Asia's top companies have become more optimistic about their business outlook with the retail and shipping industries rebounding sharply in the second quarter of 2013, the latest Asia Business Sentiment Survey shows.

Global search engine Google is offering a new format in India to advertise products and brands for users, the company's Indian subsidiary said on Monday.

New rules requiring foreign supermarkets to set up their own warehouses and stores in India are likely to further delay the entry of companies like Wal-Mart Stores Inc, increase costs and hurt cash-strapped local retailers eager to partner with foreign companies.

In a bid to spur investments, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on Sunday "strongly favoured" raising the FDI cap in telecom as well as defence sector and said he will meet global investors to address their concerns, particularly in multi-brand retail.

Falling for the third straight month, retail inflation stood at 9.31 percent in May due to easing of prices of edible oil and protein-based items, even as vegetable prices inched up sharply.

The consumer inflation likely eased for the third straight month in May but remained high enough to be a headache for the central bank, which is under pressure to cut rates again next week after headline wholesale inflation cooled.

Seeking to accelerate reforms to spur investments, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said the government will announce host of decisions, including relaxation of FDI caps and resolution of gas and coal prices, in the next few days.

The government is bracing itself to bring in a slew of new measures to check the fall of the Rupee against the dollar. Not only the Foreign Direct Investment limit in some sectors going to be increased, but the Reserve Bank of India, Sebi and other regulators are also planning steps to facilitate overseas investment in the country. The rupee on Tuesday fell to a record low level with the cost of one dollar falling to Rs 58.96.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the government policy of allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail.

Bata India on Tuesday said the company was planning to invest Rs 100 crore in the current year to ramp up retail footprint and also refurbish its three manufacturing facilities.