The unit signifies the deepening of trade ties between India and the South American OPEC nation

India to collaborate with Venezuela to build naphtha unit in South America

B2B Connect

With this, OCI Partners will have additional ammonia storage capacity and access to an ammonia pipeline

OCI Partners acquires ammonia tank storage capacity in Texas

The company has also commenced operations of the downstream epoxy plant

Grasim Industries resumes operations at chemical plant in Gujarat

The company has bagged this award consecutively for third year in a row

Rama Phosphates receives FAI award for SSP unit

After the transaction is closed, the ChemSolutions segment will be discontinued

Kemira sells ChemSolutions' formic acid business to US-based Taminco

The initiative aims to strengthen R&D of new diagnostics, vaccines and treatments for NTD

OPPI, IFPMA and GHP launch initiative to eradicate neglected tropical diseases in India

Private sector lender Yes Bank today said it has raised a seven-year loan of USD 150 million from World Bank group member IFC for onlending to small businesses.
	The bank has swapped the loan under the Reserve Bank's concessional swap window offered to banks in order to attract dollars, it said in a statement.
	"The final pricing in rupee for this loan is in line with the rupee deposit for that tenor," Yes Bank Group President Jaideep Iyer told PTI. Longer tenor of the loan is a welcome factor for the bank, he added.
	Additionally, a part of loan given to small businesses will qualify as priority sector lending (PSL), which will be another advantage, he added.
	The loans granted by IFC include USD 45 million under a co-lending programme of IFC, USD 60 million from IFC's own account (both for seven years), and USD 45 million syndicated loan provided by Intesa Sanpaolo, Bank Muscat, Doha Bank and AKA Frankfurt for a tenor of two years, the statement said.
	IFC will be monitoring the ...

Yes Bank raises USD 150 million loan from IFC

PTI Automatic

SILVER RDY         43,500.00 (43,550.00) PER KG. GOLD(24 carat) RDY 29,645.00 (29,925.00) PER 10 GMS GOLD(22 carat) RDY 28,125.00 (28,385.00) PER 10 GMS.

KOLKATA BULLION CLOSING

Ginger (Inferior) Rs.17,500/- Ginger(Medium) Rs.18,500/-, Ginger (Best) Rs.19,500/- Turmeric (Nadan) No.1. Rs.6200/-, Turmeric (Salem)Rs.6200/- Erode(Agmark) Rs.6,500/- Nuxvomica Rs.1850/- Ambahaldhar Rs.7000/- Kolinjan Rs.4300/-Kachura Rs.4,000/- Kapurkatchili Rs.14,000-17,000 Betelnuts Rs.15,000-16,000/-, Rice Raw Rs.2350-2700/-, Rice Boiled -(Surekha Boiled) Rs.2900-3100/- Jaya (Boiled) Rs.3100-3250/- Rice Broken Rs.2100-2200/-, Wheat Rs.2,600-2,800/-, Chola Rs.1500-1550, Chillies Rs.8500/- - Rs.9000/- - Rs.15000/- BengalGram Rs.4500-5700/-, Black Gram Rs.6000-6600/- Gingelly Rs.15,000-19,000/- Green Gram Rs.7400-7,900- HorseGram Rs.3750-4000, Peas Dal Rs. 6,800-7,800, Toor DaL Rs.5,800-6,800/- Pepper light Rs.20,000/-, Pepper pinheads Rs.8,000/-,Pepper New Rs.38,800/- Sugar (per bag)Rs.3,100/- (All rates per quintel)
    COIR YARN :
    Cochin Parur Thin (85 M/Kg) Rs.4300/- Vycom Thick (200/Kg) Rs.4700/-, Choriwal Thin Rs.6500/-.

Commodity prices - Kochi

Shares of United Spirits today slipped nearly 4 per cent after the Karnataka High Court declared as "null and void" the sale of shares of the Indian firm by its holding company to UK-based Diageo.
	USL's scrip lost 3.65 per cent to settle at Rs 2,573.20 on the BSE. In intra-day trade, the stock dropped 5.97 per cent to Rs 2,511. At the NSE, the stock ended at Rs 2,577, down 3.50 per cent.
	"We should not expect any major impact as management of USL will continue with Diageo and United Breweries Holding will go to Supreme Court," said brokerage Nirmal Bang Securities.
     United Spirits Ltd and Diageo had on Friday said they would take steps to protect their interests after the Karnataka High Court declared as "null and void" the sale of shares of the Indian firm by its holding company to the UK-based giant.
	"We will take all necessary steps to protect Diageo's interests as well as our own," UB Group Chairman Vijay Mallya had said.
	Similarly, Diageo said it is awaiting receipt of ...

United Spirits tumbles nearly 4 pc after Karnataka HC order

Coriander No.1 Rs.14,000/-, Coriander seed (Split) Rs.8,300, Coriander Seeds (Round) Rs.8,400/- Mustard Seeds Rs.4,100/-Rs.4,600/- Jeera Seeds Rs.14,500/- Rs.14,000/- Marotti oil Rs.4,000/-Palmolein (RBD) Rs.6,020/- (All Rates quoted Per Quintal).

Oilseeds prices - Kochi

'Super Falcon' (jockey Deep shanker up) trained by Satheesh claimed the Deccan Juvenile Million (about) 1200 Metres,the main event on the 16th day of Hyderabad winter Races held here today.
	Trainer D Netto and Jockey Kuldeep S combination scored a treble while jockey Dasharth S scrored a double.
	Four first favourites obliged in a card of eight events.

'Super Falcon' claimed the Deccan Juvenile Million

With an aim to expand the mutual fund investor base across the country, industry body AMFI (Association of Mutual Funds in India) has commenced a multi-city radio campaign.
     The campaign, urging individuals primarily between the age group of 25-44 to use the mutual fund route to regular savings on a long term basis, will spread across 20 cities including Mumbai and Delhi.
     The radio commercials would be played at top FM stations in the metros, Tier I and Tier II cities projecting investments in mutual funds as an effective practice.
     "Financial awareness is the core aspect to ensure the upward trend in the economy. Although the mutual fund industry has guaranteed a niche place in the finance sector, there is still a long way to go for the awareness to take shape among the working class.
     "The radio investor education is a very efficient way to reach out to the masses," Sundeep Sikka, Chairman AMFI and Reliance Mutual Fund CEO said in a statement.
     The radio ...

AMFI launches radio campaign to woo mutual fund investors

Former captain Mahela Jayawardene has returned to Sri Lanka's squad for the three-Test series against Pakistan starting in the United Arab Emirates later this month, the cricket board said on Monday.
     Jayawardene, who opted out of the ongoing limited-overs series for personal reasons, was named in the 16-man squad led by all-rounder Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement.
     Jayawardene, 36, is one of 11 batsmen worldwide and only the second Sri Lankan alongside current team-mate Kumar Sangakkara to score more than 10,000 runs in Test cricket.
     The stylish right-hander has made 10,806 runs in 138 Tests at an average of 49.56, with 31 centuries and 45 half-centuries.
     Vishwa Fernando, a 22-year-old left-arm seamer, is the new face in the squad. He has claimed 37 wickets in 15 first-class matches.
     All-rounder Dilruwan Perera, who has yet to play Test cricket after seven limited-overs appearances, was also picked by the selectors ahead of unorthodox ...

Sri Lanka's Jayawardene back for Pakistan Test series

With career focus and choice of companies gaining momentum, the percentage of placement conversion was only 20 per cent during an event held by TCS in colleges affiliated to Bharathiar University in the second week of this month.
    Of the 6,087 students attending the placement events, only 911 offers were given, even as the joining rate was less than 40 per cent last year, a University release said.
     In the sample study carried out on TCS placement, the university said of 2,940 students attending the event in Coimbatore urban, only 591 placements were received, about 20 per cent, the highest.
    According to the survey, even to write the aptitude test, the varsity and colleges insisted on the parents consent and readiness to join the company, if offers were given.
    Compared to last year, only 60 per cent of students attended the campus placements, which were held at Coimbatore, Tirupur, Pollachi, Erode and Coonoor.
    The women students prefer to work even at Chennai or ...

Conversion rate standing at 20 per cent

The South Central Railway has posted 7 per cent rise in its gross earnings at Rs 6,744 crore during the April-November period this year.
	The volume of freight loading was 68.5 million tonne and the freight earnings was Rs 4,670 crore, which is a marginal 0.3 per cent increase over last year, SCR officials said.
	The passenger volume during the period was almost 11 lakh per day and passenger earnings stood at Rs 1752 crore, a substantial 24 per cent rise over last year.
     The organisation serves the state of Andhra Pradesh, parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
     The SCR has been working with safety and security, punctuality, passenger services and amenities, infrastructure development as the priority areas.
	The number of accidents saw a declining trend with only three mishaps being reported during April to November this year. The number of accidents in 2011-12 and 2012-13 stood at 11 and 7, respectively, according to officials.
	It has been found that accidents .

SCR's April-Nov gross earnings shoot up to Rs 6744 cr

Motorcycle borne criminals today robbed Rs 3.9 lakh from a petrol pump employee in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, police said.
      	Three criminals riding on a motorcycle waylaid the petrol pump employee who was on his way to deposit the cash in a local bank here and also riding a motorcycle, they said, adding the criminals snatched the employee's bag in which he was carrying the cash by pointing a gun at him and fled.
	The incident took place on the Sahebganj-Kesharia road under Sahebganj police station area.
	Police said search operation was on to nab the culprits.

Rs 3 lakh robbed from petrol pump employee

Engine maker Rolls-Royce said today that Britain's Serious Fraud Office had launched a formal investigation into alleged bribery linked to the group's overseas operations.
	It comes one year after the British company warned that it might be prosecuted over alleged "malpractice" in Indonesia and China after passing on information related to bribery concerns to the office.
	"Further to our announcement of December 6th 2012 relating to concerns about bribery and corruption in overseas markets, we have been informed by the Serious Fraud Office that it has now commenced a formal investigation into these matters," Rolls-Royce said in a statement.
	   The SFO had yet to issue a statement on the development.

Rolls-Royce says facing formal bribery probe

Iraqi officials say attacks in and near a western Baghdad suburb have killed four officers and four soldiers.
	A police officer says militants fired mortar rounds into a military base in Abu Ghraib, west of the Iraqi capital, killing three officers and three soldiers. Seven soldiers were wounded in that attack.
	The officer says a bomb went off next to a military patrol in the same area, killing two, an officer and a soldier. Two other soldiers were wounded.
	A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to media.
	According to UN estimates, more than 8,000 people have been killed since the start of the year as insurgents seek to undermine government efforts to maintain security nationwide.

Officials: Attacks west of Baghdad kill 8 troops

Thai authorities defused a makeshift car bomb found near a police station on the popular tourist island of Phuket, an official said today.
	The device was found yesterday after the authorities searched a suspicious vehicle left in the car park of a police station on the island.
	The "bomb was found hidden in a pick-up truck which was stolen a few months ago," Phuket Provincial Police Commander Ong-Art Piuruengnon told AFP by telephone.
	 "A bomb disposal team defused it and found that it was unable to explode," he added.
	While bombings are common in Thailand's insurgency-plagued deep south near the border with Malaysia, it is believed to be the first time that a car bomb has been found in Phuket, which is popular with foreign tourists.
	Police declined to give details about the type of explosives discovered and it was unclear who left the device.
	Muslim militants have waged a near-decade-long insurgency in Thailand's southernmost provinces but they are not known to have targeted ...

Makeshift car bomb defused in Phuket: Thai police

The RP Sanjiv Goenka group, continuing to expand in the retail space, is targeting to invest Rs 70 crore over the next 12 months in spreading Cafe and dining chain Au Bon Pain in India.
	"Our primary focus for the next 12 months is to have a total of 70-72 stores across Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata. The expansion will see investment of around Rs 70 crore," Group Chairman Sanjiv Goenka said here today.
	When the cafe brand was announced in mid 2008, the group thought of reaching 100 stores in 18 months. But, cautious approach was adopted and now officials said the brand is now poised to grow rapidly.
	Speaking at the launch of its 4,000 sq feet flagship outlet at Park Street, where the last Music World store was located, Goenka said Bangalore alone has 29 outlets of Au Bon Pain out of 32 altoghter.
	"I hope people will connect with the erstwhile music world sentiment here," Goenka said.
	The Au Bon Pain Cafe India Ltd, a 80:20 JV between Spencer's and Varin Narula was planning to open .

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