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Corporate Economy Expressions Markets Leisure 22 January 1998   IDBI, IFCI, Bank of Baroda hike PLR The Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) and Bank of Baroda (BoB) have hiked their prime-lending rates (PLRs) by one percentage point (100 basis points) each following the latest tight-money policy announced by the RBI.   Secondary debt market yields re-align on RBI steps The measures taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to rein in the rupee slide and the subsequent rise in call rates have resulted in a realignment of yields in the secondary debt market. The 2% hike in the bank rate to 11% has led to the yield on most securities going up by almost 1.5%, resulting in a sharp decline in prices. BSE gears up to match NSE's daily turnover The turnover at Bombay Stock Exchange appears to be inching towards that of National Stock Exchange, if the recent statistics are of any indication. The recent reduction in the discrepancy between the turnover of both the exchanges can be attributed to the close race for the top slot. S&P rates Central Bank assets as "very weak" The S&P draft report on the Central Bank of India has stated that the asset quality of Central Bank of India was "very weak". The premier rating agency has pointed out that the bank's margins and profitability have been "extremely volatile" although the bank has registered profits in 1996-97 after incurring losses for four consecutive years.   Care assigns AA(SO) rating to MSRDC's Rs 1,200-cr bonds Credit Analysis & Research Ltd (Care) has assigned an AA (SO) rating to the Rs 1,200-crore bonds programme of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd. The repayment of the principal and payment of interest on the bonds would be guaranteed by the government of Maharashtra on an irrevocable and unconditional basis. Crash drags down Asian markets Indonesia's battered rupiah dragged most Asia markets back into a quagmire yesterday. Strength in Tokyo and New York failed to spill over to the rest of Asia, where nearly every market reacted badly to an early session plunge in the rupiah to 12,000 to the US dollar.     FIIs batter Hero Honda scrip on BSE   Castrol counter sees wild swing on bonus rumours   Market Round-up   Market Briefing   Dollar steady against yen by midday   Market takes time to react to rate hike   Whiff of economic steps in Japan refreshes yen   "France faces Asian crisis, comptetition on euro launch"   Bear attack could send the market southwards   ITC likely to bounce back soon