🏦 Economy / Policy
• Gold prices are likely to keep rising as global central banks diversify reserves away from the US dollar, according to SBI Research 🪙📈
• Government is exploring private investment in bullet train projects through a new PPP framework to accelerate high-speed rail expansion 🚄📊
• Brent crude has surged 18% to above $118 per barrel amid escalating West Asia conflict, raising risks for India’s import bill and inflation outlook 🛢️⚠️
• RBI intervened as the rupee weakened to a record near 92 per dollar, while bond markets faced pressure due to geopolitical risks 💱📉
• Economists warn that disruption at the Strait of Hormuz could significantly raise India’s crude and LNG import costs, posing risks to energy security ⚠️
• A sustained oil shock could widen India’s current account deficit and push CPI inflation higher due to heavy dependence on imported crude 📊
🏢 Companies / Sectors
• India’s pharma market grew 11% in February, with obesity drug Mounjaro leading sales amid rising global demand 💊📈
• Airtel’s data centre arm plans to raise about $1 billion to expand capacity amid the AI and cloud boom 📡📊
• Oil price spikes could weigh on Indian bank earnings, with UBS estimating a potential 4–8% profit decline in FY27 due to higher inflation and slower growth 🏦📉
• AI software plugins are raising concerns over entry-level IT jobs in India as automation reshapes the sector’s workforce needs 🤖⚠️
• US visa policy changes could affect Indian tech hiring and complicate H-1B approvals, posing risks for IT services growth 💻📊
🌍 Global / World
• The Philippines praised BrahMos missile performance while Indonesia is likely to join the buyers’ list, boosting India’s defence export prospects 🌍📈