Indian equities extended their slide, with the Nifty and Sensex closing at their lowest levels since March. Foreign institutional investors recorded a net sale of Rs 5,353.22 crore in a single session, the biggest outflow in September, while domestic institutional investors offset it with net buying of Rs 5,189.02 crore. Brent crude jumped to around $108 a barrel and India’s 10-year government bond yield rose to 7.12%, weighing on PSU banks and stoking concerns that inflation risks could push the RBI toward a rate hike at its October policy meeting.

Pakistan is entering the key Rabi planting season with expected water availability of about 21.00-22.00 million acre-feet, roughly 25% below normal requirements, as reservoir levels fall to a four-year low. Wheat, the main Rabi crop, is at the center of the risk as the previous season’s output already fell short of domestic consumption needs. The renewed supply squeeze is adding fresh pressure to the country’s food security and wheat supply outlook.

PB Fintech shares rose 4% in early trade on Friday, September 25, after the Policybazaar parent plunged 36% in the previous session. HSBC and Motilal Oswal warned that proposed IRDAI commission caps and other changes to insurance distribution economics could materially hit the company’s revenue and earnings. Both brokerages cut their forward earnings-per-share forecasts for coming fiscal years.

U.S. stocks ended lower on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 down 0.75% at 7706, the Nasdaq down 1.13% at 26936 and the Dow off 0.68% at 51511. Oil prices climbed nearly 4% as Iran’s president told the United Nations that Tehran would never surrender to U.S. pressure. Energy shares rose against the broader decline, while higher Treasury yields weighed on technology stocks, with Alphabet and Amazon among the biggest drags, according to the report.

SoftBank Group has raised the size of its margin loan backed by Arm Holdings shares to $25 billion from $20 billion, an increase of $5 billion. The facility has now been expanded three times since it was launched in 2023, when it started at $8.5 billion. Founder Masayoshi Son is seeking funding for a widening slate of AI investments, including a nearly $65 billion commitment to OpenAI. SoftBank owns almost 90% of Arm.

Dow Jones futures fell nearly 350 points after attacks on Saudi energy facilities pushed Brent crude above $108 a barrel, adding to inflation worries. The 10-year US Treasury yield climbed above 5%, while investors positioned for a widely expected Federal Reserve rate increase on Wednesday. The backdrop includes data showing US consumer prices accelerated in August and core inflation posted its biggest increase in four months.

Anthropic has chosen Nasdaq as the venue for a potential IPO and is aiming for an October listing. Founded by former OpenAI executives, the company’s valuation has not been finalised after a previous funding round that valued it just under $1 trillion. Its developer tool Claude Code has helped lift projected annual revenue to $65 billion, even as the company lost almost $42 billion in 2025 and is expected to keep burning cash for years, according to US media reports.

A strengthening El Niño has pushed India’s monsoon rainfall to about 15% below normal, raising risks for the next sugar crop. Analysts expect India’s 2026/27 sugar output to fall to 29 million to 31 million tons, versus 31 million tons this season. The International Sugar Organization has warned the global market could face a deficit of roughly 260,000 tons. India last month allowed duty-free imports of raw sugar to curb record domestic prices, while New York raw sugar futures are up about 30% this year.

Silver extended its decline as rising U.S. Treasury yields and firmer expectations of a Federal Reserve rate increase pressured the metal, pushing silver ETFs down more than 3%. SBI Silver ETF fell 3.2% and ICICI Prudential Silver ETF slid 3.1%. Spot silver slipped 0.3% to $63.40 an ounce after plunging 5.5% in the prior session, while the probability of a rate hike rose to around 70%, according to Reuters. Gold ETFs also traded lower, and Brent crude climbed 6% on geopolitical conflict.