Top 10 biz headlines: RBI monetary policy, Jet Airways crisis, and more

From RBI monetary policy to Jio's lead over older telcos on AGR, Business Standard brings you top 10 business stories that made news on Thursday

1. RBI monetary policy: Repo rate lowered by 25 bps to 6% to boost growth

The six-member monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) voted 4-2 to reduce the policy repo rate by 25 basis points (bps) on Thursday, as was widely expected by economists and bond-market participants who anticipate at least one more cut in the coming policies. Read on...

2. Mukesh Ambani, Sunil Mittal consider competing for stake in Zee: Report

Billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Bharti Mittal are considering competing bids for a stake in Zee, the troubled television network, people with knowledge of the matter said, as their telecom carriers race for content in the world’s second-biggest mobile market. Read on...

3. Lenders to invite bids for stake sale in crisis-hit Jet Airways on Saturday

The resolution plan for Jet Airways, which is operating with about a fifth of its original fleet, has run into further trouble. Even as there’s no sign of any investor so far, the lenders have decided to ask for expressions of interest (EoIs) for a stake sale on April 6. Read on...

4. Finance Ministry wary of MFs' entry into commodity derivatives space

The Union finance ministry is at odds with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) over the foray of mutual funds (MFs) and portfolio managers into the commodity derivatives space. Read on...

5. Stick to shorter duration debt funds, lending rates unlikely to come down

With inflation continuing to remain under control, the central bank felt it had an opportunity to support growth, and delivered a second consecutive rate cut of 25 basis points. Read on...

6. BSNL employees' union to stage a three-day rally starting April 5

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) employees’ union will stage a three-day rally starting April 5, demanding implementation of the Third Pay Revision with 15 per cent fitment, among other things. Read on...

7. Falling corporate capital expenditure, slowing rural sales worry CEOs

With corporate capital expenditure falling to a 14-year low and rural sales showing signs of distress, CEOs say the second rate cut by the RBI in 2019 will help companies cut finance costs and reduce debt. Read on... 

8. Jio retains lead over older telcos on AGR 

Reliance Jio consolidated its lead over India’s older carriers on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) in the quarter to December, a period when licence fee and spectrum usage charge (SUC) collections looked up sequentially after nine quarters, indicating the start of a revival for the telecoms industry, says a report by the Economic Times. 

9. India will be a big market for H&M globally: Janne Einola

Hennes and Mauritz AB, the world’s second-largest fashion retailer, has had a good run in India. Last year, its flagship affordable clothing brand H&M crossed ₹1,100 crore in sales, three years after entering the market, reports the Livemint. 

10. Now, an app for students who want to make a career in Chartered Accountancy

Learning application ‘Any Time Classes’an online platform has been launched on Thursday to help students who want to make a career in Chartered Accountancy, reports the BusinessLine.