* AUTOMOBILES: Nissan plans to invest 17 bln rupees to set-up a factory at Oragadam, near Chennai for the Datsun range of cars.
* BANKING: CARE Ratings sees Indian banks' outstanding restructured assets at 3.0-3.2 trln rupees by March 2015, and expects incremental provisioning thereon to impact profits by 5.0-5.5% in 2013-14 (Apr-Mar) and 2014-15. Public sector banks are looking to open 60,000 ATMs in rural areas over the next two years. All ministries, departments and public sector units have been asked to keep at least 60% of their surplus funds with public sector banks.
* ECONOMY: CARE Ratings sees a "significant" impact on inflationary pressures in the economy following the freight rate hike included in rail budget.
* EXCHANGES: National Stock Exchange's trading members may face connectivity problems at various times between Mar 5 and 18 due to sun outage. BSE has decided to lower circuit limit of scrips of 12 companies, including those that were hammered in the mid-cap crash on Monday.
* PHARMACUETICAL: The Department of Pharmaceutical has come up with a formula to price patented drugs to end a constant irritant for global drugmakers. The Competition Commission of India has imposed a penalty of 4.7 mln rupees on the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists for misusing its dominant position.
* SUGAR: The government's move to decontrol sugar may get delayed after the finance ministry raised concerns over a rise in subsidy burden and increase in sugar prices due to the proposed hike in excise duty.
* STEEEL: POSCO India will start production at its Odisha plant within five years.
* REGULATORY: Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Anand Sinha's tenure has been extended until Jan 18. RBI's new norms for bank licences may have removed statements in the draft that had kept out real estate firms and brokerage houses, but entities from these two sectors may find it extremely difficult to get a licence.
- Securities and Exchanges Board of India has ordered a probe into Monday's mid-cap crash that saw some stocks plunging up to 60%, and hopes to crack the case soon to penalise the culprits.
- The insurance regulator has raised objection over SEBI's proposal to allow insurance companies' propriety trading members to trade in debt on stock exchanges.
- The Supreme Court has sought an explanation from Sahara India Mutual Benefit Company as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for collection and distribution of cash deposits that allegedly violated tax laws.
- SEBI said it wants underperforming asset management companies to stop charging fees from investors.
* TELECOM: Vodafone India 's enterprise arm, Vodafone Business Services, said it expects to drive growth through its foray into wireline services. The government has pushed back auction of spectrum in the 1800 MHz and 900 MHz bands, scheduled to begin Mar 11, after it failed to attract any applicants for the same.
- SingTel, which owns 32% in Bharti Airtel, has denied allegations levelled against it by CBI for offering international long distance services to Indian customers without a licence. Department of Telecom has agreed to allow transfer of Uninor's assets to Telenor's new entity Telewigs.
- Uninor plans to offer cheapest rates in all of the six circles it operates in.
