* AUTOMOBILES: Japanese automobile manufacturer Isuzu plans to set up manufacturing base in India . The company plans to launch a light commercial vehicle, pick-up van, and a sports utility vehicle in the country.
* BANKING: Yusuffali MA, who heads the $5.5-bln LuLu Group in West Asia, has sought Reserve Bank of India 's approval to buy 4.99% in Catholic Syrian Bank.
* DISINVESTMENT: COAL INDIA, INDIAN OIL CORP, NHPC are likely to be the main candidates for disinvestment by the government next year.
* ENERGY: The finance ministry has intimated an additional compensation of 250 bln rupees for state-owned oil marketing companies for revenue losses incurred on subsidised sale of petroleum fuels in the current financial year.
* GOVERNEMENT: Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has said it would be difficult for the government to maintain high expenditure in the economy as the fiscal deficit situation is grim.
* RAILWAYS: Growth in rail freight traffic rose to a three-month high of 6.4% in January from 1.6% a month before. Rail freight traffic had grown 5.4% in the year-ago period.
* TAXATION: Government may make tax collected at source mandatory for transactions in real estate, foreign tours and mutual funds, besides credit card payments and luxury spends, to plug revenue leakages.
* TELECOM: A special trial court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to submit documents relating to resolutions passed by Bharti Cellular, Vodafone India , and Vodafone Mobile Service for seeking excess spectrum from the government.
- Central Bureau of Investigation has removed its prosecutor A.K. Singh in the 2G spectrum case, after he was allegedly caught in a taped conversation discussing prosecution strategy with UNITECH's Managing Director Sanjay Chandra.
- Russia 's Sistema has shelved talks with Malaysia 's Maxis Group to buy out Indian telecom operator Aircel.
- Supreme Court has said that all spectrum vacated by the 122 quashed mobile permits must be put up for sale in the upcoming spectrum auctions.
- Unsuccessful bidders and telecom companies at the fresh auctions for 2G spectrum will not be allowed to provide services, the Supreme Court has said.
