MUMBAI: When a customer calls up ICICI Bank in coming weeks, in the 10 seconds that he introduces himself the bank's servers will identify his account details and authenticate his identity by picking a voice sample and matching it with the database. Not just that, in future voice data would be analyzed to identify whether the caller is agitated, irate or in a hurry to avoid cross-sell pitches.

ICICI Bank has become the first in the country and among the few in the world to deploy voice-recognition technology for biometric authentication. The new facility will enable customers to call up and ask for funds to be transferred to registered beneficiaries or bills to be paid without having to enter 16-digit numbers or keying in their PIN.

Chennai-based Rajalakshmi group, which runs engineering and technology colleges, has acquired a majority stake in Ashok Leyland's renewable energy arm.

Speaking to Business Standard, Abhay S Meganathan, managing director, Rajalakshmi Automobiles, said the group has bought 75% stake in Ashok Leyland Wind Energy, which was previously owned by Ashok Leyland and Hinduja Foundries Ltd.

Rating agency CRISIL has assigned 'Negative' outlook to real estate major DLF Ltd's long-term loans and debt instruments on account significantly high debt level, weak operating cash flows.

The outlook also factors in residual uncertainty over regulatory issues. However, rating agency has removed ratings on instruments from 'Watch with Negative Implications'. It reaffirmed the ratings at 'A'.

Regulator Sebi will soon put in place new norms for changes in constituents of the key stock market indices, including Sensex and Nifty, as it frames a separate mechanism for regulating the index providers.

The index operators, which include subsidiaries of stock exchanges and independent entities such as S&P, currently do not come under Sebi's direct regulatory purview and the new norms would also include a 'code of conduct' for them while mandating more disclosures and greater transparency while including or excluding a stock from the indices.

Bajaj Auto today reported a 22% fall in motorcycle sales at 2,09,937 units in March as compared with 2,70,578 units the same month in 2014.

Bajaj Auto's exports declined by 16% during the month to 98,703 units from 1,18,183 units in the corresponding period a year ago, the two-wheeler major said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

State-run NTPC is looking at bringing its coal import bill to 'zero' in the next five years and will rely on the fossil fuel made available by Coal India and the company's own mines.

The power major is one of the country's largest consumers of coal.

A GMR Infrastructure-led consortium has bagged an order for construction of 417 km-long eastern dedicated freight corridor railway project which is estimated to cost Rs 5,080 crore.

"A consortium led by GMR Infrastructure Ltd has been issued Letter of Award for construction of 417-km long Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor railway project at a cost of Rs 5,080 crore on EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) basis," the company said in a filing to BSE.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) today said its construction arm has bagged orders worth Rs 5,492 crore across various segments in March.

In the building and factories segment, the projects L&T Construction has won include a major order for construction of a mix use development complex in Mumbai, it said.

Air India (AI) is considering acquiring five Boeing 787-9 aircraft for flights to the US and Canada.

At present, it uses both narrow-body Airbus A320 and wide-body Boeing planes (747-400s, 777s and 787-8) on international routes. The 787-9 variant has a higher range and 40 more seats over the 787-8.

Irked over All India Chief Justices Conference being held on Good Friday, sitting Supreme Court judge Kurien Joseph has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also declined a dinner invitation, scheduled to be held on Saturday.

"No important programmes are held on holidays of religious significance ceremonies. Being the guardian of Indian secularism, I request your Honour to kindly have in mind these concerns also while scheduling events and benevolently show equal importance and respect to the sacred days of all religions which are also declared as National holidays," wrote Justice Kurian Joseph in his letter to PM, according to media reports.

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