Top headlines: Cryptos 'may figure' on RBI agenda, US Covid deaths top 800k

The US death toll from Covid-19 topped 800,000 on Tuesday, as more than 200,000 of those lives were lost after the vaccine became available. More on top headlines for this morning

In the upcoming board meeting of Reserve Bank of India on December 17, the issuance and regulation of cryptocurrencies may come up for disscussion. More on that in today's top headlines

Cryptos 'may figure' on RBI central board meeting

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) central board may take up matters concerning the issuance and regulation of cryptocurrencies at its meeting in Lucknow on December 17. The development comes close on the heels of the Ministry of Finance informing the Lok Sabha (LS) on Monday that a Bill on cryptocurrencies is being readied. Read more

US Covid-19 death toll crosses 800,000

The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 topped 800,000 on Tuesday, a once-unimaginable figure seen as doubly tragic, given that more than 200,000 of those lives were lost after the vaccine became available practically for the asking last spring.

The number of deaths, as compiled by Johns Hopkins University, is about equal to the population of Atlanta and St. Louis combined, or Minneapolis and Cleveland put together. It is roughly equivalent to how many Americans die each year from heart disease or stroke. Read more

Tata in talks with Taiwan companies to make chips

Tata Group is in discussions with some major international companies, including those from Taiwan, for its foray into the semiconductor chip business. The Union government had earlier tried to bring in Taiwanese manufacturers Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) for chip manufacturing in India. A person close to the development said the Tatas have now opened a separate channel for a possible tie-up. Read more

Reliance Industries largest wealth creator in 2016-21, says Motilal Oswal

Oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries (RIL) has emerged as the country’s largest wealth creator, adding a staggering Rs 9.6 trillion over the past five years, according to Motilal Oswal’s 26th Annual Wealth Creation Study. In doing so, the Mukesh Ambani-led company has beaten its own record of Rs 5.6 trillion generated in 2014-19. Read more

Debroy bats for GST Council-like body for expenditure reforms

Bibek Debroy, chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), on Tuesday proposed a forum along the lines of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council to initiate expenditure reforms at all levels – Union, states and local bodies.

On a day when India’s wholesale inflation hit a 12-year high, he said the revival of economic growth was a much bigger issue than the rate of price rise. Read more