WEATHER ALERTS IN INDIA ON 10TH MAY

According to the latest weather update by Skymet Meteorology Division in India, here are the latest weather alerts for different parts of the country:

Weather alert for Haryana issued at 17:40 Hrs

Light to moderate dust storm and thundershowers are likely at some places over Bhiwani, Fatehabad, Jind, Mahendragarh, Rohtak, Sirsa and Sonipat districts of Haryana with strong winds ranging between 60 kmph and 110 kmph during the next 2 to 6 hours.

Weather alert for Rajasthan issued at 15:44 Hrs

Light to moderate dust storm and thundershowers are likely over Ajmer, Alwar, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Pali, Sikar and Sri Ganganagar districts of Rajasthan with strong average winds of 50 kmph gusting at 80 kmph during the next 2 to 6 hours.

Weather alert for Punjab issued at 15:35 Hrs

Light to moderate rain and thundershowers are likely over Chandigarh, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Rupnagar districts of Punjab with strong average winds of 50 kmph gusting at 80 kmph during the next 2 to 6 hours.

Weather alert for Punjab issued at 15 Hrs

Light to moderate dust storm and thundershowers are likely over Delhi/NCR with strong winds ranging between 50 kmph and 80 kmph during the next 2 to 6 hours.

By: Skymetweather.com

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Sustainable ways of farming to reduce pressure on environment

Is the world efficient about what we grow, how we grow and where we grow? Agriculture is the backbone of survival and one hardly considers agriculture as a potential threat to the environment. But the truth is that few agricultural practices impact Global warming and prove detrimental for the planet Earth. We definitely picture cars and smokestacks but not our platter of food when we hear about Global warming.

It turns out that Agriculture is one of the greatest contributors to global warming, which emits much more greenhouse gases than big trucks, cars, trains and even airplanes combined.

Culprits of agriculture

The main culprits of agriculture are nitrous oxide coming from fertilized fields, increased carbon dioxide due to cutting of rain forests to grow crops or raise livestock and methane gas released by cattle and rice farms.

Farming consumes most of our precious water supplies and also serves as the major water polluter, thanks to runoff from fertilizers, chemical and pesticides. Manures also pollute water bodies and coastal ecosystems across the globe.

Agriculture also accelerates the loss of biodiversity by replacing forests with farm lands and leading to loss of crucial habitat of wildlife.

Few sustainable ways to feed the generations to come

Thus we see that agriculture poses critical environmental challenges and they are increasingly become more pressing as humans worldwide desperately try to meet the growing need for food.

Globally, an area approximately the size of South America has already been cleared to grow crops and roughly one more mid-sized continent to raise livestock till date. The loss of prairies ecosystems of North America and the Atlantic forest of Brazil could be attributed to agriculture. The situation now no longer allows the world to increase food production through agricultural expansion.

Here are few ways to solve the world's food dilemma.

Stop deforestation as trading tropical forests for farmland is the most destructive things we could possibly do. The practice should be to grow more on the already available farms. The world should now focus on increasing yields on less productive farmlands by using improved and hi-tech farming practices. Organic farming is also a good way to boost yields. It facilitates judicious use water and chemicals as it incorporates cover crops, mulches, and compost to improve soil quality and use less water. Commercial farming is good bet as it uses innovative ways to better target the application of fertilizers and pesticides. Computerized tractors equipped with advanced sensors and GPS help in this process. It's likely that there will be two billion more mouths to feed by the middle of this century. Moreover, with the increasing prosperity there is a rise in demand for meat and dairy products and thus, boosting the growth of corn and soybeans to feed the cattle. This could well necessitate doubling the amount of crops grown by the year 2050. Developed countries should take steps to reduce wastage by serving smaller portions and eating leftovers. Food joints, restaurants and supermarkets should effectively take measures to eradicate wastage .

picture courtesy- Louis Daria

By: Skymetweather.com

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Crude falls on profit taking, Chinese inflation data

Investing.com - Investing.com - Crude futures edged lower on Friday as investors sold the commodity for profits after locking in gains on Ukraine tensions and jumped to the sidelines to await fresh news to steer prices higher or lower.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate crude Oil for delivery in June traded at $99.90 a barrel during U.S. trading, down 0.36%. New York-traded oil futures hit a session low of $99.87 a barrel and a high of $101.15 a barrel.

The June contract settled down 0.51% at $100.26 a barrel on Thursday.

Nymex oil futures were likely to find support at $98.75 a barrel, the low from May 1, and resistance at $101.15 a barrel, the session high.

Concerns that Ukraine is descending into civil war have pushed up oil prices in recent sessions, as fears persist the conflict could disrupt shipments from Russia, the world's second-largest exporter after Saudi Arabia.

In Europe earlier, pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine ignored a public call by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone a referendum on self-rule and said they plan to go ahead on Sunday with a vote that some fear could lead to a civil war.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said earlier that the European Union was still struggling to agree on what approach to take on the crisis and added the event was the biggest threat to European security since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Still, oil prices fell after investors sold for profits and jumped to the sidelines to await fresh steering currents.

Soft Chinese pricing data pushed oil prices down as well.

China's April consumer price index rose 1.8% year-on-year, less than market expectations for a 2.0% gain, while the country's producer price index fell 2.0%, more than market calls for a 1.9% contraction.

Elsewhere, on the ICE Futures Exchange in London, Brent oil futures for June delivery were down 0.29% and trading at US$107.82 a barrel, while the spread between the Brent and U.S. crude contracts stood at US$7.92 a barrel.

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Dollar extends gains as euro softens on expectations for ECB move

Investing.com - Investing.com - The dollar extended Thursday's gains into Friday as investors flocked to the greenback after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted that monetary authorities would feel at ease implementing fresh stimulus measures in June.

In U.S. trading on Friday, EUR/USD was down 0.66% at 1.3748.

The European Central Bank this week left interest rates unchanged at 0.25%, though the euro dropped after ECB President Mario Draghi said the bank's governing council would be comfortable acting at its next meeting after the bank publishes fresh inflation and growth forecasts.

Draghi attributed weak inflation rates to food and energy prices, but added that the strong euro and weak domestic demand are also pushing down inflation.

He reiterated that the ECB does not have a target for the euro exchange rate but stressed that the bank would closely monitor exchange-rate developments.

Market talk that fresh easing measures or rate cuts softened the euro, which boosted the dollar's safe-haven appeal.

The ECB will meet on June 5 to discuss monetary policy.

Elsewhere on Friday, official data revealed that Germany's trade surplus narrowed to €14.8 billion in March from €15.8 billion in February, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated surplus of €15.7 billion. Analysts had expected the trade surplus to widen to €16.6 billion in March.

Meanwhile, pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine ignored a public call by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone a referendum on self-rule and said they plan to go ahead on Sunday with a vote that some fear could lead to a civil war.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said earlier that the European Union was still struggling to agree on what approach to take on the crisis and added the event was the biggest threat to European security since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The dollar was up against the yen, with USD/JPY up 0.12% at 101.78 and up against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF up 0.79% at 0.8872.

The greenback was up against the pound, with GBP/USD down 0.54% at 1.6841.

The dollar was up against its cousins in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with USD/CAD up 0.64% at 1.0900, AUD/USD down 0.20% at 0.9355 and NZD/USD down 0.36% at 0.8614.

The US Dollar Index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.62% at 79.97.

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Dollar gains as Draghi's hints at June policy action soften euro

Investing.com - Investing.com - The dollar edged higher against most major currencies on Thursday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted that monetary authorities would be okay with implementing fresh stimulus measures in June.

In U.S. trading on Thursday, EUR/USD was down 0.39% at 1.3856.

The European Central Bank earlier left interest rates unchanged at 0.25%, though the euro dropped after Draghi said the ECB governing council is comfortable with acting at its next meeting in June, after the bank has published fresh forecasts for inflation and growth.

Draghi attributed weak inflation rates to food and energy prices, but added that the strong euro and weak domestic demand are also suppressing inflation rates.

He reiterated that the ECB does not have a target for the euro exchange rate but stressed that the bank would closely monitor exchange-rate developments.

Draghi reiterated the bank's forward guidance, stressing that interest rates will remain at their present or even lower levels for a considerable time.

The ECB chief said the latest data shows that the European economy is recovering, in line with the bank's forecasts, but also pointed to a prolonged period of low inflation, followed by only a gradual rise in prices.

Meanwhile in the U.S., the Department of Labor reported that number of individuals filing for unemployment assistance last week fell by 26,000 to 319,000 from the previous week's revised total of 345,000.

Analysts had expected jobless claims to fall by 20,000 to 325,000.

The dollar was down against the yen, with USD/JPY down 0.42% at 101.48 and up against the Swiss franc, with USD/CHF up 0.33% at 0.8792.

The greenback was up against the pound, with GBP/USD down 0.06% at 1.6943.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to keep interest rates on hold at their current record low of 0.5%. The bank also made no change in its quantitative easing program, which remains at £375 billion, though the pair largely ignored the widely-anticipated move

The dollar was mixed against its cousins in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with USD/CAD down 0.71% at 1.0822, AUD/USD up 0.49% at 0.9374 and NZD/USD down 0.24% at 0.8642.

Australia reported earlier that the number of employed people in Australia rose by 14,200 in April, beating expectations for a 6,800 increase, while the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.8%.

Elsewhere, China's trade surplus widened to $18.45 billion in April from a surplus of $7.7 billion in March, outpacing estimates for a $13.9 billion surplus, which boosted the aussie.

Chinese exports climbed 0.9% from a year earlier, beating expectations for a 1.7% decline and following a 6.6% drop in March. Imports rose 0.8%, compared to forecasts for a 2.3% decline and after plunging 11.3% in the previous month.

The US Dollar Index, which tracks the performance of the greenback versus a basket of six other major currencies, was up 0.17% at 79.41.

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U.S. stocks end mixed to lower on earnings; Dow rises 0.20%

Investing.com - Investing.com - U.S. stocks ended Thursday mixed to lower after investors bought and sold equities while digesting hit-or-miss earnings, though upbeat data out of the labor market cushioned the market.

At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow 30 rose 0.20%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.14%, while the NASDAQ Composite index fell 0.40%.

A mixed bag of earnings sent stock indices rising and falling on Thursday.

Online travel agency Priceline.com Incorporated (NASDAQ:PCLN) reported a 36% increase in first-quarter profits, which drew applause, though still, expectations for bookings to slow dampened the stock.

Elsewhere, automaker Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) stocks dipped after the company's outlook for the second quarter disappointed investors.

Technology stocks came under selling pressure earlier, as investors viewed the sector as too frothy and sidestepped momentum stocks, Internet equities especially, which brought the Nasdaq down.

Earlier this week, Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) shares plunged after a six-month lock-up period expired for early investors that had restricted the sale of roughly 82% of the company's stock.

Good news out of the labor market drew some applause and allowed for sideways trading.

The Department of Labor reported that number of individuals filing for unemployment assistance last week fell by 26,000 to 319,000 from the previous week's revised total of 345,000.

Analysts had expected jobless claims to fall by 20,000 to 325,000.

Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included AT&T Inc (NYSE:T), up 1.80%, Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), up 1.63%, and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS), up 1.23%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK), down 1.82%, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), down 1.31%, and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), down 0.90%.

European indices, meanwhile, finished higher.

After the close of European trade, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 rose 1.33%, France's CAC 40 rose 1.37%, while Germany's DAX rose 0.90%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 rose 0.63%.

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Balaji Amines: Board recommends dividend

Balaji Amines at its meeting held on May 07, 2014, have recommended the payment of annual dividend of Re 1/- per equity share i.e. 50% on face value of Rs. 2/- per share and the same will be payable after it is approved by the shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting.

Balaji Amines Ltd has informed BSE that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on May 07, 2014, inter alia, have recommended the payment of annual dividend of Re 1/- per equity share i.e. 50% on face value of Rs. 2/- per share and the same will be payable after it is approved by the shareholders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting.Source : BSE

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Accel Frontline: Change in directorship

Accel Frontline has informed that at the Board Meeting held on May 07, 2014, Mr. Malcolm F Mehta has been appointed as an Additional Director of the Company representing promoter company M/s CAC Holdings Corporation (earlier M/s CAC Corporation) with effect from May 07, 2014.

Accel Frontline Ltd has informed BSE that at the Board Meeting held on May 07, 2014, certain changes have taken place in the directorships:- Mr. A.P. Parigi, has resigned as a Director from the Board with effect from May 07, 2014. - Mr. Malcolm F Mehta has been appointed as an Additional Director of the Company representing promoter company M/s CAC Holdings Corporation (earlier M/s CAC Corporation) with effect from May 07, 2014.Source : BSE

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Bajaj Auto gears up for RE60 launch in October

The Law Ministry vetted the proposal in February and thereafter, the Ministry of Roads and Transport which really piloted this concept for the longest time came out with the final notification which said that from October 1, 2014 quadricycles could start plying on Indian roads.

Bajaj Auto  is all set to roll out its RE60 and for the launch of India's first quadricycle, the RE60, and this comes after the government cleared the decks with new quadricycle norms.

The Law Ministry vetted the proposal in February and thereafter, the Ministry of Roads and Transport which really piloted this concept for the longest time came out with the final notification which said that from October 1, 2014 quadricycles could start plying on Indian roads.

Also read: FinMin likely to extend auto excise cuts beyond June

Hence, it is no surprise that Bajaj Auto, the company which for the first time showcased quadricycles to the Indian consumers and the Indian government would be the first off the blocks.

Sources in Bajaj Auto have said that in the very first week of October the company will launch the RE60 in India.

Furthermore, the company would also be looking at exporting the RE60 out of the Aurangabad plant where RE60 would be manufactured.

The company has already started talks with many state governments and it's the West Bengal government that has shown the most interest in quadricycles. So, maybe the first quadricycle could start plying on the roads of Kolkata.

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Crude gains as Ukraine unrest grows

Investing.com - Investing.com - Crude futures rose on Tuesday after skirmishes between Ukraine and separatists escalated and stoked fears of an outright civil war, which could affect oil shipments from neighboring Russia, the world's second-largest exporter after Saudi Arabia.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate crude oil for delivery in June traded at $100.03 a barrel during U.S. trading, up 0.55%. New York-traded oil futures hit a session low of $99.33 a barrel and a high of $100.42 a barrel.

The June contract settled down 0.28% at $99.48 a barrel on Monday.

Nymex oil futures were likely to find support at $98.75 a barrel, Thursday's low, and resistance at $100.59 a barrel, the high from April 30.

Oil prices found support on clashes between Ukraine's army and pro-Russian forces raging in six eastern Ukraine cities over the weekend, sparking fears that the crisis will develop and drag the U.S. deeper into the standoff.

Pro-Russia rebels shot down a Ukrainian helicopter outside the eastern town of Slaviansk, while Ukraine dispatched police special forces to the port city of Odessa to halt the rebellion spreading westward.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry threatened Russia with further sanctions on Sunday unless the country stopped backing separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Russia produced 10.4 million barrels of oil per day in 2012 and exported 7.4 million, making it the world's second largest oil exporter after Saudi Arabia.

Growing doubts that a recent deal between Libya and rebels to reopen oil ports bolstered prices as well, though sentiments that the U.S. is awash in crude capped gains.

Lackluster trade data out of the U.S. watered down oil prices as well.

Data revealed that the U.S. trade deficit narrowed to $40.38 billion in March from $41.87 billion in February, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated deficit of $42.30 billion. Analysts had expected the trade deficit to narrow to $40.30 billion in March, and the lackluster data softened the dollar.

Elsewhere, on the ICE Futures Exchange in London, Brent oil futures for June delivery were down 1.17% due to profit taking, trading at US$107.32 a barrel, while the spread between the Brent and U.S. crude contracts stood at US$7.29 a barrel.

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