The US had 50 airline bankruptcies in the last three decades. In India, at least 10 airlines have failed since aviation was opened to the private sector in the 1990s. Kingfisher Airlines&rsquo; troubles show yet again why the airline industry is a tough business to crack.

Airlines that went bust

Business Standard

Domestic steel-makers, already reeling under a raw material crunch, are feeling the heat of rising imports, aided by free trade agreements with countries like Japan and South Korea and export rebates given by China, which makes its steel exports cheaper. The worst affected are the secondary steel makers producing through the induction furnace route in Karnataka, Odisha, and West Bengal.

Secondary steel makers bear brunt of imports, raw material crunch

Domestic steel makers, reeling under a raw material crunch, are feeling the heat of rising imports, aided by free-trade agreements (FTAs) with countries like Japan and South Korea and export rebates given by China which makes its exports cheaper. The worst-affected are the secondary steel makers producing through the induction furnace route in Karnataka, Odisha, and West Bengal.

Imports, material crunch hurt secondary steel makers

The Blackstone Group today announced that its affiliate Blackstone Capital Partners (Singapore) VI has signed an agreement to acquire 12.5% of International Tractors Limited (ITL) in a structured transaction for up to $100 million (Rs 520 crores). The flagship company of the Sonalika Group, ITL is a leading manufacturer of tractors under the brand name &lsquo;Sonalika&rsquo;.

Blackstone to acquire 12.5% of International Tractors Ltd

Starting in 1998, Rahul Bhasin has seen the evolution of private equity in India. In an interview with Ranju Sarkar, the Managing Partner of Baring Private Equity Partners India talks about his investments, outlook and regulations for gold loan companies.

RBI has not done its homework on rules for lending against gold: Rahul Bhasin

Pharma major, Lupin Ltd., announced today that its subsidiary Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. has received final approval for its Escitalopram tablets (Escitalopram oxalate) 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg strengths from the United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to market a generic version of Forest Laboratories, Inc.&rsquo;s (Forest) Lexapro&reg; Tablets, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg, the company informed in a press statement on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Lupin receives FDA approval for Generic Lexapro Tablets

Pidilite Industries Ltd has allotted 400 Zero Coupon Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (Bonds) of USD 100,000 each aggregating to $40 million, the company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange today.

Pidilite Industries allots equity shares pursuant to conversion of FCCBs 

Intel Capital, the strategic arm of Intel Corporation, which has invested $300 million in 80 Indian start-ups, is not perturbed by poor investment sentiment or the slowdown in the IT space. In an interview with Ranju Sarkar, Intel Capital President Arvind Sodhani explains why the firm continues to be bullish on India.

E-commerce infrastructure in India lags valuations: Arvind Sodhani

The Reserve Bank of India&rsquo;s directive to exporters to reduce foreign currency holdings may help prop the rupee in the short term. However, it would hit exporters with high import content and deny the extra income exporters were making by holding on to dollars, anticipating a fall in the rupee against the greenback.

Exporters with high import content to be hit

At an industry meet here last month, CDC Asia&rsquo;s Managing Director, Anubha Shrivastava, made a startling disclosure: Most private equity (PE) investors have only generated low, single-digit returns from their portfolios in India.

Who moved my returns and exits?

Even if the government allows foreign direct investment (FDI) in aviation, there&rsquo;s unlikely to be a deluge.

FDI in aviation may get limited response

Jubilant FoodWorks is on a dream run. Even as most stocks struggled in 2011, Jubilant FoodWorks, which is the master franchisee of Domino&rsquo;s Pizza International and Dunkin&rsquo; Donuts in India, returned 20.7 per cent in a year when the BSE Sensex fell 25 per cent and the BSE FMCG index grew 9.97 per cent.

Riding high on India's consumption story

There&rsquo;s a sharp spurt in quantum of loans referred for debt recast. Till December 2011, the Corporate Debt Restructuring (CDR) cell had restructured loans worth Rs 142,514 crore; debt recast proposals of Rs 52,727 crore were referred to the CDR between January and March 16, 2012. Credit rating agency S&amp;P expects a sharp rise in restructured loans in financial years 2012 and 2013, due to the moderation in economic activity, high inflation, and high interest rates.

Ranju Sarkar