US-Iran War, New I-T Act, Auto Sales, Crude Oil Prices, And More — The Week Ahead

The week ahead is likely to remain volatile with the ongoing tensions in the Middle East conflict, which has rattled the global markets for the last few weeks. The upcoming week will also be in focus as the financial year 2026-27 kicks in from April 1, marking a new tax cycle, and the Income Tax Act will come into effect. Crude oil prices will be in focus amid the geopolitical risk premium.

Notably, trading activity in the Indian stock market is expected to be limited due to a truncated week, with markets being shut on account of Mahavir Jayanti and Good Friday. For cricket enthusiasts, the ongoing Indian Premier League, which started on Saturday, March 28 will add to the buzz in the upcoming week, while investors navigate a packed calendar of key economic data releases.

Here are some of the key events from the upcoming week - 

Monday, March 30

Industrial production (IIP) data for the month of February will be released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The data will reflect short-term, inflation-adjusted changes primarily in the total manufacturing output. Bloomberg estimates 4.7% IIP for February.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, on Monday, March 30, will address the Harvard University Principles of Economics Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Shares of Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL) are scheduled to list on the stock exchanges.

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Tuesday, March 31

Indian stock exchanges, BSE and NSE, will remain closed on Tuesday, March 31, on account of Mahavir Jayanti.

The government will release fiscal deficit data for February. The Reserve Bank of India will release key macroeconomic data for the quarter ended on March 31, 2026 --- balance of payments, current account, and foreign debt. 

Wednesday, April 1

The new Income Tax Act 2025 will come into effect on this day. The law will replace the Income Tax Act, 1961, and aims to simplify the legislation and reduce litigation.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will implement new rules for digital payments, introducing two-factor authentication.

Shares of RMC Switchgears Limited are scheduled to be listed on the stock exchanges.

The monthly auto sales data is generally declared on the first day of the following month. Therefore, data for March 2026 is expected to be released on April 1, 2026

Thursday, April 2

Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) declared an interim dividend of Rs 0.6 per equity share for FY26. Thursday, April 2, is the day to determine eligibility for the dividend.

Nikkei S&P Global Manufacturing PMI data for March is scheduled to be released on Thursday. The index incorporates data collected from manufacturing firms throughout the country. 

Friday, April 3

The Indian stock market will be closed on Friday, April 3, due to Good Friday.

RBI is scheduled to release bank loan growth data, highlighting the change in the total value of outstanding bank loans issued to customers and businesses.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to declare the unemployment rate, non-farm payroll data and services purchasing managers' index for the month of March.

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