TopNews

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.

London, Feb 25 - Nicole Scherzinger seems to be upset and has been crying after the reports of her long-time ex boyfriend Lewis Hamilton partying with other women have been doing the rounds of internet.

A source informed that with the split of 'Your Love' singer and the F1 driver, the singing star was in pieces, and when she saw him partying with other women she has been in flood of tears, the Mirror reported.

Notably, the F1 ace star was seen out with a mystery blonde chick, and has also posed with his rumored lady love Naomi Campbell, but captioned that as a selfie with big sis.

The 36-year-old songstress reportedly sent a text to her ex, asking him to stop, but in reply of this he said that he was just letting his hair down, and they have been in contact ever since.

London: A chemical found in garlic can kill bacteria that cause life-threatening lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis, a new study has said.

The study is the first to show that the chemical, known as allicin, could be an effective treatment against a group of infectious bacteria that is highly resistant to most antibiotics.

Allicin is produced naturally by garlic bulbs to ward off a closely-related group of plant pathogens found in soil and water habitats.

In the 1980s, the bacteria, known as the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), emerged as a cause of serious and transmissible lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis.

Measures to limit the spread of Bcc infections among people with cystic fibrosis have brought the number of cases down considerably.