War Financial News

«I really wanted to believe that there is still a chance to reach a second stage without renewing this war. But it feels like my building of hope has collapsed, and I have no idea what to do next,» Nimrodi said Tuesday. Nearly 60 families have relatives still held in Gaza. About two dozen hostages are believed to be alive. During the ceasefire's first phase, which began in January, Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. But since that phase ended early this month, the sides have not been able to agree on a way forward. Israel's renewed airstrikes threaten to end the fragile deal.

Washington has been pushing for a full, 30-day ceasefire as a first step towards a wider settlement of the grinding three-year-old war. But in a 90-minute call with Donald Trump on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin refused, insisting that any such deal would be contingent on the West halting all military aid for Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, Putin has already ordered his military to pause strikes against Ukrainian energy targets for 30 days. The highly anticipated Putin-Trump call also resulted in the announcement that Russia and Ukraine will exchange 175 prisoners each on Wednesday.

Oil prices slid on Wednesday after Russia agreed to U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal that Moscow and Kyiv stop attacking each other's energy infrastructure temporarily, which could lead to more Russian oil entering global markets. Brent crude futures were down 12 cents, or 0.2%, at $70.44 a barrel by 0106 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) lost 15 cents, or 0.2%, to $66.75.

The NSE Nifty surged 325.55 points, or 1.45%, to close at 22,834.30. The BSE Sensex rose 1131.31 points, or 1.53%, to end at 75,301.26. Both indices have risen about 2% in the last two days.

Ukraine has signalled support for a U.S.-proposed pause in attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. The agreement, backed by Washington and Moscow, follows a call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, made it clear that Kyiv needed more details before making a final decision. «After we get the details from the U.S. president, from the U.S. side, we will give our answer,» Zelensky said in an online briefing. He added that Ukraine would honour the agreement as long as Moscow also adhered to it. «Our side will maintain it,» he stated, but stressed that the U.S. should act as «guarantors of control over the implementation.»

«This war would have never started if I were President!» Trump wrote on Truth Social after the call. «Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and President Zelenskyy would like to see it end. That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!» The conversation, which lasted for over 90 minutes, was seen as a crucial step toward peace, but Washington is pushing for more. The US wants a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire covering all military operations, a proposal that Russia has yet to fully endorse.

The survey revealed that the 32 respondents including economists, fund managers, and analysts have raised their chances of a recession to 36%, from 23% two months ago, reported CNBC. As per the survey data, the risk of recession has increased to the highest level in six months, according to the report.

Historically, trade wars have proven economically corrosive. The 1930 Smoot-Hawley tariffs worsened the Great Depression by slashing international trade by 65%. While Trump’s team insists today’s globalized economy is more resilient, experts caution that modern supply chains are deeply interdependent—a single tariff can disrupt industries worldwide. As the 2024 election looms, the stakes couldn’t be higher: voters grappling with inflation may sour on “America First” policies if pocketbook pressures mount.

Pope Francis said in a letter published Tuesday that his lengthy illness has helped make «more lucid» to him the absurdity of war, as his top deputy shot down any suggestion of resignation and plans progressed for an upcoming meeting with Britain's King Charles III, as per a report. Italian daily Corriere della Sera published a letter to the editor from Francis, signed and dated March 14 from Rome's Gemelli hospital where the 88-year-old pontiff has been treated since February 14 for a complex lung infection and double pneumonia, AP reported. In it, Francis renewed his call for diplomacy and international organizations to find a “new vitality and credibility.” And he said that his own illness had also helped make some things clearer to him, including the «absurdity of war». “Human fragility has the power to make us more lucid about what endures and what passes, what brings life and what kills,” he wrote. Responding to a letter from the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Luciano Fontana, Francis also urged him and all those in the media to “feel the full importance of words.”

Data released today (18 March), showed that expectations for higher global growth declined from -2% in February to -44% March, as BofA stated the respondents conviction on global growth is «historically correlated to S&P 500 price action». Over the past month, the S&P 500 has lost around 8.4% of its value, with the index now trading 1.1% lower than on Monday (17 March), data from MarketWatch showed. The Big Question: Can Donald Trump's stance on tariffs work alongside US stock market growth? The rise in pessimism over global economic growth has been the consequence of a worsening o...

Federal Reserve said in a statement. This was significantly above market expectations for a 0.2 percent rise, according to Briefing.com. President Donald Trump has embarked on a trade war since taking office, hitting top US trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China, in a move that has unsettled the financial markets. Trade uncertainty has lingered for months, but it seems that tariff-sensitive sectors like autos have looked to produce more goods while they still face lower trade barriers. There was a steep rise in manufacturing output, which was «boosted by a jump of 8.5 percent in the index for motor vehicles and parts,» the Fed said.

Russian comedian has been arrested while trying to leave the country after he was publicly denounced for allegedly mocking war invalids, as per a report. In a clip from a stand-up performance that was posted online, Artemy Ostanin told a joke about a supposed encounter with a legless beggar in the Moscow metro, Reuters reported. Investigators opened a case against him at the weekend after Sergei Zaitsev, the head of a self-styled public movement named Zov Naroda (Call of the People), complained that the beggar could be a casualty of Russia's war in Ukraine. «His jokes, mocking an invalid — essentially our soldier who lost his legs in the special military operation — cross all boundaries of morality and ethics,» Zaitsev said. Ostanin, in a subsequent online interview, denied the accusations and said there was not a word in the joke about the Ukraine war. But on Tuesday, investigators said in a statement that he had been arrested on suspicion of inciting hatred and debasing human dignity, an offence that carries a jail term of up to six years.

BEIJING — Chinese electric car company Zeekr is releasing advanced driver-assistance capabilities to its local customers for free as competition heats up, Zeekr CEO Andy An told CNBC ahead of a launch event Tuesday.

For years, Indian investors looking to diversify globally have had a singular focus—the US. And why not? The past decade saw US equity markets outperform all others, delivering a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 19% in USD, largely fuelled by a booming tech sector.

Pallavi, turned the tables on the sharks in the latest episode of Shark Tank India. Walking into the tank seeking investment for her biodegradable plastics business, she left with a deal far beyond her original ask. The judges, known for grilling contestants, found themselves in an unexpected bidding war, each vying for a piece of her “earth-shattering” innovation. Pallavi’s startup specializes in biodegradable plastics that are not only environmentally friendly but also significantly cheaper than existing alternatives. Her products have already gained traction, securing deals with major clients like Maruti Suzuki and Berger Paints. But what truly set her apart was the immense potential of her technology, which extends beyond plastics to paints and emulsions. Recognizing the scale of her vision, investor Anupam Mittal of Shaadi.com described it as a once-in-50-year breakthrough, comparing it to transformative inventions like the telegraph and computer chips.

digital arsenals" to interfere in Western democracies, while their messaging around the war in Ukraine had become increasingly aligned. «Foreign information manipulation and interference is a major security threat to the EU,» foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a report. «We must not underestimate the power that this has over us, or the intentions of those behind it.» In its latest annual report on the subject Brussels said that last year it tracked disinformation attacks against over 80 countries and more than 200 organisations. The war in Ukraine remains a major target for Russia — but events such as the Olympics in Paris, elections in Moldova and farmers' protests in Germany were also in the crosshairs.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. A recent report by an investment bank says that the three biggest areas of focus on the economic-policy front for the Indian government right now are striking bilateral trade deals, stepping up investments in strategic industries such as semiconductors and reducing the burden of regulation on firms as well as citizens. The new Economic Survey written by officials in the finance ministry made a compelling case on how a surfeit of outdated regulations hold back the growth of firms, especially smaller enterprises that drive job creation.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. KHARKIV, Ukraine—In a snowy forest not long after dawn, a four-wheeled drone churned through the mud toward its target: a Russian bunker, where it eventually arrived and exploded. More drones followed.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The carnage in smallcap stocks during the recent market correction has been widely noted. The BSE SmallCap index’s 24% plunge into bear territoryfrom its 52-week high, with approximately a third of small caps declining 50% or more from their most recent highs, is a stark reminder of the risks in this segment.

S Jaishankar on Tuesday stressed the importance of having an international order just like a domestic order. He slammed the United Nations for making the Kashmir invasion a dispute and turning the attacker and victim at par and called for having a «strong and fair» UN. In his remarks at the Session on 'Thrones and Thorns: Defending the Integrity of Nations' at Raisina Dialogue on Tuesday, Jaishankar called the occupation of some parts of Kashmir by Pakistan «the longest standing illegal occupation» of territory by another country after the Second World War. Jaishankar said, «Let's give you a second example. We all speak of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

«The Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight,» White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Fox News interview. Palestinian medics in Gaza reported dozens of people were killed in the aftermath of a series of the most violent air attacks by Israel on the Palestinian enclave since a ceasefire was reached on January 19 between Israel and Hamas militants. A senior Hamas official said Israel had unilaterally overturned the ceasefire agreement. «As President Trump has made it clear — Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay. All hell will break loose,» the White House spokesperson said.