China sailed through the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz relatively unscathed even as the impact of its steps shielded other consuming nations from having to pay high crude oil prices.
The Nifty and Sensex outperformed Asian peers in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China.
Tech giant Apple reported a record June quarter revenue of USD 109.4 billion, a 16 per cent year-on-year increase, with significant double-digit growth in emerging markets like India. However, the company anticipates business risks in the coming quarters due to rising memory chip prices and ongoing supply constraints.
Gold and silver prices are anticipated to maintain a positive trajectory in the coming week, with market volatility expected to remain high due to ongoing developments in West Asia and upcoming global economic data, particularly the Federal Reserve's FOMC meeting minutes.
Analysts predict that developments in West Asia, their impact on crude oil prices, and the trading activity of foreign institutional investors (FIIs) will be crucial factors influencing the Indian stock market this week.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for global collaboration in Artificial Intelligence development, stating it should be a "symphony" rather than a "solo performance." His remarks came at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, where 29 countries also signed an agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO), an independent intergovernmental body headquartered in Shanghai. China also pledged 5,000 AI research projects and training for developing nations.
A new report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd (MOFSL) indicates that inflation, interest rates, and monetary policy have become more significant drivers of gold prices than traditional geopolitical conflicts, with markets increasingly focusing on these economic factors.
Gold and silver prices are expected to remain range-bound this week as investors await crucial US economic data, including the non-farm payrolls report, and further signals from the Federal Reserve regarding its interest rate policy.
'Think of the brain like a machine, and Alzheimer's is like rust.'
'Like a rusty machine breaks down, a rusty brain also breaks down. And when it breaks down, you have memory loss, cognitive issues and so on.'
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for global collaboration in artificial intelligence development, emphasising a "symphony of global collaboration" over a "solo performance" by any single nation. Speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi highlighted the need for ethical AI governance, shared prosperity, and addressing challenges like the widening digital divide. He also announced China's commitment to support developing countries with 5,000 AI research projects and training programmes. The event also saw 29 countries sign an agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) in Shanghai.
For the foreseeable future, the most likely outcome remains continuation of the status quo. Taiwan will remain self-governing without formally declaring independence, while China continues to apply sustained pressure short of war, predict Krishnan Srinivasan and Manoj Mohanka.
In many ways, 17th century India occupied a position in the global economy comparable to that of the United States today. Just as millions of people now look towards America because of its economic opportunities, merchants, adventurers and trading companies once looked towards India.
'... to see that young people are gainfully employed. After that, it will become very difficult as we will start ageing much more rapidly.' 'We have a huge proportion of Gen Z. After 2030, every year, we will start seeing a gradual shift towards a slightly older society.'
The Central government has approved an additional Rs 1,000 crore for electric two-wheelers (e2w) under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme, extending incentives for the segment until March 2028.
But when it comes to e2W, China is the dominant player and had grabbed over 76 per cent share of total e2W imports in 2025 with brands like Yadea, NIU and Sunra dominating the market.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, saw gains in early trade, driven by strong performance in banking shares and positive sentiment from Asian markets, alongside optimism surrounding the ongoing US-China Summit.
Adani Properties has emerged as the largest value creator in the 2026 Grohe-Hurun India Real Estate 150, adding Rs 38,000 crore in valuation to become India's fourth-most valuable real estate company, with its valuation rising 72.5 per cent year-on-year to Rs 90,400 crore.
Analysts predict that developments in US-Iran negotiations, fluctuations in crude oil prices, and key global economic data will be the primary drivers of gold and silver prices in the coming week, with a strong focus on talks in Switzerland.
Investors need to carefully assess country-specific risks. 'This is especially true of a market that is less transparent than the US.'
'Mobius made EMs investable and India his most enduring belief.'
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a decline due to renewed geopolitical concerns in the Strait of Hormuz, a strained US-Iran ceasefire, and the rupee hitting a record low against the US dollar.
Tata Electronics has surpassed Taiwanese giant Foxconn in assembling iPhones for export from India during the FY22-FY26 PLI scheme period, with exports valued at $26.3 billion compared to Foxconn's $25.6 billion.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reduced India's growth forecast for FY27 to 6.4 per cent, citing the potential impact of higher energy prices offsetting the country's economic resilience. Despite this, India remains among the fastest-growing major economies.
'It's very important for India to retain its sovereignty. India should not sign any agreement which compromises its sovereignty.'
The unprecedented rally in artificial intelligence (AI)-linked stocks has led to Indian companies being excluded from the top 10 constituents of the MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index for the first time in over two decades, raising concerns about concentration risk.
Notwithstanding the economic complementarities and the host of agreements for deepening economic relation on a host of areas, both sides share common viewpoints on the foreign policy domain and seek common grounds to serve as a counterweight to China, notes Dr Rajaram Panda.
'They talked bad about our leaders. They said India was a dead economy. They were not sensitive to the Indian psyche.'
Crude oil prices are projected to fall significantly this year, driven by hopes of a peace deal between the US and Iran, which could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and a notable drop in Chinese demand for seaborne crude imports.
Analysts predict that the ongoing US-Iran conflict, fluctuations in crude oil prices, and foreign institutional investor (FII) flows will be the primary factors influencing Dalal Street this week, with inflation concerns adding to investor anxiety.
A US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian crude oil has rerouted mid-voyage from its previously indicated destination of India to China, raising questions about payment issues and the future of India's Iranian oil imports.
We who were dreaming of being the third largest economy in dollar terms, have slid back to sixth, thanks to the falling rupee. We are moving about with begging bowls for investments and trade opportunities, which will be a while in materialising, if ever, notes Shreekant Sambrani.
Gold prices are expected to remain volatile next week as investors track geopolitical developments in the Middle East and key macroeconomic data releases that could shape the sentiment in the domestic market, analysts said.
Market maven Andrew Holland on why India missed the AI wave, why FIIs are leaving, why he personally invests in cryptocurrencies and why he's still betting big on the country.
The country's billionaire count rose 58 per cent over the past five years to 207 in 2026.
India's home-grown EV startups say the government's auto PLI scheme is helping big players while shutting out innovators building electric two- and three-wheelers from scratch.
Benchmark Sensex tumbled 1,236 points or 1.5 per cent while Nifty closed near 25,450 on Thursday following an across-the-board sell-off amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran.
Indian stock markets saw a significant rebound, with the Sensex jumping nearly 790 points, primarily fuelled by strong buying interest in telecom, pharma, and private banking shares, despite a volatile trading session and a weakening rupee.
The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile sector has created market distortions, excluded innovation-led electric two-wheeler (e2w) makers, and failed to convert cost advantages into export competitiveness, with 77 per cent of export volumes driven by non-PLI models, said a report released by the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP) on Friday.
Vietnam is an emerging regional power and a closer relationship with Hanoi is closely aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Act East Policy, points out Dr Rajaram Panda.
Macroeconomic data announcements, global trends and trading activity of foreign investors would be major driving factors for market movement this week, analysts said. Unabated capital infusion by domestic institutional investors have supported the positive trend in the stock market last week, traders said.
