The airline with a fleet of 58 aircraft, comprising 30 Boeing 737-800 new generation jets and 28 Bombardier Q 400 aircraft plans to expand into more international routes with new planes.

State-owned life insurer LIC has pared stake in IT major Infosys to 4.95 per cent during the July-September quarter with sale of shares estimated at around Rs 3,400 crore.

While the BSE Sensex surged 467.38 points to 20,882.89, the highest level in almost three years, the NSE Nifty shot-up by 143.50 points to 6,189.35.

After surging 7.54 per cent to Rs 3,360 - its 52-week high on the Bombay Stock Exchange in intra-day trade - the Infosys scrip finally ended at Rs 3,273.90, up 4.79 per cent.

As per the study of indices from January 1, 2013, to October 4, the BSE small-cap index dropped by 25.32 per cent to 5,565.54 points, while the mid-cap index declined by 20.37 per cent to 5,731.01 during the period.

Staggered office timings for government employees to decongest traffic and staffers taking public transport to workplace once a week are part of the mega drive unveiled by Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily to save $5 billion in oil imports.

As many as 62 stocks touched their 52-week high, while 113 scrips hit their one-year low level. Overall, 1,430 stocks rose, while 997 scrips tanked on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The average wholesale prices in the country's largest wholesale onion market, Lasalgaon APMC, around 220 km from Mumbai, hovered at a record high of Rs 4,800 per quintal in the first week of this month.

After making a bullish opening and touching its 52-week high intra-day, Tech Mahindra's scrip closed 1.81 per cent higher at Rs 1,399.70 on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Wipro shares rose over 3 per cent after the National Stock Exchange announced that the IT major will enter the Nifty index with effect from September 27.

Among the stocks that touched their 52 week low were BHEL, State Bank of India (SBI), Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), MTNL, Larsen & Toubro and JSW Steel.

Indian stocks may bounce back by the end of 2013 if the rupee recovers, the current account deficit improves and foreign fund inflows get back on track, experts said.

A drought last year and heavy rainfall this year have sent onion prices soaring and wholesalers say that situation is unlikely to improve soon.

After it fired Andrew Mason in February amid growing concerns about the company's financial performance, Groupon Inc has named co-founder Eric Lefkofsky as its CEO.

After gaining over 223 points in the early trade, the S&P BSE benchmark Sensex on Thursday fell 29 points, extending its losing run to the seventh day, as jittery investors offloaded their positions in realty, PSU, oil & gas and metal shares, amid subdued manufacturing trend.

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) G. N. Singh also said medicines sold in India are safe, ruling out any reason for panic.

India's largest IT services exporter topped market expectations, growing its net profits for the June quarter by 5.5 per cent to Rs 3,796 crore, or Rs 19.40 a share, over the previous quarter. 

Shares of Idea Cellular rose by 3.84 per cent to Rs 163.50 - its record high on the BSE, while Reliance Communications jumped 3.66 per cent to touch its 52-week high of Rs 151.25. Bharti Airtel was also up 1.94 per cent.

The rupee fell from a two-week high to close three paise lower at 59.34 against the dollar in India, failing to sustain gains driven by the easing of FDI norms in various sectors and the RBI's liquidity-tightening measures.

Reliance Communications' shares jumped over 7 per cent after the company announced it is hiving off its real estate assets into a separate listed company.