Indirect tax collections up 5.1 pc in Apr-Sept

Indirect tax collections grew by 5.1 per cent in the April-September period of this fiscal, a finance ministry official said.

Total collection of indirect taxes - excise, customs and service tax - stood at about Rs 2,28,550 crore during the first six months of 2013-14, the official said.

Excise collection dropped 6 per cent during the period to over Rs 89,000 crore, against the same period in the last fiscal year, reflecting slump in manufacturing activity.

Customs mop up was up 10 per cent to Rs 80,550 crore during the period, the official said.

Service tax collection, which has become a new focus area for revenue officials, grew by 16 per cent to Rs 59,000 crore during the period.

In September, total indirect tax collection stood at Rs 42,700 crore, up 13 per cent from the same month last year.

Government has set indirect tax collection target of Rs 5.65 lakh crore for 2013-14, up from Rs 4.73 lakh crore in the last fiscal.

Gold price up 0.72 per cent in futures trade on Asian cues

Buoyed by a firm Asian trend, gold prices rose by 0.72 per cent to Rs 29,500 per 10 gram in futures trade on Monday as speculators enlarged their positions.

Besides, rising demand in the domestic spot markets for the ongoing festive and wedding season too supported the rise.

At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for delivery in far-month February 2014 contracts rose by Rs 210, or 0.72 per cent, to Rs 29,500 per 10 gram in business turnover of 10 lots.

Similarly, the yellow metal for delivery in December traded higher by Rs 205, or 0.70 per cent, to Rs 29,685 per 10 gram in 235 lots.

Analysts said a firming trend in the Asian trade on speculation that the US Fed would not start tapering until 2014 and rising demand in domestic spot markets mainly led to rise in gold prices in futures trade.

In the national capital, gold prices went up by Rs 150 to Rs 31,650 per 10 gram on Saturday.

Globally, gold rose by $1.60, or 0.12 per cent, to $1,319 an ounce in Singapore.

BHP Billiton gives up 9 oil & gas exploration blocks in India

Global miner BHP Billiton on Monday said it has given up nine oil and gas exploration blocks in India due to its inability to carry out exploration operations there.

The company is withdrawing from those blocks because of delays in clearances, according to local media, but BHP would not confirm the reason for its decision to relinquish its interest.

"The decision to relinquish these blocks is the result of an exploration portfolio review ... there have been regular discussions and communications over the last 12 months with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas," BHP said in a statement.

The company gave up its interest in six blocks awarded in India's NELP VII bid round, in which it held 26 per cent interest and GVK held 74 per cent interest as well as three blocks awarded in the NELP VIII bid round in which it held 100 per cent interest.

BHP Billiton will keep its 50 per cent interest in its NELP IX block, operated by BG Group.

Amid NSEL crisis, MCX-SX begins search for new CEO

MCX Stock Exchange (MCX-SX) has begun its search for a new managing director and CEO to head the bourse, whose group entities remain embroiled in a major crisis emanating from Rs 5,600-crore payment default at the National Spot Exchange (NSEL).

The exchange was set up by Jignesh Shah-led Financial Technologies (FTIL) group, which has also promoted NSEL and commodity bourse MCX, among others.

Earlier this month, Joseph Massey resigned as MD and CEO of India's newest exchange while Shah also had to quit from its board.

In a public announcement on Monday, MCX-SX invited application from "suitably qualified and experienced" candidates for the post of Managing Director and CEO.

It is the country's newest stock exchange and began operations in currency derivatives segment from October 2008 while it commenced operations in capital markets trading in February this year.

MCX-SX said: "The candidate must be qualified in the fields of capital market, finance or management and possessing sufficient experience in related fields for at least 15 years."

The MD and CEO would report to the board of directors and would be responsible for conduct of affairs of the exchange under the direction and supervision of the board. He/she shall also be responsible to perform various functions under the bye-laws, rules and regulations of the exchange and also to comply with various statutory and regulatory requirements, it added.

The appointment will be subject to approval of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and the candidate shall hold office for a term of three years which could be extended, the exchange said.

The candidate's age should not be more than 50 years as on October 31, it said adding that age and experience limits may be relaxed for deserving candidates at the discretion of the selection committee.

While renewing MCX-SX's licence for another one year, capital markets regulator Sebi had in September asked the exchange to set up a panel of independent directors to oversee its operations in the wake of questions being raised about 'fit and proper' status of its promoters.

After both Shah and Massey resigned, MCX-SX had said that U Venkataraman, whole-time Director, would assist the special committee of public interest directors in carrying out the functions of the exchange.

The group has seen a string of resignations in the past few weeks at its various entities.

Last week, commodity bourse MCX managing director and chief executive officer Shreekant Javalgekar also submitted his resignation.

China Q3 economic growth quickens to 7.8% yr/yr

Beijing: China`s annual economic growth quickened to 7.8 percent between July and September from 7.5 percent in the previous three months, the fastest growth this year and in line with expectations, official data showed on Friday.

Many investors have been concerned about the fragility of China`s economic revival, especially after a surprise fall in export growth in September.

The world`s second-largest economy grew 7.7 percent in the first nine months of 2013 from a year earlier, the data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.

Other data released alongside the gross domestic product data showed industrial output grew 10.2 percent in September from a year ago, versus expectations of 10.1 percent showed in the Reuters poll.

Retail sales in September rose 13.3 percent on a year ago versus an expected 13.5 percent.

Fixed-asset investment grew 20.2 percent in the first nine months from a year earlier, versus an expected 20.3 percent. The government only publishes cumulative investment data.