Russia and Ukraine continued exchanging attacks even as diplomatic efforts to restart negotiations gathered attention. Russian President Vladimir Putin said future discussions should address security guarantees for Russia and Ukraine as well as a wider European security framework.

Indian equity benchmarks opened lower on Thursday, October 22, extending losses for a third consecutive session amid concerns over rising crude-oil prices and the impact of the escalating Middle East conflict. At 9:15 a.m. IST, the BSE Sensex had fallen 0.5% to 73,343.3, while the Nifty 50 declined 0.54% to 22,687.75.

The security situation in the Middle East has intensified following additional attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement in Saudi Arabia. The developments have raised concerns about the safety of regional infrastructure, commercial shipping and the movement of energy supplies.

Efforts to restart negotiations aimed at ending the Russia–Ukraine war have gained attention after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to resume three-way talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States after November 10, according to a Kremlin official.

Russia has carried out fresh missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, with reports of civilian casualties and electricity disruptions across multiple regions.

Indian equity benchmarks opened higher on Wednesday, October 21, as buying in information technology shares and Reliance Industries supported the market.

Crude-oil prices rose in early trading on Wednesday as concerns over Red Sea shipping disruptions and possible threats to Saudi energy infrastructure increased uncertainty about global supply.

Indian equity markets finished Monday’s session with substantial losses as investors reacted to pressure on private-sector banks, weakness in information technology shares and concerns over elevated crude oil prices.

International gold prices edged higher on Tuesday as a softer US dollar supported demand for the precious metal. Spot gold rose approximately 0.1% to US$4,145.22 per ounce, while US gold futures for December delivery increased to around US$4,164.70. Silver also gained approximately 0.7% during early trading.

The Russia–Ukraine conflict continued to affect energy infrastructure, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reporting fresh Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s power network. The attacks reportedly caused electricity outages affecting more than half a million people, while Ukrainian officials also reported casualties and damage to infrastructure.