DECEMBER

First N-plant with US-tech by 2018

India may have in place the first unit of its nuclear power plant built on technology from the US by 2018. The top two suppliers of nuclear reactors from the US —Westinghouse and GE-Hitachi — said they were confident of initiating work on India’s nuclear plants at Virdhi (Gujarat) and Kovvada (Andhra Pradesh) by 2012 and commission the first nuclear power unit in the next six years (by 2018). read more

Central bank sees growth in 2010, 2011

The Dutch economy will grow in 2010 and 2011 and the jobless total will not rise as sharply as thought earlier, the central bank said on Tuesday

The bank now estimates the economy will grow 0.7% next year and 1.2% in 2011. In June the bank forecast a further contraction in 2010. But despite the upturn, the recovery is still ‘fragile’ the bank said. read more

Unemployment at 3.7 percent - a Dutch miracle?

At first glance, the numbers seem to speak for themselves. The number of unemployed people in the Netherlands grew by 110,000 last year and currently totals 400,000. Compared to almost all other countries however, the Netherlands is doing just fine with unemployment at just 3.7 percent. read more

Dutch agree to unfreeze Serbia trade deal

After over a year of resistance, the Dutch government has agreed to unfreeze a key EU trade accord with Serbia, boosting that country’s chances of EU membership.

The Netherlands had resisted approving the deal because of what it said was Serbia’s non-cooperation with the Yugoslavian war crimes tribunal in the Hague. In particular, The Netherlands wants Serbia to arrest Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic. read more

India services growth slows but outlook bullish: HSBC

MUMBAI: Business activity among Indian services companies expanded in November but at a slower pace than in the previous month, with broad growth across all sectors, a survey released on Thursday showed.

The HSBC Markit Business Activity Index, based on a survey of 400 firms, fell to 55.20 in November after having climbed to a 13-month-high of 56.78 in October. read more

World Bank likely to triple lending to India this year

NEW DELHI: The World Bank is expected to increase its lending to India more than three fold to $7 billion in 2009-10, against an average $2.3 billion loaned annually over the past four years. read more

Economy on recovery path, grows 7.9%

Rangarajan calls for divestment roadmap‘WB loans to India seen at $7 bn this year’Recovery could push growth to 6.8%: StanChartCredit offtake growth slows to 9.8%

New Delhi: Belying predictions, the Indian economy grew by a significant 7.9 per cent in the second quarter of this fiscal, up from 6.1 per cent in the previous quarter, essentially due to a good showing by the industry and the services sector. The growth compares favourably to 7.7 per cent recorded in the July-September quarter in the previous year. read more