India :
Industry Information
LifeCell International, a company that offers
stem cell banking facilities, has raised 35Cr
in a first round of funding from Helion
Venture Partners. LifeCell, which was
initially looking to raise up to $10Mn, will
now use this round of funding to expand its
facility in Gurgaon and develop novel cell
based therapies. “We are debt-free, growing
at about 50% year-on-year. The stem cell
market in India is extremely under-
penetrated, and this round of funding will
help us in achieving our long-term goals,”
said Mayur Abhaya, chief executive officer
of LifeCell International. So far, the stem
cell market in India has been confined to
storage of umbilical cord blood and dental
stem cells.
Helion Backs LifeCell Intl :Mitra Biotech, a Bangalore based company
that focuses on personalised cancer
therapy, has developed a technology that
will help to make anti-cancer drugs faster
and cheaper. The technology submitted for
peer evaluation in scientific journals
recently could lead to significant reduction
in cost of cancer-treatment drugs, said
industry experts. Mitra, founded in 2008 by
a team of Harvard and MIT researchers, has
developed „OncoprintR‟, a technology that
allows doctors to predict the effect of drugs
on a cancer patient, based on the nature of
the tumour.
Mitra Biotech Develops Techno
logy for Better, Cheaper
Cancer Drugs :
Drug firm Abbott India on 20Feb reported
34.95% increase in net profit at `49.77Cr for
the fourth quarter ended 31Dec. The
company had posted net profit of `36.88Cr
in the same period of 2011, Abbott said in a
filing to the BSE. Net sales of the company
rose to `437.52Cr in the fourth quarter,
compared to `383.60Cr in the same period
of 2011. For entire 2012, the company
posted net profit of `144.70Cr, compared to
`120.39Cr in 2011. Net sales of the company
for the year rose to `1,613.09Cr, compared
to `1,445.57Cr in 2011. The company‟s
board, which met on 20Feb, approved final
dividend of `17 per equity share of `10 each
for 2012. Shares of Abbott on 20Feb closed
at `1,401.25 on the BSE, up 2.49% from its
previous close.
Abbott India Q4 Net Rises 35%
to `50Cr :
Industry Information
Britain suffered its first ever sovereign
ratings downgrade from a major agency on
22Feb when Moody‟s stripped the country
of its coveted top – notch triple-A rating,
dealing a major blew to Finance Minister
George Osborne. Moody‟s said weak
prospects for British economic growth,
which have thrown the government‟s deficit
reduction strategy off curse, lay behind its
decision to cut the rating byone notch to
Aal from Aaa.
Moody’s strips U.K of Aaa
rating :
Global ratings major Standard & Poor‟s
(S&P), which has threatened to downgrade
the country‟s sovereign rating to junk, on
25Feb, said it sees economic growth
improving to 6.4 per cent next fiscal. The
agency also retained its growth forecast for
the current fiscal at 5.5 per cent, half-a-
percentage-point above the readings by the
Central Statistics Office. “The increased
government welfare spending because of
the next general elections, improvement in
private consumption, lower interest rates
and a better show by agriculture will lead to
the growth number going up to 6.4 per cent
in 2013-14,” agency‟s credit analyst Geeta
Chugh said.
S&P sees 6.4 per cent growth
in next fiscal :
The hostile environment in China for their
enterprises is making Japanese companies
look at India. Their renewed interest could
be capitalised by India by improving the
power situation and putting in place
procedures that are faster and more
transparent. Yasuyuki Kitamura,
representative, Singapore office of the
Kanagawa Prefectural Government of Japan
underscored this in an interaction with The
Hindu on the sidelines of a two-day Japan-
India SME conference that began here on
18Feb.
China pushes Japanese
companies closer to India :
THE NEXT BUSINESS FLASH WILL FOLLOW ON 16TH
MARCH, 2013
Model granny of the digital era :
The Information Technology Department of the State can think of making her its poster figure.
Rosakutty, before she passed away last Saturday, a few days short of her 110th birthday,
was, perhaps, one of the biggest advertisements of the reach of IT education in the State.
It was in 2005 that Rosakutty, a resident of Kothad village, shot to fame. A granny with
stretched earlobes and heavy gold earrings, clad in the traditional Christian attire of white
„mundu‟ and „chatta,‟ coming to the local Akshaya centre to take her first lessons in
computers at the age of 106 was not a common sight. It turned her into a celebrity overnight
with the local and the global media coming to her doorstep to tell her story to the world.
After a while, she became an absolute natural before the lens. “She even used to sing songs
for the reporters who came to see her,” Pushkin, one of her grandchildren, recollects.
India Positive :