Weekly Column

SPECIAL EDITION ON 30^TH ANNIVERSARY OF MIRA INFORM PRIVATE LIMITED

TATA EYES THE SKY AGAIN WITH AIRASIA

Tata Sons will hold 30 % in proposed venture with AirAsia holding 49 %. Tatas wouln’t have operating role in the JV.  The Tata group is joining AirAsia Bhd., Asia’s largest low fare carrier and a local investor in seeking to enter the aviation market, 13 years after the conglomerate’s bid to buy a stake in Air India in partnership with Singapore Airlines Ltd collapsed in the face of political and corporate intrigue.

TATA PLANS NANO DRIVE TO MALAYSIA

Tata Motors, AirAsia chief Fernandes may set up joint venture to make, sell Tata vehicles in South East Asia. The aviation deal stuck by the Tata group and AirAsia Bhd, Asia’s largest low fare airline, is creating a new synergy that may enable the companies to jointly build low cost vehicles drawn from the stable to Tata Motors Limited in Malaysia for sale in that country and other markets.

US FED SPLIT OVER BOND-BUYING PLAN

A number of US Federal Reserve officials think the central bank might have to slow or stop buying bonds before seeing the pick-up in hiring the programme is designed to deliver, according to minutes of the central bank’s policy meeting last month.

TVS LOGISTICS BUYS UK’S RICO FOR RS 1000 MN

TVS Logistics Services Ltd part of the $6 bn TVS Group has acquired an 85 % stake in UK based Rico Logistics for Rs 1000 mn and is in talks to buy out another firm that has operations in Asia.

BIGGEST CHARITY GESTURE IN INDIA

Premji of Wipro gives Rs 12.3 k crore to his trust. He transfers 12 % of company’s total shares in biggest charity gesture in India. His foundation will open 60 district level institutes and 8 state level institutes across India by 2016. It will open 80-100 schools. Premji University is expected to have 2500 students in the next year.

JAPANESE MNC KYB CORPORATION ACQUIRES 50 % STAKE IN CONMAT SYSTEMS

Japanese company, KYB Corporation acquired 50 % stake in Vadodara based Conmat Systems Private Limited. KYB which made slightly above Rs 1000 mn investments to acquire the stake, is investing for the first in India targeting India’s Rs 30000 mn construction equipment market.

BOEING CLOSE TO FIXING DREAMLINER BATTERY

Boeing company has found a way to its battery problems on its grounded 787 Dreamliner jets that involves increasing the space between the lithiumion battery cells, a person familiar with the US company’s plans told Reuters.

CLIMATE CHANGE, A HUGE BULLET

Mr John Englander writes : the last truly abrupt changes in the Earth’s climate occurred more than 50 mn years ago. During that period carbon dioxide increased abour 100 ppm over a million years. The global temperature spiked by about 9 degrees F… over 10000 years. While that may sound slow, in geologic time, it is considered quick and drastic. At current rate of carbon emissions, we will increase carbon dioxide levels by that same 100 ppm in just 30 to 40 years. In other words, we are increasing carbon dioxide levels roughly 20000 times faster than at any time in the last 540 million years. Temperatures, which can lag behind the rise of carbon dioxide, are now rising about 55 times faster than they did even during the most recent cycle of glacial melting. Human beings are to blame ! Englanders believes that present trends will raise water levels some 212 feet. When ? He doesn’t know.

GOLD SINKS !

Bloomberg reports : Billionaire Investors George Soros and Louis Moore cut their stakes in exchange-traded products backed by gold last quarter as futures dropped the most in more than eight years. John Paulson maintained his holding.  The fourth-quarter decisions by Soros and Bacon may bolster speculation that gold’s 12 year bull-run is coming to an end as economic data from the U.S. to China show signs of recovery, curbing haven demand. Soros Fund Management LLC reduced its investment in the SPDR Gold Trust, the biggest fund backed by 55 % to 600000 shares as of Dec. 31 from three months earlier, a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing showed recently. Becon’s Moore Capiral Management LP sold its entire stake in the SPDR fund and lowered holdings in the Sprott Physical Gold Trust. Paulson & Co., the largest investor in SPDR, kept its stake at 21.8 mn shares.

The Financial Times : Gold sinks through $ 1600 on recovery hopes. Gold prices tumbled..for the first time in six months as investors turned to other assets amid hopes of an economic recovery.

INDIA’S HIGHEST PAID EXECUTIVES

Mr Naveen Jindal, the CMD of Jindal Steel & Power tops the list with a salary of about Rs 734 mn. Mr and Mrs Maran from Sun TV with a total salary of Rs 1.14 bn. Pawan Munjal, MD & CEO and Brijmohan Lall, Chairman of Hero Motocorp ranked the highest combined figure of Rs 1.3 bn. Most of the executives are the promoters of the companies that they are heading

THIRTY INSPIRING YEARS !!!

Dear friend  :

Greetings !

On the 2^nd March 2013, MIRA INFORM completes 30 years. During this period, MIRA INFORM produced millions of Business Information Reports on businesses and carried out various kinds of Background Check on individuals from most of the major countries for international clients. As we commemorate this special occasion, I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to you, our valued clients for your unstinted faith and support through this memorable journey. Your continuous trust has indeed significantly strengthened our shared aspiration of creating one of Asia’s respected Business Information Company. Mira Inform Japan Limited, Tokyo was born on 12^th February, 2013 !

The journey of excellence is undoubtedly a tribute to our clients, partners, associates and our dedicated employees of today and yesterday – who have steadfastly stood by us through this  voyage of change and challenge. These 30 inspiring years have been marked by overarching VISION to serve a larger national purpose, to live up by the strong VALUES and to nourish internal VITALITY to create superior value for all our stakeholders and important place in Business Information Market in India and overseas. As we look back on the historic journey, we feel deeply touched that our Paid up Capital was just Rs 300 in 1983 against Rs 17 mn now ! We started with Rs 1800 priced Remington baby typewriter from residence when today our aggregate offices, company, database, brand and others are valued at huge sum ! I have proud to have had the opportunity to lead MIRA INFORM since its’ inception.

                                                                                                              With warm personal regards,