Indian markets and investors will be watching the Reserve Bank of India’s bi-monthly monetary policy on Wednesday, with experts expecting the central …
1/5US Markets | The S&P 500 rose to a fresh all-time intraday high on Tuesday, supported by gains in major technology stocks, along with declines in oil prices and Treasury yields. The broad-market index was last up 0.5%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 205 points, or 0.4%. The Nasdaq Composite also advanced 0.5% and hit a fresh all-time high.
2/5US trade deficit | The US trade deficit widened to its highest level since before President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs early last year. The deficit stood at $105.6 billion in August, the Commerce Department reported on Tuesday. It was the largest trade gap since March 2025, when the deficit was $132.98 billion.
3/5Crude oil | Oil slipped as rising exports from the Middle East and a price cut by Saudi Arabia pointed to a looser market. Global benchmark Brent dropped as much as 3% toward $97 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was near $87. Gulf producers are moving larger volumes through the Strait of Hormuz, with more tankers taking the risk of navigating the contested waterway despite still-elevated risks.
4/5RBI Monetary Policy | The Reserve Bank of India will announce its bi-monthly monetary policy on Wednesday, with several experts expecting a rate hike after nearly three-and-a half years as inflation pressures rise due to the continuing West Asia conflict. Reserve Bank Governor Sanjay Malhotra will announce the rate decision at 10 am on Wednesday after the conclusion of the three-day meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee. A hike in the short-term lending rate (repo) by the RBI in its upcoming monetary policy would mark a stance reversal, following four rate cuts totalling 125 basis points in 2025 and a prolonged pause thereafter.
5/5Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority | The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA), a new special purpose vehicle aimed at bringing India’s fragmented transport planning under a more coordinated framework. The authority will work across roads, railways, ports and shipping, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility and logistics. It will undertake long-term planning, project appraisal, monitoring, research and impact assessment.