News digest: Fortis buy, MSP formulation, banks' stressed assets, and more

E-commerce firm in process of getting NBFC licence, to lend to consumers and sellers initially

Flipkart set for financial services foray; to lend to consumers and sellers

In a move that could disrupt the consumer lending segment, e-commerce giant Flipkart is set to enter the financial services space, offering credit and insurance products to consumers and sellers on its platform. Read more


Rs 800-900 bn needed to resolve large toxic loans, says PNB’s Sunil Mehta

The resolution of banks’ big-ticket stressed assets, those above Rs 5 billion, would need funds worth Rs 800-900 billion from domestic and international investors. So believes Sunil Mehta, who chaired the panel which recently gave a report on resolution of stressed loans. Read more


IHH, TPG-backed Manipal Health Enterprises in last lap for Fortis buy

As the controversy around Fortis Healthcare unfolds, at least two prospective bidders stayed away from placing a final offer for acquiring a stake in the struggling hospital and diagnostics chain. Read more


Bharti Airtel likely to set up content company to drive data

Leading telecom player Bharti Airtel is planning to go big on content. In an interview to Business Standard on Tuesday, Bharti Airtel Managing Director (India and South Asia) Gopal Vittal said the company was considering options such as floating a separate company, acquisitions as well as commissioning exclusive programmes as part of its strategy in the content space. Read more

   

MSP formulation based on outdated methodology, inadequate sample size

Consider this. Tur, or arhar, a major crop consumed across India in the form of tur dal, is cultivated by about one million farmers in Karnataka. But, the Department of Agriculture surveys only 89 tur/arhar farmers in the southern state to determine the average cost of tur cultivation. Read more