_Markets open — regular Friday session_
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📊 *ECONOMY & POLICY*
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🛣️ *CCEA clears ₹8,970cr Guwahati-Tezpur highway*
Cabinet approved the 135.87-km four-lane access-controlled NH-15 corridor in Assam, including an IAF-coordinated emergency landing facility.
Signals continued capex push into regional infrastructure — watch road-EPC and cement names with Northeast exposure.
📎 _Read: ANI (via Pulse)_
💡 *Sitharaman: tariffs to hit single digits by FY28 Budget*
FM said most import tariffs will be brought to single digits by the 2027-28 Budget, barring a few sensitive items.
Lower tariffs could pressure import-competing sectors but ease input costs for manufacturers reliant on global supply chains.
📎 _Read: NDTV Profit_
🏦 *Sebi eyes fast-track AIFs, corporate bond tokenisation*
FY26 annual report flags a single-window AIF clearance system, the Sebi Setu portal, and pilots for tokenising corporate bonds.
Positive for AIF managers and debt intermediaries eyeing faster launches and broader retail access to bonds.
📎 _Read: Economic Times_
🏦 *Sebi proposes REITs, InvITs in third-party projects*
Regulator plans to let REITs/InvITs invest in under-construction third-party assets without controlling interest, plus a shorter cooling-off period for private InvITs.
Expands the addressable asset pool for listed REITs/InvITs — mildly positive for yield-seeking investors.
📎 _Read: Economic Times_
📈 *India tops world in IPO count, 3rd in FY26 fundraising*
Sebi’s annual report credits eased public-float norms and extended shareholding timelines for sustaining India’s IPO momentum.
Bullish backdrop for the live pipeline (Technocraft Ventures, LEAP India) — India stays a structurally deep primary market.
📎 _Read: Economic Times_
⚡ *India’s fuel demand jumps 3% in July to 19.92 MT*
Consumption hit its highest level since March on stronger petrol and LPG demand.
A healthy proxy for economic activity into festive season — constructive for OMC volumes.
📎 _Read: NDTV Profit_
🤝 *India, Russia target $100bn bilateral trade by 2030*
Ambassador Vinay Kumar said both nations are working toward the PM Modi-President Putin target, with energy cooperation via Kudankulam as a key pillar; next Intergovernmental Commission session due later this year, ahead of India hosting the BRICS Summit in September.
Underlines continuity in India-Russia energy ties even as Delhi diversifies crude sourcing — relevant for refiners and nuclear-linked plays.
📎 _Read: ANI (substituted — thehindubusinessline.com blocks direct access; verified via ANI wire)_
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🏢 *COMPANIES*
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📈 *LIC Q1 profit surges 23% to ₹13,492 crore*
Value of new business jumped 61% on a stronger protection and non-par savings mix; solvency ratio also strengthened.
A strong print from India’s largest insurer — supportive for LIC and the broader life-insurance pack.
📎 _Read: Economic Times_
📈 *Britannia Q1 profit rises 14% to ₹593 crore*
Revenue crossed ₹5,000 crore, though the company flagged Middle East-driven input cost pressure and is leaning on “accelerated cost efficiencies” to protect margins.
Watch FMCG margins sector-wide if crude-linked costs stay elevated through the Hormuz standoff.
📎 _Read: Economic Times_
💻 *Microsoft unveils $20.5bn AI cloud region in Hyderabad*
Early enterprise customers are already lined up to use the capacity for business continuity and AI-driven application scaling.
A strong vote of confidence in India as an AI infra hub — positive for data-centre and power-demand plays in Telangana.
📎 _Read: NDTV Profit_
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🌍 *GLOBAL & WORLD*
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🔥 *Iran-Oman Hormuz deal: 20% cargo fine on “hostile” nations*
Draft proposal would penalise violating ships with a 20% cargo-value fine while barring US and Israeli-linked vessels from the Strait of Hormuz.
Key swing factor for crude and shipping-insurance costs into next week — India’s OMCs and refiners should watch closely.
📎 _Read: NDTV Profit_
📉 *Honeywell Aerospace shares plunge 26% on supply woes*
The company cut its 2026 annual sales growth outlook after supply-chain problems hit sales targets, disappointing analysts.
A reminder that even resilient industrials aren’t immune to component bottlenecks — worth tracking read-across to Indian aerospace suppliers.
📎 _Read: Economic Times_
🔥 *Trump signs orders to curb birthright citizenship, birth tourism*
Two executive orders target citizenship for children of foreign diplomats and “birth tourism” visitors — Trump’s second attempt after the Supreme Court struck down a broader version in June.
Immediate legal challenges expected; limited direct market impact but a fresh flashpoint in US immigration policy worth tracking.
📎 _Read: NPR (substituted — thehindubusinessline.com blocks direct access; verified via NPR)_
https://www.npr.org/2026/08/06/g-s1-137686/trump-birthright-citizenship-immigration-curb
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_Compiled by InvestoScope · 07 Aug 2026_