MMR - DAILY- 23rd Dec 2014.indd
Transcription
MMR - DAILY- 23rd Dec 2014.indd
Tu e s d ay 2 3 , D e ce m b e r 2 0 1 4 News & Report Analysis Currency Market Precious Metal Base Metal Energy Market Goldman sells Metro metals warehouse unit to Reuben Bros SteelMin mulls merging small PSU units with bigger ones Govt eyes Rs 1.47 lakh cr from 92 coal blocks allotment, auction Govt working to raise iron ore supplies for steel industry Panel asks government to ensure no more delay in NMDC steel mill 2 Tuesday 23, December 2014 Daily MMR Landed Prices London Metal Exchange : Monday 22, December 2014 Pr. Sell (1) Morning Session Buy Sell * (2) Afternoon Session Buy Sell Kerb Change (2) - (1) Value Stk(tns) change $/ton Rs/ton Copper Grade A Spot 6350.50 6426.00 6426.50 6420.00 6421.00 6404.00 76.0 1,68,700 MMR LP 3-mth 6318.50 6381.00 6382.00 6371.00 6371.00 6355.00 63.5 -1300 14-D MA 4,37,926 PP (HCL) 4,51,445 Average 10-days - 6435.40 20-days - 6562.30 30-days - 6562.30 4,39,717 Tin High Grade Spot 19200.00 19095.00 19100.00 19034.00 19035.00 19044.00 -100.0 12,130 -- -- 3-mth 19225.00 19070.00 19075.00 19049.00 19050.00 19050.00 -150.0 885 -- -- -- -- Average 10-days - 19955 20-days - 20125.30 30-days - 20061 Lead Spot 1854.00 1862.00 1864.00 1876.00 1857.00 1861.50 10.0 2,20,750 MMR LP 1,32,543 3-mth 1868.00 1876.00 1877.00 1871.00 1872.00 1875.00 9.0 575 14-D MA 1,36,189 PP (HZL) 1,49,300 Average 10-days - 1932.30 20-days - 1982.90 30-days - 1998.20 Zinc Special High Grade Spot 2121.50 2179.00 2179.50 2174.00 2174.50 2160.00 58.0 6,79,150 MMR LP 1,58,939 3-mth 2130.00 2186.00 2187.00 2180.00 2181.00 2165.00 57.0 -9625 14-D MA 1,56,642 PP (HZL) 1,64,700 Average 10-days - 2160.40 20-days - 2195.80 30-days - 2216.50 Aluminium Spot 1888.50 1877.00 1878.00 1864.00 1865.00 1853.00 -10.5 42,51,075 MMR LP 1,50,163 3-mth 1917.00 1904.00 1905.00 1889.00 1890.00 1880.00 -12.0 -30975 14-D MA 1,51,025 PP (Nalco) 1,66,900 Average 10-days - 1905.80 20-days - 1967.60 30-days - 1992.10 Aluminium Alloy Spot 1975.00 1945.00 1955.00 NA NA NA -20.0 26,520 3-mth 1995.00 1960.00 1970.00 NA NA NA -25.0 -100 Average 10-days - 1995.50 20-days - 2003.30 30-days - 2011 Nickel Spot 15505.00 15625.00 15630.00 15654.00 15655.00 15579.00 125.0 4,08,408 -- -- 3-mth 15525.00 15700.00 15705.00 15724.00 15725.00 16450.00 180.0 3222 -- -- -Copper Aluminium -01-Dec 16-Dec Zinc Lead 15-Dec 15-Dec Average 10-days - 15987 20-days - 16191.80 30-days - 16052 Note: 1. MMR LP = MMR Landed Prices, excluding excise duty. 2. PP = Producer Prices ex-smelter, excl. excise Minor Metals ($/LB) Antimony 99.65% 9,100 Cadmium 99.80% 90.00 Cobalt HG Moly.oxide 99.80% 14.00 9.00 Tantalite 30% Ta2O5 81.00 Titanium Ferro-vana Con. Ti02 550.00 24.90 Silicon 2,050 Week ended Avg of Steel Prices: 20/12/2014 (Incl. Excise duty) Sponge Iron Pig Iron Ferro Alloys : Mandi 27,600 HMS 31,200 CRP(LSLP) Mumbai Mkt rates in kgs : Mumbai Kolkata 30,100 29,200 32,000 Ferro Moly 1300 Delhi Chennai Bhiwandi 30,500 27,600 MS Ingots 39,000 29,400 Ferro Silicon 80 Titanium 170 Indicative Domestic Market Rates (Rs./kg) Mumbai 22-Dec Prev Virgin Metals Copper Pat Copper W/Bar Delhi 22-Dec Comex Copper (cents/lb) Chennai Prev 22-Dec Prev Dec'14 - Jan'15 425.0 - Feb'15 - -498.0 -495.0 427.0 - Alum Ingot Zinc Slab Lead Ingot Tin Slab Nickel (4x4) Scrap Copper Heavy Copper Uten. 172.0 182.0 130.0 1,485.0 1,130.0 174.0 180.0 130.0 1,485.0 1,125.0 175.0 187.0 128.0 1,486.0 1,125.0 176.0 186.0 128.0 1,487.0 1,123.0 462.0 424.0 459.0 423.0 --- --- 164.0 - Copper Mixed Brass Utensil Brass Huny Brass Sheet Alum Utensil -325.0 321.0 335.0 136.0 -324.0 322.0 334.0 135.0 412.0 --139.0 412.0 --139.0 - 164.0 - Metal Gold Std Silver Gold Silver Gold Silver Rate 290.35 290.00 288.10 Change -0.2 -0.1 -0.4 Kanpur 38,700 Durgapur 35,000 Comex Al (cents/lb) Rate - Change - Precious Metals : Indicative Rates Market Mumbai Mumbai London London Comex Comex Unit Rs./10g Rs./kg $/tr.oz. $/tr.oz. $/tr.oz. $/tr.oz. 22-Dec 26,985 36,745 1,195.3 16.09 1,179.7 15.64 Prev 27,050 36,700 1,195.5 15.86 1,195.9 15.99 Forex: Dec 22, 2014 (Rs/Unit Currency) - Buy - Sell - Buy USD 63.30 63.21 EURO 77.61 GBP 98.80 98.69 SGD 47.98 — — AUD 51.60 YEN 0.5286 0.5278 SFR 64.49 Sell 77.50 47.90 51.54 64.39 Customs Notified Rates: Nov 21, 2014 [Rs.(Imp/Exp)]: US$ 62.60/61.60;Pound Sterling 98.45/96.25;Euro 78.90/77.00 3 Tuesday 23, December 2014 Daily U.S. stocks rose for a fourth straight session USD/INR - 22/12/14 on Monday, with both the Dow and S&P 500 63.14 ending at records as large-cap technology 63.18 shares gained and offset continued weakness 63.22 63.26 in energy names. Major indexes opened with 63.30 slight gains but strengthened throughout the 17:00 16:00 15:00 14:00 13:00 12:00 11:00 9:00 10:00 63.34 session, ending near their highs of the day. Despite that, trading was quiet with many USD/INR Overnight VAR market participants out ahead of the upcoming 0.3362 Data releases today Forecast Previous 0.2% Christmas holiday. A holiday silence settled USD Personal Income m/m 0.6% over Asian markets on Tuesday after Wall Street USD Richmond Mfg Index 8 closed at historic highs while oil prices suffered a stinging setback after Saudi Arabia quashed all thought of curbing supply. A revival in risk appetite undermined the safe haven yen and kept the U.S. dollar elevated across the board, while sovereign bonds were content to sit on recent gains. Equity investors chose to focus on the benefits that falling fuel prices would have for consumer spending power. Asian commodity stocks fell, dragging the regional index lower for the first time in four days. The dollar traded near a two-week high versus the yen before data on the U.S. economy, while crude oil climbed. 4 Source : Mecklai Financial greenback's advantage over the euro, pushing it back down to a 2-1/2 year low in thin preholiday trade. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index yesterday posted the highest close since March 2009 as the S&P 500 added 0.4 percent to an alltime high of 2,078.54. "We think the yields are the story here for the dollar. The two-year Treasury auction of just over 70 basis points is the highest since mid2011, and that's widening the dollar's frontend yield advantage and driving it higher," said Vassili Serebriakov, currency strategist at BNP Paribas in New York. The euro slipped past Friday's 2-1/2 year Currency Market low to reach a new trough at $1.2216 EUR=, a The dollar recovered ground late on Monday small loss for the day. Earlier in the day the euro on rising U.S. Treasury yields that increased the benefited from some profit-taking on short- 6 mth LIBOR Major Currencies Today’s Crosses Spot Cash v/s INR 0.35 USD / INR - ATM Options (put/call) 0.15 Forward Rates v/s INR (Export/ Import) December January February May August November 63.26/ 26 63.21/ 22 63.35/ 37 63.76/ 78 64.10/ 13 65.22/ 25 66.28/ 31 67.27/ 30 - - - 0.00/0.52 0.00/0.69 0.00/0.86 0.00/1.33 0.00/1.69 0.00/2.03 EUR / USD 1.2232 77.37/ 38 77.31/ 33 77.49/ 51 78.01/ 04 78.45/ 48 79.89/ 93 81.30/ 33 82.62/ 65 0.15 USD / JPY(100) 120.12 52.66/ 66 52.62/ 63 52.74/ 76 53.10/ 12 53.39/ 43 54.38/ 42 55.35/ 39 56.26/ 30 0.68 GBP / USD 1.5592 98.63/ 64 98.55/ 58 98.77/ 74 99.41/ 26 99.89/ 71 101.57/ 95 103.17/ 01 104.70/ 92 -0.02 USD / CHF 0.9835 64.31/ 32 64.26/ 28 64.41/ 43 64.84/ 86 65.26/ 28 66.56/ 55 67.81/ 81 68.98/ 96 3.06 AUD / USD 0.8122 51.41/ 42 51.37/ 39 51.45/ 50 51.79/ 85 52.06/ 13 52.97/ 04 53.84/ 90 54.64/ 71 Source : Mecklai Financial Tuesday 23, December 2014 Daily euro positions. The dollar was hit earlier in the 0.4 percent on Dec. 19. Trading of the Shanghai trading session after the weakest existing U.S. Gold Exchange’s benchmark bullion spot home sales data in six months. The dollar held contract advanced on Dec. 18 to the highest near a two-week high of 120.08 yen JPY=, up since April 2013. 0.45 percent on the day. Sterling fell 0.25 percent Gold for February delivery fell 0.2 percent to $1.5629 and traded at 78.45 pence versus the to $1,177.10 an ounce on the Comex in New euro, a loss of about 0.27 percent York. Futures dropped to $1,170.70 yesterday, Precious Metal the lowest intraday level since Dec. 1. Among the other precious metals, Silver for immediate Gold held near a three-week low as investors delivery was little changed at $15.6766 an assessed prospects for slowing inflation spurred ounce, after dropping 2.5 percent yesterday. by slumping oil prices against signs of rising Spot platinum rose 0.4 percent to $1,186.88 an physical demand. Platinum was near the lowest ounce after declining yesterday to $1,176.75, the level since 2009. Bullion for immediate delivery lowest level since July 2009. Palladium traded at traded at $1,177.31 an ounce by 11:56 a.m. in $812.47 an ounce from $810.90 yesterday. Singapore from $1,176.44 yesterday, according to Bloomberg generic pricing. The metal sank Base Metal to $1,170.76 yesterday, the lowest level since A year that was supposed to be characterized Dec. 1, as U.S. oil futures for February delivery by supply divergence among the base metals tumbled 3.3 percent. Crude prices in New York traded on the London Metal Exchange (LME) and London have plunged to five-year lows is ending with all of them falling in tandem in and are more than 40 percent below their 2014 response to growing concerns about demand. peaks in June, boosting concern that inflation There is plenty to be concerned about. Take your will stay low and limit gold’s appeal as a hedge. pick from collapsing oil prices, stagnation in Holdings in the SPDR Gold Trust, the largest Europe and the still-unfolding Russian crisis. But exchange-traded product backed by bullion, for industrial metals the persistent underlying was unchanged yesterday after climbing to worry throughout the year has been slowdown the highest in a week on Dec. 19. The Federal in China, a drag on demand growth that shows Reserve pledged last week to be patient on the no sign of ending any time soon. timing for higher rates. Base metal prices particular the benchmark Assets in the SPDR Gold Trust were metal - copper futures posted modest gains on unchanged at 724.55 metric tons after rising Tuesday after retreating in the previous session, Market Highlights - Gold (% change) Gold Gold (Spot) Gold (Spot -Mumbai) Comex Gold MCX Gold (Feb’15) Unit Last Prev. day as on December 22, 2014 WoW MoM YoY but remained vulnerable to concerns of global oversupply. A massive sell-off sent the metal to its lowest level in 4-1/2 years earlier this month amid $/oz 1174.7 -1.73 -1.5 -1.9 -2.3 Rs/10 gms 26850.0 -0.19 -0.3 0.9 -9.9 $/oz 1179.7 -1.35 -2.3 -1.3 -1.3 Rs /10 gms 26608.0 -1.44 -2.6 0.0 -6.8 signs of a supply glut, a situation aggravated by slowing industrial growth in China. Most commodities appear oversold, but weak near-term fundamentals are unlikely to Source: Angel Broking 4 Daily 5 Tuesday 23, December 2014 boost investor confidence, ANZ Bank said in research. Supply-side issues will dominate early Market Highlights - Crude Oil (% change) as on December 22, 2014 Crude Oil Unit Last Prev. day muted, according to the research released late Brent (Spot) $/bbl 58.5 -0.9 -4.5 -24.5 -48.1 on Monday. "We think it will be a year of two Nymex Crude (Feb ’ 15) $/bbl 55.3 -2.2 -1.2 -27.1 -44.4 ICE Brent Crude (Feb1’15) $/bbl 60.1 -2.1 -1.6 -23.4 -46.2 MCX Crude Jan ’14) Rs/bbl 3534.0 -2.3 -1.8 -23.3 -42.9 next year while the demand backdrop remains halves. The first half will be weaker and more volatile, but the second half should improve as increased supply-discipline and stabilising growth begins to emerge," ANZ said. Three- WoW MoM YoY Source: Angel Broking month copper on the London Metal Exchange of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting had edged up $9 to $$6,364 a tonne by 0136 Countries refuse to cede market position, Iraqi Oil GMT. The most-traded copper contract on the Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said. The yen dropped Shanghai Futures Exchange was down 0.11 as much as 0.1 percent today to 120.18 per dollar, percent at 45,710 yuan ($7,345) a tonne. its weakest level since Dec. 9. The currency As per the Reuters report, China's implied consumption of refined copper rose 8.9 percent capped a fourth day of losses last session, its longest slump in a month. month-on-month in November, reversing a fall Fighting in Libya that’s pushed oil production in the previous month, helping support copper below consumption in the holder of Africa’s prices. Elsewhere, three-month nickel was largest reserves is a reminder that not all OPEC untraded after closing up 0.3 percent at $15,650 members are in a position to defend market per tonne on Monday, following losses of 6.4 share by maintaining output. As Iraq plans percent last week. Investors shrugged off LME to boost supplies next year amid repeated data showing that nickel stocks rose to a fresh pledges by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab record 408,408 tonnes. Aluminium gained 0.3 Emirates to keep pumping the same amount of percent to $1,886 per tonne, barely denting an crude, Libya’s National Oil Corp. said output has overnight drop of 1.4 percent. Zinc was up $4, or dropped to a “very low point.” Conflict between 1.8 percent, at $2,171 a tonne. the government and Islamist militias has spread Energy Market to the region of Mellitah, where the country’s West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.1 percent to $56.02 a barrel, after falling 3.3 percent yesterday. Prices are down 43 percent this year. Brent crude added 0.7 percent to $60.54 a barrel after slipping 2.1 percent last session. Oil inventories in the U.S., the world’s largest consumer, probably dropped for a second week through Dec. 19, a Bloomberg News survey of energy analysts showed before data tomorrow. Iraq plans to boost output next year as members fourth-largest oil port is located, after disrupting two other export terminals, according to the state-run company. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries chose to maintain its output targets last month, resisting calls for action from some smaller members including Libya to prop up plunging oil prices. Benchmark crude has since fallen a further 20 percent, exacerbating the decline in revenue from Libya’s shrinking crude production. Daily Tuesday 23, December 2014 News & Report Analysis Goldman sells Metro metals warehouse unit to Reuben Bros Goldman Sachs Group Inc has sold its controversial metals warehousing business to Swiss private equity group Reuben Brothers, the Wall Street bank said on Monday. The deal for Metro International Trade Services comes months after Goldman formally put the business on the block. Goldman bought Metro for an estimated $550 million in 2010, capitalizing on a surge in demand for storing base metals such as aluminum as demand slumped. But the bank came under fierce political and regulatory pressure to divest the Detroit-based operation amid allegations it had encouraged hoarding supply, inflating metals prices. Goldman has denied it did anything wrong. Last month, Goldman executives testified before a Senate subcommittee on the matter, and reaffirmed the company's intention to sell the metals warehousing unit. The deal is the latest in a string of commodity and energy market acquisitions by private equity groups, who are partly filling a void left by global banks that have been withdrawing from parts or even all of the volatile raw materials markets. A person familiar with the matter said Goldman earned a profit from the Metro business over the duration of its ownership. A second source said Goldman recouped its initial investment in Metro last year. Neither source was authorized to speak publicly about the matter. 6 Tuesday 23, December 2014 Daily From the time it purchased Metro, Goldman had planned to sell the business within 10 100 per cent equity is with MSTC. SAIL, RINL and NMDC are the major PSUs. years, but accelerated its timetable. Reuters "The Secretary, Ministry of Steel, was candid first reported Goldman's plans in April. Most enough to admit during evidence that a study of the bidding came from international buyers, has been conducted to look into the matter of including interest from companies in China, but repositioning of MSTC and FSNL," the report said. ultimately the bid from Reuben Brothers won MSTC is the holding company of FSNL. While out, one of the sources said. Reuben Brothers FSNL is into selling of scrap; MSTC is in the has a history in steel and iron ore investments business of e-commerce. through its metal trading company Metalloyd. The Committee recommended that an In April, the firm sold its stake in Erus Metals, a extensive study should be undertaken regarding small warehousing company based in the U.K., other PSUs under the administrative control of to commodity trader Gerald Group. the Steel Ministry within the next three months. SteelMin mulls merging small PSU units with bigger ones With eight companies under its administrative control, Steel Ministry has started Stating that it was concerned to observe that "at times the issue regarding chances of survival of smaller companies crops up", the Committee felt that "due to smaller units, a lot of expenditure is incurred under the non-plan head..." discussions on merging smaller units with the "Our secretary has directed to study the Govt eyes Rs 1.47 lakh cr from 92 coal blocks allotment, auction feasibility of merger of MSTC and FSNL. A Government is targeting a revenue of Rs 1.47 discussion is going on in Ministry regarding lakh crore from the allotment and auction of 92 smaller units," the ministry informed the coal blocks out of those being given out in the Standing Committee on Coal and Steel. first phase to private as well as public sector bigger PSUs, including MSTC with Ferro Scrap Nigam Ltd (FSNL). The committee, which tabled its report in the entities. Lok Sabha on Monday, said the issue of merger The 92 coal blocks to be both alloted and of small units came up for discussions during auctioned have geological reserves of 18,446 oral evidence. "In a post evidence reply, the Ministry have informed the Committee that feasibility of merger of smaller PSUs would be examined taking into account the desirability, shareholding pattern, functions and other aspects of the larger entities," the report said. Steel Ministry has eight companies -- SAIL, RINL, NMDC, Moil, KIOCL, HSCL, MECON and MSTC -- under its administrative control. FSNL's 7 Daily Tuesday 23, December 2014 million tonne, according to an official source. Of the 92 coal blocks, 57 blocks are for the power sector and 35 mines are for non-power sector and captive power plants, he said. In the first phase a total of 101 mines are being allocated, including 65 through the auction route. The blocks for the power sector have geological reserves of 15,305 million tonne and the revenue from these blocks, at a base price of Rs 100 per tonne, is likely to come to around Rs the steel industry," the Minister said in the Lok 1.53 lakh crore, said the source. Sabha during Question Hour. While in the case of non-power or captive According to him, if there is a crisis in the steel power plant blocks having geological reserves industry, it is due to inadequate availability of of 3,141, at a price of Rs 295 per tonne, comes iron ore. Mining activity, particularly that of iron to around 92,696 crore, he added. "If we add ore, was affected after Supreme Court imposed revenue from both power and non-power sector ban to prevent illegal mining activities. Later the the total revenues likely to be earned comes to apex court lifted the ban with some riders. around Rs 2.45 lakh crore," he said further. "Coal production from coal producing coal "If extractable reserves are taken as 60 blocks has been permitted till March 31, 2015. per cent of the geological reserves, the total Therefore, coal supply has not been disrupted revenue would be around Rs 1,47,448 crore," he due to cancellation of coal blocks by the said.The government had last week increased Supreme Court," Tomar said. He was responding the number of coal mines to be auctioned or to a query as to whether government has allotted in the first tranche to 101, from 92. made any assessment of the adverse effect of Govt working to raise iron ore supplies for steel industry cancellation of coal block allocations by the Amid the domestic steel industry facing problems, Steel Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Monday that government is trying its best to increase iron ore supplies. Tomar also asserted that fuel supplies to steel plants have not been disrupted due to Supreme Court cancelling coal blocks. Grappling with shortage of iron ore, a key raw material for the steel industry, many companies are importing it. "We are trying our best to increase availability of iron ore for Supreme Court on operational steel plants. Further, he said the matter of fuel supplies for steel and iron plants has been taken up with the Coal Ministry. "Representations have been received from some stakeholders stressing upon the need to maintain the supply of coal to iron and steel sector in the new allocation process. "Ministry of Steel has taken up the matter of ensuring adequate availability of coal to the steel sector with Coal Ministry," Tomar said. Among others, two projects of SAIL would be coming up and would help increase steel production, he added. 8 Tuesday 23, December 2014 Daily Ministry of Environment and Forest has been Panel asks government to ensure no more delay in NMDC steel mill received, stage II forest clearance for certain matters is still pending," it said asking the A Parliamentary panel has asked the Steel Ministry to ensure that commissioning of the Rs 15,525-crore plant by country's top iron ore miner NMDC is not delayed further. government to expedite clearances. EU launches anti-dumping probe into Indian cast iron tubing The three million tonne steel plant was The European Commission has begun scheduled to be commissioned in February this investigating a complaint that India has been year. It is now likely to be operationalised in flooding the EU market with cast iron tubes December next year. and pipes at below market cost, following "Though the date of completion of the a complaint by French building materials project has been rescheduled twice, Ministry of supplier Saint-Gobain. In an official notice, Steel/NMDC should ensure that no further delay the Commission, the EU executive, said it had occurs in the matter," the Standing Committee received a complaint in November that Indian on Coal and Steel said in its report tabled in the tubes and pipes of "ductile cast iron" were Lok Sabha on Monday. being dumped in the EU and damaging the The committee also desired that competitiveness of the European industry. environment clearance for the project be The complaint was brought by Saint-Gobain obtained expeditiously, while noting that the units in Britain, Germany and Spain on behalf scheduled commissioning has been extended of producers representing more than three- to December 2016 from May 2015 due to delay quarters of the total EU production of these in certain green approvals. tubes and pipes, the Commission said. Under "The committee have been informed that EU rules, the Commission could propose the likely date of commissioning of the plant is provisional steps within nine months and December 2016 as the environment clearance definitive punitive measures within 15 months for the construction of steel plant from the of official publication. The European Foundry Association (CAEF), which represents the cast iron industry, was not immediately available to comment. Cast iron is a separate product to steel and serves a different market. It is iron mixed with carbon that has been heated and then poured into a mould to solidify. Saint-Gobain, Europe's biggest supplier of building materials, has suffered from depressed construction and car markets this year, and has been betting on cost savings, innovation and a recovery in the US to improve profits. 9 Tuesday 23, December 2014 Daily chairman as well as managing director, figure SAIL's titanium project depends on technology availability: Minister among 260 entities barred by Sebi for suspected money laundering and tax evasion activities Over 19 months after the signing of an initial pact, fate of SAIL's titanium project in Kerala still hinges on the availability of suitable technology, to the Techno through stock markets. Those barred by Sebi include the company chairman Brij Bhushan Singal, his son and managing director Neeraj Singal, as also their Parliament was informed on Monday. "According 10 Economic Feasibility Report, the financial viability of the project depends upon the latest cost effective technology, which is still not available in India," Minister of State for Steel and Mines Vishnu Deo Sai said in Lok Sabha. Replying to an unstarred question, Sai said: "Efforts to obtain transfer of technology from leading global supplies has not been very encouraging and further course of action is dependent on availability of titanium production technology." Steel Authority of India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and Kerala Minerals and Metals (KMML) on behalf of the Kerala Government in April, 2013. The MoU was aimed at jointly exploring possibilities of setting up a titanium sponge and metal complex in the state through a joint venture in a phased manner. Subsequently, a joint committee of SAIL and Government of Kerala was constituted to carry out a feasibility study of the technical and financial viability of the project which was supposed to produce 10,000 tonne titanium sponge per annum. Bhushan Steel promoters among 260 Sebi-barred entities In fresh troubles for crisis-hit Bhushan Steel, four members of its promoter family, including respective spouses Uma Singal and Ritu Singal. All four of them were allotted shares on preferential basis by Radford Global and First Financial - the two firms at the centre of a massive Sebi crackdown on misuse of this route of share allotment to launder money and avoid taxes. While further probe is continuing by Sebi along with other agencies such as the Income Tax Department, the Enforcement Directorate and the Financial Intelligence Unit, all the 260 entities, including four from the Singal family, have been barred from all kinds of dealings in securities markets till further directions through an interim order. In its orders, Sebi last Friday said that the modus operandi of the barred entities typically involved stock market dealings aimed at evading long-term capital gains tax and showing the source of income as legitimate from stock markets.