THE ECONOMY: MID-YEAR REVIEW
A healthy report card is in the offing
The finance ministry's action taken report for the April-October period says that the uncertainties plaguing the financial markets have been more or less taken care of.

TOP HEADLINES
• Ex-CSE president Dinesh Singhania arrested
• LG's India arm plans $103-mn expansion
• Templeton India to launch first foreign fund
• Bengal seeks Rs 140-crore loan to fund VRS
• SAT admits Birla appeal against SEBI order
• A-I nets Rs 46.79 cr profit in Apr-Sep '02
• PM keen on India-Canada trade cooperation
• NTPC agrees to operate DPC phase-I
- - More I The Divestment Development

CORPORATE HEADLINES
• GAIL clarifies on news item
• Management structure changed at IOC
• Aventis Pharma appoints new director
• Escorts Q2 results rescheduled on Nov 28
• Mascot to acquire eJiva, Aqua Regia
- - More

MARKET REPORT
Tech stocks lift Sensex by 18 points
Sustained buying in old and new economy stocks. Infosys up 4%, MTNL up 3%. HPCL down 3%.

DAILY TECHNICALS
Trading strategy for November 21, 2002
Sensex, Amara Raja, HCL Tech, Max India, Satyam... Check out what you can do on Thursday.

SPECIAL
Need to check fiscal deficit, use forex wisely
The rising fiscal deficit is the cause of diversion of personal financial accretions into government consumption and for the fall in industrial investment, says Ashok V Desai.

COLUMN
Vajpayee's grip is firm as ever
A few months ago, the prime minister had given a hint of an imminent retirement from active politics. But today even the Prime Minister's Office seems to have regained its lost clout, says A K Bhattacharya.

INTERVIEW
'M&As in cement sector will continue'
The industry hasn't yet reached a stage where few players can determine prices, says B L Jain, President, Cement Manufacturers' Association.

MUTUAL FUND NEWS
• UTI sales cross Rs 3,000 cr this year
• HSBC MF launches four schemes
• Tata Liquid Fund declares dividend
• Good show by IDBI Principal Income Fund

THE BILL GATES VISIT
'Bill Gates is a very shrewd businessman'
Your View: Gates's visit, charity or business? • 'My trip's very exciting' I Complete coverage

PERSONAL FINANCE
Year-end is time for best deals on wheels
It is time to drive a hard bargain. Here are some tips on how to make the most of a buyers' market.

More on Kelkar panel's tax proposals
A N Shanbhag dissects the Kelkar Committee's propositions.

STOCK TALK
'Divestment program is over'
'Market needs new FII money to go up. But China has opened up to FIIs, which will drag money from India,' says Ramesh Shrichand Damani.

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• More...