Gold inches up, silver rebounds as Fed decision looms(Reuters) - - Silver rebounded on Wednesday from sharp falls in the previous session and gold inched upwards as investors cautiously awaited the conclusion of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting while feeble sentiment in the dollar lent support.(Reuters) - - Silver rebounded on Wednesday from sharp falls in the previous session and gold inched upwards as investors cautiously awaited the conclusion of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting while feeble sentiment in the dollar lent support.(Reuters) - - Silver rebounded on Wednesday from sharp falls in the previous session and gold inched upwards as investors cautiously awaited the conclusion of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting while feeble sentiment in the dollar lent support.

(Reuters) - - Silver rebounded on Wednesday from sharp falls in the previous session and gold inched upwards as investors cautiously awaited the conclusion of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting while feeble sentiment in the dollar lent support.
The Fed will probably show no hurry to scale back its massive support for the economic recovery, but investors are watching for clues to monetary policy direction from a news briefing by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke after the meeting.
The dollar could come under further pressure if the central bank retained its low interest rates and dovish tone, in contrast to the European Central Bank, which has hiked rates and looked poised to deliver more to curb inflation.

Nikkei up 1.4 percent after post-quake earnings reports

Standard & Poor's threatened to cut Japan's sovereign rating but the move had little impact on the market.
The benchmark Nikkei average .N225 closed the day up 133.15 points at 9,691.84.
The broader Topix .TOPX advanced 6.23 points or 0.8 percent to 839.87.
(Reporting by Chikafumi Hodo; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM 2nd SEM
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei closed up 1.4 percent on Wednesday, posting its strongest percentage gain in a week, with investors relieved that many of the first major earnings reports and guidance after the last month's quake had yielded no nasty surprises.

Sony takes on Apple for tablet dominance

Both will run on the Android 3.0 operating system, with cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity. The S1 will have a 9.4-inch display while the S2, which can be folded in half, will consist of two 5.5-inch displays.
The devices have been generically termed ’Sony Tablets’ and users will be able to use them control other home entertainment devices, such as their
The Japanese electronics giant claimed both Sony Tablets will launch in the final quarter of this year, but pricing details or potential deals with mobile operators weren’t discussed.
The launches will complement Sony’s digital content play, such as its cloud-based service Qricocity, and indicates that its joint venture company Sony Ericsson won’t launch any tablet devices.
Kunimasa Suzuki, senior VP and deputy president of Sony’s consumer products and services group, said, “Users can enjoy cloud-based services on-the-go at any time. We’re aiming to create a new lifestyle by integrating consumer hardware, including Sony Tablets with content and network TVs.


BY ANKIT KUMAR
PGDM -2 sem

Retail sales hit record low

The British Retail Consortium says like for like sales dropped 3.5% in March compared to last year, the steepest fall since April 2005.
Total sales, including new stores and space, slumped 1.9%, the worst drop recorded since the BRC started collecting data in 1995
Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, says the figures provide “strong evidence of the pressure customers and traders are under.”
He adds: “Uncomfortably high inflation and low wage growth have produced the first year-on-year fall in disposable incomes for 30 years.”
Separate data from the Office of National Statistics later today (12 April) is expected to confirm that inflation held steady at 4.4%, double the Bank of England’s target of 2.2%
Internet sales continue to outperform the high street but growth slowed to 7.5% in March, down from the 10.4% bump registered in February


BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM -2 sem

TalkTalk tops telecoms complaints list

For its landline services, TalkTalk Group averaged 1.78 complaints per 1000 customers between October 2010 and February 2011.
Its landline complaints reached a peak in November, following an Ofcom investigation into the company incorrectly billing customers for services t
TalkTalk also topped the complaints list for broadband services. It received 1.27 complaints per 1000 customers for the period.
Virgin Media was the least complained about provider for both broadband and landline services. It received 0.20 and 0.21 complaints per 1000 customers respectively.
Among mobile providers, Three UK was the most complained about company, receiving 0.15 complaints per 1000 customers.


BY AKANKSHA ARORA
PGDM -2sem

FareCompare restores Delta flight, fare info

FareCompare.com, a large airfare comparison-shopping site, has restored fare and flight information for Delta Air Lines three months after the data disappeared in an ongoing dispute among airlines and online travel sites.

FareCompare - a "meta" search site that doesn't sell tickets but rather culls fare and flight information and provides links to airlines and other sites for booking — had been getting its Delta fare information from Orbitz, said CEO Rick Seaney.

He said Delta requested that Orbitz.com stop supplying fare information to "downstream affiliates," sites such as FareCompare, as part of a move by it and other airlines to trim ticket-distribution costs by cutting out some of the middlemen.

Delta also withdrew its fares from a dozen online sites including CheapoAir.com, OneTravel.com and Bookit.com.

BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM  2 sem

Google’s daily deals service emerges to take on Groupon

Four months after Groupon turned down Google’s $6 billion buyout offer, the search giant appears to have built what it couldn’t buy. The company has begun rolling out Google Offers, a new discount offer service that seems to be created in the mold of that daily deal provider that got away.

The initial launch of the beta service is in Portland, Ore., while residents of New York City, San Francisco and Oakland, Calif. are also able to sign-up in advance upcoming launches of Offers in their cities. Users need to register through Google, then will receive regular e-mails alerting them to deals and coupons in their area worth 50 percent or more off.

This follows on reports back in January that Google was preparing a Groupon competitor. It’s unclear how Google will differ from Groupon and how it will compete with its rival Facebook in this space. Delivering a daily deal by itself is getting less interesting. Even Groupon is working toward more location-based, timely deals with Groupon Now, a new mobile app. Facebook is looking to exploit its social graph to make commerce more successful. There are ways to compete with Groupon: by taking a smaller cut from merchants or doing a better job establishing long-term relationships between merchants and customers


BY AKANKSHA ARORA
PGDM -2sem

The Travel Channel invests $7.5 Million in Oyster.com

The Travel Channel has invested $7.5 million in Oyster.com, a start-up that employs professionals to review hotels and takes a cut of all the room reservations it helps to make. It will promote Oyster on television and online, and may incorporate the Web site’s reviewers into future programs.

The Travel Channel may inspire a viewer to book a weekend on Martha’s Vineyard or a getaway to Monaco. But when that trip is taken, the transaction fees wind up in some other pocket.

Now the channel, owned by Scripps Networks, is taking its first step toward changing that, “closing that last mile,” in the words of Laureen Ong, its president.

In a deal to be announced on Monday, the Travel Channel has invested $7.5 million in Oyster.com, a start-up that employs professionals to review hotels and takes a cut of all the room reservations it helps to make. It will promote Oyster on television and online, and may incorporate the Web site’s reviewers into future programs.

“If we’re going to inspire you, by all means you should be able to get it all done on our site. That’s on our horizon,” Ms. Ong said in an interview last week.


BY ANKIT KUMAR
PGDM -2sem

Mother Dairy introduces ‘Paan’ and ‘Rose’ Kulfis

New Delhi: In its bid to further strengthen its offering in the category of Kulfi, Mother Dairy today announced the launch of two new flavors – 'Rose Kulfi' and 'Paan Kulfi'. The two new flavors will add variety to the already existing offering.

Speaking on the launch, Mother Dairy Spokesperson said, "Post the success of the Kesar and Pista Kulfi we are adding more flavors in our range of Kulfi offerings. Keeping in mind that Kulfi even today is the most preferred Indian dessert we are sure that our two new Paan and Rose Kulfi will be successful in tickling the taste buds of the consumers."

Paan – Meetha Paan is a favorite after meal flavor enjoyed today. Keeping the consumer preferences in mind, Mother Dairy launches the traditional Paan flavor in a Kulfi.

Rose – Rose is one of the most exotic flavors used in cooking for sensory pleasure. The same flavor, aroma has been converted into Kulfi by Mother Dairy with a special tint of rose in it.

"Paan Kulfi" and "Rose Kulfi" priced at Rs. 15/- for a 60ml kulfi stick bar will be available across retail outlets, Mother Dairy Booths, carts in Delhi/NCR, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Mumbai, Pune & Kolkata.

BY AKANKSHA ARORA
PGDM -2 sem

Logitech launches Couch Mouse M515

Bengaluru: Logitech has unveiled the Logitech Wireless Mouse M515, delivering easy navigation from soft surfaces like your sofa, bed or a pillow. The Logitech Wireless Mouse M515 features a sealed bottom case that makes gliding on fabric easy and worry free, a hand-detection sensor so that the mouse is only active when you want it to be. The plug-and-forget wireless connectivity via Logitech Unifying receiver offers you a reliable connection with virtually no delays or dropouts.

With its hand-detection sensor, the Logitech Wireless Mouse M515 is active only when you're gripping it. A sealed bottom – so fabric fuzz won't collect in the sensor opening – gives you cursor control no matter what surface you're using your mouse on. And the easy-gliding base makes scrolling around on couches (and blankets, cushions, clothing, carpets, even desks) easy.

Logitech's country manager for India and South West Asia, Subrotah Biswas, said, "Many people are connecting their computer to the TV, and Wireless Mouse M515 addresses this unique need, with other benefits like up to two-years battery life, hand-detection sensor etc. As technology evolves and consumers' habits change, Logitech continues to develop navigation devices that make it easier to control and access the things people love to do in the digital world."

The Logitech Wireless Mouse M515 also features the effortless Logitech Hyper-Fast Scrolling, the M515 mouse lets you coast smoothly through long blogs or social networking feeds. And you can switch to click-to-click mode when you need more control.

Logitech's newest mouse also offers up to two years of battery life, helping you save time and money by eliminating the need to change batteries frequently. And, you'll enjoy plug-and-forget wireless connectivity thanks to the tiny Logitech Unifying receiver. The receiver stays in your laptop so it's less likely to be lost, and gives you a reliable connection with virtually no delays or dropouts. Plus, you can easily add other Unifying-compatible mice and keyboards to the same receiver.

Pricing and Availability:

The Logitech Wireless Mouse M515 is expected to be available for a suggested retail price of INR 2795. Distributor :Logitech Wireless Mouse M515 will be distributed by Rashi Peripherals Pvt. Ltd.

BY ANKIT KUMAR
PGDM -2 sem

Siemens Gigaset launches NEW A490 in India

Gigaset Communications, one of the world's largest manufacturers of cordless phones, proudly presents two new phones Gigaset A490 and Gigaset A490 Duo, to meet everyday calling needs with comfort and ease. The two devices impress with their ease of use and elegant design.

Announcing the launch of NEW A490 in India, Shahzad Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer – Middle East, Africa and India Gigaset Communications GmbH said, "After getting overwhelming response in India on the existing range of Gigaset Cordless instruments, we are delighted to launch additional range to further strengthen our presence in India. As the European market leader in cordless phones and a premium manufacturer, we look forward to providing innovative and high quality products to a discerning and growing Indian consumer base. Within a very short time period we will further gain significant market share and shape the market to the benefit of the Indian customers and shall launch more models."

The new Siemens Gigaset phones come in a gleaming white and grey outfit. Further highlights are the ergonomic keypad with brilliant sound quality and talk time of up to 6 hours. Siemens Gigaset phones A490 and A490 Duo would be available in the leading stores.

The Gigaset A 490: Rs. 1990

The Gigaset A490 comes with an illuminated keypad and display and an integrated phonebook with space for up to 80 entries. The call list stores the last 10 numbers for redialing and upto 25 missed calls. If a caller's contact data has been stored in the phonebook and the CLIP function is enabled, the display shows the caller's name. An ideal feature for multi-person households is that up to four handsets can be registered on Gigaset's base station.

A 490 Duo model priced Rs. 3990 is also available. Both are available in 2 colors i.e. Black and White.

Cutting-edge technology means that both phones are particularly energy-efficient and characterized by very low radiation levels. In standby, and when the phone is charging, transmission mode is completely de-activated. During a call, ECO mode can reduce the transmission power by up to 70 percent. Siemens Gigaset A490 is great quality phone with Eco- technology and great functionality that offer consumers value for money.

BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM - 2sem

Emami turns to 'Dum Maro Dum' to promote talcum powder brand

NEW DELHI: Kolkata-based consumer
goods firmEmami Ltd. today said it has entered into a co-branding pact with Fox Star Studios
to promote its talcum powder brand 'Navratna Cool' by using the title track of
the latter's upcoming Bollywood film 'Dum Maro Dum'.

The company is
using grabs from the title track of the film which features actress Deepika
Padukone as a part of the television commercials.

"It is a co-branding
tie-up through which both the brand and the film are being promoted," Emami Ltd
Director Harsh Agarwal told PTI.

He said the tie-up offers right
opportunity for the brand to connect with consumers.

The movie starring
Abhishek Bachchan and Bipasha Basu, which is produced by Fox Star Studios, is
releasing across India tomorrow.

Prior to this, Emami had used 'Shiela
Ki Jawani' song from the film 'Tees Mar Khan' for its Boroplus brand and 'Munni
Badnam' song for Zandu balm from the film 'Dabangg' to promote the products.


The latest deal has been handled by Mumbai-based firm, Go Fish
Entertainment Pvt Ltd.

 

 

BY ANKIT KUMAR
PGDM -2 sem

High input costs to snip FMCG firms' margins in Jan-March

Fast moving consumer goods companies in India are expected to report strong sales in January-March quarter, as most of them raised product prices to offset high input costs. However, the price hikes were limited and so will not be able to check margin erosion over the three-month period, analysts say.
Volume growth, that is the actual number of units sold, is also expected to be steady, and that will also boost sales.
Analysts on average expect a 16-20% growth in revenues of FMCG companies, barring GodrejConsumer Product . GCPL’s sales growth will be higher than most other companies on the back of consolidation of several acquisitions that it made during the last financial year (2010-11) in the domestic and international markets.
Increasing costs of raw materials like, for instance, copra (a key input for coconut oils), palm oil and linear alkyl benzene (both used in soaps) have been eating into the margins of FMCG companies and that has forced them to increase product prices.
Marico hiked price of its Saffola and Parachute oil brands by up to 8% and Dabur raised prices of its hair oils by 4-8% during January-March. Hindustan Unilever, which is the largest consumer goods company in India, raised soap prices by 4-10% and detergent prices by up to around 10% during the quarter, according to several research reports.

However, analysts say these price hikes do not cover the entire increase in input costs and thus will only cushion the decline in margins.
“Rise in cost of commodity inputs will result in marginal decline in profitability, but moderate price hikes and benefits of operating leverage will limit quarter-on-quarter operating margin decline,” according to a report by Standard Chartered


BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM - 2 sem

One in three global travelers to book online by 2012

By the end of 2012, travelers will book one third of the world's travel sales online, according to a new PhoCusWright report. Online leisure/unmanaged business travel bookings will grow twice as fast as the total market, to surpass US$313 billion by 2012.

PhoCusWright's Global Online Travel Overview Second Edition compares four major regions – Europe, U.S., Asia Pacific and Latin America – revealing a global travel industry still recovering from the 2009 recession, which triggered a 13% decline in global sales. PhoCusWright projects that global travel bookings will increase 6% in both 2011 and 2012, at which time the market will recover from 2009 losses.

all online sales, but less than two thirds of total travel sales. As online travel bookings in the emerging markets of Asia Pacific and Latin America accelerate, combined share for Europe and the U.S. will fall to 73% in 2012 and continue to decline thereafter.

"As online penetration growth in the more mature U.S. and European travel markets slows, travel companies are looking to the Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions for the next pot of gold," says Lorraine Sileo, vice president, research. "In these emerging markets, macro-economic gains, increased travel and growing technology adoption will continue to fuel significant growth in online bookings


BY AKANKSHA ARORA
PGDM - 2 sem

Controlling hotel distribution costs in today multi channel world

Hoteliers have been rightfully confused by
the myriad of headlines about the changing landscape of hotel distribution,
from articles titled "Google will change your hotel's distribution
strategy" and "Facebook as a commerce engine," to "How to
make Twitter Sell" and "Mobile Apps to Impact Hotel Distribution."
In other articles OTAs provide "free advice" on "How to grow
your ADR without impacting occupancy," causing even more apprehension for
readers. On a daily basis, hotel owners, managers and operators are bombarded
by far-fetched and often conflicting messages and claims.



This special report aims to set the record straight: What are the most
cost-effective and important distribution channels hoteliers should focus on
today and what are the latest trends in hotel distribution the industry should
keep a keen eye on?



There is no doubt hotel distribution has changed dramatically over the past 16
years since the advent of the "commercial" Internet. Online
distribution, social media and the mobile Web have all changed how we connect
with, engage and ultimately convert customers. But the fundamental principles
of hotel distribution have not changed that much. Hoteliers need to focus on
distribution channels that "pass the litmus test" i.e.:



- Are cost-effective

- Generate the most bookings

- Protect rate parity and price integrity

- Reach the targeted customer segments

- The Law of unintended channel share loss



Not all bookings are created equal and when planning their distribution
strategy, hoteliers should realize the existence of "The Law of Unintended
Channel Share Loss" which stipulates the following:



Any booking via a more discounted channel (i.e. Flash Sales Sites like Groupon,
LivingLocal.com or SniqueAway.com or an OTA site, etc) is one less booking for
the same hotel via the hotel website, call center, GDS, or OTA (in that order).



The main focus and priority for any hotelier should be to sell as much
inventory via the most cost-effective distribution channels that can
potentially generate the most bookings, while preserving rate parity and price
erosion

BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM 2 sem

Gauging social media’s value for travel brands

 The early promises of social media marketing seemed almost too good to be true,” said Mark Shipley,
President and Chief Strategic Officer of Wanderlust. “It promised to level the
playing field and help smaller destinations and those with limited budgets
compete with the big brands.”


Almost immediately, a new class of marketing intelligentsia appeared to announce the new world order. “Self-styled social media marketing experts preached that advertising no longer worked, that we should stop wasting money on advertising altogether and put all faith into social media, regardless of the lack of evidence that this would work,” Shipley said.



“Some people bought this snake oil, willing to blindly trust an unproven
channel simply because it was new, or viral, or free; which fit neatly into
their new budgets,” Shipley adds. Others took a wait and see approach,
unwilling to jeopardize their business with untested, unmeasured channels. And
another group put social media to work as part of a bigger strategic plan,
supported by the same rationales and resources of their conventional media
channels.



The next two years represented one of the great marketing experiments of our
time, as social media was tried and tested, monitored and measured, and shaped
to fit the business plans and visions of marketers around the world.

BY AKANKSHA ARORA

PGDM -2SEM

Mobile apps will change travel habits in Asia

Mobile-enabled
services are rapidly changing the way travellers purchase travel, according to
Abacus International. Booking transactions in Asia finished at a record high in
2010, up +11% over the previous year, with a sharp increase in both smartphone
usage as well as mobile Internet.

 The rise of mobile technology and the proliferation of mobile-enabled services is set to change
the way people travel. That’s according to Asia Pacific’s leading travel
facilitator, Abacus International, in its latest Insights Updates on the mobile
travel trends to expect in 2011



Mobile-enabled services are rapidly changing the way travellers purchase
travel, according to Abacus International. Booking transactions in Asia
finished at a record high in 2010, up +11% over the previous year, with a sharp
increase in both smartphone usage (54% penetration by 2015) as well as mobile
Internet (450 million subscribers in Asia Pacific).

Asia Pacific has the largest number of mobile subscribers

 The world with over 2.1 billion phone subscriptions in 2010, coupled with a
forecasted growth of +50% by 2020.



Mobile internet services are also expected to generate US$80 billion in Asia
Pacific, with smartphone penetration at 40% across Southeast Asia in Q4 2009,
led by Singapore at 77%.



With the proliferation of mobile e-mail and mobile browsing, the growth of
multimedia messaging, mobile music, social networking, and even location-based
services, mobile is “the next wave for travel-related services”, the company
underlined.



There is “little doubt” that mobile will be the next platform for travel
management, Abacus added. As part of Abacus International Insights Updates,
dedicated to helping the travel industry better understand and be better
equipped to the strategic business and technical implications

BY ANKIT KUMAR
PGDM -2sem

is this the final stage of the bull market? It’s anywhere but sideways from here

HEALDSBURG, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Alright, I admit it. In many ways, I’m a chartist at heart.

Though the first screen when evaluating a new company for possible inclusion in Nate’s Notes is always based entirely on “fundamentals,” once a stock has made it into the newsletter and a position has been established for the newsletter’s portfolios, “charting” plays a significant role in our management of the position from then on out.

Nate's Notes

HULBERT PERFORMANCE SUMMARY (ANNUALIZED)
RAW RETURNS	NEWSLETTER	WILSHIRE 5000
1-year	10.9%	17.32%
5-years	4.55%	3.04%
10-years	16.36%	4.49%

• Year publication commenced: 1995
• Year HFD tracking commenced: 2000
• 

The reason for this is simple.

Stocks fluctuate from “undervalued” to “overvalued” and back again over and over on Wall Street — and while the time-periods and magnitudes involved often vary greatly from cycle to cycle, the chart patterns traced out by the stocks (or indexes, or commodities, etc.) always look basically the same as the cycle plays itself out.

Consequently, we try to add to our positions in the newsletter when our reading of the charts suggests that we are in an uptrend, and to lighten up on those positions when it appears that uptrends have come to an end and new downtrends are beginning to take shape.

DEEPAK KUMAR

PGDM

Food Business Review launches major food and beverage survey

To understand what our readers view as the most important business issues for
2011-2012, Food Business Review is launching a major industry survey covering
all its readers worldwide.


We are looking to find out how readers perceive business issues going into
2011, what will be the key trends and spending areas, and how business
sentiments have changed over the last few months.

All survey participants will receive a free copy of the survey findings AND
get instant access to the executive summary of our global food and beverage
report.

BY ALEEM
PGDM - 2sem

Jaypee Group invests in dairy plant

India-based Jaypee Group has announced an investment of INR1bn ($22m) to set
up a one million litre per day milk processing plant in the Indian state of
Uttar Pradesh.


Jaypee Group executive chairman and CEO Manoj Gaur said the capacity addition
work in the proposed plant has begun and the company expects to increase the
number of plants in North India.

"The current demand-supply mismatch in the dairy sector, which is mainly
responsible for moving the price of the everyday essential northwards, has
prompted the group to foray into the dairy business," Gaur said.

The company has already acquired 25 acres of land in Uttar Pradesh to set up
the processing plant, which will be operational within the next 18 months.

Jaypee has selected the National Capital Region in India as their main focus
of operation initially to produce and market all kind of milk and milk related
products and hopes to sell the products in others parts of North India,
gradually.

The dairy business will come under the fold of the company's agri vertical,
Jaiprakash Agri Initiatives Company (JAICO).

With around 117 million tonne production in 2010, India ranks at top in milk
production in the world. According to a report by US Department of Agriculture,
India's milk output is expected to touch 121.5 million tonne in 2011.

BY ANIMA SINHA
PGDM -2 sem

Which oil&gas stock is ICICI Direct betting for 20% gains

ICICI Direct is coming out with a Technical report on Hindustan Oil Exploration with a BUY recommendation as the stock is expected to outperform in the near term.

The share price of Hindustan Oil Exploration bottomed out near the | 156-160 range around February-March 2011. The stock recorded an ascending triangle pattern breakout in mid-March 2011 with huge volumes.

Thereafter, the share price has embarked on a steady uptrend forming higher tops and higher bottoms on the daily chart. In the process, it has also swiftly moved past its 200 day exponential moving average (EMA) after witnessing a brief consolidation below the same.

DEEPAK KUMAR

PGDM

Infosys may beat Q4 guidance, FY12 sales may grow 18-20%

Infosys Technologies is expected to beat its earlier revenue guidance for the fourth quarter (January-March), which is usually a weak quarter for most tech companies, and guide to an 18-20% revenue growth in dollar terms in 2011-12 (April-March).

Analysts say higher discretionary spending and improved demand environment will lead to strongearnings growth for Infosys and other software services providers in 2011-12.

“Discretionary spending has increased and the demand environment is also good. I-T budgets are 2-3% higher this year and many companies are looking at more outsourcing, which augurs well for Infosys and its peers,” Srishti Anand of Angel Broking said.

The technology bellwether has forecast fourthquarter revenue of USD 1.60-62 billion, up 23.5-24.8% from a year ago, while rupee revenue is seen in the Rs 7,517-7,230 crore range, up 20.4-21.6%.

However, analysts say the company’s guidance has always been conservative and the street wouldn’t be surprised if it outperforms in the fourth quarter as well as 2011-12 fiscal.

Most analysts expect a 3-4% quarter-on-quarter revenue growth in the fourth quarter, while the company’s guidance pegs sequential turnover growth of maximum 2%, due to the seasonality.

“While the fourth quarter is a seasonally weak quarter and we expect quarter-on-quarter revenue growth to be the lowest of 2010-11, we see Infosys beating its revenue guidance of 2% quarter-on-quarter,” according to IIFL Institutional Equities.

For the 2011-12 fiscal too analysts expect the company’s actual revenue growth would be higher than the 18-20% it is likely to forecast.

“Infosys has history of providing conservative guidance, consensus and we already bake in 25% dollar revenue growth and our fiscal 2012 earnings per share estimateis about Rs 150,”  Viju George of brokerage house JP Morgan said in a report.

JP Morgan expects Infosys Technologies to forecast earnings per share of Rs 139-141 for 2011-12.

Infosys has had a history of outperforming its guidance. Since 2002, except in 2008, every year the company’s revenue and earnings per share growth has been  higher than it had forecast. For instance, its revenue growth in 2009-10 was 1.1% higher than its forecast, while it outperformed its earnings per share guidance by 10.2%.

Analysts say Infosys’ guidance for 2011-12 is likely to be a non-event given that analysts have already factored in a higher growth than what it is likely to forecast.

Infosys Technologies shares are down almost 6% since the beginning of 2011, compared with National Stock Exchange’s CNX IT Index, which is down 4.5%.

Angel’s Anand expects 10-11% upside in Infosys shares from the current levels. She has a “accumulate” rating on Infosys, with a target price of Rs 3,629 a share.

Edelweiss Capital has a “hold” and JP Morgan has a “neutral” rating on the stock.

At 12:20 hrs Infosys Technologies shares were traded at Rs 3,267.90 on NSE, up 0.8/%.

DEEPAK KUMAR

PGDM

Oil can rise to above $150 a barrel before recession kills demand

LONDON: Oil could climb well above $150 a barrel before it tips the developed world into recession, leaving some scope for producer nations to carry on earning petrodollars without destroying fuel demand. 

Representatives of consumer countries have said prices are already high enough to dent fuel use, although the International Energy Agency and OPEC both kept their 2011 oil demand growth forecasts unchanged in reports this week. 

The rule of thumb for an increase that would cause a recession, with major implications for fuel demand, is an annual surge of 100 percent, according to some analysts, which would take the market well above the 2008 record of $147.27 for US crude. 

"The danger is that if prices keep rising, any growth slowdown will be more severe, leading to a great chance of recession. This has been common following 100 per cent oil price rises," said Richard Batty of Standard Life Investments. 

So far the rise has been less than half of that. 

Brent crude, which has led the current rally, hit a two and a half year high of just above $127, up 49 per cent, from a year ago and about 40 per cent higher from the end of 2010. 

Other pointers, used by Batty and other economists, are that each $10 per barrel rise, if sustained, adds 1 per cent to inflation and shaves 0.5 per cent off gross domestic product. 


DEEPAK KUMAR
PGDM

Private theatres latest rage among India's richie rich

MUMBAI: At Sachin Tendulkar's new home in Bandra, Mumbai, work is on at a furious pace. A 15 to 20-seater private theatre is part of the plan. By the time IPL-4 ends and before the Indian cricket team heads off for their West Indies tour, the master blaster could inaugurate the theatre with the other players.

All of them could sit together and catch the latest Bollywood film, possibly first day first show, in the comfort of Sachin's home. That should make the two movie buffs of the team, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, very happy.

Sachin joins the privileged league of stars such as Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgan and industrialists and politicians such as Harsh Goenka, Amit Burman and Chhagan Bhujbal who are said to have plush private theatres. All of them are part of an exclusive, by-invite Club X.

The cost of watching the latest flicks could range from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, depending on how the 
producer wants to price it, says Sanjay Gaikwad, CEO and MD, Valuable Group, which runs Club X. The group also runs the digital cinema business UFO Moviez. 
ALEEM AHMAD
PGDM 2ND SEM

Emami announces acquisition of exclusive India rights of ‘Multi Plant Stem cell’

<> <>

The company has acquired the exclusive India rights of the proven, tried and tested technology from Mibelle Biochemistry of Switzerland.

The Rs. 1100 cr. Emami Limited makers of Boroplus, Fair and Handsome, Zandu Balm and Navratna has announced the acquisition of the exclusive India rights of a phenomenal award winning skin care technology – ‘Multi Plant Stem cell’ which will change the dynamics of the skin care industry in the country and pave the way for a new course of growth for Emami. The company has acquired the exclusive India rights of the proven, tried and tested technology from Mibelle Biochemistry of Switzerland. The breakthrough Multi Plant Stem cell technology has won several international accolades which include the innovation prize for the best active ingredient at the European Cosmetics Awards. This technology is utilized by the likes of top international names such as 3 Lab,  Absolute Precious Cells, Skinvage, Lancome and many other brands.  The current Indian skin care market is valued at Rs. 5000 crores approx (Source: AC Nielsen, MAT DEC 2010) growing at the rate of 15 %.  The “Multi Plant Stem Cells” can be used in any skin care products. With the “Multi Plant Stem Cells” Emami will have a cutting edge technology in terms of product offering which is unique as currently no player is offering this in India. The company will have the exclusive use of this technology in the country. This tie up will highlight the international expertise that Emami brings to India for its consumers ANIMA SINHA PGDM - 2sem

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) wants to cut costs across the board, from advertising and marketing to supply chain and indirect costs, a top executive said.

The move to cut expenses helps address profitability, which has been under pressure due to rising input costs and increasing expenses even as volume growth has returned. The "efficiencies programme" will see annual advertising and promotion spend at India's largest consumer packaged goods company by sales come down by 5-7% in one year, according to Gopal Vittal, executive director, home and personal care. The company's advertising and promotion spend was '2,391 crore, or close to 14% of its '17,500 crore sales in fiscal year ended March 2010. "If we could get 5% to 7% reduction or savings in the overall pot of money, that will be a job well done," said Vittal, referring to the entire advertising and promotion spend. Consumer companies such as HUL, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd, (GCPL) and Procter and Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd have been consistently increasing year-onyear advertising and promotion spends as a percentage of sales for the last two years. For the Indian subsidiary of Unilever Plc, advertising and promotion spends as a percentage of sales increased from close to 10.55% in fiscal 2009 to 13.66% in fiscal 2010. Similarly, for GCPL advertising and promotion expenses as a percentage of sales increased from 8.58% in fiscal 2009 to 12.22% in fiscal 2010.

In fact, in the last quarter of fiscal 2011, between January and mid-March, HUL's ad volume for television actually increased over the year-ago period, according to AdEx India-a division of TAM Media Research

ANKIT KUMAR

PGDM - 2 sem

Branson's Virgin to exit India marketing JV with Tata Tele:report

Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Group will exit a marketing
joint venture in India with Tata Teleservices , with the latter agreeing to buy
out the 50 percent stake that Virgin holds for a undisclosed sum, the Hindu
Businessline reported on Thursday.
While Virgin will exit the marketing joint venture with India's fifth largest
mobile carrier, its branding agreement with Tata will continue, the paper said
citing unnamed sources.

The move would mean Tata will have to continue paying royalty fees to Virgin
for three years for using the Virgin brand name, the report said.

The latest move is a part of Tata Teleservices broader plan to integrate all
its telecom-specific businesses into one, the report said citing the sources.

A Tata Tele spokesman declined to comment when contacted by Reuters, while
Virgin India could not be reached.

Japan's NTT DoCoMo owns 26 percent of Tata Teleservices, and is investing
about 8 billion rupees in its rights issue. Tata Tele also has a listed unit
Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd .

AKANKSHA ARORA
PGDM  -2 sem

Toyota’s lean lessons for Wipro

When Sambuddha Deb, 53, now the chief global delivery officer at India's third
biggest software exporter Wipro, was looking for answers to deal with rising
wage inflation and growing complexity in large outsourcing contracts some years
ago, Toyota's legendary production system was nowhere on his mind.

After
all, there could be no parallel between manufacturing cars and writing hundreds
of lines of codes for customers you do not even get to see till the project gets
over, at least this is what Deb reasoned until late 2004


  BY  ALEEM
PGDM - 2 sem

Faces Cosmetics set to open EBO in India

Faces Cosmetics, one of the leading Canadian cosmetics brands, is set to launch its first standalone store in Pune. To be inaugurated in the next 7-10 days, the 160-sq.ft store at Inorbit Mall will offer a wide range of internationally acclaimed make-up, skincare and beauty accessory products. It will also offer free makeovers and make-up consultation.

Sameer Prasad, CEO, Faces Cosmetics, said, “We are thrilled to inaugurate our first exclusive store in the dynamic Indian market, where we have already received overwhelming response and acceptance. This is a key stepping stone in our ambitious expansion plans in India and by the end of the year, we see our colour range present in over 30 such exclusive Faces stores.”

The next Faces exclusive store is already lined up to be opened in Delhi by the end of April.

The brand is already available in India at 10 exclusive kiosks in malls across major cities.

Headquartered in Toronto, Faces Cosmetics has presence in eight countries, including India.


DEEPAK KUMAR
PGDM