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Sterling held above an 11-month low on Monday as calm returned to global markets after the discovery of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Friday prompted investors to dump the British currency.

South Africa's rand and stocks bounced on Monday after concerns about the Omicron coronavirus variant triggered sharp falls last week, while Turkey's lira was hit by President Tayyip Erdogan's orders for an investigation into currency manipulation.

Philippine shares plunged on Monday to lead losses among emerging Asian equities, after the country imposed border curbs to restrict the new Omicron coronavirus variant, while the Thai baht slid for a seventh straight session.

It is urgent and overdue to implement PrEP in pregnancy and during breastfeeding. Failure to do so allows ongoing avoidable HIV infection among women in South Africa and their infants.

China’s commitment to a Covid-zero policy turns Macau into a roll of the dice. Beijing’s draconian restrictions easily could be in place through most of 2022. Resorts in the gambling hub sit half-empty, with gaming revenue at 30% of pre-pandemic highs. They can live without foreign tourists, but local visitors are their lifeblood.

Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at markets.research@thomsonreuters.com

Japanese shares tumbled on Monday with the Nikkei average sliding to its lowest level in 1-1/2 months, hit by worries about the damage that the Omicron coronavirus variant could inflict on the economy.

Light rain mixed with sunny spells last week in most of Ivory Coast's cocoa-growing regions will boost the growth of pods to be harvested early next year, farmers said on Monday.

Contracts to buy U.S. previously owned homes jumped in October, reversing a decline in the prior month, likely as buyers raced to snap up properties as mortgage rates edged upward.

Currency markets calmed on Monday in Asia after the initial shock of the discovery of the Omicron coronavirus variant sent investors scurrying for cover last week, but analysts warned of more volatility with little still known about the new strain.