The Gamaleya Institute believes that both Sputnik V and Sputnik Light will neutralise the latest variant of Covid-19, Omicron, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund on Monday.

Dmitriev said that the Gamaleya Institute, based on existing protocols of immediately developing vaccine versions for variants of concern, has already begun developing the new version of Sputnik vaccine adapted to Omicron.

The World Health Organization warned Monday that the global risk from the omicron variant is very high based on early evidence, saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with severe consequences.

The UN health agency, in a technical paper issued to member states, said considerable uncertainties remain about the variant that was first detected days ago in southern Africa.

The domestic markets regained some ground on Monday, following their worst decline in seven months, as investors assessed the threat of the new coronavirus variant Omicron. The gains were capped as the impact of the new variant on the economic recovery and central bank policy action remained uncertain.

The rupee, on the other hand, slipped 18 paise to close at a five-week low of 75.07 against the dollar as fresh worries over the new coronavirus variant weighed on already weak investor sentiment.

Indians can now use WhatsApp to order groceries from billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s JioMart via a new “tap and chat” option, as his Reliance Industries Ltd. challenges the domination of Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc.-owned Flipkart.

Delivery is free and there’s no minimum order value, according to JioMart users who got WhatsApp shopping invites with a 90-second tutorial and catalog. Among the daily essentials on offer are fruits, vegetables, cereal, toothpaste and cooking staples like paneer cottage cheese and chickpea flour.

Shares of Indigo Paints hit a record low of Rs 2,137, down 4 per cent on the BSE in Monday’s intra-day trade on concerns of weak operational performance.

With today’s decline, the stock has corrected 36 per cent from its high of Rs 3,348 touched on February 3, 2021. It was trading at its lowest level since its market debut on February 2, 2021. Indigo Paints had raised funds by issuing shares at price of Rs 1,490.

Shares of Vodafone Idea hit a fresh nine-month high of Rs 12.39, surging 14 per cent on the BSE in Monday’s intra-day trade on back of heavy volumes. In the past six trading days, the stock of telecom services provider has rallied 24 per cent after the company increased its prepaid tariff by 20-25 per cent from November 25, 2021.

The stock was trading at its highest level since February 12, 2021. It had hit a 52-week high of Rs 13.80 on January 15, 2021. At 9:48 am, Vodafone Idea had pared some of its gains and was up 6 per cent at Rs 11.54 on the BSE.

The price of 10 gram of gold increased by Rs 10 on Monday: 24-carat is trading at Rs 48,320 and 22-carat at Rs 47,320. The rate of 1 kg of silver decreased by Rs 200 with the precious metal trading at Rs 62,000 on Monday.

In Delhi, the rate of 24-carat gold stands at Rs 51,500, while in Mumbai the yellow metal's price is at Rs 48,320, according to the Goodreturns website.

Nissan Motor Co announced it will spend 2 trillion yen ($17.59 billion) over the next five years to accelerate vehicle electrification, betting tighter carbon emission restrictions will spur demand for electric cars and hybrids.

Japan's No. 3 car maker said on Monday it will introduce 23 electrified vehicles by 2030, including 15 electric vehicles (EVs), and plans to introduce all solid-state batteries by March 2029.

Passengers travelling from or transiting through "at-risk" countries will have to undergo RT-PCR test on arrival in India and will be required to wait for the results before leaving the airport or taking a connecting flight, according to revised guidelines issued on Sunday after the emergence of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Travellers coming from countries other than those listed as "at risk" will be allowed to leave the airport and shall self-monitor their health for 14 days after arrival, but five per cent of them will be randomly tested at the airport, the revised guidelines issued by the Union Health Ministry stated.

Reliance Industries Ltd is considering an offer for British telecom company BT Group Plc, the Economic Times reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

Reliance might make an unsolicited offer to buy into BT Group or will try to get a controlling share in it, the report said.

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