A day after banning futures trade in four food commodities and persuading steel producers to slash prices, the government on Thursday said more measures were in the offing to curb inflation, which should ease in 8 weeks.
"Government is not helpless and has means to ensure prices are brought down. More measures - both administrative and fiscal - are in the offing to control inflation," Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar said.
He said iron ore, steel and cement would continue to remain under the government scanner.
He said a series of calibrated measures would ensure that inflation is brought down by at least one percentage point in the next two months.
Prices of wheat, rice and edible oils have already come down between March 1 and May 6, Kumar said. Wheat prices have declined by 1.6 per cent, wheat by 9.1 per cent and edible oil by over 18 per cent, he said.
The government on Wednesday suspended futures trading in gram, refined soya, potato and rubber for four months - a move aimed at arresting speculation-driven price rise to cool inflation that is over 7.5 per cent now.
Besides, steel producers announced cut in prices by up to Rs 4,000 a ton after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday.
Courtesy : FINANCIALEXPRESS.COM
More steps on cards to ease inflation: Govt
May 9, 2008, 12:02 pmCiti mulls up to $400 billion asset sales: Source
May 9, 2008, 11:59 am
Citigroup Inc will present as much as $400 billion of "non-core" assets that can be sold by the bank when it meets investors and analysts on Friday, a person familiar with the situation said.
Newly-installed Chief Executive Vikram Pandit, scrambling to slash costs and assets hard hit by the credit crunch, also intends to reaffirm his promise to cut annual expenses by around a fifth, the source said on Thursday.
Citigroup declined to comment.
Since taking over in December from Charles Prince, who resigned under pressure after years of disappointing results, Pandit has presided over a bank reporting $15 billion of losses, one that raised more than $40 billion of new capital and cut its dividend by 41 percent.
Pandit has faced demands from investors to slash costs, shed poorly performing businesses and even split up the largest US bank.
Yet in a four-hour presentation to analysts and investors on Friday, Pandit and other top executives are expected to fend off calls for a break-up, instead touting Citi's combination of consumer and institutional businesses.
Citi's balance sheet currently weighs in at more than $2.2 trillion, though much of that comprises businesses and trading positions outside its key businesses: commercial, consumer and investment banking.
Actual asset and business sales will take place over a period of years, according to the Financial Times which first reported the asset sales scope on its website on Thursday.
Pandit already has sold the bank's stake in CitiStreet benefits servicing venture, commercial leasing business CitiCapital and the Diners Club charge card business.
The Wall Street Journal this week reported Citi may sell Primerica, a consumer sales network for life insurance and investments.
Another highlight of the meeting will be plans to slash as much as $15 billion off operating expenses. Last Year, Citi's costs totalled more than $61 billion.
The bank has announced 13,200 job cuts in 2008, though analysts say tens of thousands of further cuts may be needed. The bank ended March with 369,000 employees.
Courtesy : FINANCIALEXPRESS.COM
Newly-installed Chief Executive Vikram Pandit, scrambling to slash costs and assets hard hit by the credit crunch, also intends to reaffirm his promise to cut annual expenses by around a fifth, the source said on Thursday.
Citigroup declined to comment.
Since taking over in December from Charles Prince, who resigned under pressure after years of disappointing results, Pandit has presided over a bank reporting $15 billion of losses, one that raised more than $40 billion of new capital and cut its dividend by 41 percent.
Pandit has faced demands from investors to slash costs, shed poorly performing businesses and even split up the largest US bank.
Yet in a four-hour presentation to analysts and investors on Friday, Pandit and other top executives are expected to fend off calls for a break-up, instead touting Citi's combination of consumer and institutional businesses.
Citi's balance sheet currently weighs in at more than $2.2 trillion, though much of that comprises businesses and trading positions outside its key businesses: commercial, consumer and investment banking.
Actual asset and business sales will take place over a period of years, according to the Financial Times which first reported the asset sales scope on its website on Thursday.
Pandit already has sold the bank's stake in CitiStreet benefits servicing venture, commercial leasing business CitiCapital and the Diners Club charge card business.
The Wall Street Journal this week reported Citi may sell Primerica, a consumer sales network for life insurance and investments.
Another highlight of the meeting will be plans to slash as much as $15 billion off operating expenses. Last Year, Citi's costs totalled more than $61 billion.
The bank has announced 13,200 job cuts in 2008, though analysts say tens of thousands of further cuts may be needed. The bank ended March with 369,000 employees.
Courtesy : FINANCIALEXPRESS.COM
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