Doha impasse lingers

New Delhi, March 4: India today said it had rejected the fresh market-opening proposals for industrial goods under the Doha negotiations, resisting pressures to hold the next WTO ministerial meeting in the near future. The negotiating group on non-agricultural market access had come out with a revised draft on February 8 and some fresh proposals on February 27, giving a formula for reduction of duties by developing and developed countries.

Edible oils

New Delhi, March 4: The government has kept the base prices of edible oils unchanged for the next 15 days to keep the rising prices of the commodities under check.

Cell licences

New Delhi, March 4: The government issued 19 telecom licences to new players such as Shyam Telelink and Loop Telecom, taking the total number of new permits to 107.

Sebi hint

Mumbai, March 4: A beneficiary of a tip-off about inside information should not be allowed to go scot-free and there should be a specific penalty for a “tippee”, market regulator Sebi suggested today.

Oil output

Vienna, March 4: Opec president Chakib Khelil said the 13-nation cartel is shying away from boosting production because of the US economic slowdown, political turmoil in West Asia and expectations of slackening global demand for crude.