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India on Friday made a big leap in the field of weather forecasting and disaster forewarning services, thanks to the successful launch of the country's advanced meteorological satellite INSAT-3D.

INSAT-3D was launched by European space consortium Arianespace's Ariane 5 rocket from the Spaceport's ELA-3 launch zone of Kourou in French Guiana. The launch vehicle lifted off exactly at scheduled time of 1.23 A. M. IST on Friday.

South Korean electronics giant Samsung on Friday reported quarterly earnings that failed to match analysts' estimates, dropping another hint that high-end smartphone market has saturated.

Samsung announced that its net income jumped 50 per cent year-on-year to 7.58 trillion won ($6.8 billion) in the April to June quarter this year, from 5.05 trillion won in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

A group 24 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had projected an average net income 8.02 trillion won for the company's quarter under review.

Mumbai, July 26 : A benchmark index of Indian equities markets was trading flat at 8.43 points or 0.04 percent up, during the afternoon trade Friday.

Some positive buying was observed in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), oil and gas and IT sectors, while selling pressure was observed in the banking index (bankex), metals and public sector undertakings (PSU) sectors.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 19,892.47 points, was trading at 19,813.19 points in the afternoon session, up 8.43 points or 0.04 percent from previous day's close at 19,804.76 points.

Chana on weekly basis we have seen that prices has dropped by 10.08% due to sluggish domestic demand, higher area under summer-sown pulses and favourable weather.

· Ample rains in the country have raised the prospects of better chana sowing.

· Chana is a Rabi crop sown during the winter and farmers depend on rains to moisten the land for sowing.

· India's 2012/13 pulses production is estimates at 18.45 million tonnes.

· Healthy arrivals in Delhi market are also affecting sentiments and spot prices continue to linger around their two-year lows.

· The arrivals in Delhi's Lawrence Road mandi are 55 trucks after coming in at 65 trucks in the last session.

Mustard yesterday settled down -4% at 3099 as a strong rupee and a jump in oilseed

Wheat yesterday settled down -0.19% at 1565 amid sluggish trading activities at the spot market.