Idea Cellular raises Rs 3,250 crore from promoter group

Idea Cellular Ltd. will raise Rs 3,250 cr, by selling shares to the Kumar Mangalam Birla-led promoter group by issuing 32.66 cr equity shares on a preferential basis at Rs 99.50 apiece to all or any of Birla TMT Holdings Pvt Ltd, Oriana Investments Singapore, Elaine Investments Singapore, Surya Kiran Investments Singapore, the company said in the exchange filing.  It also set up a panel to consider options to raise an additional Rs 3,500 crore via a preferential issue, a QIP or a rights issue.

Fresh equity funding will allow Idea Cellular to better defend its revenues and market share. The proposal appears to be driven by merger conditions, and not by instant cash crunch or any covenant breach, it added.

The Preferential issue is likely to be completed by early February. Promoter holding in Idea Cellular to increase to 47.2 percent from 42.4 percent, after the preferential issue.

Shares of Idea Cellular closed at 2.85% to Rs 105.55 in NSE on the back of this announcement.

Reliance Industries completes USD 11 billion expansion plan

India's private petrochemical major, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has successfully commissioned the refinery off-gas cracker (ROGC) complex built at Jamnagar, Gujarat. The company houses its integrated refining and petrochemicals production hub at Jamnagar. The ROGC complex is the world's largest ethylene crackers using residue off-gas to create feedstock for manufacturing downstream petrochemicals. The project cost the company US Dollar 11 billion in capital expenditure.

The refinery off-gas cracker complex has a unique configuration since it uses off-gases from Reliance’s two refineries at Jamnagar which will boost the operating income of the company.

Today’s Stock closing bell, the Shares of Reliance Industries quoted Rs. 916.95 per share, up 0.61%. The BSE-Sensex ended at 33,793.38, down 18.88 points while the NSE-Nifty-50 index rose 1 point to 10,443.20.  

PNB sells entire stake in Principal Financial Group JV

Punjab National Bank (PNB) has sold its whole stake in the JV with Principal Financial Group to give full ownership of Principal PNB AMC and Principal Trustee Co. Pvt. Ltd in India. The Principal Financial Group would purchase PNB’s minority stakes in their joint ventures.  The agreement is depending on regulatory approval.

According to the website of PNB, the second largest public sector bank by market cap, it holds 21.38% in Principal PNB Asset Management Co. and 30% in Principal Trustee.

Principal PNB Asset Management Co. is the investment manager to Principal Mutual Fund.

Shares of PNB was trading at Rs.167.85 up 0.87% at NSE, mid-noon hours, Wednesday