Year 2012 ended on a happy note for commodity investors. Till December 6, agricultural commodities, precious metals, spices and base metals have returned 20 per cent, 17 per cent, 10 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively. The rally is expected to continue in 2013.

How efforts of a scientist prompted local authorities to make rainwater harvesting compulsory in the heart of Bangalore.

Growing rice using 'direct seeding' technology promises to cut water usage and production costs.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram has termed economic growth in the second quarter as \"below expectations\", marred as it was by scanty rainfall and poor showing by the manufacturing sector.

Defensive driving ensures that everyone on the road has a safe journey. Here is a list of a few simple, yet essential, defensive driving tips to ensure a stress-free trip.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lowered its projection for the country's economic growth to 5.8 per cent from its earlier estimate of 6.5 per cent due to rising uncertainty in global economy.

Invest in commodities, as their demand usually rises as the big festivals arrive.

Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said foodgrain production in 2012-13 will be lower than last year's record output of 257.44 million tonnes, even though availability would be sufficient to meet domestic demand.

India faced 8 per cent deficient rainfall than normal at the end of the four-month long south-west monsoon season as a late rally washed away the spectre of possible drought.

Experts said the new reforms rush was positive but the key worry was whether the plans would be implemented. Rising commodity costs and inflation would also continue to loom large over the country's growth prospects, they said.

High demand during the festive period generally leads to firming of prices of many agricultural products and precious metals. The market will be bullish on most commodities such as gold, silver, refined soya oil, wheat and gur due to festive demand.

GDP, the broadest measure of economic activity, grew 5.5 per cent in the April-June period. This was the first sequential rise in five quarters, but growth in the headline number conceals the deterioration in important sectors.

Riding on surplus August rains, the south-west monsoon for the first time touched the near normal level with the rainfall deficit narrowing down to 9 per cent of the seasonal average.

Morgan Stanley has lowered lowered India's growth forecast to 5.1 per cent for 2012-13, citing high fiscal deficit and renewed weakness in external demand.

Gold is likely to cross the Rs 32,000 per 10 grams-mark during Diwali, riding on the back of safe haven investment demand due to rising tensions in the Middle East, the Bombay Bullion Association (BBA) said on Wednesday.

After dropping to a day's low of 17,662.21, the BSE Sensex closed at 17,678.81 - down 104.40 points, or 0.59 per cent over Friday's closing.

Export pull can be a big plus for any asset. While it's a general rule that commodities with good export demand can deliver good returns to investors, it's not the only rule.

With a good amount of rainfall in the country during August, the rain deficiency has dropped to a great extent reviving hopes of making up for the losses that some crops were estimated to suffer.

The 165.54 km long six lane concrete Expressway from Delhi's satellite town of Greater Noida to Agra was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on August 9.

RBI Governor D Subbarao pointed out that there is a 20 per cent deficiency of rainfall in the country and as far as Kerala was concerned it is 40 per cent