Sensex gains most in three weeks

MUMBAI: India’s Sensitive Index rose the most in nearly three weeks as faster Japanese economic growth and better-than-expected US retail sales eased concern the world’s two biggest economies are sliding into a recession.
The Bombay Stock Exchange’s Sensitive Index, or Sensex rose 817.49, or 4.8%, to 17,766.63, its biggest rise since January 25 and the largest fluctuation among indexes included in global benchmarks.

The S&P CNX Nifty added 272.55, or 5.5%, to 5,202 and Nifty Futures for February delivery advanced 5.7% to 5,187.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, India’s top maker of thermal power equipment, rose the most in 20 months after winning a contract. DLF Ltd, the nation’s largest developer, rose the most in more than a week after it won the title sponsorship rights for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket series.
“Ultimately this day had to happen sooner than later,â€‌ said Gajendra Nagpal, chief executive officer at brokerage Unicon Financial Intermediaries. “Valuations had become attractive and a lot of insurance money was waiting on the sidelines as this quarter is the peak business time for insurance companies who are flush with funds.â€‌
Private refiners Reliance Petroleum Ltd and Essar Oil Ltd along with Centurion Bank of Punjab Ltd and state-run Steel Authority of India Ltd advanced on the announcement of their inclusion in a number of MSCI Inc indexes.
Bharat Heavy gained Rs250.25, or 12.6%, to 2,232, its biggest percentage gain since June 15, 2006. It said it had won a Rs2bn ($50mn) contract from India’s largest explorer Oil & Natural Gas Corp Construction company Punj Lloyd Ltd rose Rs34.9, or 10.5%, to 366.5, its biggest gain in almost four months, after it said it bagged an order worth Rs11.2bn.
DLF rose Rs49.85, or 6.1%, to 864.85. Reliance Energy Ltd, the nation’s second largest utility by market value, rose Rs150.05, or 9.6%, to 1,708.15, its biggest gain in three weeks.
State-run refiners gained after the government announced an increase in retail pump prices for gasoline and diesel after a gap of 20 months to lower the impact of record crude oil costs on such companies.
The Indian rupee meanwhile advanced by the most in almost four months on speculation gains in the nation’s stocks will lure overseas investors to local equities.
The currency rose after the central bank said Asia’s third- largest economy can sustain “highâ€‌ growth in the coming years.
The rupee rose 0.4% to 39.6175 per dollar at the close in Mumbai, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It may rise to as much as 39.5 in coming days, analysts said. – Bloomberg

Four out of five of PPI claims upheld

The financial ombudsman has seen an explosion of complaints about payment protection insurance and has called for banks and other firms to compensate wronged customers sooner.

The Financial Ombudsman Service says it received 1,499 complaints about payment protection insurance (PPI) in January alone. This compares with 1,832 for the whole of the 2006/07 financial year.
What's more, the Ombudsman reported that 80% of the PPI complaints it received from customers were being upheld. This compares with 32% for insurance complaints overall, 32% for buildings insurance, 43% for motor insurance and 34% for travel insurance.

PPI is supposed to cover repayments on loans, mortgages and credit cards when the holder is unable to fund them because of accident, sickness or unemployment.

It has been criticised for being overpriced and difficult, sometimes impossible, to claim on. The Competition Commission is conducting an investigation into the market after the Office of Fair Trading decided there may be evidence of detriment to consumers.

Separately, the Financial Services Authority has been tightening the guidelines that sellers of PPI must follow and has fined several firms for pushing PPI onto customers who do not want or need it.

This is Money has been at the front of the campaign to overhaul the PPI market and has produced template letters to help customer claim their money back. The high proportion of complaints being upheld by the Financial Ombudsman Service suggests companies are too often ignoring valid complaints of mis-selling.

Emma Parker, a spokeswoman for the Financial Ombudsman Service, said: 'There was a record number of complaints about PPI in January and the number is increasing month-on-month. The fact that so many are being upheld suggests that firms aren't doing enough to deal with these complaints before they come to us.

'It bares comparison with the early days of endowment policy complaints, where firms were simply turning complaints down and leaving it to the Ombudsman to deal with. We will talk with trade bodies and firms to ensure they follow our guidance on processing these claims and deal with more of them before they get to us.'

Brian Capon, head of media relations for the British Banker's Association, said: 'Banks' customer relations departments are well-staffed with people who are experienced in looking at a situation with particular regard for the customer's point of view. All claims are considered carefully, but as in the case of any complaint, the customer is entitled to ask the Financial Ombudsman Service to look at their case if they are unhappy with the bank's decision. In some cases the customer might approach the Ombudsman direct before giving their bank the opportunity to look at it first.'

Hong Kong stocks skid influenced by US economy

By Margarita Snegireva. Hong Kong stocks skidded on heavy selling during a shortened session ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays on declines in HSBC Holdings and China Life, while Japanese stocks plunged on financials such as Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and shipping forms such as Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

Australian shares were dragged lower by mining giant BHP Billiton after it made a sweetened stock offer for rival Rio Tinto and proposed a $30 billion buyback offer.

Stock markets in South Korea, China, Taiwan and Vietnam are closed Wednesday through Friday for Lunar New Year holidays, while Hong Kong , Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian markets are closed Thursday and Friday.

Analysts said an unexpected contraction in the U.S. service sector announced by the Institute for Supply Management Tuesday renewed worries that the U.S. economy is entering a recession.

"The Hong Kong market is affected by the recession and financial crisis in the U.S. and Europe . The bear market will continue for a period until it reaches the bottom," said Francis Lun, a general manager at Fulbright Securities Ltd.