1. Weekly News 11Oct-16Oct

2. Bull's Eye: Apollo Tyres, HDIL, Indiabulls Real Estate, Mahindra & Mahindra Automobile volumes in the domestic market jumped 29% YTD after a 26% jump in FY10. The momentum is expected to continue, leading to strong demand for tyres from the OEM segment. Automobile volumes in the domestic market jumped 29% YTD after a 26% jump in FY10. The momentum is expected to continue, leading to strong demand for tyres from the OEM segment. 11th October 2010

3. Boom-to-Bust: Blame lies with Europe's watchdogs Southern euro-area countries, plus Ireland, experienced bubbles in their real-estate markets, while the northern member states had slow economic growth. When the boom turned into bust in some countries, their governments had to pick up the pieces, leading to huge budget deficits and debts. 11th October 2010

4. Nine firms selected to provide urban amenities in rural areas The project, envisioned as part of former President A P J Abdul Kalam’s pet scheme, Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA), will see these nine private players undertaking pilot projects in January next year and will be completed within three years. As many as 15 such projects, straddling seven states and a Union territory, have been designed. If successful, they’ll be rolled out on a wider scale in during the 12th Five Year Plan. 12th October 2010

5. Hunger remains despite high growth: US study The high economic growth in India has not translated into a rapid reduction of hunger in India, a US-based policy think-tank has said. India ranks 67th in an 84-country ranking and has more hungry people than its neighbouring countries. The high incidence of hunger is despite the country having enough food grain, indicating a failure in ability to reach the deprived or abject low levels of incomes for a vast segment of population . 12th October 2010

6. RBI refuses to give optionally convertible papers FDI status Optionally convertible instruments, where pricing is decided on a future date, protect investors from upward or downward risk and, therefore, should be treated as debt rather than pure equity, the central bank said. In case, the conversion price is based on certain ex-post performance parameters, then the investor does not expose himself to the full risk and the instrument acquires the characteristics of the debt instrument rather than a pure equity instrument. 13th October 2010

7. Yahoo shares take off on buyout rumours Investors are running up the price of Yahoo Inc. shares after a report saying AOL Inc. and a group of private equity firms may bid for the Web company. The stock climbed 74 cents, or 4.9%, to $15.99 in late morning trading after trading as high as $16.76 earlier in the session. The Wall Street Journal reported on its website that AOL, Silver Lake Partners and Blackstone Group LP are exploring a bid. It said two or three other firms could also be interested in the deal but that Yahoo hasn't been involved in the talks yet. 13th October 2010

8. US mortgage rates hit decades-low of 4.19% Rates on 30-year mortgages fell to 4.19 per cent, the lowest level in decades. They were pushed down by lower Treasury bond yields. Investors are buying up Treasury bonds in anticipation of a move by the Federal Reserve designed to lower mortgage rates and yields on corporate debt. As a result, the average rate for 30-year fixed loans dropped to the lowest level on records dating back to 1971, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. It's down from 4.27 per cent the previous week. 14th October 2010

9. DTC may pull insurance co’sout of comfort zone The life insurance sector has always experienced an advantageous position when compared to other taxpayers. To date, they were subject to a concessional tax rate of 12.5% (plus surcharge and education cess) on the surplus disclosed by the actuarial valuation as per the Insurance Act, 1938, less the opening surplus disclosed by that valuation. The DTC proposes to do away with this taxation scheme and tax the profits in shareholders’ account at the normal corporate tax rate of 30% leaving policyholders’ funds to be taxed in the hands of shareholders or subject to a distribution tax of 5%. 15th October 2010

10. China says Yuan must not be 'scapegoat' for US economic woes China said Friday the Yuan exchange rate must not be used as a "scapegoat" for the United States' economic woes, ahead of a Treasury Department report that could label the country a currency manipulator. The People's Bank of China set the Yuan central parity rate -- the middle of the currency's allowed trading band - at 6.6497 to the dollar. The Chinese unit has gained nearly 0.5% this week and more than 2.6% since the summer as US and European lawmakers stepped up calls for a faster appreciation in the currency, which they say is grossly undervalued. 15th October 2010