Business Standard
Markets soar on shaky Iran-us ceasefire
Domestic equity markets rallied sharply on Wednesday, buoyed by a wave of optimism across global markets after the United States (US), and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire and Tehran pledged to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in a last-ditch deal that...
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Multi-pronged strategy in works to tide over West Asia war impact
Comprehensive measures are underway to help the economy tide over the ongoing impact of the West Asia crisis, cutting across a wide range of sectors including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMES) that are taking the hit of the geopolitical...
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West Asia war has evolved into ‘systemic tremor’: FM
The ongoing conflict in West Asia has evolved from a regional security concern into a “systemic tremor”, threatening the vital arteries of global energy and hardening the lines of a new, multipolar world order, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala...
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RBI may maintain status quo on repo rate, stance
Even as the war in West Asia rages and international oil prices spike, the sixmember rate-setting panel of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent, according to a Business Standard poll of...
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Plastic factories stare at uncertainty as machines fall silent
“A month ago, we didn’t even get time to sit and relax. Now machines are idle, mostly,’’ laments Ratan Singh, a contractual worker at a plastic products manufacturing unit in Balasore, nearly 205 km from Bhubaneswar. There’s no raw material and...
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City of Glass cracks under Iran war’s distant heat
Starting with Firozabad, where cooled furnaces and scattered shards of glass mirror fragile livelihoods, this six-part series traces the ripple effects of the West Asia conflict across India — as supply chains wobble, factories slow, and communities...
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Gross GST growth in FY26 least since Covid, net up 7.1%
Gross and net goods and services tax (GST) collections rose 8.3 per cent and 7.1 per cent, respectively, in 2025-26, a year that witnessed a major rate rationalisation in September. Annual gross revenue growth was the slowest since the Covid-hit...
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~ may slip further to 97/$ if West Asia war prolongs
Having already depreciated by 5.20 per cent against the greenback so far in 2026, the rupee could slide to 97 per dollar if the war in West Asia prolongs, before recovering modestly to around 96 by the end of June, according to the median estimate of a...
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CEOS upbeat on FY27 capex amid war cloud
Geopolitical uncertainty — amplified by the conflict in West Asia — is weighing on corporate India’s outlook for FY27. According to a Business Standard survey of 34 CEOS across sectors, the war could weigh on GDP growth, fuel inflation, and impact job...
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Sensex P/E valuations lowest since May ’20 amid FPI selloff
There has been a sharp decline in equity valuation in India since the war in West Asia started at the end of last month. The benchmark BSE Sensex’s trailing 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple on Friday declined to over a year’s low of 20.2x...
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Govt steps in to shield OMCS via big duty cuts
Move to cost exchequer ~1.3 trn in FY27; export duty reimposed Amid the war in West Asia and impending Assembly elections, the government on Friday announced heavy relief for oil companies, cutting special additional excise duty on petrol and diesel...
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Bankers suggest Covid-like moratorium for MSMES
With the West Asia conflict nearing a month, bankers have suggested to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Centre that a time-bound moratorium on debt repayments for MSMES and mid-corporates be considered to help them manage cash-flow disruptions...
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Markets rebound further as easing crude lifts sentiment
Indian equities extended gains on Wednesday as crude oil prices softened amid US efforts to broker an end to the Iran conflict, although persistent geopolitical risks kept investors cautious. The Sensex, after surging as much as 1,781 points (2.4 per...
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Indices rebound as US pauses Iran strikes
Indian equities staged a relief rally on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump postponed a planned strike on Iran’s energy infrastructure by five days, citing productive conversations with Tehran. However, gains remained capped as oil prices stayed...
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Trump pauses strikes on Iran’s energy infra
US President Donald Trump on Monday said he had given orders to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, hours ahead of a deadline that threatened further escalation in the conflict now in its fourth week. Trump added...
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~ set for worst year since FY14, hits fresh low of 93.72 per $
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...
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Indices see worst fall in 21 mths as crude shock triggers selloff
Indian equities plunged alongside global peers on Thursday, with benchmark indices posting their steepest falls in nearly two years, as a renewed surge in oil prices fuelled fears that the escalating Iran war could stoke inflation and undermine...
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Centre offers extra 10% LPG to states committing to PNG shift
India will prioritise domestic fuel demand over exports as supply fears mount. Iran threatens Gulf energy strikes after attack on its gas field, lifting Brent prices by over 5%. US eases Venezuela oil sanctions for global sales The government has...
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Ramping up domestic LPG output: FM
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the domestic production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was being ramped up to ensure cooking-gas supply to households during turbulent times amid the West Asia crisis, while officials and...
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OIS curve surges as crude oil rally fuels repo-rate hike bets
New Delhi denies bilateral talks with Washington over vessel transit via Hormuz, while US allies rebuff Trump’s call for military support to reopen the key waterway. Iran again strikes the UAE’S Fujairah terminal and Dubai airport, keeping global...
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War-driven selloff erodes $447 bn off India mcap, close to Covid crash
India’s market capitalisation has declined by about $447 billion to $4.7 trillion since the start of the war in West Asia, mirroring in absolute terms the erosion seen during the Covid-19 market meltdown in March 2020. The selloff has been compounded...
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Stocks suffer worst week in years, echoing Covid chaos
Benchmark indices tumbled about 2 per cent on Friday, capping one of the most turbulent weeks for domestic equities as investors fretted that the West Asian conflict could drag on for weeks or even months. For the week, the Sensex dropped 5.5 per...
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India dials Iran for safe transit of its vessels through Hormuz
Amid concerns over India’s energy security due to the conflict in West Asia, Indian government sources said on Thursday that New Delhi was in talks with Tehran to provide safe passage for Indian-flagged merchant vessels — especially the 28 of them...
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Don’t panic, fuel cargoes on the way: Govt
India will soon receive two cargoes each of crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that have bypassed the nowblocked Strait of Hormuz, a senior government official said on Wednesday. The country is facing energy supply shortages amid the continuing...
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FDI curbs relaxed for China, others under Press Note 3
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday eased the restrictions on investments from countries sharing land borders with India, including China, by allowing investments through the automatic route for non-controlling stakes...
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Hike in pump prices unlikely for now even as Brent tests $120/bbl
Retail prices of petrol and diesel in India are unlikely to be raised in the “foreseeable future” despite crude oil prices surpassing $100 per barrel on Monday, a senior government official said. Brent crude briefly jumped to an intraday high of $119...
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US waiver unlocks Lukoil, Rosneft crude oil for India
The 30-day waiver granted by the US allowing India to import Russian oil applies to stranded crude oil directly sourced from the sanctioned Russian state-owned companies Rosneft and Lukoil, government officials have clarified. New Delhi is...
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India bulks up Russia oil; US allows 30-day waiver
The United States has issued a temporary 30-day waiver allowing Indian oil refiners to purchase Russian crude currently stranded at sea, as a short-term measure to keep supplies flowing amid disruptions caused by the ongoing Iran war. The American...
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Indian gas firms may cut industrial supply if Qatar halt persists
India’s gas firms may consider reviewing allocations to industrial users if the production halt by Qatarenergy is prolonged amid the deepening crisis in West Asia, said three senior government officials familiar with the development. However, gas...
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Govt moves to shield trade as Iran war chokes sea routes
As the Iran war intensified, disrupting Gulf shipping lanes and unsettling energy and equity markets, the Union government activated a multi-ministry war room to stabilise trade and ease port congestions. Alongside, India stepped up efforts to protect...
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India faces oil shock as Iran war intensifies
India faces mounting energy risks after US and Israeli strikes on Iran killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the gravest escalation of tensions in West Asia in decades, sending shockwaves through shipping, aviation and global oil...
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FY26 growth outlook raised to 7.6% after GDP series reset
India’s new national accounts series, rebased to 2022-23, has lifted the economy’s estimated real growth for FY26 to at least a threeyear high of 7.6 per cent, even as it unexpectedly lowered the nominal gross domestic product (GDP) base that underpins...
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Lutnick meets Goyal, holds ‘highly productive’ trade talks
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Thursday made a surprise visit to Delhi and held “highly productive” discussions with India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, days after the US Supreme Court overturned the sweeping tariffs imposed...
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Sitharaman: Cannot rush to say ‘BITS with everyone’, nor can say ‘no BIT at all’
India is moving beyond its 2016 Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) template, marking what Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, called “a lot more progressive” approach to investment protection. Though India still...
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AI, trade currents reshape policy discourse
Artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as the meeting point of conversations on day one of Manthan — the annual thought leaders’ summit hosted by Business Standard at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Coming soon after the India AI Impact Summit, the theme...
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BS thought summit kicks off today
The wait is over as all roads are leading up to Manthan — the annual thought leaders’ summit hosted by Business Standard. With the third edition of Business Standard Manthan taking off on Tuesday, we are returning to the same venue where it had all...
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Road map for making India future-ready
At the third edition of the Business Standard summit, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Renewable Energy Minister...
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Novartis AG to exit listed India unit in $159 mn deal with Chryscapital
Multinational pharmaceutical company Novartis AG is exiting its listed local arm Novartis India Ltd (NIL) as part of its strategy to sharpen its focus on highmargin, innovation-led medicines. This draws the curtain on its presence in India’s public...
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₹10 trn over 7 yrs: RIL makes bold bet on AI
Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani on Thursday said RIL and Jio would invest ~10 trillion over the next seven years in India’s artificial intelligence (AI) to lower the cost of intelligence and create sovereign...
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Data centres to subsea cables: India draws mega AI infra bets
Tech majors took centre stage on day three of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi with their announcements on infrastructure scale-up, cross-border partnerships and capital commitments complementing the Global South narrative. From Microsoft to Nvidia...
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Age-based social media curbs on table: Vaishnaw AI investments in India expected to exceed $200 bn in two years
The government has initiated discussions with social media intermediaries on enforcing a blanket, age-based ban preventing children below a specified threshold from accessing social media, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union minister for electronics and...
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India’s AI moment gets real as celebrities, robots share space
Bharat Mandapam, the 125-acre prime convention arena in New Delhi, transformed into the most sought-after address as the AI Impact Summit 2026 kicked off in New Delhi on Monday. The Day One of the fourth edition of the artificial intelligence summit —...
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OMCS, banks drove India Inc’s steepest profit rise in 8 qtrs
Corporate earnings in October-december 2025 (Q3FY26) were better than expected owing to a surge in the profits of public-sector oil-marketing companies (OMCS), banks, non-bank lenders, and firms in the business of metals and mining. The net profits...
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Friday the 13th caps a week of Ai-sparked horror in IT stocks
The selloff in domestic information technology stocks intensified on Friday, with the Nifty IT index sliding as much as 5.2 per cent during the session before paring losses to close 1.44 per cent lower. Despite this late recovery, the index ended the...
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New consumer inflation data to bolster policy responses: CEA
India’s new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series using 2024 as a base year, unveiled on Thursday, captures the transition in household consumption trends over the past decade with greater spends going towards services even as the share of food in domestic...
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RBI looks to ban sales incentive to bank staffers from third party
In a move aimed at curbing the misselling of financial products, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed banning incentives paid to bank staffers by third parties such as insurance companies and mutual fund houses for selling their products and...
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Sebi may tighten scrutiny of IPO, QIP proceeds
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is considering tightening rules governing the monitoring of funds raised by companies through initial public offerings (IPOS), qualified institutional placements (QIPS) and rights issues, amid concerns...
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~30 lakh a night: Luxury hotel rates soar as Delhi awaits global AI elite
Delhi’s top luxury hotels are heading for a windfall, powered by the government’s India AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20. The event will bring some of the biggest names in artificial intelligence to the city, including Meta’s Alexander Wang,...
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Goyal: Negotiating trade deals from a position of strength
India is negotiating trade agreements from a position of growing economic strength, confidence and scale, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday. He said the country, with its fast economic expansion, is offering a future...
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RBI Guv signals lower rates for longer, trade deal growth boost
The six-member monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unanimously decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent on Friday, adding that evolving macroeconomic conditions and outlook based on new growth and...
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18% US tariff to kick in after joint statement in 4-5 days
India and the United States (US) plan to issue a joint statement in the next four to five days finalising the first tranche of their trade agreement, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. This will be followed by a White House...
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Headwinds may be turning into tailwinds for foreign inflows: FM
The headwinds may finally be turning into tailwinds for foreign investment flows into India with the announcement of a trade deal between New Delhi and Washington, Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday,...
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Agri, dairy interests ‘protected’ in US trade deal
India has protected its sensitive agriculture and dairy sectors in the just-concluded trade deal with the US, said Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday. He said both sides were working towards soon issuing a joint statement that...
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With FTA, India’s exports to EU can double in 5 yrs: Goyal
India’s exports to the European Union (EU) could double within five years of a free-trade agreement (FTA) taking effect, with bilateral goods trade projected to reach $150 billion. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, in an interview with...
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Only native EU carmakers may get import tariff relief
India has reserved the right to restrict the gains from lower import tariffs and quotas for European automobiles, offered under its free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) finalised on Tuesday, for eight EU native automakers. This is...
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India, EU unlock trade corridors with FTA
India and the European Union (EU) on Tuesday announced a much-awaited trade deal, drawing the curtain on nearly two decades of stop-start negotiations and binding together two billion people in a combined market worth more than $24 trillion. Under the...
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Negotiations over, India-eu FTA set for rollout in 2027
India and the European Union (EU) have concluded negotiations on the muchawaited free-trade agreement (FTA), with a formal announcement slated for Tuesday, said government officials. They said ratification of the pact is likely to take another six...
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~ may trade around 92.50/$ by Mar-end
The rupee, which has depreciated 7.05 per cent against the dollar in the current financial year (FY26) so far, is expected to trade around 92.50 per dollar by the end of March, according to a majority of respondents to a Business Standard poll. The...
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Market selloff on FPI exodus erases ~16 trn mcap in a week
Indian equities declined on Friday, with the benchmark Nifty posting its worst weekly fall since September, as foreign investor sentiment remained weak amid tepid earnings growth and little progress on the Indiaus trade front. The Sensex ended the...
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Record $32 bn raised in 2025 via overseas syndicated loans
Indian companies, including lenders, raised a record $32.5 billion overseas through syndicated loans last year, which were largely on account of sponsor financing, demand from financial firms, increased activities in the mid-market, and large...
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Sensex EPS growth at its lowest in nearly 5 years
The current earnings season has been the weakest for the BSE Sensex companies in the past five years. The benchmark index trailing earnings per share (EPS) of the BSE Sensex was up just 1.3 per cent year-on-year (Y-O-Y) so far — the lowest since April...
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Greenland standoff pushes mkts into red
Domestic equity benchmarks logged their steepest single-day decline in eight months on Tuesday, as an escalating standoff between the US and Europe over Greenland compounded investor unease. Sluggish corporate earnings and the absence of progress on...
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Early-bird results show worst earnings growth in 17 quarters
The results of early-bird companies in October-december 2025 (Q3FY26) have shown just single-digit growth in revenue despite gains from cuts in goods and services tax (GST) rates. They also clocked a sharp deceleration in earnings growth. Reliance...
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Nominal GDP growth for FY27 seen at 10-10.5%
The upcoming Union Budget, to be presented on February 1, is likely to assume nominal gross domestic product (GDP) growth between 10 and 10.5 per cent for the financial year 2026-2027 (FY27), a Business Standard poll of economists showed. The first...
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India’s top 20 startups dominated valuations, fundraising in 2025
India’s top 20 startups by valuation accounted for over half of the combined valuation of $69.3 billion of the top 100 startups in calendar year 2025 (CY25), according to an analysis of Tracxn data. The valuation of the top 20 startups stood at $35.7...
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Tiger Global liable to pay tax on gains from 2018 Flipkart deal: SC
Capital gains arising from American investment firm Tiger Global’s Mauritius-based entities leaving ecommerce player Flipkart in 2018 are taxable in India because the nature of their transactions did not permit payment avoidance, the Supreme Court held...
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FinMin in talks with Sebi, RBI on crypto exchanges
The Ministry of Finance (Finmin) is in discussions with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27 to firm up a regulatory framework for crypto exchanges, official sources...
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Unlisted firms’ debt burden at 35-yr low
Unlisted Indian companies have lower borrowings relative to their size and operations than at any point since liberalisation. The debt-to-equity ratio is 1.01 for 2024-25 (FY25), according to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy...
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India may face 500% US tariff over purchase of Russian oil
India faces the risk of a tariff of at least 500 per cent on its export of goods and services to the United States (US), with President Donald Trump backing a bipartisan Bill aimed at punishing countries that buy cheap crude oil from Russia. The...
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Leading steelmakers colluded to fix prices, finds antitrust probe
An investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has found that Tata Steel, JSW Steel and the state-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), along with several other steelmakers, allegedly entered into anti-competitive agreements to...
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Trump warns India of even higher tariffs over Russia oil
United States President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could raise further tariffs on Indian exports if New Delhi does not stop buying Russian oil, adding fresh uncertainty to efforts to strike a trade deal between the two countries. “They...
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South India back on aviation runway
In the early 1990s, when India opened its skies to the private sector, the first airline to become operational was Thiruvananthapuram-based East-west Airlines. Over the years, South India witnessed the rise and fade-out of several carriers — including...
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