Trade Financial News

crisis in West Asia intensifying, there is lacklustre sentiment among both importers and exporters due to higher freight costs and logistical uncertainties. Things are likely to be clear in due course of time," said Vikas Jain, proprietor, Osho Marketing House, a Delhi-based export firm.“Though global wheat prices have increased, it could have been a good opportunity for Indian farmers and traders to earn better returns through exports.

US President Donald J. Trump’s extraordinary gamble in attacking Iran and risking a wider conflagration in West Asia dials up the economic hazards facing the US economy from ‘very high”’ to ‘extreme.’ This new stress compounds a series of other pressures already facing the economy, which is now even more unlikely to emerge unscathed.The near danger is a setback in financial markets that gets out of hand. In many ways, some such reversal was already overdue, given the apparent overvaluation of US equities, the weight placed by tariffs on the economy’s back, a still-deteriorating fiscal outlook and stubborn inflation.

Write to Ian Salisbury at [email protected] U.S.-Israel war against Iran that began on Feb. 28 has investors worried about broader fallout. On Friday, oil prices hit a psychologically important $90 a barrel for the first time in two years as Kuwait cut output.

New Delhi: Facing supply disruption from West Asia, the Indian government has directed all state-run and private-sector refineries in the country to step up production of domestic cooking gas by diverting feedstock away from the manufacturing of non-essential products, including petrochemicals.Using its powers under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the ministry has directed all refiners to supply LPG to the three state-owned refiners – Indian Oil Corp Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd, Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd – which will in turn supply it only to domestic consumers of cooking gas.The development is significant as India has only about 25 days of LPG stock. Annual demand stands at 33.15 million tonnes, with imports servicing about 75-80% of this.

South Korea’s 16% stock plunge this past week. In the U.S., any inflation uptick could deprive investors of more interest-rate cuts. Or perhaps worse, the Federal Reserve could cut rates later this year, and depending on the circumstances, be judged by the bond market as giving President Donald Trump what he wants, but not necessarily giving the economy what it needs.A quick and tidy exit in Iran is no sure thing.

Gold has nearly doubled and silver has tripled over the past two years. Both metals surged in popularity last year as investors globally placed greater trust in liquid physical assets over the US dollar-denominated financial system.In January, Indians invested more in gold exchange traded funds (ETFs) than in equity mutual funds for the first time, with net inflows surging to a record ₹24,040 crore even as equity fund investments slipped to ₹24,029 crore.

The Iran conflict has raised panic among retail direct investors who prefer investing in small and midcap stocks (Smids) and trading directly on the markets, unlike their mutual fund counterparts.This is borne out by activity data released by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) for Monday, the first day after markets reacted to the outbreak of war in the Middle East.It shows that retail investors sold shares worth ₹3,508.51 crore, more than foreign institutional investors' (FIIs) outflows of ₹3,070.55 crore, per NSE data. NSE had almost 93% share in the equity cash market as of January end, with the BSE accounting for the rest.Data on investor activity for Wednesday and Thursday will be available with a lag.

Stock market recap: The Indian stock market saw strong buying interest on 5 March, largely driven by short covering after a sharp sell-off that had dragged benchmark indices down about 4% in just a few days.The Sensex jumped 900 points, or 1.14%, to close at 80,015.90. Its NSE counterpart, the Nifty 50, rose 1.17% to end at 24,765.90.Buying was broad-based across the market.

India is weighing a plan to prioritize natural gas supply to critical sectors after LNG (liquefied natural gas) shipments from Qatar were disrupted following an attack on QatarEnergy’s Ras Laffan liquefaction complex on Monday, three people aware of the matter said.The move assumes significance as India imports about 55% of its natural gas requirement. Further, of the $14.9 billion worth of natural gas imports in FY25, Qatar’s share was about 50%, according to data from Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC).“The government is looking at multiple options to ensure uninterrupted supply of natural gas,” one of the three people mentioned above said on condition of anonymity.

West Asia conflict could ease.The benchmark Nifty50 index recovered close to half of its recent losses in the last hour on Thursday, as reports emerged that Iran had reached out to the US for talks to end the war, improving risk appetite. The news coincided with the weekly expiry of Sensex options on Thursday, which also forced the traders to square off their positions in panic.The US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on Saturday that killed its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering retaliation and fuelling a wider regional conflict in West Asia, dragging stock markets around the world lower.Over two trading sessions starting Monday, the Nifty50 had fallen 695 points, of which 285 points—about 41%—were recouped on Thursday.

crude oil to India.Higher oil and gas prices should force CGDs and oil marketing companies (OMCs) to raise prices of CNG and auto fuels. Nomura estimates that CGDs source 30%-40% of their natural gas requirement from imported LNG. As imported LNG prices rise (due to higher pricing and shipping costs), CGDs must raise the CNG price to maintain their Ebitda margins.

The day after the Union Budget on 1 February, US tariffs on Indian exports fell from 50% to 25%, and further to a promise of 18% through a trade deal. Later, the US Supreme Court verdict against ‘reciprocal’ tariffs resulted in a uniform levy of 10% on all countries, including India, possibly rising to 15%. Wherever it settles, there is some reprieve for labour-intensive export sectors.

₹3,296 crore. Tuesday was a market holiday.On Wednesday, provisional BSE data showed that FIIs were net sellers of Indian equities worth Rs8,753 crore, while DIIs stepped in as net buyers, purchasing shares worth Rs12,068 crore.

Here are three stocks to buy or sell as recommended by Raja Venkatraman of NeoTrader for Thursday, 5 March.Best stocks to buy today (All Buy trades are rates of Equity & Sell rates are based on F&O)TRIVENI: Buy above ₹401, stop ₹378 target ₹448 (Multiday)GESHIP: Buy above ₹1360, stop ₹1275 target ₹1505 (Multiday)NATIONALUM: Buy above ₹373, stop ₹355 target ₹415 (Multiday)Broader markets underperformed, with both Nifty Midcap and Smallcap indices slipping 2%. The rupee also weakened, breaching the 92-per-dollar level to hit a record intraday low of 92.30 before settling at 92.14, down 67 paise from its previous close.Among major laggards were Tata Steel, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, SBI Life Insurance, L&T, and JSW Steel, while Coal India, Bharti Airtel, Infosys, and Tech Mahindra managed gains.Trends are clearly disturbed ; however, we continue to hold on to our view that “…we would be looking at the levels of 24500-24600 to hold.”. After a sharp drop yesterday the markets hesitatingly and gradually made their way higher.

₹10-20 per megawatt-hour to ₹40-50, they remain below the ₹60-70 levels seen a year ago, said Aditya Malpani, senior director and regional business development head for west at Ampin Energy Transition, a renewable energy company that also trades I-RECs.Prices of RECs have remained steady around ₹350, as abundant supply has prevented a price increase despite high demand from industries and utilities looking to meet their renewable consumption obligations (RCOs) for FY26.“This increase happens generally at this time of year because corporates want to meet the 31 March target of sustainability,” Malpani said. “Both RECs and IRECs see an increase in demand at this point.”RECs are domestic instruments issued by the National Load Despatch Centre, typically used by state discoms and industrial power users to meet RCO targets.

A new wave of affluent buyers in their twenties and early thirties is driving growth in India’s luxury watch market, forcing global brands to reposition for a more aspirational consumer.The shift comes at a time when rising disposable incomes, a swelling base of high-net-worth individuals and easing import duties under India’s trade pact with the European Union are reshaping the premium timepiece landscape. Lower tariffs on Swiss watches are expected to narrow price gaps, intensify competition and accelerate premiumisation in a market that executives say is expanding rapidly.The luxury watch market is poised for strong expansion, with annual growth estimated at 11-12%, supported by the country's rising affluent base and growing wealth among high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), according to an October 2025 report by SOIC Research.The share of luxury and high-end watch sales has jumped from 48% in FY20 to 70% in FY25, indicating that Indian buyers are gravitating toward more exclusive, higher-value brands.

Past conflicts in the Middle East typically hit India at the gas station. This time, the risks transcend oil, threatening everything from smartphone exports to New Delhi’s fragile finances.Flames have reached the United Arab Emirates, India’s second-largest electronics export destination after the US. Beyond being an entrepôt for regional trade, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are wealth hubs for the Indian elite.

oil and petro-products to deal with short-term disruptions. The Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas has formed a 24×7 control room to continuously monitor the supply and stock position across the country.State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs)—Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corp.

Stock market recap: Indian equities witnessed a significant sell-off on Monday, 2 March, as escalating geopolitical tensions in West Asia triggered a global "risk-off" sentiment. The Nifty 50 plummeted 312.95 points (1.24%) to settle at 24,865.70, while Sensex shed 1,048.34 points (1.29%) to close at 80,238.85 in a volatile session. India VIX, or the fear gauge, surged more than 20% to cross the 17 level.

New Delhi: Basmati rice exporters will meet officials of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) this week to assess the fallout of escalating tensions in West Asia, as shipping disruptions and rising freight and insurance costs threaten India’s nearly $6 billion basmati trade in FY25, as per people in the know.The move comes amid growing uncertainty over consignments bound for the Gulf region, which accounts for nearly 60-70% of India’s basmati exports. Exporters said that while the immediate damage is still being assessed, several shipments are either stuck in transit or held up at ports, raising concerns over delayed payments and contractual risks if the conflict is prolonged.“Exports have come to a standstill in some corridors.

aviation and maritime corridors that connect India with key West Asian markets, complicating travel planning for patients and increasing freight expenses for exporters.While companies have yet to report a sustained demand shock, hospitals and drugmakers say the disruption to mobility and logistics systems underpinning cross-border healthcare and medicine trade raises the risk of softer medical travel volumes and higher export costs if tensions persist.The aviation disruption is particularly significant for India’s medical tourism sector, which recorded approximately 644,387 foreign tourist arrivals in 2024. It is particularly exposed to West Asia, a region that accounts for nearly 18% of inbound patients, or about 115,000 travellers, seeking treatment ranging from complex surgeries to advanced clinical care.As regional airspace comes under heightened security scrutiny, industry leaders say travel uncertainty is beginning to influence patient decision-making.