The world's largest beverage company, Coca-Cola, has begun preliminary talks for a substantial stake buy in Cafe Coffee Day 10 months after it acquired UK-based Costa Coffee for $5.1 billion. The discussion with the Bengaluru-based company, promoted by VG Siddhartha, who exited information technology firm Mindtree earlier this year, is being led by the Atlanta office of the beverage major, persons in the know said.

The Centre’s latest plan to form a national electricity distribution company is likely to be a distribution sector operator (DSO), with overarching responsibilities of sectoral reforms and technical expertise. Officials said the company would be involved in the consultancy business and not exactly intervene in the business of state-owned power distribution companies (discoms).

Bitcoin jumped to an 18-month high on Wednesday, as investors looked for safety in alternative investments amid geopolitical tension, and cheered prospects that Facebook Inc's Libra token could push cryptocurrencies into the mainstream.

The world's biggest cryptocurrency has surged in value since April and on Wednesday hit a peak of $13,666.02 on the Bitstamp exchange, the highest level since January 2018.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said all data related to payment transactions must be stored in the country and that such information, if processed abroad, will have to be brought back within 24 hours.

“The entire payment data shall be stored in systems located only in India,” the RBI said in its frequently asked question (FAQ) section on Wednesday, responding to certain issues raised by payment system operators.

Microsoft is working with PC manufacturers to introduce Windows 10-powered systems to empower SMEs to address their key business needs, a top company official said Wednesday. The idea is to help SMEs increase business productivity and ensure that employees use latest technologies, Microsoft India group director for devices Farhana Haque said at an event here. She asked small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to update their personal computers (PCs) – older than four years – to reduce maintenance cost and increase productivity.

Road developers are either giving the creation of a maintenance reserve for roads in India a total miss, or setting aside inadequate funds for it, according to an ICRA Ratings survey. In simpler terms, the survey suggests that a large number of build operate transfer (BOT) highways in India may not have a ready funds for their maintenance, when needed.

Shares of SBI Life Insurance Company hit a 52-week high of Rs 715 per share, up 6 per cent intra-day, on the BSE on Wednesday with heavy buying being seen at the counter in respose to excessive bids being received for stake sale. The stock erased its entire loss of 5 per cent witnessed during Tuesday's trading session after the share-sale opened.

Soon, drink-driving may cost you a fine of up to Rs 10,000. The government is planning to bring changes in the Motor Vehicle Act to introduce stiffer penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol. Moreover, a stringent penalty will be introduced for traffic violators. According to the Times of India, the government will introduce the bill in the Parliament in the coming weeks.

NEW DELHI: Bitcoin prices surpassed $12,000 on Wednesday for the first time since January 2018. The interest in the cryptocurrency rose after Facebook unveiled its own digital unit Libra.

On a year-to-date basis, bitcoin has risen 216 per cent to $12,155 on June 26 against $3843.52 on January 1. The currency is still way below its record level of $20,000 witnessed at the end of 2017.

Mumbai: Domestic equity benchmark BSE Sensex rose over 150 points in early trade on Wednesday tracking gains in index heavyweights ICICI Bank, L&T and RIL, amid heavy foreign fund inflow.

After swinging over 200 points within the first 15 minutes of trade, the 30-share index pared opening losses to trade 111.08 points, or 0.28 per cent, higher at 39,546.02 at 0930 hours. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty was quoting 32.60 points, or 0.28 per cent, up at 11,829.05.

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