JPMorgan Chase & Co., the second- biggest U.S. lender

JPMorgan Chase & Co., the second- biggest U.S. lender, is close to a deal to buy the non-North American units of RBS Sempra Commodities LLP for about $1.7 billion to expand its energy and metals trading units. The Australian central bank said its decision to unexpectedly keep interest rates unchanged this month was “finely balanced” amid concern that European sovereign-debt risks may weaken the global economic recovery. The Bank of Japan will probably refrain from easing monetary policy further at a board meeting this week because the recovery remains intact even as deflation intensifies, economists said. Japanese stocks advanced after the European Union said it will offer measures to help Greece reduce its budget deficit and after Citigroup Inc. boosted its ratings on Panasonic Corp. and All Nippon Airways Co. A dispute is unfolding about how long European Union officials have known that Greece used derivatives to conceal its growing budget deficit. Greece turned to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in 2002, just after adopting the euro, to get $1 billion in funding through a swap on $10 billion of debt. The wholesale price index rose 8.56 percent in January from a year earlier, its highest since November 2008 and accelerating from a 7.3 percent gain in December. Reserve Bank Governor D Subbarao has said that the apex bank is 'retooling' itself, as it is striving to maintain financial stability in the economy. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is of the opinion that the only way forward for this country is to register a growth rate of 9-10 per cent and for solving the unemployment problem, industrialization is a must. State-owned oil firms have cut aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price by 2.5 per cent on falling global rates to give some relief to Indian carriers. The government has given companies more leeway in terms of pricing of converting bonds denominated in foreign currencies (FCCBs) into shares. NHAI has introduced new norms that will bar a developer from bidding for new projects if the company has not been able to achieve financial closure of three or more projects. Finance Ministry has cleared the decks for the auction of 3G licences by March 31. Adani Power has been awarded a letter of intent (LOI) by the Madhya Pradesh government for the development of a 1,320-Mw power project at Chhindwara in the state, at an estimated cost of Rs. 5280 cr. Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland will increase prices of its products by up to 15 per cent once the new emission norms come into effect from April, across the country. FMCG firm ITC, largest maker of cigarettes in India, has increased the price of its popular brand, Gold Flake Kings cigarettes by 7 per cent. United Breweries (UB) aims to increase its beer sales by 20 per cent next fiscal. Engineering and construction firm Jaihind Projects, along with its Saudi Arabia-based partner, has bagged a Rs 1,100 crore water transmission project from Saline Water Conversion Corporation Riyadh. PVR Ltd has terminated its agreement to acquire the cinema exhibition business of DT cinemas (a DLF group company). BP joins race with RIL to buy majority stake in the Canadian oil-sand major, Value Creation, with an offer of $1.2 billion. REC to raise $700 million through External Commercial Borrowing and Export Credit Assistance. Bharti faces hurdle on Zain Nigeria in $10.7 billion purchase after minority shareholder raises objection to the talks. BILT makes a $200 million bid for Malaysian paper major. Nifty near contracts ends the day down by 33.15 points at a discount of 6.25 adding OI by 2.2%. Nifty OI PCR at 1.020 compared to 1.049 the previous session. Nifty puts sees addition of 13.28 Lakhs and calls sees addition of 30.78 Lakhs over the day. Highest OI in Nifty calls seen at 4900 Feb strike and puts at 4700 Feb strike. 4300, 4600 & 4400 Feb strike and 4600 March Puts strike saw significant addition in OI during the day. 4500 & 4700 Feb strike puts saw significant paring of OI during the day. 4800 Feb strike Nifty calls saw significant addition of OI during the day. OI addition was also seen in 4900 and 5200 Feb strike Nifty calls. Nifty VIX at 29..68 from 28.81 last day. Long build up seen in HCLTECH, JSWSTEEL, IDFC & COLPAL. Short build up seen in BHARTIARTL, RECLTD, BANKINDIA, IVRCLINFRA, STER, CHAMBLFERT, BALRAMCHIN, HINDPETRO, RELINFRA, RCOM, UNIONBANK, NEYVELILIG, ALBK & RELMEDIA etc. Long liquidation seen in POLARIS and ROLTA during the day. FII side sees long unwinding in Nifty futures during the session and Nifty options was seen to be bought over the day.