10-17
Gold Nears Record Highs as Indian Investors Move From Lockers to Demat Accounts
India's domestic gold prices rose 12% in August to ₹1,58,854 per 10 grams, tracking a 13% jump in the global benchmark to US$4,386 an ounce. Total gold ETF assets in the country climbed to about ₹1.91 lakh crore, backed by 121.3 tonnes of the metal, with year-to-date net inflows of US$4.22 billion. Average daily turnover in MCX gold futures rose 38% month on month to roughly ₹29,500 crore. Physical gold imports fell to US$2.3 billion in August, down 58% from a year earlier.
10-17
9-13
Altman signals OpenAI IPO unlikely before 2026, backs slower AI rollout and tougher safety checks
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company’s IPO plans are likely to be delayed until after 2026. He also backed a proposal from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to slow frontier AI development while expanding safety evaluations and international coordination. Altman said the industry still has significant work to do to address safety concerns and fears of losing control of advanced AI systems.
9-13
9-11
Indian stocks slide at open as Sensex drops 593.43 points and Nifty 50 falls 0.88% amid oil surge
India’s benchmark equity indices opened sharply lower on Friday, with the Nifty 50 down 0.88% and the Sensex off 0.79%, as escalating West Asia tensions and a jump in crude prices stoked concerns over higher energy import costs. Brent crude was trading around USD 108.27 per barrel. Analysts said persistently high oil prices could materially weigh on India’s GDP growth and corporate earnings.
9-11
9-10
IEA sees global coal demand rising 1.2% to 8.94 billion tonnes in 2026 as India consumption climbs 4.2%
Global coal demand is expected to rise 1.2% in 2026 to a record 8.94 billion tonnes as elevated natural gas prices, geopolitical disruptions and weather factors support coal-fired power generation, according to the International Energy Agency. India’s coal consumption is projected to increase 4.2% to 1,353 million tonnes. If Middle East tensions ease, LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz return toward pre-conflict levels and gas prices fall, global coal demand is forecast to slip 0.4% in 2027 to 8.91 billion tonnes. India’s domestic coal production is expected to reach 1,095 million tonnes as it seeks to strengthen local supply and reduce import dependence.
9-10
9-4
FAO: Global sugar prices jump 11.9% in August after India allows duty-free raw sugar imports
The FAO Sugar Price Index jumped 11.9% in August from the previous month, driven by weaker output prospects in Europe due to adverse weather and El Niño-related concerns in key Asian producers. India’s announcement of duty-free imports of raw sugar also contributed to the rise. Over the same period, FAO indexes for cereals, dairy, vegetable oils and meat also increased, according to the UN agency.
9-4