The Economic Times

The Indian rupee neared its all-time low at 92.43/$ on Monday, with the Reserve Bank of India intervening to defend the currency. Despite recent losses due to rising oil prices from the Iran war, the rupee saw relative stability, coinciding with a rebound in Indian equities. Analysts predict continued RBI defense to keep the rupee between 92.50/$ and 91.

Indian stock markets rallied on Monday, with key indices gaining over 1 percent. This surge ended a three-day losing streak. Traders cut bearish bets as the West Asian conflict showed no fresh escalation. The Nifty closed at 23,408.8, and the Sensex ended at 75,502.85. The market's fear gauge, VIX, also fell, indicating some relief.

Nvidia's chief Jensen Huang forecasts a massive one trillion dollar revenue opportunity for its AI chips by 2027. This projection highlights Nvidia's strong position in the AI chip market. The company is also expected to reveal details about its next-generation AI chip, Feynman. Nvidia's strategy of reinvesting profits into the AI ecosystem appears to be paying off, despite increasing competition.

Wall Street surged Monday, led by AI-related stocks like Meta and Nvidia, as Meta announced significant layoffs and Nvidia unveiled new components. Oil prices dipped amid easing Middle East conflict concerns, offering market relief. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all closed higher, reflecting positive investor sentiment.

Small investors' ability to influence corporate boards through shareholder proposals is facing significant restrictions. Proposed new rules and higher ownership thresholds could sideline individual shareholders, activists, and faith-based groups. This move, supported by business groups, aims to curb what they deem excessive or irrelevant proposals, sparking concerns about silencing diverse voices.

The London Metal Exchange's LME Select platform experienced a nearly three-hour outage on Monday due to a technical issue with its primary electronic matching engine. This disruption halted price updates for key metal contracts, prompting the LME to declare a Disruption Event. Electronic trading resumed at 1730 GMT on a secondary engine.

Global hedge funds are aggressively selling financial stocks, making the sector the year's top target for short bets. This trend, driven by concerns over the Middle East war's economic impact and the intricate links between banks and private lending, has seen significant drops in financial indices. Investors are hedging against broader credit risks, potentially anticipating systemic markdowns.

Indian indices ended a three-session losing streak with Nifty gaining 257.70 points. Banks, auto, and consumer stocks led the recovery, while technical indicators suggest potential pullbacks amid continued market volatility.

Nifty ended a three-session losing streak with strong gains, forming a bullish reversal pattern. Analysts see potential near-term recovery, with Adani Power and UltraTech Cement showing technical buying opportunities.

The London Metal Exchange said some trading has been halted due to 'an issue' and they are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

U.S. factory production increased marginally in February as manufacturing remained constrained by tariffs on imports, and the conflict in the Middle East could raise operating costs.

Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast said on Monday its fourth-quarter net loss widened from a year earlier as it increased impairment charges related to its U.S. plant, which it aims to resume construction of this year

Private-credit market jitters have spilled onto Wall Street, with some major U.S. banks tightening lending while the funds have capped withdrawals as mounting concerns prompt firms to curb risk and brace for further strain.

Bandhan Bank shares fell sharply, hitting the lower circuit after news that its promoter may offer existing investors an exit, compounded by West Asia crisis concerns, despite broader market gains.

MakeMyTrip is exploring a potential India listing to access domestic capital, strengthen brand leadership, and support long-term growth amid robust travel demand and strategic acquisitions like RedBus and Flamingo Transworld.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India has revised Core Settlement Guarantee Fund norms for commodity clearing corporations, requiring stress scenarios of three member defaults. The regulator also allowed mutual funds to undertake intraday borrowing to manage temporary liquidity mismatches.

Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on Monday with shares of Meta among the top gainers after a report said the megacap was prepping for sweeping AI-related layoffs, even as elevated crude prices due to the raging Middle East conflict kept risk-taking in check.

Stocks trading above their industry price-to-earnings ratio often signal strong growth expectations or investor optimism. A StockEdge valuation scan highlights nine NSE midcap companies, including Lenskart Solutions, NTPC Green Energy and Biocon.

Indian markets rebounded on Monday as Nifty surged 257 points, led by HDFC Bank, Bajel Projects, and Tejas Networks, while IDBI Bank, Bandhan, Fino Payments Bank, and Adani Total Gas faced sharp losses amid corporate news and investor concerns.

India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in Brussels for crucial talks with European Union foreign ministers. This visit follows a significant Free Trade Agreement between India and the EU. Discussions will focus on deepening the strategic partnership. The ongoing Iran-US conflict and its impact on energy supplies are also on the agenda.

Sharp market selloff amid geopolitical tensions may offer selective long-term buying opportunities, says Sunny Agrawal. He highlights robust order books, corrected valuations, and attractive prospects in private banks, consumer internet, and select large-cap stocks, while noting crude oil and inflation remain key macro variables for investors.

Nifty fell over 5% weekly amid Iran-Israel/US tensions, with Bank Nifty and Auto leading declines. Sudeep Shah highlights key support-resistance levels, sector rotation strategies, and defensive plays in FMCG, Pharma, and CPSEs to navigate high volatility. Investors are advised to avoid bottom-fishing and wait for stabilisation signals.

India's economy shows strong resilience against global headwinds. Favorable interest rates and liquidity conditions are set to boost growth. The investment cycle is on an upward path, driven by government infrastructure spending and manufacturing support. Private investments are expected to rise, particularly in renewable energy.

Indian housing sales saw a slight dip in units last year but a significant rise in value. Demand for homes above Rs 1 crore drove this growth. Tier-2 cities are becoming key growth areas. Improved connectivity and job opportunities are boosting housing markets. Metro cities continue to lead, but smaller cities are gaining importance.

Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey reassured investors that market volatility, fueled by geopolitical tensions like the Iran-Israel/US conflict, is temporary. He emphasized that the true test of financial markets lies in their ability to function smoothly, fairly, and efficiently despite uncertainty, drawing parallels to past disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Smallcap stocks have corrected sharply but are still not cheap, says Sonam Srivastava of Wright Research, urging investors to stay selective. She highlights opportunities in private banks, pharma, and capital goods while recommending staggered deployment of cash and balanced allocation across equities, gold, silver, and debt amid volatile markets.

Sadanand Date, a 2007-batch IPS officer, has taken charge as Executive Director at Sebi, heading the investigations department. Previously, Date served in key roles at the CBI, including Superintendent of Police in various branches. He also held significant positions within the Uttarakhand Police before his appointment at the market regulator.

Bitcoins steep decline since October may be nearing its final phase, according to Blockforce Capitals Brett Munster, who tracks key on-chain indicators. Metrics such as the MVRV Z-Score and realized price suggest the cryptocurrency could be entering a potential accumulation zone, with renewed ETF inflows signalling improving investor demand.

Rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia and disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz are raising concerns over Indias LPG supply. With tanker movement slowing and imports falling, the government has prioritised household distribution and boosted domestic production while exploring alternative sources to cushion the impact of supply constraints.

India has clarified key aspects of the Press Note 3 framework governing investments from land-bordering countries, introducing a 10% beneficial ownership threshold and time-bound approvals for select sectors. The changes aim to reduce regulatory uncertainty while balancing national security concerns with the need to facilitate foreign investment.

Bitcoin hovered near $71,000 on Saturday as investors tracked macroeconomic cues and liquidity signals ahead of the upcoming US Federal Reserve policy decision. While Bitcoin and Ethereum saw minor declines in the past 24 hours, major altcoins were mostly lower, with Tron standing out as the only notable gainer.

As crude oil surges past $100 amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, brokerage Systematix Institutional Equities recommends buying stocks like Reliance Industries, Deep Industries and others, citing strong upside potential driven by tightening global supply dynamics.

Systematic investing merges human judgment with machine intelligence for a disciplined, scalable approach. India's evolving capital markets, marked by retail growth and digitization, make it ideal for Systematic Active Equity (SAE) strategies. SAE combines alpha-seeking with data-driven execution, offering dynamic portfolios, integrated risk management, and reduced behavioral biases.

BSE and National Stock Exchange of India are conducting a mock trading session on Saturday across equity, commodity and currency derivatives segments. The exercise will test system readiness, disaster recovery infrastructure and trading applications, while helping brokers and market participants familiarise themselves with exchange processes under simulated market conditions.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold Indian equities worth Rs 52,704 crore in the first half of March, with the biggest single-day outflow of 2026 recorded on Friday. The continued selling comes amid escalating geopolitical tensions linked to the Iran-Israel-US conflict and rising global uncertainty affecting investor sentiment.

Ace investor Ashish Kacholias portfolio saw mixed performance in FY26, with six stocks rallying up to 119% while several others declined as much as 56%, even as he added two new bets in the December 2025 quarter.

Twelve small-cap stocks, including Aqylon Nexus, Silver Touch, and Sapphire Foods India, fell 1023% over five consecutive sessions amid a 5.5% Sensex decline.

Indias primary market will see three IPOs, including two mainboard issues and one SME offering in the upcoming week. GSP Crop Science and CMPDI, a Coal India subsidiary, are the highlights of the lineup, while Novus Loyalty launches on the SME platform. Additionally, three companies Rajputana Stainless, Apsis Aerocom, and Raajmarg Infra are slated to list, keeping market activity strong.

Jefferies seven top picks, including Eternal, JSW Steel, Bharat Forge, SBI, and Max Healthcare, offer 20117% upside across banking, auto, steel, insurance, and internet sectors.

Global markets face uncertainty. Canadian investor Franois Rochon suggests treating investing as an art, not a science. He emphasizes rational, disciplined company selection for long-term gains. Investors should focus on business fundamentals and avoid short-term market noise. Patience, humility, and rationality are key. Thinking in years, not quarters, helps identify enduring businesses and avoid value traps.

Oil prices are rising as the Strait of Hormuz remains shut. Analysts are watching for weekend developments in the ongoing war. The US has issued a license for countries to buy Russian oil, aiming to stabilize markets. The US and International Energy Agency plan to release oil from reserves. Concerns grow about potential damage to oil infrastructure.

European markets tumbled for a second week as Middle East tensions and inflation fears rattled investors. Industrial and mining stocks led the decline, with energy prices climbing amid concerns over the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts suggest the conflict's impact on inflation and interest rates might be less severe than feared, but market sentiment remains cautious.

Crude oil prices may surge to USD 120 per barrel soon. Extended conflict in West Asia could push prices to USD 150. Supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are causing significant losses. Emergency reserves offer limited relief. A de-escalation could lead to sharp price drops. Indian crude prices on MCX might climb 20-30 percent.

Gold prices are heading for a second weekly dip, influenced by a robust dollar and inflation concerns stemming from the Iran conflict. These factors are dampening hopes for imminent interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Despite gold's traditional role as an inflation hedge, higher rates make holding it less attractive.

On Friday, Indian stock markets took a dramatic plunge, marking the worst single-day drop since the onset of the Gulf war. In the last fortnight, the markets shed a staggering 33.8 lakh crore in value.

The US dollar strengthened globally on Friday, driven by Middle East conflict and investor flight to safety. Rising oil prices, fueled by geopolitical tensions, are impacting energy-importing economies like the Eurozone and Japan, while the US remains relatively insulated. Inflation concerns are also prompting expectations that the Federal Reserve will delay interest rate cuts.

Rising oil prices and gas supply disruptions amid the IranIsrael war have hammered OMCs, RAC makers, fertiliser producers, and airlines, while food delivery and QSR chains show relative resilience, highlighting sector-specific vulnerabilities on Dalal Street.

Crude oil prices in the international market have surged by more than 40 per cent in just 15 days amid the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted the energy supply route through the Strait of Hormuz and affected global energy markets, particularly in Asia.

Vedanta Limited has made headlines by securing 2,575 crore via a three-year bond sale, locking in a coupon of roughly 8.95%. This funding initiative is primarily aimed at restructuring their existing liabilities and addressing imminent debt maturities.