Sensex sheds 65 pts, Nifty 22 on weak Asia - stocks to watch: Godrej Industries, JSW Steel

* The Indian government to sell about $2.14 billion worth of shares in NTPC Ltd. The floor price has been set at 145 rupees, or a 4.5 percent discount to its Wednesday's close.

* ACC Ltd, Ambuja Cements Ltd quarterly earnings.

INDIAN STOCKS TO WATCH

FINANCIAL/REGULATORY

* Indian tax authorities are claiming the Indian arm of Vodafone Group PLC under-priced shares issued to a Mauritius-based group company in order to pay lower taxes, * India's finance minister warned on Wednesday that cuts in the security budget could affect the country's defence preparedness and said he will spend more money on security when the economy recovers.

* The finance ministry is looking at taxing transactions on commodity exchanges to provide better regulation and monitoring of the market, said finance ministry officials.

ENERGY/COMMODITIES

* Godrej Industries Ltd's October-December net profit more than doubled to 1.79 billion rupees from 847.3 million rupees a year earlier.

* JSW Steel Ltd and Jindal Power and Steel have secured a key green clearance to mine iron ore and manganese in the Saranda Forests located in a Naxal-affected area of Jharkhand.

* The United States on Wednesday filed a challenge with the World Trade Organization over elements of India's national solar program, which it said discriminates against foreign solar products in violation of a core global trade rule. INFRASTRUCTURE

* The home ministry has barred Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, Gammon India Ltd, Lanco Infratech Ltd, Punj Lloyd Ltd and IVRCL from participating in three domestic port projects due to security issues,

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