Economy

The island nation's government hiked fuel prices effective midnight as the conflict, which has roiled global oil markets, entered its fourth week.

Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio declined to specify the military preparations. His comments are in line with Cuba's defiant stance as Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio ratchet up rhetoric against the communist-run leadership.

Indo-Tibet trade through Shipki La pass in Himachal Pradesh will resume in June after suspension since 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, says Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi.

The sharp sell-off follows a strong rebound in February, when foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) pumped in Rs 22,615 crore, the highest monthly inflow in 17 months, according to NSDL data.

Prices for next-day delivery at the Waha gas trading hub in the Permian Basin — home to roughly a quarter of US gas production — are trading well below zero.

Middle East conflict and crude oil price trends will drive investor sentiment this holiday-shortened week, alongside global market trends and rupee-dollar movements.

The Week That Was: In the third week of March, several high-stakes developments kept the week buzzing for the economy and domestic market.

Coking coal import was at 50.39 MT during April-January 2025-26, up from 45.83 MT in the year-ago period.

The subsequent spike in energy prices, sparked by disruptions to regional shipping and production, and the consequent threat to global consumer prices, has prompted a spectrum of central-bank responses in the past few days.

The US and Israeli war on Iran has led to a virtual halt in shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of global oil typically transits.

ECB policymakers would be ready to raiseinterest rates as soon as their next meeting should fallout from the war in Iran push inflation too far above target, according to people familiar with the situation.

Refiners are are awaiting government directives and clarity from America on the nitty-gritties of the authorisation.

The on-going Iran conflict will navigate through its fourth week and determine key market movements in the coming week.

A severe cooking gas crisis has pushed a fifth of Indian households to the black market. Delivery delays and fraudulent SMS notifications are rapidly surging.

In a statement on Friday, the Treasury outlined that the allowance is valid till April 19.

Waller, who dissented against the Fed's decision in January to stay on hold — at the time citing continued softness in the labor market — said he would have dissented again this week, but the Iran war gave him pause.

Currently, the liquidity in the banking system is estimated to be in surplus of around Rs 16,875.36 crore.

The MFIs' lending to small borrowers has to be done at a cost of 1% below the average rate of their lending in the last six months.

While addressing a press conference on Friday, the Chairman added that such services will also be made available offline.

The decline comes amid a slump in crude oil output, which fell by 5.2%. Its cumulative index declined by 2.5% during April to February, 2025-26 over corresponding period of the previous year.