Swedish furniture retailer IKEA plans to open small city outlets along with its mega format stores in India supported by online channel, tweaking its strategy in the wake of changing consumer behaviour, according to a senior company official.

The company, which had in 2013 received government approval for its Rs 10,500 crore investment for opening stores in India, had envisaged setting up 10 furnishing and home-ware stores as well as allied infrastructure in over 10 years in India.

The monkeypox virus can linger on many common household objects, though it’s not yet clear if that can spread the infection, according to a new government study.

Two monkeypox patients sharing a home said they disinfected surfaces, washed their hands several times a day and showered regularly. Researchers still found the virus on 70 per cent of high-contact areas 20 days after their symptoms began, including on couches, blankets, a coffee machine, computer mouse and light switch, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

SoftBank Investment Advisers, which runs SoftBank Group Corp.’s Vision Funds, has given oversight of its European investment team to managing partner Sumer Juneja.

Juneja, who is also responsible for SBIA’s Indian investments, will relocate to London, according to a memo sent to staff by Rajeev Misra reviewed by Bloomberg.

Gold prices fell Rs 100 in Saturday's early trade with 10 gram of the yellow metal (24-carat) trading at Rs 52,150. The price of silver, meanwhile, fell Rs 700 to Rs 56,000 per kg.

The price of 22-carat gold also fell Rs 100 and the precious metal is trading at Rs 47,800.

In Mumbai and Kolkata, 24-carat gold is selling at Rs 52,150 per 10 gram, while 22-carat gold is trading at Rs 47,800 in the respective cities.

Edtech startup Sunstone, which focuses on higher education, on Friday said it has raised USD 35 million, about Rs 280 crore, in a funding round led by WestBridge Capital.

The funding round also saw participation from Alteria Capital.

Founded by Ashish Munjal and Piyush Nangru in 2019, Sunstone had raised USD 28 million in Series B in October 2021.

The Adani Group, led by billionaire Gautam Adani, has received capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) approval for a $3.8-billion (Rs 31,139 crore) open offer for Ambuja Cements and ACC. This will be the largest open offer in India's corporate history, which will launch on August 26, concluding on September 9.

The mandatory open offer, triggered after Adani's acquisition of Swiss major Holcim's stakes in Ambuja and ACC respectively in May, will see the group offer Rs 385 per share for 26 per cent stake in the former and Rs 2,300 a share for a similar stake in the latter.

Debt-ridden Future Enterprises Ltd (FEL) said it has defaulted on payments of interest of two non-convertible debentures totalling Rs 12.68 crore.

The due date for payment was August 17, 2022, FEL said in a regulatory filing.

"The company is unable to service its obligations in respect of the interest on Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) due on August 17, 2022," it said on Thursday.

India saw a single day rise of 12,608 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,42,98,864, while the active cases declined to 1,01,343, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The national death toll climbed to 5,27,206 with 72 fatalities, including 29 fatalities by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.

Private sector bank major HDFC has opened its first all-women branch in north Kerala region in Kozhikode.

The branch, located in Cherootty Road, the hub of traders in the district, will have 4 women bankers.

This adds to all-women branches opened by the Bank in southern India and takes forward the bank's inherent values of diversity and inclusion, a statement said here.

Bharti Airtel received spectrum allocation letter within few hours of making upfront payment to the Department of Telecom, Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said on Thursday.

This is the first time ever that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has handed out a spectrum allocation letter on the day of making upfront payment.

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