The Registrar of Companies has allowed companies to have their names starting with small alphabets like "i2 Technologies", in line with the international norms. However, it has said that the name starting with a small alphabet should not have phonetic or visual resemblance to the name of a company in existence.

Rupee ends weaker

The rupee ended weaker by 3 paise on Thursday as compared to its previous close of on early short dollar covering by banks.The rupee ended at 43.54/5425 per dollar after it opened from its previous close of 43.5175/5225 in the morning. Dealers said the rupee was mostly traded in a weaker band amid early dollar purchases by the country's largest bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), and a few other state-run banks.

India favours China's WTO berth

India on Thursday said it favoured China becoming a full-fledged member of the World Trade Organisation and has already begun treating it as a member of the multi-lateraltrading body. Commerce ministry sources however said that China should not be granted any concessions for becoming a WTO member.

Torrent Pharma recast

The Rs 320-crore Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd (TPL), flagship company of the Rs 2,000-crore Torrent Group, has undertaken a major restructuring exercise by creating three distinct divisions to give focus on mega brands, super-speciality and sub-speciality products respectively.

Microsoft to buy Visio

In what would be its largest acquisition yet, Microsoft Corp said on Wednesday it agreed to buy Visio Corp, a maker of technical drawing software, for $1.3 billion in stock. Under the agreement, Seattle-based Visio will become a division operating within Microsoft's business productivity group, the software giant's biggest and most profitable business line.

CESC to negotiate on power import

RPG flagship CESC Ltd, which incurred a loss of Rs 128 crore in 1998-99, will negotiate with West Bengal State Electricity Board for lower powerimport from the state government agency as both the 250 mw units of its Budge Budge thermal power station have started generation on commercial basis.

TVS Suzuki 5-month sales up 27%

TVS Suzuki has posted a turnover of Rs 657 crore for the five-month period ended August 1999 compared to Rs 500 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. The company sold over 3.44 lakh vehicles in the first five months as against 2.73 lakh units in the same period last year thereby registering a growth rate of 27 per cent.

Nalco to buy out Aqua Chemicals

Nalco Chemicals, a leading speciality and water treatment chemicals company, is picking up the entire equity of the Chennai-based Aqua Chemicals & Systems for a maximum consideration of Rs 24 crore. Aqua will be Nalco's first acquisition since it began operations in India in 1989 as 40:40 venture between Nalco Chemicals of the US and ICI India.

Kale Consultants IPO sold out

The corpus is in place. The structure for financing schemeshas been finalised. Investors are knocking at the door for a piece of the action. And, the Kale Consultants maiden public offering seems to have been virtually sold out even before the issue opens on September 17.

Bangurs, Tayals spat over BoR control

A fresh spat has broken out between the Bangurs and the Tayals over the control of the beleaguered Bank of Rajasthan. The Bangur group plans to wrest control of the bank through the appointment of directors from its front companies at its AGM on September 28.

Sidbi unveils fund raising plan

SIDBI has decided to come out with a massive resource raising programme of Rs 1,500 crore towards the end of the third quarter or beginning of the fourth, to meet its disbursement target of Rs 7,500 crore for 1999-2000.

Compiled by Mukund S Sharma