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Washington, Feb 25 - Microsoft has decided to roll out Office 365 to students across the globe free of cost.

New Delhi: Market regulator Sebi has advised exchanges to keep a 'constant and strict vigil' on companies as it has found many firms to be misusing the stock exchange platform for tax evasion, Parliament was informed Tuesday.

Besides, 83 entities have come under the scanner of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) during current fiscal for raising funds from public through illicit schemes.

Sebi, which has conducted preliminary inquiries, has prima-facie observed that companies acting in concert with each other have misused the stock exchange system to generate fictitious long-term capital gains tax, which is tax exempt.

These companies have indulged in these activities to evade tax.

Mumbai: Analysts and economists at the nation's largest lender SBI today joined the call for stretching the fiscal deficit target by a few notches so that the government can boost capex without impacting the fiscal consolidation process.

"We believe, the government must step up capital expenditure meaningfully to stimulate investment. We firmly believe fiscal deficit for 2015-16 should be set higher at 3.8 per cent of GDP, up from 3.6 per cent envisaged in the current Budget. This is unlikely to impact fiscal consolidation," the economic research arm of SBI said in a note.

Mumbai: The rupee strengthened by 15 paise to 62.05 against the US dollar in early trade Wednesday at the Interbank Foreign Exchange on increased foreign capital inflows.

New Delhi: Reform measures undertaken by the government to accelerate growth and address fiscal and supply side constraints will determine India's sovereign credit profile, rating agency Moody's said today.

The declining inflation also calls for a policy rate cut to boost investments, it added.

"... Fiscal and structural reform policies will determine the extent to which accelerating growth will buttress the sovereign credit profile," it said in a report titled 'GDP Revisions Underscore Economic Strength, But Are Credit Neutral'.

In 2015, benign global oil prices are likely to keep India's inflation and current account pressures in check, the report said, adding "this could allow for more accommodative monetary policy which, in turn, would revive investment growth".

Mumbai: The benchmark BSE Sensex rose over 228 points in early trade today amid a firming global trend and hopes of a growth-oriented Budget.

Further, covering-up of short positions by speculators ahead of tomorrow's monthly expiry in the derivatives segment, supported the upside.

Rising for the second straight session, the 30-share barometer spurted by 228.67 points, or 0.79 percent, to 29,233.33.

The index had gained 29.55 points in yesterday's session.

All sectoral indices, led by oil & gas, metal, realty and banking were trading in positive zone with gains up to 1.03 percent.

Similarly, the National Stock Exchange index Nifty was trading above the 8,800-mark by gaining 60.10 points, or 0.69 percent, to 8,822.20.