Which are India's best banks

Do let us know which, according to you, are the best 10, or 15, banks operating in India -- nationalised, private and foreign.

• State Bank of India
  
• ICICI
  
• HDFC Bank
• Citi
• StanChart
• ABN Amro
• HSBC
• Bank of Baroda
  
• Allahabad Bank
  
• Centurion Bank
• American Express
• Bank of India
• Corporation Bank
• Punjab National Bank
  
• Canara Bank
  
• United Bank of India
• Andhra Bank
  
• Axis Bank
• Central Bank of India
• Federal Bank
  
• Indian Overseas Bank
  
• IndusInd Bank
  
• Karnataka Bank
  
• Kotak Mahindra Bank
  
• Oriental Bank of Commerce
  
• YES Bank
  

IIP data shows improvement; expects sectors to recover in Q4:CII

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) commenting on the index of industrial production (IIP) numbers released today said that the decline in industrial growth has not been as sharp as had earlier been expected. With the decline in IIP contained within 1% in both December and January, industry is likely to manage decent growth of 3% during the year 2008-09.

Emco bags Rs 5.5 bn worth orders from Power Grid

Emco has obtained five orders worth Rs 5.50 billion from Power Grid Corporation India (PGCIL) for 765 Kv transmission lines.

The company has bagged these projects after surpassing a stringent qualification requirement from the client and against very stiff competition. The orders also involve supply of galvanized steel towers from the company`s facility located at Asoj Gujrat.

BHEL may collaborate with Bharat Forge, Areva in new venture

Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) might join the consortium of Areva and Bharat Forge for its proposed nuclear forging business

Areva and Bharat Forge have already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form a joint venture.

BHEL plans to invest around Rs 5 billion in its forging and casting business.

Bharat Forge and Areva are currently examining various locations in India to establish the new facility. The proposed facility is expected to be operational by 2012.

NEAA dismisses appeal against RPower`s plea

The National Environment Appellate Authority has discharged an appeal against the implementation of Reliance Power`s (RPL) 4000-MW power project at Shahapur in Maharashtra

Vishal Retail may close more stores

Battered by slowdown, Vishal Retail is expected to close more stores to save cash and carry inventory in the next 2 quarters

Strides Arcolab terminates contract with US client

Strides Arcolab has terminated its `license and supply agreement` with US based KV Pharmaceutical Company following the recent developments in the company which includes recall of their products, regulatory actions, filing of a series of class actions by shareholders etc.

RCom launches fastest wireless internet service

Telecom major Reliance Communications (RCom) on Thursday, March 12, launched the fastest wireless internet service in the country to date

The company has upgraded the software in its network for launching the new service which can offer downlink speed of up to 3.1 Mbps and a separate uplink speed of up to 1.8 Mbps offering 30% higher downlink rate in comparison to any other wireless broadband offering.

Reliance Cap arm to acquire stake in UK based firm

Reliance Money Express, part of the Reliance Capital, has announced that the company would acquire 51% stake in No 1 Currency, the UK`s independent foreign currency specialist.

The announcement was made by Sudip Bandyopadhyay, director and CEO, Reliance Money Express. This will make Reliance Money Express the first Indian company to acquire an international foreign exchange company.

Tata Motors ties-up with State Bank of Travancore

Tata Motors has tied up with State Bank of Travancore for financing its range of passenger vehicles.

This tie-up will provide a single window for both cars as well as car loans and will make car buying easier for the customers.

The bank has pan India presence with about 723 branches spread all over the country.

HCL gets order worth Rs 393 crore from National Insurance Company

Indian outsourcer HCL Technologies has secured an order worth Rs 393 crore ($75.9 million) from general insurance firm National Insurance Company (NIC) for providing end-to-end IT services and operations management for a period of seven years

Pfizer inks ‘Multiple Agreements’ with Aurobindo Pharma

fizer, the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company, has entered into an agreement with the Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma to sell generic medicines in the US and Europe.

The latest deal with the Hyderabad-based firm is an extension of the agreement which the companies had signed in July last year, for about five products.

Motherson Sumi completes buyout of Visiocorp Group for Euro 26.5 million

The Rs 2000-crore Auto component group, Motherson Sumi Systems, on Saturday announced that it has competed acquisition deal of UK-based Visiocorp Group for €26.5 million.

Lavasa Corporation postpones ‘IPO launch’

Construction and civil engineering firm Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) has informed that its subsidiary Lavasa Corporation, which is developing an ambitious Rs 30,000-crore hill city project in Pune, has deferred its plan to launch an initial public offer (IPO) due to global economic slowdown.

TCS bags multi-year IT contract from Infineon Technologies

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a world-class provider of IT services, has informed that it has secured a multi-year IT solutions contract from Germany-based Infineon Technologies AG (IFX), a semiconductor manufacturer.

Under the agreement, TCS will operate and maintain solutions for the Infineon's Supply Chain Management (SCM) landscape. The Infineon SCM Planning operations will be operated out of Munich, Germany and Bangalore, India.

Blue Star wins order Rs 8.5 crore from Era Infra

India's largest air-conditioning (AC) & commercial refrigeration company Blue Star, has notified that it has won a Rs 8.5-crore order to air-condition the integrated terminal building for domestic/international operations at Raipur airport.

The order has been awarded by Era Infra Engineering Limited. The scope of work includes the total HVAC works and building management system at Raipur airport.

USA econimic data 12 march

U.S. 2008 household debt rises 0.4%, lowest on record

U.S. 2008 household net worth lower than in 2004

U.S. household debt falls in 4Q for first time on record

U.S. household net worth falls 18%, or $11 trillion, in 2008

Insured unemployment rate rises to 4%, highest since 1983

U.S. 4-week avg. ongoing claims up 124,250 to record 5.14M

U.S. continuing jobless claims up 193,000 to record 5.32M

U.S. 4-week avg. jobless claims up 6,750 to 650,000

U.S. weekly initial jobless claims rise 9,000 to 654,000

U.S. retail sales down 8.6% in past year

U.S. Jan. retail sales revised up to 1.8% gain vs. 1.0%

U.S. Feb. general merchandise store sales up 1.3%

U.S. Feb. gas station sales up 3.4%

U.S. Feb auto sales fall 4.3%

U.S. Feb. retail sales ex-autos up 0.7% vs. 0.2% expected

Chile slashes key rate by 250 basis points, to 2.25%

IEA cuts 2009 oil demand estimate by 300,000 barrels a day

The International Energy Agency on Friday revised down its forecast for 2009 global oil demand by around 300,000 barrels a day to 84.4 million barrels a day, or a roughly 1.5% fall year-on-year, on a reassessment of demand prospects. The IEA also cuts its forecast for non-OPEC supply growth by 380,000 barrels a day for 2009, following a reappraisal of ongoing problems at Azerbaijan's ACG fields

Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd - Sterlite acquires operating assets of Asarco.

Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd.’s (Sterlite) announced that it will acquire operating assets of Asarco LLC (Asarco). With Sterlite’s significant cash availability, we believe this deal will improve its return on equity.

Wipro Beats TCS, Infosys To Win Rs 1,182 Crore Deal!

Wipro Infotech has won Rs 1,182 crore IT outsourcing contract from Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). ESIC is a statutory corporation, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (GoI), and is the implementing agency of a Social Security Scheme in India.

Dr. Reddy’s Receives Favorable Summary Judgment Ruling in the Omeprazole Mg OTC Litigation

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories today announced that the U.S. District Court (Southern District, New York) has granted a summary judgment that the Omeprazole Mg OTC ANDA filed by Dr. Reddy’s does not infringe the patents in suit related to Astra Zeneca’s Prilosec OTC®.

Low hopes for G20 meeting

Attention shifts to the weekend G20 meeting in southern England. The world's biggest powers will put on a show of unity to cloak differences that mean new measures to tackle the worst financial crisis in living memory will be few and far between.

China may spend more to get growth, worries over U.S.

Premier Wen Jiabao held out the prospect of extra stimulus spending if needed to hit China's 8 percent growth goal this year and called on Washington to ease worries Beijing has about the safety of its vast U.S. assets.

Satyam sees interest from about 8 suitors

About eight potential bidders have registered with Satyam Computer Services to buy a 51 percent stake in the fraud-hit Indian outsourcer

The last day for registering expression of interest was Thursday, and the bidders will need to show the ability to invest 15 billion rupees ($290 million) by March 20.

Engineering and construction firm Larsen & Toubro , which owns a 12 percent stake in Satyam , diversified Spice Group, IT services firm Tech Mahindra and Nasdaq-listed iGate have all expressed interest