According to senior officials, the Railways is expected to fall short of the 1,195 million tonnes (MT) of freight target fixed for 2015-16 by 75-80 MT.

Import of steel grew by a staggering 71 per cent last fiscal and has continued unabated in the first half of the current financial year. Imports are up 31.2 per cent now, and at 7.45 million tonne, it has already exceeded the full year 2013/14 tally.

Online grocery is hot. Hundreds of players have jumped in. Several hundred million dollars were invested in 2015 alone. But it has also been a graveyard for start-ups.

One of the worst affected is the automotive industry on Chennai's outskirts, where factories of top companies such as Hyundai, Ford, BMW, Renault-Nissan, Daimler, Royal Enfield and Apollo Tyres are located.

The impact of unseasonal rains and two straight years of drought on agriculture that sustains over two-thirds of country's 1.25 billion people has dented Modi's popularity in the countryside, contributing to a humiliating loss for the premier in elections last year in the largely rural state of Bihar.

The People's Bank of China raised its guidance rate for the yuan for the first time in nine trading days, after it allowed the currency's biggest fall in five months on Thursday.

China announced late on Thursday it suspended its new stock market circuit breaker introduced only on Monday as the system failed to reduce market volatility, with some market players even saying it backfired.

Highlighting the advantages of doing business in the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already welcomed investors from the country and abroad to exploit opportunities offered by the state.

The fall in world stocks on Monday, the first trading session of 2016, marked the steepest opening day losses in years for many indexes.

Extending losses for the second straight day, the rupee declined by 11 paise on persistent demand for the American currency from banks and importers amid sharp fall in equities.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

After a brief overnight calmer, the rupee once again turned shaky on the back of frantic demand for the American currency.

The pollution board has extended the consent period till February 15, 2020 for 6 million tonne per annum (MTPA) refinery project at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district.

US data sparked further concern as factory activity weakened unexpectedly in December, according to the Institute for Supply Management.

The stock fell after the company said the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is likely to use its 'Nylon 6 fibre products' for its infrastructure projects including construction of roads across the country.

The rupee plunged on heavy demand for the American currency from importers and banks largely impacted by global economic and political headwinds.

In an all-cash deal, SBI is all set to buy four premium flats in the city's tony Peddar Road area from the loss-making Air India for Rs 90 crore.

In a letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu sought a financial grant of about Rs 32,000 crore citing the prevailing financial position of railways.

Further interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve will add to the pain by strengthening the dollar and making many commodities more expensive for international buyers, To said.

It was a roller-coaster ride for the stock market in 2015 where the benchmark Sensex lost 1,381.88 points or 5 per cent, after gaining nearly 30 per cent in 2014.