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Corporate Economy Expressions Markets Leisure 02 March 1998   Rubber benchmark price may be Rs 40 a kg The union government is likely to revise the benchmark price of natural rubber to Rs 40 per kg. This follows a plea from Rubber Board chairman KJ Mathew a couple of months back seeking a revision of the benchmark price in an attempt to protect growers from rapidly falling prices.   Groundnut prices set to rise on short supply Prices of groundnut oil are all set to rise in the coming months due to a supply shortfall following from lower world production. The output of the three major producers -- India, USA and China -- is expected to fall 1.4 million tonnes from last year to an estimated 12.4 million tonnes. Synthetic rubber use in W Europe to rise by 1.8% Consumption of synthetic rubber in western Europe is expected to rise at an annual rate of 1.8 per cent over the next five years to 2002. According to International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Products, consumption of synthetic rubber by western Europe in 1997 was placed at 2,490 kt (thousand metric tonnes). Corpus makes BIP a consistent performer Birla Income Plus, the first debt-oriented scheme from the private sector, is ideal for liquidity. Also, a good tax-saving instrument, it is an open-ended scheme in which one can invest anytime and exit whenever one chooses to.   IPOs should not be listed on main bourses To revive the equity market, the Ninth Plan draft has suggested that new issues or initial public offers should not be listed on main stock exchanges immediately on issuance of paper. These scrips should be listed on the main exchanges only after they establish a track record on the Over the Counter Exchange of India (Otcei) or other subsidiary exchanges. Gold prices set to rise late in 1998: Study Gold prices will languish until mid-1998 before tracking higher later in the year, according to an industry report prepared by the brokerage firm Macquarie Equities Ltd. The firm is part of the Macquarie Bank Ltd group, Australia's biggest bullion dealer. It conducts 25 per cent of the world's gold hedging through its joint-venture with South Africa's Standard Bank.     Fingers crossed on wheat; bonus is key   Steps to counter pest attack sought   For base metals, the short-term price scenario looks very bleak   Cardamom prices continue to rule low   India slowest to expand tea plantations   Commodity Briefing   Brand Equity Fund fails tea industry   Wheat crop may benefit from cool weather in UP   Coconut oil prices may slip further on copra import   Edible oil prices poised for takeoff   Pakistani sugar lands in local market   Should we import oilseeds or edible oils?   Commodity Briefing