Indian equity benchmarks opened lower on Tuesday as elevated crude oil prices and uncertainty ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s policy decision weighed on sentiment.

Diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider Middle East conflict continued after delegations from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye met Iranian officials in Tehran on October 26.

Indian equity benchmarks fell on Monday, October 26, as elevated crude-oil prices, Middle East tensions and uncertainty over the US Federal Reserve’s policy outlook weighed on investor sentiment.

International gold prices hovered around the US$4,000-per-ounce level in early Asian trading on Monday. Spot gold was reported near US$3,994.88 per ounce, while US gold futures also traded around the psychologically important threshold.

Silver prices have weakened sharply, with domestic futures trading below Rs.2 lakh per kilogram amid a stronger US dollar, higher bond yields and expectations that US interest rates may stay elevated. On October 23, MCX December silver futures were reported down 3.5% at Rs.1,92,800 per kilogram.

Yemen’s Houthi movement said on Monday, October 26, that it had attacked Saudi Arabia’s East–West crude-oil pumping stations and Riyadh airport. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed the reported damage.

Asian stock markets traded unevenly on Monday as investors assessed geopolitical tensions, inflation risks and upcoming central-bank decisions. Markets were also watching earnings from major US technology companies to assess whether heavy investment in artificial intelligence is translating into sustainable business growth. Rising energy prices complicate the outlook for central banks because higher fuel costs […]

Iran has reported that seven oil tankers were attacked overnight in the Strait of Hormuz, according to an Associated Press report published on October 23.