GLOBAL MARKETS ROUNDUP * Nifty futures on the Singapore Exchange rose 0.26percent. The MSCI-Asia Pacific index, excluding Japan was flat. * Asian stocks drifted as investors booked profits from aNew Year rally that had pushed markets to multi-month highs, butfinancial stocks gained after global regulators decided to relaxdraft plans for tough new bank liquidity rules. * The benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index ended ata five-year high on Friday, lifted by reports showing employerskept up a steady pace of hiring workers and the vast servicessector expanded at a brisk rate. EVENTS TO WATCH * An Indian ministerial panel will meet to discuss thegovernment's plan for the next airwave auction. (0430 GMT) * RBI Deputy Governor K.C. Chakrabarty and finance ministryofficials will be at a pre-budget discussion with bankers andrepresentatives of financial institutions in New Delhi. (0630GMT) * RBI Deputy Governor Anand Sinha to attend a discussionsession on issues and concerns in the non-banking financesector. (1030 GMT) INDIAN STOCKS TO WATCHFor additional press items double click NOTE: Reuters has not verified third-party stories and does notvouch for their accuracy. FINANCIAL/REGULATORY * Intercontinental Exchange and CME Group Inc willlaunch foreign exchange futures contracts on the Indian rupee onJanuary 22 and 28, respectively. (Financial Chronicle)http://www.mydigitalfc.com/currency/coming-soon-rupee-futures-cme-ice-401 * The finance ministry is pitching for removal of goldjewellery from the list of items allowed to be imported fromThailand at concessional duty under the bilateral treaty it haswith India, said a customs official privy to the development.(Economic Times)http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/india-may-shut-routing-of-gold-import-via-thailand/articleshow/17918588.cms * The government has ruled out the possibility of any publicsector bank coming up with a public offer in the current fiscal,and plans to infuse capital in banks through the preferentialplacement route, a finance ministry official said. The official added the aim is to infuse about 158 billionrupees by March-end and maintain a 58 percent stake in state-runbanks. The top three banks that require immediate capitalinfusion are Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank ofIndia, and Bank of Maharashtra.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/no-public-offer-from-state-run-banks-this-fiscal/articleshow/17918641.cms * South African lender FirstRand wants to sell its stake inAsset Reconstruction Co. (India) Ltd, or Arcil, the country'slargest asset reconstruction company, said Neels Els, a seniorinvestment professional in the principal investments business ofFirstRand Group South Africa. (Mint)http://www.livemint.com/Companies/JjuDb4NgkgOS6PSGP3wPDL/South-Africa-lender-FirstRand-to-sell-stake-in-Arcil.html * The capital markets regulator on Friday unveiled proposalsto strengthen corporate governance at Indian companies in a moveto match best global practice and win back investor confidence.(Reuters) ENERGY/COMMODITIES * India has shortlisted six banks, including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley, for aselldown of state shares worth $2.3 billion in power producerNTPC Ltd, three sources with direct knowledge of thesale said. (Reuters) * Two people were killed by a fire at a fuel storageterminal of state-run Indian Oil Corp in Hazira inGujarat state on Saturday. (Reuters) TELECOM * Vodafone Group Plc said on Saturday it hasreceived a reminder from Indian tax authorities on disputed taxdues over its 2007 acquisition of Indian mobile assets.(Reuters) Separately, Vodafone has invited the government to engagewith it to find an amicable solution to its multi-billion-dollartax dispute in India, The Economic Times reported, citing aletter seen by the newspaper to Revenue Secretary Sumit Bose onJan. 5. (Economic Times)http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/vodafone-calls-on-government-to-find-amicable-solution-to-tax-row-in-india/articleshow/17918075.cms * State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is set tobuy telecom gear worth 4 billion rupees ($72.58 million)fromChina's Huawei to upgrade its landline network, top companyexecutives aware of the development told ET. (Economic Times)http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/telecom/bsnl-set-to-buy-rs-400-crore-telecom-gear-from-chinas-huawei/articleshow/17917556.cms MEDIA * eBay Inc is considering a minority investment inSnapdeal, as the U.S. company weighs options in India's digitalcommerce industry, said people briefed on the matter. (Times ofIndia)http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/internet/eBay-in-talks-for-Snapdeal-stake/articleshow/17917340.cms AIRLINES * The civil aviation ministry has decided to scrap theexisting rule that makes it mandatory for domestic airlines todeploy 10 per cent of capacity on non-viable routes like theNortheast, The Business Standard reported without citingsources. (Business Standard)http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/now-airlines-wont-have-to-flynon-viable-routes/201711/on * Top aviation ministry sources said Kingfisher AirlinesLtd's international flying rights could be given toother Indian carriers, along with its airport slots, in thecoming summer schedule if the carrier does not resolve renew itsflying license. (Economic Times)http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/kingfisher-airlines-may-lose-international-rights-slots/articleshow/17919382.cms NOTE: Reuters has not verified third-party stories and does notvouch for their accuracy. ($1 = 55.1150 Indian rupees) (Compiled by Manoj Rawal; Editing by)
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