Crude oil futures fall ₹137 to ₹8,734 per barrel on signs of easing supply concerns

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 18, 2026 | Business

Crude oil prices declined by ₹137 to ₹8,734 per barrel in futures trade on Wednesday as signs of easing supply concerns emerged in the market amid geopolitical tensions.

On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), crude oil for the March delivery declined by ₹137, or 1.54 per cent, to ₹8,734 per barrel in a business turnover of 5,244 lots.

The April contract also dipped by ₹98, or 1.11 per cent, to ₹8,746 per barrel in 14,676 lots.

Analysts said crude oil prices remained volatile as markets weighed geopolitical risks against signs of easing supply concerns in the region.

In the overseas market, Brent Oil futures for the May delivery slipped 0.62 per cent to $102.78 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for the same month contract dropped 1.56 per cent to $94.04 per barrel in New York.

“WTI crude futures fell below $95 per barrel, paring gains from the previous session as investors navigated ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz,” Jigar Trivedi, Senior Research Analyst at IndusInd Securities, said.

Meanwhile, Iranian state media confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, a key figure in the country’s wartime leadership, further intensifying tensions in the region.

Iran has escalated attacks on regional energy infrastructure, including strikes targeting Saudi Arabia’s eastern province, raising concerns over potential disruptions.

At the same time, US allies have rebuffed calls by President Donald Trump to support in safeguarding commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, even as Iran allowed limited safe passage for certain vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, depending on their affiliations, providing some relief to markets, analysts said.

Published on March 18, 2026

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US senators to grill Trump intelligence team, weeks into Iran war

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 18, 2026 | Business

U.S. President Donald Trump
| Photo Credit:
KYLIE COOPER

US senators get a chance on Wednesday to question top aides to President Donald
Trump in public ‌about national security nearly three weeks into
the Iran war as the Senate intelligence committee holds its
annual hearing on worldwide threats to the United States.

The hearing is ⁠likely to focus on the Middle East conflict
that began on February 28, as lawmakers – including some of
Trump’s fellow Republicans as well as Democrats – have said they
want more information about a war that has killed thousands of
people, disrupted ‌the lives of millions and shaken energy and
stock markets.

Democrats in particular have complained that the
administration has not kept Congress adequately informed about a
conflict that has cost U.S. ‌taxpayers billions, and demanded
public testimony rather than the classified briefings held in
the past two ‌weeks.

The ⁠testimony from officials including Director of National
Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe ⁠is
also likely to touch on the shock announcement on Tuesday that a
top aide to Gabbard had resigned, citing the war.

Joe Kent, who headed the National Counterterrorism Center,
is the first senior official in Trump’s administration to resign
over the conflict.

The Office of the DNI oversees the counterterrorism center
and ‌Kent is close with Gabbard, who has kept a low profile since
the Iran war began.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in
Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is
clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and
its ‌powerful lobby,” Kent wrote in a letter posted to social
media.

The White House rejected Kent’s assertion, saying his letter
included “false claims.”

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS DIFFER

Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who chairs the committee,
said on Tuesday that the military campaign had been
“extraordinarily successful” and it ⁠would take time to achieve
the administration’s goals for Iran, but he was confident the
U.S. would do so.

“In the end, we will have defanged the Iranian regime, their
missile forces, their drones, their missile launchers, ‌their
manufacturing capability will be ended. Their nuclear program
will once again be pulverized,” Cotton said.

Cotton said he felt the campaign was carefully planned, a
contrast with Democrats and other critics who have said Trump
did not seem to have planned for actions like Iran closing the
Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy shipping lane.

Questions have swirled around what Trump was told before he
decided to join with Israel in striking Iran.

Sources familiar with U.S. intelligence reports have said
Trump was warned, for example, that attacking Iran could ‌trigger
retaliation against U.S. Gulf allies despite his claims on
Monday that Tehran’s reaction came as a surprise.

Trump’s assertion followed other administration claims that
have not been backed by U.S. intelligence reporting, such as
that Iran would soon have a missile capable of hitting the U.S.
homeland and that it ⁠would need two to four weeks to make a
nuclear bomb.

Trump was also briefed ahead of the operation ⁠that Tehran
would likely seek to close the Strait of Hormuz, according to
two other sources familiar with the matter.

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the committee’s Democratic
vice chairman, called the conflict ‌a war of choice.

“There was no imminent threat to the United States, and I
don’t believe there was even an imminent threat to Israel from
Iran,” he said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

The House of Representatives intelligence committee is due
to hold its worldwide threats hearing on Thursday.

Published on March 18, 2026

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Sensex, Nifty rise 1% as oil eases amid geopolitical tensions: IT stocks lead gains

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 18, 2026 | Business

Equity benchmark indices continued to gain momentum on Wednesday despite persistent geopolitical uncertainty stemming from the ongoing West Asia conflict, along with sustained foreign fund outflows. The rally was primarily driven by a rebound in information technology stocks and supported by broader gains across Asian markets as crude oil prices eased slightly.

In today’s session, the BSE Sensex surged as much as 858 points, while the Nifty 50 climbed 255 points from the previous close. At 1.24 pm, the Sensex was trading 828.61 points or 1.09 per cent higher at 76,899.45, while the Nifty 50 rose 243.65 points or 1.03 per cent to 23,824.80.

Broader markets also remained firm, with the midcap index outperforming the smallcap index. The midcap gauge advanced nearly 2 per cent, while the smallcap index gained over 1 per cent, reflecting improved risk appetite among investors.

On the sectoral front, IT, telecom, media and realty stocks dominated the gainers’ list with sharp advances of 3–4 per cent. Metal stocks were the only laggards, trading in the red amid profit-booking.

Infosys, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech lead Nifty 50 gainers

Among frontline stocks, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, Jio Financial Services, HCL Technologies and Eternal emerged as the top gainers on the Nifty 50. In contrast, Coal India, NTPC, Cipla, Hindustan Unilever and HDFC Bank were among the major losers.

Market breadth remained strongly positive, with 3,213 stocks traded on the National Stock Exchange at the time of writing. Of these, 2,580 stocks advanced, while 565 declined and 68 remained unchanged.

As many as 16 stocks touched their 52-week highs, whereas 116 slipped to 52-week lows. Investor interest was also visible in momentum counters, with 91 stocks locked in the upper circuit limit, while 54 stocks hit their lower circuit limits.

Select IT stocks lead midcap gainers

Within the midcap space, Coforge, KPIT Technologies, Tata Technologies, Waaree Energies and ITC Hotels rallied 5–6 per cent. However, National Aluminium Company, Aurobindo Pharma, Oil India, Coromandel International, Blue Star and Adani Total Gas slipped up to 1 per cent.

In the smallcap segment, JBM Auto, Trident, Aditya Birla Real Estate and Angel One surged up to 15 per cent. On the downside, MRPL, Hindustan Copper, MCX, Jindal Saw and Mahanagar Gas declined up to 4 per cent.

On the BSE, MMTC, JBM Auto, Olectra Greentech rallied 13-18 per cent. On the downside were Chennai Petroleum, ITI, MRPL and One Source.

Published on March 18, 2026

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सहारा में फंसा पैसा कैसे मिलेगा? अभी कर लें ये काम…10 लाख तक का क्लेम हो सकता है मंजूर

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 18, 2026 | Business

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

Sahara India Refund Portal Resubmission: सहारा इंडिया में जिन निवेशकों का पैसा फंसा हैं उनके लिए एक राहत की खबर सामने आ रही है. जिन लोगों का पैसा पहले किसी गलती या तकनीकी वजह से नहीं मिल पाया था, वे अब अपनी जानकारी सुधारकर दोबारा आवेदन कर सकते हैं.

सही तरीके से क्लेम करने के बाद तय समय के अंदर, यानी करीब 45 कार्य दिवस में भुगतान मिलने की प्रक्रिया पूरी की जाएगी. साथ ही इस बार रिफंड की अधिकतम सीमा भी बढ़ा दी गई है. जिससे निवेशक अब 10 लाख रुपये तक की राशि वापस पाने के लिए दावा कर सकते हैं. आइए जानते हैं, इस नए फैसले के बारे में….

क्या है सरकार की तैयारी?

केंद्र सरकार की ओर से निवेशकों के लिए सहारा रिफंड पोर्टल पर Resubmission Portal शुरू किया है. इस पोर्टल का इस्तेमाल ऐसे लोग कर सकते हैं, जिनके आवेदन में कमी होने का मैसेज दिया गया था.

वैसे निवेशक अपनी गलती सुधारकर दोबारा से रिफंड के लिए अप्लाई कर सकते हैं. यानी कि निवेशकों को एक बार फिर पैसे वापस पाने का मौका दिया जा रहा है.

10 लाख तक के क्लेम पर दोबारा आवेदन का मौका

सरकार की ओर से अब निवेशकों को पहले से ज्यादा राहत दी गई है, क्योंकि वे 10 लाख रुपये तक के अपने कुल क्लेम को फिर से जमा कर सकते हैं. पहले जहां केवल छोटे अमाउंट वाले दावों पर ही ध्यान दिया जा रहा था, अब दायरा बढ़ने से ज्यादा लोगों को फायदा मिलने की उम्मीद है.

सरकार के अनुसार, जो भी निवेशक अपनी जानकारी ठीक करके दोबारा आवेदन करेंगे, उनके क्लेम को करीब 45 कार्य दिवस के भीतर प्रोसेस किया जाएगा. ताकि उन्हें जल्द से जल्द भुगतान मिल सके.

निवेशकों के लिए जरूरी बातें

रिफंड के लिए आवेदन करते समय कुछ जरूरी शर्तों को पूरा करना जरूरी है. निवेशक के पास आधार से जुड़ा मोबाइल नंबर और बैंक खाता होना चाहिए. जिससे पूरी प्रक्रिया सही तरीके से पूरी हो सके.

इसके अलावा निवेश से जुड़े सभी जरूरी दस्तावेज भी अपलोड करने होते हैं. तभी क्लेम स्वीकार किया जाता है. आम तौर पर आवेदन की जांच करीब 30 दिन में पूरी हो जाती है. निवेशकों के इसके बाद अगले 15 दिनों के भीतर फैसले की जानकारी मिलती है.

यह भी पढ़ें: Bank Holiday Alert: नवरात्रि के पहले दिन 19 मार्च को बैंक जाने का है प्लान? जान लें कल ब्रांच खुले या नहीं…

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Meta challenges ₹10 lakh CCPA penalty in Delhi HC over walkie-talkie sale on Facebook

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 18, 2026 | Business

Meta Platforms Inc on Wednesday assailed in the Delhi High Court a Central Consumer Protection Authority order imposing a Rs 10 lakh penalty on it for alleged unauthorised sale and listing of walkie-talkies on the Facebook Marketplace.

The senior counsel for Meta submitted that, unlike Amazon and Flipkart, Facebook was not an e-market but merely a “notice board”, and therefore, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has no jurisdiction over it.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav listed Meta’s petition for hearing on March 25, asking it to explain how the order can be termed “without jurisdiction”.

The judge also asked the petitioner why the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission cannot consider the issue.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Meta, argued that Facebook neither provides a mechanism for sale and purchase nor does it charge any commission from the users, as it is not an e-commerce platform.

“We are not providing virtual Khan Market. This is a notice board meant only for Facebook users. We are not a shop. No commercial sales are allowed. No consideration is charged. We don’t charge anybody.

“It is a facility of a notice board meant for sale… Mr Rohatgi has a phone to sell; someone wants to buy. The platform doesn’t charge anything or provide any mechanism to buy or sell. Mr Rohatgi will have to contact him,” the senior counsel explained.

In its order passed on January 1, 2026, the CCPA held that Meta violated the Consumer Protection Act and its rules and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules by allegedly permitting walkie-talkie listings on Facebook Marketplace without mandatory disclosures.

In its petition, Meta said Facebook Marketplace is a free service designed exclusively for natural persons to sell or exchange goods in a personal capacity, and businesses and commercial sellers are not allowed to create listings.

Seeking to set aside the order, the petition claimed that the CCPA acted in excess of its jurisdiction by acting on the “untenable” premise that Facebook Marketplace was subject to and governed by the legal framework for e-commerce.

The petition also claimed the CCPA passed the order in violation of principles of natural justice.

“To circumvent the plain language of the E-Commerce Rules and clear statutory frameworks, the Authority adopts a strained interpretation under which any digital platform that hosts repeated listings of regulated goods is brought within the E-Commerce Rules.

“This approach renders the exclusion illusory and would extend the Rules to virtually every digital platform, including online newspapers and community forums, that allow users to post listings of everyday consumer items like toys, footwear and water bottles – all of which are regulated goods,” the petition said.

“The resulting burden would fall squarely on natural persons selling goods in a personal capacity, as ordinary household items would suddenly trigger regulatory compliance. Such an outcome is plainly inconsistent with both the text and purpose of the E-Commerce Rules,” it added.

The CCPA compounded its jurisdictional excess by ruling that it violated the intermediary guidelines, which fall within the purview of the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the plea said.

In its January 1 order, the CCPA also directed Meta to ensure that no walkie-talkies or any other product requiring statutory approval/certification is listed, hosted, advertised or sold on its platform without full compliance with applicable laws and mandatory disclosures.

It also asked Meta to periodically undertake a self-audit to check deceptive listings and publish a certificate of such self-audit on its website in the public and consumer interest.

Earlier, the CCPA took suo motu cognisance of the “large-scale illegal listing and sale of walkie-talkies (Personal Mobile Radios) on e-commerce platforms” and imposed monetary penalties on several online marketplaces.

It identified more than 16,970 non-compliant walkie-talkie listings across platforms and issued notices to 13 e-commerce entities, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, JioMart and Meta.

Published on March 18, 2026

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Lloyd’s of London to anchor global reinsurance presence in GIFT City

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 18, 2026 | Business

Lloyd’s is one of the world’s most influential underwriting centres for complex risks across sectors such as shipping, aviation, energy and catastrophe insurance. The move to set up base in Gujarat could dramatically boost GIFT City’s access to global underwriting capital, deepen its risk-management capabilities, and signal India’s rising significance on the global reinsurance map.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS/Simon Dawson

Marking a landmark step in positioning India’s IFSC as a regional hub for cross-border reinsurance, UK-based insurance and reinsurance powerhouse Lloyd’s of London — renowned for underwriting some of the world’s most complex and high-value risks — is set to establish operations in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gujarat.

The application is for the establishment of a statutory insurance and reinsurance corporation, authorised to undertake insurance and reinsurance business under the IFSCA Registration of Insurance Business Regulations, 2021, with funds to be remitted from Lloyd’s head office in London. Officials from IFSCA told the businessline that LLoyd’s proposal is currently “under process.”

There has been a rapid expansion in the insurance and reinsurance ecosystem at GIFT City. As of December 2025, the number of IFSC Insurance Offices (IIOs) rose to 24 from 19 a year ago, while Insurance Intermediary Offices (IIIOs) climbed to 31 from 25, highlighting consistent growth. Premiums transacted by IIOs and IIIOs together reached $299 million in Q3 FY2025–26, more than double the $148 million recorded a year earlier, reflecting robust year-on-year growth.

While Q3 of FY26 saw a quarter-on-quarter dip in reinsurance gross written premiums, falling to $148.13 million from $235.70 million in Q2, the segment has grown significantly on a year-on-year basis. In comparison to Q3 FY25, when only $52 million was transacted, the current figures represent nearly threefold growth, underscoring the increasing scale and appeal of reinsurance operations at GIFT City.

Another key entrant is Echo Reinsurance Ltd, based in Zurich, which has been granted approval to open a branch in GIFT IFSC where it will undertake reinsurance business. Beyond Lloyd’s and Echo, global insurance and reinsurance majors from South Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kazakhstan have either lined up or have been granted approval to establish operations in GIFT City.

The (IIOs) in GIFT City play a key role in supporting trade finance by offering trade credit insurance and export-related risk covers, including protection against credit, political and non-payment risks. These offerings help strengthen exporter confidence and improve the bankability of cross-border transactions. Currently, four IIOs operating out of GIFT IFSC offer seven trade credit insurance products, with the regulator aiming to scale up the ecosystem by attracting more global players and expanding the range of products.

Published on March 18, 2026

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