INDIA’S MARKET OUTPERFORMS CHINA

While investors hope that consumer spending growth in China will eventually balance its export dependence, in the short term it is India that presents more opportunity.

Economists crow over the long-term domestic growth prospects in both emerging Asian giants, which is likely to be led by a young generation of spenders eager to buy clothes, computers, cars and other goods.

Until recently, China’s massive government stimulus spending worth 6% of gross domestic product was the biggest draw in Asia for investors chasing growth. However, last month’s stunning election victory by India’s Congress-led coalition, which allowed the grouping to secure a parliamentary majority, has turned the heads of some fund managers to the consumer-oriented sectors in India.

In addition, India’s valuations are cheaper, suggesting more upside potential for any investments...

Livemint

PHARMA M&A WAVE SET TO REACH INDIA

While merger-mania is gripping the global pharma industry, a similar trend may soon spill over to the Indian market, with pharma companies quoting at low valuations and saddled with huge debt.

Recently, there have been a spate of deals in the pharma space led by Pfizer Inc's acquisition of Wyeth for $68 billion, followed by the merger of Merck and Schering Plough. Experts believe that Bristol-Myers Squibb may be the next target of an acquisition, and many more deals are inevitable. Back home, there has been speculation about Wockhardt and Piramal Healthcare being potential acquisition targets.

The Times Of India

ASIA PACIFIC M&A SPREE TO REMAIN BUOYANT IN 2009

Notwithstanding the global financial turmoil, the mid-market merger and acquisition activity in the Asia-Pacific region is likely to remain buoyant this year on attractive valuations.

The Economic Times

INDIA INC ON THE PROWL FOR ACQUISITIONS

After a relative lull, India Inc is showing renewed interest in cracking deals. December 2008 suddenly saw a flurry of outbound M&A activity. Piramal Healthcare, Wipro and Rolta led the way with acquisitions ranging from $10 million (Rs 48.7 crore) to $127 million (Rs 618 crore).

SIFY - Business Today

M&A IN TELECOM LUCRATIVE EVEN IN SLOWING MARKETS

Even as the slowdown has taken toll on the merger and acquisition space, the Indian telecom growth story continues to buy investors’ confidence as the sector has accounted for 33% of the total M&A deals in the fiscal so far with the valuations crossing US$9.15bn.

India Infoline

PEs ZEROING IN ON DISTRESSED FIRMS

Private equity(PE) firms who have been largely focused on providing growth capital in India are now eyeing distressed firms, which has been a domain of the Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs). While some of the PE players such as Vision Global, Eight Capital and ClearWater have specialised funds, which are targeting distressed assets, other PE firms are also looking to invest in such companies during these troubled times.

The Economic Times

APOs look to clock 100% growth by year end

Taking its position in the outsourcing space in the global industry ahead, Indian Companies are looking at the very critical Actuarial Process Outsourcing (APO) area. And here, the industry is expected to ramp up 100% by the end of 2008. As opposed to tactical outsourcing, the APO is highly knowledge intensive work involving valuations and analytical work and is, therefore, not largely driven by the volume of people. Actuaries, form the third and the most pecialised pillar of the insurance business much ahead of fund management and sales, where smart data crunching and detailed analysis sets the very foundation for undertaking risk coverage.

The Financial Express
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/
APOs-look-to-clock-100-growth-by-year-end/
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