Messaging application WhatsApp said on Thursday that it would begin allowing business accounts for the first time, a step that brings the free service closer to a plan that would make money for its corporate parent, Facebook Inc.

Some businesses already use WhatsApp, with 1.3 billion users, to answer inquires from customers.

Even as cigarettes’ sales volume is likely to decline by 2-5 per cent during October-December period of the current financial year, increased revenue from other segments is likely to result in ITC Ltd posting an eight per cent growth in its topline at around Rs 99-100 billion. The company’s net profit is expected to hover around Rs 26-28 billion.

In the third quarter (Q3) of the last financial year, the company had posted a Rs 26.40 billion bottom line and a Rs 97.64 billion topline.

A court has directed issuance of arrest warrant against defaulter businessman Vijay Mallya and 18 others in the Kingfisher Airlines case, on a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).

The probe agency, which comes under the corporate affairs ministry, has come across various violations of companies law in the case related to Kingfisher Airlines, which was grounded in 2012.

Moody’s Investors Service estimates Reliance Jio, the mobile carrier run by India’s richest man, may invest as much as $23 billion on capital spending over three to four years as it expands beyond wireless services.

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.’s parent Reliance Industries Ltd. has already spent more than $31 billion to break into India’s mobile-phone market. The 2016 upstart, known as Jio, dislodged rivals and has emerged as the nation’s No. 4 carrier. A Jio spokesman didn’t immediately answer an email with questions about the Moody’s estimate.

New Delhi: The government will set up a $350 million solar development fund for financing solar projects, New and Renewable Energy and Power Minister Raj Kumar Singh said on Thursday.

Over the years, the minister said, renewable energy has become cheaper and is set to replace conventional energy, which is a healthy development.

Idea Cellular has announced its new ‘Magic Cashback Offer’ that will get users a cashback of up to Rs 3,300 on the purchase of Rs 398 pack or higher. Idea’s Magic Cashback offer will take on Jio offer, which was refreshed earlier this week, to offer ‘More than 100 percent cashback’ on the same recharge value of Rs 398 or higher. Although, Idea’s new offer has the same benefits as the ones given by Reliance Jio earlier.

German luxury carmaker Audi on Thursday launched an all-new version of its premium SUV Q5 priced at Rs 5.3 million (Rs 53.25 lakh) (ex-showroom Delhi).

The model would be available in two variants priced at Rs 5.3 million (Rs 53.25 lakh) and Rs 5.7 million (Rs 57.6 lakh).

NEW DELHI: The Indian men's hockey team put on a fighting performance but it wasn't enough for them to prevent a 0-2 against Belgium in the third match of the Four Nations Hockey Tournament in Tauranga on Thursday. Arthur De Sloover and Victor Wegnez scored in the eighth and 34th minute respectively to help Belgium win and overcome the 4-5 loss suffered at the hands of New Zealand on Wednesday.

Axis Bank, the country's third largest private sector lender, hiked its lending rates on Wednesday by a marginal 5 basis points (100bps = 1 percentage point). The bank informed the stock exchanges that it has increased its benchmark marginal cost of lending rate (MCLR) by 5 basis points across all tenures with effect from January 18. The one-year MCLR, at which rate its home loans and other important products are priced, will now stand at 8.30%, the bank said.

NEW DELHI: Indian captain Virat Kohli had something to cheer about after the second Test debacle against South Africa when he was named the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards on Thursday. Kohli was also named the ICC Cricketer of the Year and captain of both ICC Test and ODI teams.

The Indian batting mainstay is the leading run-getter in ODIs with 1460 in 26 innings at an average of 76.84 and strike-rate of 99.11, with six centuries - the most for any team.

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