India shows 'renewed interest' in buying more Russian crude: Deputy PM

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 4, 2026 | Business

Russia on Tuesday claimed that India has signalled “renewed interest” in importing larger volumes of Russian crude oil amid disruptions in energy supplies following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The Strait of Hormuz is the world’s most critical oil shipping chokepoint. It is facing disruptions after Iranian actions in response to US and Israeli strikes.

“Yes, we are getting signals of renewed interest from India,” Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told the state-run TV Rossiya 1 on the sidelines of an event in Moscow.

Nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply and a significant share of liquefied natural gas exports pass through the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with global markets.

Any prolonged restriction on traffic through Hormuz threatens to disrupt energy supplies to major importers, including India, China and Japan, and drive up global crude prices.

Novak, who oversees Russia’s energy sector, did not rule out the possibility that the European Union could also ease its decision to curtail imports of Russian hydrocarbons in view of the unfolding energy crisis.

Meanwhile, Russia’s NTV channel, owned by energy giant Gazprom, said the escalation of hostilities and Iran’s strikes on oil and gas infrastructure in Gulf countries could help Moscow reduce the “deep discounts” it has been offering to Asian buyers, including India.

Published on March 4, 2026

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OpenAI eyes NATO deal following Pentagon agreement

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 4, 2026 | Business

OpenAI is considering a contract to deploy its AI technology on North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) “unclassified” networks, ‌a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, days after the ChatGPT-owner struck a deal with ⁠the Pentagon.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that OpenAI was considering an agreement with NATO. The newspaper said the OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, ‌had initially said in a company meeting that it was looking to deploy on all NATO classified networks, ‌but a company spokeswoman later clarified to the Journal ‌that ⁠Altman misspoke and the contract opportunity was for NATO’s “unclassified ⁠networks.”

NATO, a 32-member military alliance, did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.

OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft, Amazon and others, announced a deal ‌late last week to deploy its technology in the Pentagon’s classified network, after U.S. President Donald Trump directed the government to stop working with rival Anthropic.

MASS SURVEILLANCE

Anthropic’s removal followed ‌a standoff in contract talks with the Pentagon over the use of the firm’s technology.

Anthropic CEO, Dario Amodei, had stressed the company’s opposition to the Pentagon ⁠using its AI models for mass domestic surveillance or to power fully autonomous weapons. The Pentagon has said previously it had ‌no interest in using AI to conduct mass surveillance of Americans or using AI to develop weapons that operate without human involvement, but wanted any lawful use of AI to be allowed.

In an updated statement on Monday after striking a deal on Friday, OpenAI said its AI systems “shall not ‌be intentionally used for domestic surveillance of U.S. persons and nationals,” adding that the Pentagon also affirmed that AI services would not be used by intelligence agencies such as the ⁠National Security Agency (NSA).

“I think this was an example of a complex, ⁠but right decision with extremely difficult brand consequences and very negative PR for us in the short term,” ‌Altman said in a company meeting on Tuesday, referring to the Pentagon deal, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Published on March 4, 2026

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Gold climbs over 1% as widening West Asia war fuels safe‑haven demand

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 4, 2026 | Business

Gold prices rose over 1% on Wednesday, rebounding from a more ⁠than one-week low hit in the previous session, as a widening Middle East conflict sent global markets tumbling and supported safe-haven ‌demand.

Spot gold gained 1.4% to $5,157.30 per ounce as of 0453 GMT. U.S. gold futures for ‌April delivery added 0.8% to $5,165.80.

On Tuesday, bullion fell more ‌than ⁠4% to its lowest since February 20, weighed ⁠by a firmer dollar and dimming rate-cut prospects as inflation concerns were intensified by fears of a prolonged war.

Gold could shrug off the previous session’s selloff ‌over the coming days as the metal has swayed to its own narrative and has been resilient despite whatever the dollar and yields have been doing since ‌the beginning of last year, said Ilya Spivak, head of global macro at Tastylive.

Oil and gas prices surged as the U.S.-Israeli war ⁠on Iran halted energy exports from the Middle East, with Tehran attacking ships and energy facilities, closing navigation in ‌the Gulf and forcing production stoppages from Qatar to Iraq.

“Higher oil prices as a result of escalating geopolitical tensions in Iran added to inflationary concerns and complicated the outlook for monetary easing,” said Christopher Wong, a strategist at OCBC.

“The underlying fundamentals (for gold) have not materially shifted. ‌Structural drivers such as geopolitical uncertainty, policy unpredictability and portfolio diversification needs remain intact,” Wong added.

Investors expect the U.S. Federal Reserve to hold rates at the end of ⁠its next two-day meeting on March 18, according to the ⁠CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

Spot silver advanced 3.1% to $84.61 per ounce on Wednesday, after falling more ‌than 8% in the last session. Spot platinum added 2.1% to $2,126.50 per ounce, while palladium gained 1.6% to $1,673.38.

Published on March 4, 2026

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होली पर सोने-चांदी की कीमतें घटीं या बढ़ीं? जानिए आज आपके शहर का लेटेस्ट रेट

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 4, 2026 | Business

Gold Price Today: घरेलू फ्यूचर मार्केट में बुधवार, 4 मार्च को सोने और चांदी की कीमतों में तेज उछाल देखने को मिला. एक दिन पहले यानी 3 मार्च को दोनों कीमती धातुओं में अचानक गिरावट आई थी, जिससे निवेशक हैरान रह गए थे. खबर लिखे जाने तक Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) पर 2 अप्रैल 2026 एक्सपायरी वाला गोल्ड फ्यूचर करीब 2,542 रुपये की तेजी के साथ कारोबार कर रहा था. वहीं, चांदी की कीमतों में भी लगभग 8,500 रुपये का उछाल दर्ज किया गया.

एमसीएक्स पर गोल्ड वायदा 1,63,265 रुपये प्रति 10 ग्राम पर खुला. पिछले कारोबारी दिन यह 1,61,108 रुपये पर बंद हुआ था. सुबह करीब 9:55 बजे गोल्ड फ्यूचर 1.58 प्रतिशत की तेजी के साथ 1,63,650 रुपये पर ट्रेड कर रहा था. शुरुआती कारोबार में इसने 1,63,800 रुपये का उच्च स्तर भी छुआ. चांदी की कीमत एमसीएक्स पर 5 मार्च 2026 एक्सपायरी वाला सिल्वर 3.30 प्रतिशत या 8,525 रुपये की तेजी के साथ 2,67,000 रुपये प्रति किलोग्राम पर कारोबार कर रहा था.

चांदी ने दिन की शुरुआत 2,66,500 रुपये पर की थी और कारोबार के दौरान 2,67,000 रुपये का उच्च स्तर दर्ज किया. प्रमुख शहरों में चांदी का भाव दिल्ली, कोलकाता और मुंबई में 10 ग्राम चांदी लगभग 2,850 रुपये में बिक रही है. 100 ग्राम चांदी के लिए ग्राहकों को करीब 28,500 रुपये खर्च करने होंगे. चेन्नई में 10 ग्राम चांदी की कीमत लगभग 2,950 रुपये है.

आपके शहर में सोने का भाव (प्रति 10 ग्राम)

दिल्ली 24 कैरेट – 1,67,760 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,53,790 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,25,860 रुपये

मुंबई 24 कैरेट – 1,67,610 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,53,640 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,25,710 रुपये

चेन्नई 24 कैरेट – 1,68,700 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,56,640 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,32,490 रुपये

कोलकाता 24 कैरेट – 1,67,610 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,53,640 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,25,710 रुपये

अहमदाबाद 24 कैरेट – 1,67,660 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,53,690 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,25,760 रुपये

लखनऊ 24 कैरेट – 1,67,760 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,53,790 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,25,860 रुपये

पटना 24 कैरेट – 1,67,660 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,53,690 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,25,760 रुपये

हैदराबाद 24 कैरेट – 1,64,510 रुपये 22 कैरेट – 1,50,800 रुपये 18 कैरेट – 1,23,380 रुपये

अंतरराष्ट्रीय बाजार में मजबूती और घरेलू मांग के चलते सोना-चांदी में फिर से तेजी का रुख दिखाई दे रहा है. निवेशकों की नजर अब डॉलर इंडेक्स, बॉन्ड यील्ड और वैश्विक भू-राजनीतिक हालात पर बनी हुई है.

ये भी पढ़ें: ईरान वॉर से शेयर बाजार में जबरदस्त हड़कंप, 1700 अंक गिरा सेंसेक्स, लुढ़के इन कंपनियों के शेयर

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Crude oil trades higher as Iran crisis disrupts West Asian supply

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 4, 2026 | Business

Crude oil futures traded higher on Wednesday morning as the Iran crisis continued to disrupt supplies from major West Asian markets.

At 9.59 am on Wednesday, May Brent oil futures were at $82.64, up by 1.52 per cent, and April crude oil futures on WTI (West Texas Intermediate) were at $75.40, up by 1.13 per cent. March crude oil futures were trading at ₹6973 on Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) during the initial hour of trading on Wednesday against the previous close of ₹6970, up by 0.04 per cent, and April futures were trading at ₹6928 against the previous close of ₹6925, up by 0.04 per cent.

Attacks by the US and Israeli military forces on Iran continued for the fifth day. Iran retaliated by targeting energy infrastructure in West Asia, including the tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

In their Commodities Feed for Wednesday, Warren Patterson, Head of Commodities Strategy of ING Think, and Ewa Manthey, Commodities Strategist, said oil prices surged above $85 a barrel on Tuesday, reaching their highest level since July 2024, amid growing concerns over oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. There’s also growing unease about the damage to energy infrastructure resulting from attacks. However, the market gave back some of its gains to settle at $81.40 a barrel after US President Donald Trump said the US will ensure vessels can navigate the Strait of Hormuz and offer naval escorts if needed.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump said: “Effective IMMEDIATELY, I have ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide, at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for the Financial Security of ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf. This will be available to all Shipping Lines. If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD. The United States’ ECONOMIC and MILITARY MIGHT is the GREATEST ON EARTH — More actions to come.”

ING Think’s Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said the promise of such guarantees comes as insurers are cancelling war risk coverage for vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz. This is welcome news, but clearly it won’t happen overnight. Naval escorts would be helpful, but again, this effort will take time. Naval escorts will be sitting ducks to Iranian attacks. So, the US may choose to wait before escorting vessels until it gauges that Iran’s ability to attack has been degraded. In addition, China is calling for the uninterrupted flow of energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. With the Iranian regime effectively fighting for its survival, it may choose to ignore China’s calls, they said.

The disruption to oil flows through the strait is starting to affect oil flows further upstream. There are reports that Iraq has started shutting in production at the Rumaila field, the country’s largest, and at West Qurna 2, with 1.2 million barrels a day going offline. The risk of further reductions in the coming days remains. Capacity constraints are the issue for Iraq, with storage tanks filling up, and a lack of available tankers in the Persian Gulf. Obviously, the longer disruptions persist, the more upstream production shut-ins we will see from the region, they said.

This highlights a key issue regarding OPEC’s spare production capacity, with the bulk of it located in the Persian Gulf. So, it’s of little help to the market amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions. Clearly, stronger OPEC output would help the market rebuild inventories once oil flows resume, they added.

March natural gas futures were trading at ₹280 on MCX during the initial hour of trading on Wednesday against the previous close of ₹288.50, down by 2.95 per cent.

On the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), April turmeric (farmer polished) contracts were trading at ₹14,328 in the initial hour of trading on Wednesday against the previous close of ₹14,826, down by 3.36 per cent.

March jeera futures were trading at ₹21,150 on NCDEX in the initial hour of trading on Wednesday against the previous close of ₹21,545, down by 1.83 per cent.

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Published on March 4, 2026

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Stock Market Live Updates: Nifty may lose over 500 points at open; Sensex to shed 1,500 points

by Hansraj Agrawal | Mar 4, 2026 | Business

Woman looking stock market Data on smart phone
| Photo Credit:
Orientfootage

ensex | Nifty | Stock Market today | Share Market Live Updates- Find here all the highlights related to Sensex, Nifty, BSE, NSE, share prices and Indian stock markets for 4th March 2026.

Market participants will focus on each and every action and reaction of Iran-Israel/US that will impact global trade and India’s trade balance.

Gift Nifty at around 24,400–24,500 levels indicates a gap-down opening of over 500 points for Nifty and 1,500 points for Sensex.

Indian equity markets are likely to remain under sustained selling pressure as global risk appetite deteriorates following the widening Israel–US–Iran conflict across West Asia, said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money. Disruptions to trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz, driven by heightened security risks and rising insurance restrictions, have triggered a sharp surge in crude oil prices, amplifying inflation and supply concerns.

March 4, 2026 08:45

Quote: Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Pi42

“Bitcoin holding above the $68,000 level despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty reflects strengthening internal market structure. The recent volatility did not translate into aggressive liquidation cascades, which suggests that positioning is more balanced compared to prior geopolitical uncertainties. Instead of panic driven selling, the market appears to be absorbing shocks with measured price adjustments. Ethereum’s ability to maintain key support levels further supports the view that this phase is consolidation rather than stress. What stands out is that sentiment remains cautious, yet prices are stabilising, indicating underlying demand is active beneath the surface. If Bitcoin continues to defend the $67,000 to $68,000 band, it reinforces the argument that the market is building resilience and can build momentum above $70,000. Sustained strength above this zone could gradually restore momentum and open the path toward higher resistance levels without requiring excessive leverage to fuel the move.”
March 4, 2026 08:25
NSE

Sectoral performance on NSE | March 01, 2026

WhatsApp Image 2026-03-04 at 07.46.42.jpeg
March 4, 2026 08:25
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Top Gainers and Top Losers on NSE | Closing Bell | March 01, 2026

WhatsApp Image 2026-03-04 at 07.46.42 (1).jpeg
March 4, 2026 08:22
Banking

Fitch Affirms Canara Bank’s IDR at ‘BBB-‘/Stable; Upgrades VR to ‘bb’

Fitch Ratings – Singapore – 02 Mar 2026: Fitch Ratings has affirmed Canara Bank’s Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘BBB-‘. The Outlook is Stable. At the same time, Fitch has upgraded Canara’s Viability Rating (VR) to ‘bb’, from ‘bb-‘. In addition, Fitch has affirmed the Government Support Rating (GSR) at ‘bbb-‘ and Short-Term IDR at ‘F3’.
March 4, 2026 08:22
Banking

Fitch Affirms State Bank of India at ‘BBB-‘; Upgrades VR to ‘bb+’

Fitch Ratings – Singapore – 02 Mar 2026: Fitch Ratings has affirmed State Bank of India’s (SBI) Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘BBB-‘. The Outlook is Stable. At the same time, Fitch has upgraded SBI’s Viability Rating (VR) to ‘bb+’, from ‘bb’. In addition, Fitch has affirmed the Government Support Rating (GSR) at ‘bbb-‘ and Short-Term IDR at F3. A full list of rating actions is below.
March 4, 2026 08:21
Insurance

Trump Orders Insurance Support for Gulf Energy Shipping, Navy Escorts Possible

US President Donald J. Trump said he has ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide political risk insurance and guarantees for all maritime trade, especially energy shipments through the Gulf. The support will be offered to all shipping lines at a very reasonable price to ensure financial security.

He also said that if needed, the United States Navy will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible.
March 4, 2026 08:20
Industryupdate

EQUITY PREVIEW

Adani Ports (ADSEZ): Feb. Cargo Volume +16% to 42.5m tons

Dabur India (DABUR): To invest INR600m in Ras Beauty Skincare brand

Emcure Pharmaceuticals (EMCURE): Emcure Pharma Signs India Distribution Deal With Roche

Fedbank Financial (FEDFINA): Approves raising INR5B via bonds

Infosys (INFO): Infosys & Intel Deepen Strategic Pact To Unlock AI Value For Enterprises Globally

Mahindra & Mahindra (MM): To Exit Japan Agricultural Machinery Business

Mahindra Says It Hasn’t Been Informed of Indonesia Order Halt

NMDC (NMDC): Feb. Sales 4.60M Tons Vs. 3.98M Y/y

Oswal Pumps (OSWALPUM): Says unit gets INR394m order for 7.46 mwp RTS plants

Samvardhana Motherson (MOTHERSO): Brazil Regulator Approves Motherson-Nexans Deal on Autoelectric
March 4, 2026 07:56
Stock market

Nifty may lose over 500 points at open; Sensex to shed 1,500 points

Nifty may lose over 500 points at open; Sensex to shed 1,500 points

Indian markets are set for a volatile opening, with Nifty and Sensex expected to decline sharply amid global uncertainties.
March 4, 2026 07:47
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Over 30 stocks including Tata Motors, M&M, Brigade, HAL, Digilogic, Natco Pharma, Cipla, Juniper Hotels will hog limelight

Over 30 stocks including Tata Motors, M&M, Brigade, HAL, Digilogic, Natco Pharma, Cipla, Juniper Hotels will hog limelight

Explore key developments in stocks, IT, real estate, healthcare, and more, spotlighting major players like Tata Motors and Infosys.
March 4, 2026 07:00
Technicalcallbuy

Today’s Stock Recommendation: March 4, 2026
March 4, 2026 06:59
Technicalcallbuy

Goldman Sachs initiates coverage on Lenskart Solutions Ltd.

Rating: Buy

Target Price: ₹635

View: Strong long-term growth runway with an expanding competitive moat.
March 4, 2026 06:58
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JP Morgan initiates coverage on Billionbrains Garage Ventures (Groww)

Rating: Overweight

Price Target: ₹210

View: Positioned as the most lucrative India-listed consumer internet platform.
March 4, 2026 06:57
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White House weighs tanker insurance support to curb oil price surge

Trump reviews tanker insurance and energy measures as Iran conflict drives oil surge

Trump weighs tanker insurance support and possible SPR use as Iran conflict disrupts Strait of Hormuz oil flows and pushes crude prices higher.
March 4, 2026 06:57
Stock market

US stocks tumble as Middle East conflict fuels inflation fears

U.S. stocks ended sharply lower on Tuesday as investors worried the Middle East conflict may ‌persist long enough to ramp up inflation.

Selling was broad-based and the Cboe Volatility index registered its highest closing level since November. Still, indexes finished well off ⁠their lows of the day, with the S&P 500 ending down 0.9% after falling more than 2% early in the session.

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March 4, 2026 06:55
Stock market

Fund Flow Activity: 02 March 2026 (Rs. In Crs.)

💎 Turnover : (NSE + BSE)

💎 F&O Volume: 259979.71 + 5025430.21 Total: 5285409.92

💎 Provisional Cash: NSE+BSE+MSEI

💎 FII/FPI: NET SELL: -3295.64

💎 (12737.34 – 16032.98)

💎 DII: NET BUY: +8593.87

💎 (21110.66 – 12516.79)
March 4, 2026 06:52
Stock market

Day Trading Guide for March 4, 2026: Intraday supports, resistances for Nifty50 stocks

Day Trading Guide gives you the key intraday supports and resistances to watch out for on the Nifty Futures and other widely traded stocks such as Reliance Industries, Infosys, HDFC Bank, TCS, SBI.

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March 4, 2026 06:45
Industryupdate

Adani Ports: Total cargo reached 454.7 MMT (+11% YoY), with containers showing a significant 20% YoY jump.

Adani Ports’ Logistics rail volume in Feb’26 was 52,101 TEUs (+3% YoY), while YTD Feb’26 rail volume stood at 640,280 TEUs (+10% YoY). (Numbers seen better on YOY)
March 4, 2026 06:40
Technicalcallbuy

Stock to buy today: Anand Rathi Wealth (₹3,149.45) – BUY

The short-term outlook is bullish for Anand Rathi Wealth. The stock rose by over a per cent on Monday, when the broader markets were beaten down.

Bullish outlook for Anand Rathi Wealth: Share price targets, support levels, and trading strategy

Buy Anand Rathi Wealth shares at ₹3,149; target ₹3,400-₹3,450 with a stop-loss at ₹2,970.