Top headlines: Investors lose Rs 11 trn in 2 days; WEF defers Davos summit

Business Standard brings you the top stories on Monday

Omicron scare: Investors lose Rs 11.45 trn in two days of market sell-off

Investors have lost a hefty Rs 11,45,267.43 crore in two days as the domestic equity market continued to face severe drubbing amid a global selloff.

The BSE benchmark Sensex plunged 1,189.73 points or 2.09 per cent to close at 55,822.01 on Monday. During the day, it tanked 1,879.06 points to 55,132.68. The benchmark had tumbled 889.40 points or 1.54 per cent to close at 57,011.74 on Friday. Read more

Lok Sabha passes electoral reforms bill that links Aadhaar to voter ID

Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill to link electoral roll data with Aadhaar eco system amid protest by opposition members over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence issue.

The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021, piloted by Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, was passed by a voice vote after a brief discussion during which some opposition members demanded that it be referred to a parliamentary panel. Read more

Bharat Biotech seeks trial for intranasal Covid vaccine booster

Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech said on Monday it has submitted an application to the country's drug regulator to conduct a late-stage trial for a booster dose of its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine.

Indian COVID-19 vaccine makers are lobbying the government to authorise boosters as supplies have far outstripped demand, but the health ministry said there is no immediate plan to approve boosters and the priority remains complete vaccination of eligible adults. Read more

World Economic Forum defers Davos meeting amid pandemic

The World Economic Forum (WEF) postponed until mid-2022 its annual meeting that had been due to take place in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos in January, the organisers said on Monday.

The event, a meeting point for the world's business and political leaders, has been postponed in light of continued uncertainty over the Omicron outbreak, it said. Read more