US President Donald Trump announced he halted planned military strikes on Iran following requests from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, citing ongoing discussions that could lead to a deal.
The Indian rupee depreciated by 52 paise to settle at 93.35 against the US dollar, driven by failed US-Iran peace talks, surging crude oil prices due to a potential US blockade of Iranian ports, and a global flight to the greenback. This geopolitical uncertainty is also leading to foreign capital withdrawal from domestic equities.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced a decline in early trade, ending a three-day rally, primarily due to heavy selling in IT stocks and concerns over prolonged instability in West Asia.
China has criticised the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a dangerous and irresponsible move, and urged Washington and Tehran to honour the ceasefire. Beijing also denied aiding Iran militarily and threatened countermeasures if the US imposes tariffs.
The Indian government has increased import duties on gold and silver from 6 per cent to 15 per cent to curb inbound shipments of precious metals amid a rising import bill due to the West Asia crisis.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, snapped a three-day rally, tumbling nearly 1 per cent due to heavy selling in IT stocks, a jump in crude oil prices, foreign fund outflows, and fears of prolonged instability in West Asia.
China has called on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and expressed appreciation for Tehran's commitment not to develop nuclear weapons, a key demand of the US to end the conflict.
Occasionally, the silence of the night shift would be shattered by an ear-splitting alarm: 'ALERT, ALERT... This is a security warning.' We were drilled to move away from the windows and avoid the lifts, recalls Krishna Kumar NP, a veteran Dubai-based journalist.
'PM Modi is trying to reduce the volume of fuel consumed instead of raising prices sharply.'
Iran has asserted that maritime movement through the Strait of Hormuz will be strictly controlled by Tehran, stating that passage will be allowed only through designated routes and under Iranian approval.
Uncertainty stemming from the US-Iran conflict has significantly impacted India's mutual fund industry, leading to a sharp decline in new fund offers (NFOs) in March, despite numerous regulatory approvals. This geopolitical tension, coupled with existing market strain and distributor hesitation, has dampened investor sentiment and affected overall inflows.
Iran has presented a multi-layered proposal to the US in an attempt to break the deadlock in peace talks, focusing on de-escalation and nuclear programme discussions.
The Indian rupee appreciated by 23 paise to settle at 92.91 against the US dollar, driven by a weakening American currency, retreating crude oil prices, and renewed foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows amid increasing hopes of easing geopolitical tensions.
Indian stock markets tumbled sharply with the Sensex falling 800 points and nearly 4 lakh crore wiped out in a single session. Here are the 6 key factors, including rupee weakness and global cues, behind the crash.
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Friday after a two-day rally, tracking a weak trend in global peers, as the US-Iran conflict continues to be a key overhang for the markets. Track Sensex, Nifty50 movement and key market drivers for March 27, 2026.
The BSE Sensex and the Nifty 50 declined around 4.5 per cent each since the start of the West Asia conflict.
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.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower in a volatile session due to profit-taking in banking and financial shares, despite earlier gains driven by easing geopolitical tensions. Analysts suggest investors remain cautious and are not aggressively chasing the recent rally.
An Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, concluded high-level meetings in Islamabad, delivering an 'official list of demands' to Pakistani leaders for the US and Israel. This comes as President Trump cancelled his envoys' visit to Islamabad amid ongoing efforts to facilitate peace talks between Iran and the US.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open for normal passage of ships, describing it as an 'international waterway' amid rising tensions between the US and Iran.
Global energy markets saw a significant correction as oil prices nosedived following Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz has been fully reopened, dismantling the 'war-risk' premium that had gripped the market.
Pakistan is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to facilitate negotiations between the US and Iran, with hopes of hosting a second round of talks in Islamabad.
Dabur India's stock has fallen over 17 per cent since the start of the Iran war, driven by concerns over a weak monsoon, the West Asian crisis, and rising input costs, which are expected to impact the company's revenues and margins, particularly affecting its significant rural sales and international markets.
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran if a deal is not reached before the ceasefire ends, while Pakistan urged both sides to extend the truce and pursue diplomacy.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced declines due to a sharp rally in crude oil prices, continuous foreign fund outflows, and geopolitical uncertainties. Regulatory developments in the banking sector, particularly the implementation of the Expected Credit Loss (ECL) framework, also contributed to the selling pressure.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan for the second time in three days amid uncertainty surrounding potential peace talks with the US. The visit follows discussions in Oman regarding regional security and efforts to resolve the Iran-US conflict.
Pakistan is set to host the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkiye to discuss a range of issues, including de-escalating tensions in West Asia.
Small- and midcap stocks have delivered their biggest monthly rally in 12 years, but rising oil prices and global tensions could make the road ahead volatile.
An Indian national has died in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under unclear circumstances following recent events. The Indian Embassy is providing assistance to the family and liaising with local authorities.
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant decline, falling over 1 per cent due to foreign fund outflows and global uncertainties.
Analysts say long-term investors may still benefit, but recommend limiting bullion exposure to around 10 per cent.
Analysts predict that the ongoing conflict in West Asia, crude oil prices, and global trends will significantly influence the Indian stock market in the upcoming holiday-shortened week. Foreign investor activity and rupee movement will also be crucial.
An Iranian missile strike on Haifa has resulted in casualties and intensified conflict between Iran and Israel, prompting search operations and ceasefire discussions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the opening of direct negotiations with Lebanon, as tensions persist along the border despite a two-week ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities in West Asia.
US President Donald Trump has indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran at the request of Pakistan, aiming to allow Tehran's leadership time to form a unified proposal to end the seven-week war.
The embassy also said that the exit must be undertaken in coordination with the mission.
InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) is experiencing significant financial pressure, with its stock falling 18 per cent since the start of the Iran war, due to rising Brent crude prices, a weakening rupee, and disruptions to its West Asia and European flight networks caused by geopolitical tensions.
The logic of war plus the gathering storms in US politics as the midterms loom large leave him with no real alternative but to negotiate, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Iran has denied sending a delegation to Islamabad for peace talks with the United States, contradicting Pakistan's claims of mediating the negotiations. The denial highlights a lack of confidence in Pakistan's ability to ensure security for high-level participants and underscores the fragile nature of diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran.
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended marginally higher on Wednesday as a sharp decline in IT blue-chip stocks restricted the rally in the markets.
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