Business highlights

Following are the top business stories at 2100 hours: DEL77 BIZ-2NDLD TRADE Exports dip for 3rd consecutive month in Feb; trade deficit narrows to USD 17.43 bn New Delhi: India's exports contracted for the third month in a row in February due to a slowdown in global demand while the trade deficit also eased to a year's low of USD 17.43 billion in the month due to receding imports.

DEL76 BIZ-2NDLD STOCKS Sensex falls for 5th day, Nifty slides below 17,000 on FII selling, rate hike fears Mumbai: Benchmark BSE Sensex pared its early gains to close down by 344 points at a five-month low while Nifty slid below the 17,000 level on Wednesday due to selling in banking, financial and telecom stocks.

DEL38 BIZ-RUPEE-CLOSE Rupee falls 25 paise to 82.62 against US dollar Mumbai: The rupee declined by 25 paise to 82.62 (provisional) against the US dollar on Wednesday amid a strong greenback against major currencies overseas and unabated foreign fund outflows.

DEL27 BIZ-LD CAG-RAJASTHAN CAG wants Rajasthan govt not to abandon treasury system of accounting Guwahati: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Girish Chandra Murmu on Wednesday expressed hope that the Rajasthan government will not do away with the well-established treasury system of accounting as changes can disrupt the preparation and authentication of accounts and also the transfer of funds by the Centre to the state.

DCM70 BIZ-IMPORTS-RUSSIA India's imports from Russia rise to USD 41.56 billion in April-Feb period New Delhi: India's imports from Russia jumped about five times to USD 41.56 billion during the April-February period of this fiscal due to increasing inbound shipments of crude oil from that country, according to the commerce ministry data.

DCM85 BIZ-LD NAZARA TECH-SVB SVB fallout: Nazara Tech says Rs 60 crore shifted to other bank accounts New Delhi: Nazara Technologies on Wednesday said that out of Rs 64 crore held by its two step-down subsidiaries in Silicon Valley Bank, Rs 60 crore has been successfully transferred to bank accounts outside of SVB.

DEL32 BIZ-GOLD-PRICE Gold declines Rs 310; silver falls Rs 90 New Delhi: Gold prices declined by Rs 310 to Rs 57,070 per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday amid weak global trends, according to HDFC Securities.