Leading firms such as General Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen, Hyundai and Ford are coming up with improved variants to create some excitement in the market and discarding models which are not doing well.

The ruling Congress party - which leads UPA-2, a motley alliance of eleven political parties - has failed to lead from the front in taking its alliance partners along on key economic decisions.

Business Today Editor Chaitanya Kalbag takes a look at options that can turn around the deep pessimism hanging over us and give global investors the feeling that India is still a good place to do business.

Oil firms had last cut petrol rates by Rs 2.02 a litre with effect from June 3 in a partial rollback of the steep Rs 7.54 per litre hike effected last month.

Reliance Industries has come up against a tough taskmaster in Petroleum Minister S. Jaipal Reddy. Several big-ticket proposals of the company are stuck at the petroleum ministry, something that people who follow the company and the ministry say is unprecedented.

It might pay dividends in India, but not just yet

Rupee fall is set to impact prices of everyday items. From essentials such as food and education to foreign vacation and the swanky gadget you plan to buy, the falling rupee will hurt you in more ways than one. So gear up!

The car is powered by a 1.5 litre, four cylinder i-VTEC engine, which delivers a 118 PS power along with a fuel economy of 16.8 km per litre.

Car-maker Nissan Motor India may hike prices of small car Micra and the petrol version of premium sedan Sunny by up to 2 per cent from January, mainly due to adverse currency movements.

The gloves are off: Usually, Indian industry praises the government in public and saves its grievances for closed-door meetings.

Alienware's new version of its desktop-replacing laptop does not disappoint.

Fertiliser stocks on Wednesday rallied by as much as over 10 per cent on BSE on hopes of decontrol of urea prices as a ministerial panel approved the policy proposal on freeing up prices for the key farm nutrient and which will now come up before the Cabinet for approval.

As India's ambition to become a global auto hub is curbed, manufacturers focus on the domestic market. But that is where the turmoil is.

A pullback in inflation may get delayed and fiscal deficit may expand beyond 5.5 per cent of GDP due to the impact of a slower GDP growth this year on direct tax collections.

Global crude prices eased a dollar each by evening on Monday - Brent (European market) crude oil fell below $126 per barrel and US crude futures slipped under $112.

Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum scrips climbed as reports came in that petrol prices may go up Rs 1.50-Rs 2 per litre next week.

A rash of players - old and new, big and small - is chalking out plans to add huge capacities, but not all projects will see the light of day.

According to a report by JD Power, Nano will replace Hyundai's i10,which is slated to take the second position in 2010 after MarutiSuzuki's Alto.

Given technological and regulatory uncertainties for the green sector, invest small amounts and gradually increase your exposure. Monitor closely and exit if things go wrong.

Few investors are willing to put their money in companies that are doing badly or in new-fangled business ideas. But such investments can be very rewarding.