Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Search
Search:
India plans $4 billion in extra spending
By ERIKA KINETZ,Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, December 8
MUMBAI, India - The Indian government plans to spend an additional $4 billion to boost the nation's slowing economy, the Prime Minister's Office said Sunday.
The government also announced targeted measures to help exporters, small businesses and textile manufacturers, a plan to expand mortgage lending and a cut in a valued-added tax.
It also said a state-run financing firm will be allowed to issue $2 billion worth of tax-free bonds to finance infrastructure projects.
"The government is keeping a close watch on the evolving economic situation and will not hesitate to take any additional steps that may be needed to counter recessionary trends and maintain the pace of economic activity," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
Growth skidded to 7.6 percent last quarter _ off from 9.3 percent in the third quarter of 2007_ and exports shrank in October for the first time in seven years.
India's ballooning fiscal deficit means it can do far less than a country like China _ which last month announced a $586 billion stimulus package _ to spend its way out of an economic slump.
Citibank said in a report Thursday that it expects India's deficit in this fiscal year will swell from 6 percent to 8.6 percent of its gross domestic product _ far higher than the government's target.
The government said Sunday that spending for the remaining four months of the fiscal year would total $60.2 billion.
The government recently announced plans to float $9 billion worth of bonds, which some worried would crowd out other borrowers from an already lean market.
Until now, India has focused on using monetary policy to counter the effects of the global slowdown. Since mid-September, the Reserve Bank of India has infused $60.2 billion into the financial system to boost liquidity.
On Saturday, the bank again slashed interest rates. It cut the benchmark repo rate, at which the central bank makes short-term loans to commercial banks, from 7.5 percent to 6.5 percent. That's the lowest since June 2006 and down from an October high of 9 percent.
The reverse repurchase rate _ the rate at which it borrows from commercial banks _ was lowered from 6 percent to 5 percent to encourage banks to lend more to consumers.
Business leaders had hoped the government would do even more.
"The fiscal package is pointing in the right direction, but could have done even more of stimulation to increase the growth trajectory," Amit Mitra, secretary general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said in a statement Sunday.
Last week, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath told reporters the government would be unfurling a series of stimulus measures, but that the details and timing of the measures were unclear.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: China's Economy
China's dry container output nearly halted -CIMCReuters - 16 minutes ago
Double-whammy hits troubled Thailand's economy: analystsAFP - 24 minutes ago
New Zealand PM says kiwi dollar may fall furtherReuters - 1 hour 49 minutes ago
Investors hunt for more clues about economyAP - Monday, December 8
Related Articles: Business
China's dry container output nearly halted -CIMCReuters - 16 minutes ago
S.Korea's Young Poong to cut zinc output by 10 pctReuters - 18 minutes ago
Crane failure damages Wesfarmers coal mineReuters - 22 minutes ago
Double-whammy hits troubled Thailand's economy: analystsAFP - 24 minutes ago
China's Chery auto maker wins access to $1.5 bln loansReuters - 53 minutes ago
Related Full Coverage
China Economy
china economy
All Full Coverage
Most Popular – Business
Viewed
Diamond thieves pull off 100-million-dollar Paris heist
Girl, 8, among 17 dead in Manila shoot-out: police
Vinnie Jones gets into bar fight over role in X-Men
Oil price falls below $40
Climate change: Sci-fi solutions no longer in the margins
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular