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.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino says the 2026 World Cup will proceed as scheduled despite uncertainty over Iran's participation due to security and geopolitical tensions.
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
The big question is whether Trump is any longer in command of the situation. For all practical purposes, the war seems set to cascade as the US is preparing for a potential ground operation in Iran and threatens to destroy 'bridges next, then electric power plants', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Bitcoin has fallen from its peak of $1,26,251.3 on October 6, 2025, to $65,405.5, a decline of 48.2 per cent. Investors must recognise that sharp volatility is inherent to Bitcoin and avoid kneejerk reactions.
Indian markets on Dalal Street rallied sharply as easing tensions in the US-Iran conflict and stable oil prices boosted sentiment. Track Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex performance and key global triggers.
The purge in Washington does not pause the war. Strikes continue, Hormuz remains closed, and Brent crude is still dancing around $109 a barrel. For India, the command chaos in the Pentagon is another layer of uncertainty piled on five weeks of conflict that was already straining every buffer Delhi has.
Do not exit in panic or buy falling stocks without reassessing fundamentals; instead, build a watchlist and invest gradually with a disciplined, long-term approach.
India granted emergency docking to an Iranian ship, IRIS Lavan, in Kochi due to technical issues, accommodating its crew amidst regional naval activity and tensions.
'We are getting used to the constant alerts to take shelter, listening to sonic booms from jets flying above us, hearing news of neighbouring ports being targeted, and being the only ship in the terminal.'
Eighteen months of preparation hang in the balance at a Tucson-based multi-use sports facility, where organisers say they remain in daily contact with FIFA about hosting Iran's national soccer team, even as geopolitical turmoil threatens to upend their World Cup plans.
Indian equity markets experienced a volatile session, with the Sensex and Nifty recovering some ground after a significant plunge the previous day. Gains were driven by PSU bank, IT, and metal stocks, but concerns over rising fuel prices and geopolitical tensions limited the recovery.
Hiring demand strongest in ecommerce, tech startups, healthcare, and energy sectors, with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune leading.
Indian pacer Harshit Rana is expected to miss a significant portion of the IPL 2026 season due to a knee injury, impacting Kolkata Knight Riders' campaign. The article also discusses other changes in the KKR squad.
It may now be time to question the price India is paying for Israel's disregard of the serious undermining of India's energy security, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Opposition parties are demanding a full Parliament discussion on the West Asia conflict, criticising the government's silence and calling for a contingency plan to protect India's energy security and citizens.
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has postponed its three-day meeting scheduled for March 25-27 in Doha, Qatar, due to the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. The meeting has been rescheduled for next month at a location within the same continent.
Indian stock market indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant decline, driven by rising crude oil prices, sustained foreign fund outflows, and selling pressure in major bank stocks.
With Gulf countries emerging as popular destinations for Indian weddings and pre-wedding shoots, the March-April season had seen a flurry of bookings.
Indian airlines are expected to cancel 444 international flights due to airspace restrictions in the Middle East following attacks on Iran by Israel and the US. The civil aviation ministry is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with airlines to ensure passenger safety and minimize disruptions.
Trump may strike. He may announce productive talks and extend again. He may do both at the same time. Iran will not open the Strait on someone else's terms, so no matter what happens, that problem will remain unsolved. And the IRGC will still be collecting its $2 million toll from every ship bold enough to ask permission to pass.
Dozens of Indian-flagged ships and over a thousand seafarers are stranded in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and surrounding areas due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing military actions involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
Indian equity markets experienced a significant downturn as geopolitical tensions in West Asia, rising oil prices, and foreign fund outflows dampened investor confidence. The Sensex and Nifty both fell sharply in early trade, reflecting broader global market weakness.
India's aviation sector is facing fresh turbulence, with rising fuel costs, the Ministry of Civil Aviation's free-seat directive, and geopolitical disruptions in West Asia clouding near-term earnings visibility.
Precious metal prices, particularly gold and silver, experienced a significant surge in the national capital as investors sought safe-haven assets amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
The rupee plunged to a fresh low of 93.72 against the dollar on Friday, falling 1.15 per cent in a single session - its sharpest one-day decline since February 24, 2022 - as elevated crude oil prices and strong dollar demand from oil-marketing companies and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) weighed on the currency.
To meet liquidity pressure because of advance tax outflows this month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has adopted a measured approach with its latest announcement of open-market operations (OMOs), worth Rs 1 trillion.
A fire in Indore, India, killed eight members of a family after an explosion at an electric vehicle (EV) charging point outside their house. The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered an investigation and plans to create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for EV charging.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cancelled its Board and committee meetings due to the ongoing military conflict in West Asia, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo on Tuesday.
Inflation data, trading activity of foreign investors and global trends would dictate sentiment in the stock market this week, according to analysts.
Petrol diesel price today March 20, 2026: IOCL & HPCL hike premium petrol (XP95, Speed, Power) by 2/litre and industrial diesel by 22/litre. Regular petrol in Delhi 94.77, diesel 87.67 unchanged. Full city-wise rates inside.
Foreign brokerages have started to cut their year-end targets for the Nifty 50 index amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.
BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said the BCCI cannot intervene as the signing is related to a foreign league and it is up to the franchise to take a call.
Iran's football federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving their World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico due to concerns about the safety of their players, Iranian football president Mehdi Taj said.
'Refiners may soon be forced to adjust operations, curtailing runs as product exports stall and directing output solely to domestic markets.'
We cannot simply have a 60-65 per cent import dependency in LPG, the bulk of which comes from just one volatile region -- West Asia, points out R Jagannathan.
Domestic passenger vehicle dispatches in India rose 10.6% in February, driven by utility vehicles and two-wheelers, but the industry remains cautious due to geopolitical tensions.
The BSE Sensex plummeted 1,236 points, wiping out nearly Rs 7 lakh crore in investor wealth, driven by escalating tensions between the US and Iran and subsequent market selloff.
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