Sensex gains 53 points in early trade

FACTORS TO WATCH

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, Reliance Power Ltd earnings.

Reserve Bank of India Governor Duvvuri Subbarao will meet Finance Minister P Chidambaram, ahead of the central bank's Jan. 29 policy review.

FINANCIAL/REGULATORY

The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday urged banks to raise capital by issuing subordinated debt to retail investors as well to deepen the corporate bond market.

The final guidelines for new banking licences could take a while, contrary to expectations that the Reserve Bank of India would announce those by month-end.

ENERGY/COMMODITIES

The telecom arm of Reliance Industries Ltd may buy a stake in Reliance Infratel, a company belonging to Reliance Communications Ltd, in a complex deal, two people close to the ongoing negotiations said.

Jindal Steel and Power Ltd is set to start importing coal from its Mozambique mine, where production will begin this year, with plans to import about 500,000 tonnes of coking coal, Sushil Maroo, director and group chief financial officer.

Lenders to Suzlon Energy Ltd have approved the Indian wind turbine maker's corporate debt restructuring plan for $1.8 billion, the company said on Thursday.

RETAIL

U.S. retailer Wal-Mart Stores Inc is studying the conditions attached to India's decision to open its supermarket sector to foreign investors before finalizing a decision to invest, an Indian government statement said on Thursday.

The chairman of Tesco PLC met India's Trade Minister Anand Sharma, seeking clarifications on the country's decision to open its supermarket sector to foreign investors, the Indian government said in

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