The overall global Covid-19 caseload has topped 188.9 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 4.07 million and vaccinations soared to over 3.56 billion, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Saturday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload, death toll and the total number of vaccine doses administered stood at 189,441,350, 4,074,120 and 3,567,645,976, respectively.

In a key decision, preliminary exams for the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC), except for Group 1 posts, have been dropped, APPSC member Shaik Salam Babu informed.

Additionally, 10 per cent of all the posts will be reserved for EWS (Economically Weaker Section) candidates in future notifications, and the number of jobs in various posts will also be increased.

The Centre on Friday told the Delhi High Court that clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines for children under 18 years of age are going on and on the verge of completion.

A policy will be formed by the government and children will be vaccinated when experts give permission, the Centre said.

India recorded 38,949 new COVID-19 cases, which took the infection tally to 3,10,26,829, while the death toll reached 4,12,531 with 542 more fatalities, according to Union health ministry data updated on Friday.

The active cases have declined to 4,30,422 and comprise 1.39 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 97.28 per cent, the data updated at 8 am showed.

Shares of Datamatics Global Services hit a new high of Rs 261.20, surging 19 per cent on the BSE in the intra-day trade on Friday. The stock has claimed its fresh record peak after a gap of nearly 17 years and has surpassed its previous high of Rs 210, recorded in May 2004, the BSE data shows. In the past two trading days, the socks has surged 43 per cent on the back of heavy volumes.

At 12:31 pm, the stock was trading 17 per cent higher at Rs 256, as compared to a 0.13 per cent decline in the S&P BSE Sensex.

Shares of pharmaceutical companies were in demand in Friday's session, with stocks of Alkem Laboratories, Divi's Laboratories and Syngene International rallying up to 14 per cent to hit record highs on BSE amid expectation of strong earnings for the quarter ended June 2021 (Q1FY22), helped by low base last year and strong demand led by the pandemic.

Besides these three stocks, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Wockhadart, Alembic, Indoco Remedies, Jubilant Pharmova and Gland Pharma were up between 2 per cent and 4 per cent on the BSE.

Digital payments major Paytm will be amongst the top 10 most-valued financial (banks included) stocks in the country when it gets listed later this year.

According to investment banking sources, the company is looking at a valuation of between $20 billion and $25 billion in the initial public offering (IPO).

The price for 10 gm of 22-carat gold on Friday jumped to Rs 47,480 from Rs 47,080. Silver was up at Rs 69,500 per kg, according to the Good Returns website.

Gold jewellery price varies across India, the second-largest consumer of the metal, due to excise duty, state taxes, and making charges.

Shares of Wipro hit a new high of Rs 589, up 2 per cent, on the BSE in intra-day trade on Friday after the company reported a healthy set of June quarter (Q1FY22) numbers. The scrip has surged 12 per cent in three days.

At 09:30 am, it was up by less than 1 per cent at Rs 578.90 after hitting a low of Rs 568.25 in intra-day trade today. A combined 1.9 million equity shares had changed hands on the counter on the NSE and BSE so far.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and dedicate to the nation several key projects of the Railways in Gujarat on Friday via video conferencing.

He will also inaugurate the Aquatics and Robotics Gallery, and Nature Park in Gujarat Science City during the event.

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