Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed almost unchanged in a volatile session as investors reacted cautiously to mounting geopolitical headwinds and a significant jump in crude oil prices, with Brent crude surging to USD 94.68 per barrel.
'We won not (only) because we were able to carry out long-range precision strikes.' 'That is, of course, one of the reasons but we had better situational awareness about what's happening than Pakistan.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged states to balance the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence with the need to safeguard against social challenges like cyber fraud and drug abuse. He also warned of the risks posed by El Nino conditions, calling for stronger water conservation measures and emphasising the collective resolve towards a 'Viksit Bharat'.
After three consecutive months of heavy selling, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) turned net buyers in the first week of February, infusing more than Rs 8,100 crore in Indian equities, aided by improving risk sentiment, along with a trade deal with the US.
The prospect of protracted uncertainties in the global economic landscape not only pose a risk for India's growth outlook in 2025-26, but are also likely to dent the private sector's capital raising and investment plans, the finance ministry averred on Tuesday, cautioning the country's corporates that the era of 'easy pickings' was over.
Markets face risk of a prolonged bear phase as oil shocks and geopolitical tensions test inflation, growth and investor confidence globally, points out Debashis Basu.
Kumar Mangalam Birla urged young people to 'build in India, build for India and build for the world'.
A recently finalised peace deal between the US and Iran, set to be signed on June 19, is expected to significantly benefit India's economy by boosting exports to West Asia, stabilising the rupee, and easing inflationary pressures, according to exporters and experts.
'So far our production is not affected. But every day the situation prolongs, it does bring risks in terms of shipments getting delayed.'
According to the Economic Survey 2026, the appropriate stance for 2026 is therefore one of strategic sobriety rather than defensive pessimism.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reported a significant increase in the use of the Indian Rupee (INR) for import and export invoicing and settlement, highlighting its growing internationalisation and mutual benefits for trading partners.
Much will depend on how the protagonists use the current interlude to work proactively for the beginning of a durable settlement or, on the contrary, prepare for a new round of escalation, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
koda Auto Volkswagen India aims to capture a 5 per cent share of India's passenger vehicle market by 2030, driven by new product launches, including alternate fuel vehicles, and a potential entry into the high-volume sub-4 metre SUV segment.
US President Donald Trump has dismissed media reports suggesting that diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran have stalled, maintaining that dialogue persists despite intensifying geopolitical friction across the Middle East.
Around one full month of supply is firmly arranged with additional procurement being continuously finalised, and oil companies are successfully delivering over 5 million cylinders every day.
Info Edge (India) shares fell 2.9 per cent after the company reported muted growth in recruitment billings for Q4 FY26, leading brokerages to expect impacted operating performance and potential margin contraction.
Moody's Ratings has reduced India's GDP growth forecast for 2026 to 6 per cent, citing subdued private consumption, capital formation, and industrial activity due to higher energy costs and global uncertainties.
Indian stock markets extended their gains for a third consecutive day, with the Sensex climbing 753 points and the Nifty closing above 24,550, driven by a drop in crude oil prices and optimism surrounding potential peace talks between Iran and the US.
Crude oil prices have surged to record highs due to escalating tensions between the US and Iran, raising concerns about supply disruptions and market volatility.
Commodity markets, especially the metals, are among the most volatile segments of the Indian financial ecosystem. To traders involved in commodity trading, it is not only helpful to keep track of the daily price changes but also necessary to make informed trading decisions. Commodities like gold, silver, copper, and aluminium react to many different factors, which makes it imperative for commodity traders to watch out for metal prices every day.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant slump in early trade, mirroring weak global trends, as escalating tensions in West Asia, particularly a drone attack on the UAE's Barakah nuclear facility, pushed crude oil prices higher. Track Sensex, Nifty50 movement and key market drivers for May 18, 2026.
India's exports experienced their steepest fall in five months, declining by 7.44 per cent in March to $38.92 billion, primarily due to trade uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, with shipments to West Asia contracting by over 50 per cent.
Despite Iran allowing 'non-hostile vessels' through the Strait of Hormuz, marine insurance premiums are expected to remain elevated due to persistent high-risk classifications and ongoing geopolitical tensions, with experts cautioning that the threat of attacks and collateral damage still exists.
Revenue intelligence and customs officers are set to intensify surveillance and increase vigilance on international borders to combat potential gold smuggling following a significant increase in customs duty on gold.
Lenders are actively monitoring gold price volatility, prompting them to ask borrowers for additional gold collateral or partial principal repayment when loan-to-value (LTV) thresholds are breached, particularly for loans disbursed in February.
Worries about global politics and trade are pulling the Nifty 50 down. Experts say the market could drop further low.
Foreign investors fled Indian equities in 2025 at a scale never seen before, pulling out a record Rs 1.6 lakh crore (USD 18 billion) as volatile currency movements, global trade tensions, especially potential US tariffs, and stretched valuations eroded risk appetite, though flows are expected to turn sustainably positive in 2026.
'The West Asia or the Gulf crisis has shown that what we develop as national infrastructure when things are not as bad as they could be, we forget to plan for adversities.'
India has expressed serious concerns about the West Asia crisis and its potential impact on energy supplies and maritime stability, urging BRICS nations to find practical solutions to geopolitical challenges and unilateral sanctions.
The Reserve Bank's gold reserves crossed 880 metric tonnes in the first half of 2025-26 with the central bank adding 0.2 metric tonnes in the last week of September. The total value of the gold was $95 billion as of September 26, 2025, according to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, tumbled nearly 2 per cent for the fourth consecutive session, driven by elevated crude oil prices, escalating US-Iran tensions, unabated foreign fund outflows, and a depreciating rupee.
Indian equity benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, tumbled nearly 2 per cent for the fourth consecutive session, driven by elevated crude oil prices, escalating US-Iran tensions, unabated foreign fund outflows, and a depreciating rupee.
Piramal Pharma anticipates a significant turnaround in financial year 2026-27 (FY27), projecting early-to-mid teens revenue expansion and a sharp improvement in profitability, driven by improved business momentum, new product acquisitions, and structural tailwinds.
Gold and silver prices saw a significant decline in the national capital, with silver falling by Rs 7,800 to Rs 2.43 lakh per kilogram and gold by Rs 1,500 to Rs 1.54 lakh per 10 grams, as investors booked profits amid persistent doubts over the durability of the West Asia ceasefire.
After a 25 basis point rate cut in December, the RBI on Friday decided to pause on the policy rate front amid geopolitical uncertainties.
Tata Steel reported a significant 124.9 per cent year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to 2,925.74 crore for the fourth quarter of FY26, driven by higher volumes and an improved product mix in India, alongside planned cost reductions across its global operations.
Foreign investors pulled out Rs 21,000 crore (around $2.3 billion) from Indian equities over the last four trading sessions amid deteriorating global risk sentiment triggered by the West Asia crisis.
The Indian rupee weakened against the US dollar due to a strengthening dollar, high crude oil prices, and foreign fund outflows amid geopolitical uncertainties.
Indian banks are urging the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to reconsider its new $100 million cap on net open foreign-exchange positions, warning that the directive could lead to significant mark-to-market (MTM) losses and force an accelerated unwinding of trades, potentially impacting FY26 earnings.
New completions in India's office real estate sector fell by 36 per cent to 9.7 million square feet in Q1 2026, the lowest in four quarters, primarily due to developers adopting a cautious stance amid global uncertainties, particularly in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. Despite this, office absorption increased by 20 per cent, indicating strong occupier demand.
