No more safe haven? Gold prices slip to six-week low as Middle East conflict drags on

Gold prices tumbled to their weakest level in more than a month on Monday as rising oil prices and fresh Middle East tensions shook investor confidence, pushing traders away from the safe-haven metal.Spot gold fell 1.1% to $4,488.99 per ounce, its lowest since March 30, while US gold futures for June slipped 1.5% to $4,493.30.Pressure … Read more

Rupee falls to fresh record low of 96.20 against US dollar; down 5.5% since Iran war began

Rupee extended its fall on Monday, opening at an all-time low of 96.20 against the US dollar, slipping 0.2% from its previous close. This comes as the ongoing Middle East conflict continues to cloud sentiments and unsettle markets. With this fall the currency has trimmed 5.5% since the crisis began. Last week, the currency crossed … Read more

Top stocks to watch on May 18

Jefferies has a buy rating on Bharti Airtel with the target price raised to Rs 2,350 from Rs 2,250. Analysts said the telecom major’s Jan-March quarter (Q4FY26) revenues and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) beat analysts’ estimates, but normalised profits missed estimates. India mobile average revenue per user (ARPU), strong growth in … Read more

Gen Z drives fashion, beauty e-sales

NEW DELHI: Around half of India’s online fashion and beauty shoppers are now Gen Z, and platforms are rapidly realigning to keep pace. Significantly, the cohort also boasts 1.5x the e-retail spend share on categories such as lifestyle, beauty, and electronics compared to other age groups, driving growth in a market that has more than … Read more

Prudential to buy 75% in Bharti Axa; Rs 3.5k-cr deal to help firm deploy wider product suite across channels

MUMBAI : UK’s Prudential plc has doubled down on its India plans, with the British insurer agreeing to acquire a 75% stake in Bharti Life Insurance from Bharti Life Ventures and 360 ONE Asset Management for an initial cash consideration of Rs 3,500 crore. The transaction will hand Prudential both majority ownership and operational control, … Read more

India among fastest-growing steel market as global prices rise: Goldman Sachs

India emerged as one of the fastest-growing steel markets as global steel prices rose across major regions in April and early May, according to a Goldman Sachs report. In its “Global Steel: The Steel Market Barometer – May Update”, Goldman Sachs said average hot rolled coil (HRC) prices increased across nearly all major markets in … Read more

India jewellery exports fall 9.07 per cent in April to Rs 20.82 crore amid geopolitical tensions

NEW DELHI: India’s exports of jewellery fell in April 9.07 per cent amid geopolitical tensions in Middle East and uncertainty in key markets, according to data from the Gem & Jewellery Exaport Promotion Council (GJEPC). The overall exports stood at $2,226.45 million (Rs 20,825.01 crore), down from $2,448.53 million (Rs 20,952.26 crore) in the same … Read more

Foreign investors pull Rs 27,000 crore in May; 2026 outflows cross Rs 2.2 lakh crore mark

Foreign investors have continued withdrawing from Indian equities, with net outflows reaching Rs 27,048 crore so far this month. The selling spree reflects the cautious stance among global investors amid shifting global macroeconomic conditions and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.Data from the NSDL shows that Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have pulled out a total of Rs 2.2 … Read more