Cricket match shuts down 1.2 billion people

[blue2fire]

Quite cute.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-0...t-traders.html

Financial workers in Mumbai are stopping work early this afternoon as traders join what may be a record Indian television audience for the nation’s cricket World Cup semi-final against Pakistan.

Standard Chartered Plc (STAN), Bharti Axa General Insurance and Pramerica Asset Managers Pvt. are among companies that allowed staff in India’s financial capital to watch the event that began 2.30 p.m. local time in the northern state of Punjab. In Pakistan, the Karachi Stock Exchange closed 90 minutes early and government workers were given the afternoon off.

“The market has virtually gone to sleep at the moment, all eyes are on the TV screens,” said Sandeep Bagla, senior vice president in charge of rates trading at ICICI Primary Dealership, who is watching the match in his office. “It has been a very long time since I saw markets this quiet.”

Reliance Infrastructure Ltd., controlled by billionaire Anil Ambani, has declared a holiday for its staff, while his brother Mukesh’s Reliance Industries Ltd. has awarded employees a half-day off to “cheer the Indian team to victory,” according to a company e-mail.

Coca-Cola Co.’s India unit and Mandhana Industries Ltd. (MNDN), an Indian maker of apparels with 5,000 employees in Mumbai and Bangalore, will give workers the option of taking the afternoon off. Companies such as Mumbai-based brokerage LKP Securities Ltd. and Castrol India Ltd. (CSTRL) will let staff come dressed in blue clothes, the color of the Indian team jersey.