Business highlights

New Delhi, Jan 1 () Following are the top business stories at 1830 hours:

DCM22 BIZ-LD AUTO SALES Maruti Suzuki, M&M beat year-end blues, post rise in domestic sales figures New Delhi: The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India and Mahindra & Mahindra on Wednesday reported rise in their domestic sales in December, even as Hyundai and Totoya posted negative growth.

DEL55 BIZ-LD STOCKS Stocks advance on New Year Day on positive macro data, govt infra push Mumbai: Stock markets started the New Year on a positive note with benchmark index Sensex gaining 52.28 points or 0.13 per cent to close at 41,306.02 on Wednesday as financials, IT, FMCG and power stocks advanced.

DEL49 AVI-FAA-MAX PLANES Boeing 737 MAX plane: FAA says no timeframe set for completion of work New Delhi: As many airlines worldwide await the final word on Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the US aviation watchdog FAA has said a "thorough process" is being followed for testing the plane but no timeframe has been set for completion of the work.

DEL43 BIZ-GST GST revenue mop-up rises to Rs 1.03 lakh cr in Dec New Delhi: GST revenue collection remained above the Rs 1 lakh crore mark for the second month in a row with December mop-up rising to Rs 1.03 lakh crore as compared to the year-ago period.

DEL20 BIZ-ATF-LPG-PRICE ATF cost up 2.6%; non-subsidised LPG price hiked by Rs 19 New Delhi: Jet fuel or ATF price was on Wednesday hiked by 2.6 per cent and that of non-subsidised cooking gas LPG by Rs 19 per cylinder on the back of a rise in international rates.

DEL18 BIZ-INDIA-GROWTH-HANKE India will struggle to achieve 5 pc GDP growth in 2020: Steve Hanke New Delhi: India will "struggle" to achieve 5 per cent GDP growth in 2020 as the significant deceleration in past few quarters was largely owing to credit squeeze which is a cyclical problem, said noted American economist Steve Hanke.

DEL51 BIZ-RUPEE-CLOSE Rupee kick starts New Year on positive note, settles 14 paise higher at 71.22 against US dollar Mumbai: The rupee kick started 2020 on a positive note with gains of 14 paise against the US currency on the first trading day of the New Year on Wednesday.

DCM9 YEAR-TAX All eyes on Sitharaman's second Budget for tax relief New Delhi: The common man has his eyes set on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's second Budget next month for relief in income tax, but an economic slowdown and a sharp reduction in corporate tax rates hint that she has very little flexibility to dole out a big largesse.

DCM27 BIZ-DUTY-PALM OIL Govt cuts import duty on crude, refined palm oils under ASEAN, IMCECA pacts New Delhi: The government on Wednesday slashed import duty on refined palmolein from 50 per cent to 45 per cent, while that on crude palm oil (CPO) from 40 per cent to 37.5 per cent with immediate effect, a move that the industry opposed saying it will hurt domestic refiners.

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