🏦 Economy / Policy
• Brent crude briefly surged above $117/barrel, the highest since 2022, intensifying pressure on India’s energy import bill amid the escalating West Asia conflict 🛢️⚠️
• The rupee is expected to remain under pressure as rising oil prices threaten India’s external balance and inflation outlook 💱📉
• Fitch warns that higher crude prices could lift inflation and slow India’s growth in H1 FY27 if the conflict persists 📊
• Strait of Hormuz disruption risk has risen with 200+ vessels anchored outside the route, through which about 40% of India’s crude transits 🚢🛢️
• Qatar has halted LNG production amid regional attacks, forcing supply rationing for India’s city gas distributors and industrial users 🔥⚠️
• A global “central bank week” begins with Fed, ECB, BoJ, BoE, RBA and others meeting as markets assess whether policymakers will look through energy-led inflation 🌍📊
🏢 Companies / Sectors
• India’s gems and jewellery exports rose 3.86% to $2.68 billion in February, according to GJEPC 💎📈
• India is expected to have four operational semiconductor plants by end-2026, including Micron ATMP and Tata’s Dholera facility 💻📊
• India’s semiconductor output could reach 80 million chips per day by 2026, with Tata Electronics targeting around 50 million chips/day capacity 📈
• Nifty 50 revenue growth reached an 11-quarter high of 11.3% YoY in Q3 FY26, led by Reliance, Zomato, L&T, Maruti and M&M 📊
🌍 Global / World
• The US has eased planned AI chip export restrictions, potentially improving access for Indian semiconductor and tech firms in the global AI supply chain 🤖📈
• Meta is planning significant layoffs amid rising AI infrastructure costs, raising mixed signals for demand from global tech clients and Indian IT services firms ⚠️💻