India Market Recap
Indian equity benchmarks extended their losing streak on Tuesday as weakness in IT and realty stocks continued to weigh on market sentiment. The BSE Sensex fell 492.70 points, or 0.63%, to close at 77,235.46, while the NSE Nifty 50 declined 132.75 points, or 0.55%, to settle at 24,154.90. This marked the Nifty's sixth consecutive session of losses, its longest losing streak since September 30, 2025. On the technical front, Nifty support is placed in the 24,000–24,050 range, while resistance is seen between 24,250 and 24,300.
US Market Recap
Wall Street ended lower on Tuesday as rising crude oil prices, higher US Treasury yields and continued weakness in semiconductor stocks weighed on investor sentiment. Persistent inflation concerns and geopolitical uncertainty also kept pressure on technology and AI-related stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 116.38 points, or 0.22%, to 53,343.40. The S&P 500 fell 0.69% to 7,691.76, while the Nasdaq Composite underperformed, dropping 1.33% to 26,289.71 amid broad-based selling in the technology sector.
Asian Market Update
Asian markets traded sharply lower on Wednesday as the global sell-off in semiconductor stocks intensified. Rising bond yields and geopolitical tensions prompted investors to reduce exposure to technology shares across the region. Japan's Nikkei 225 declined 2.38%, while the Topix lost 2.24%. South Korea's Kospi plunged 5.93%, and the Kosdaq slipped more than 3%. Market sentiment remained fragile as investors continued to monitor developments in the Middle East and the outlook for global interest rates.
Commodity Check
Crude oil prices extended their gains for a fourth consecutive session as there was little progress toward resolving the US-Iran conflict. Brent crude traded above $91 per barrel, after rising around 4.5% over the previous three sessions, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hovered near $85 per barrel, reflecting continued concerns over potential supply disruptions. Gold prices stabilised after recording their sharpest decline in nearly a month. Spot gold rose 0.2% to $4,343.36 per ounce, while silver slipped 0.5% to $63.02 per ounce. Platinum and palladium also edged lower as higher bond yields limited demand for precious metals. In the base metals market, pressure on copper prices eased after major traders, including Trafigura, delivered significant volumes to the London Metal Exchange (LME). The cash-to-three-month copper spread narrowed considerably, reducing supply concerns. However, LME three-month copper futures still declined 1.2% to $13,986.50 per tonne, with most other base metals also ending lower.
Stocks In News
- Prism Johnson: Won a 1,28,000 TPA coal linkage from ECL and SECL, worth approximately Rs 70.49 crore annually for 10 years.
- Sammaan Capital: Clarified that it is not an accused in the Delhi Police EOW FIR or any related investigation. EOW informed the Supreme Court that all loans to the five groups have been recovered, and the company has been treated as a victim in the alleged quid-pro-quo matter. The company also stated that IHC-backed Sammaan Capital has had no connection with erstwhile promoter Sameer Gehlaut since 2023.
- Swiggy: Shareholders approved a cap of up to 49.5% on aggregate foreign ownership.
- HLE Glascoat: A further €100,000 investment in its wholly owned Luxembourg subsidiary HLE International S.a.r.l., adding to the subsidiary's share capital.
- Power Grid: Appointed Shri Amol Babulal Taori as Director (Finance) for five years, effective Aug. 18, 2026.
- UltraTech Cement: Shareholders approved the appointment of Vikram Bhalla as Independent Director and Jayant Dua as Director and Managing Director.
- Bharat Petroleum Corporation: Board approved fundraising of up to Rs 5,000 crore through the issuance of secured/unsecured redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures in up to 10 tranches within one year.
- Globus Spirits Limited: received complete relief in appeals for AY 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, covering total additions of Rs 6.35 crore; the appeal for the remaining period is still ongoing.
- Poonawalla Fincorp: Finance Committee approved the issuance of unsecured Tier II Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) of up to Rs 200 crore through private placement (Rs 150 crore base issue with a Rs 50 crore greenshoe option).
- Refex Industries: Bagged a 12-month domestic rate contract for the transportation of ash, with an estimated order value of \approximately Rs 40.42 crore from a Maharashtra-based entity.
- G. Chemicals: Material subsidiary BDJ Oxides acquired 16.74 acres of freehold land in Andhra Pradesh for Rs 18.41 crore to support future capacity expansion and development of its sustainable recycling product portfolio. This qualifies as a capacity expansion/investment announcement.
- Cupid: Promoter Aditya Kumar Halwasiya acquired 8.03 lakh shares (0.06%) through the open market. Promoter holding rose to 46.40%.
- Shilpa Medicare: Response/clarification to a media report regarding a voluntary US FDA Class II recall of 27,923 vials of one product batch. The company states no adverse events have been reported, the recall is limited to four batches.
- Eicher Motors: Royal Enfield launched the Classic 350 Gorkha Edition in India at Rs 2,10,684 ex-showroom, with bookings opening immediately; it also introduced a Gorkha-inspired apparel collection.
- EFC (I) Limited: EFC (I) approved the acquisition of 100% of Ultrafresh Modular Solutions' issued and paid-up capital (10,44,783 shares) on a fully-diluted basis for Rs 54 crore, through a share swap involving up to 19,99,996 EFC shares at Rs 270/share.
- Birla Corporation: The company has redeemed Rs 80 crore of listed NCDs on their scheduled maturity date, along with the applicable interest.
- ONGC: Commissioned gas evacuation facilities at Khoraghat GGS-1 (Assam), enabling surplus gas from the Upper Assam Shelf to be processed and evacuated through the North East Gas Grid (NEGG), with capacity to utilise 1 lakh SCM/day from the Jorhat asset.
- Axis Bank: S&P Global Ratings assigned a ‘BBB' rating to Axis Bank's US$300 Mn, 5.179% Senior Notes issued through its Gift City Branch under the GMTN programme
- Balkrishna Industries: approved a Rs 550 crore issuance of 55,000 listed, rated, senior unsecured NCDs on a private-placement basis of face value 1L
- One MobiKwik Systems: Completed transfer of its LSP business to wholly owned subsidiary MobiKwik Distribution Services through a slump sale, with consideration via NCD issuance by the subsidiary; Manish Pathania appointed as Chief Business Officer of MDSPL.
- G. Infra Engineering: Received LOI for construction of two AIS substations and associated lines in Uttar Pradesh.
- Exide Industries: Exide invested Rs 200 crore in EESL on Aug 18 2026 for Bengaluru lithium-ion cell facility.
- Alivus Life Sciences Limited: Alivus Life Sciences to acquire 76% stake in IQGenX for Rs 9.12 crore, closing expected by year-end.
- Interarch Building Solutions: secured a Rs 128 crore domestic order from a major international-repute FMCG player for a homecare/beauty & wellness manufacturing facility, covering design, engineering, manufacturing, supply and erection; execution is expected in \approximately 10 months.
- Krsnaa Diagnostics: proposed a preferential issue of up to 16.21 lakh warrants at Rs 566 each, aggregating Rs 91.75 crore, convertible into equity shares, to the promoter and promoter group.
- DLF Limited: DLF subsidiary to acquire 26.97% of Balang Renewables for Rs 4.20 crore within 30 days.
- Atlanta Electrical: Atlanta Electricals received a Rs 193.92 crore order from APTRANSCO for the design, manufacture, testing and supply of 12 × 160 MVA, 220/132 kV auto-transformers
- Nibe Limited: Subsidiary Nibe Space Private Limited received a Letter of Award (LoA) from MSEDCL worth Rs 12.15 crore for GIS survey, mapping and digital data preparation of MSEDCL's distribution network in the Pune and Konkan regions.
- Bharat Electronics (BEL): Appointed Shri Partha Pratim Pathak as an Independent Director on the Board for a three-year term, effective Aug. 18 2026.
- PC Jeweller: The company repaid all outstanding debt of one more consortium bank, taking the total to 8 of 14 banks fully repaid, with over 96% of the remaining debt also discharged.
- Omaxe: Received Punjab RERA registration for the PDA Omaxe City Commercial projectahead of its scheduled launch on Aug. 19 2026.
- ICICI Bank: ICICI Bank's $750 million notes received Baa3 & BBB ratings from Moody's & S&P Global resp. on Aug. 18, 2026.
- Minda Corporation: Minda Instruments won ECMS approval to make display module sub-assemblies in a greenfield plant.
- Ind-Swift Laboratories: To invest Rs 45 crore to upgrade its Jammu manufacturing facility to EU-GMP/PICS standards, targeting additional annual revenue of Rs 100 crore from FY2030, with the facility expected to be EU-GMP approved by early 2028.
- South Indian Bank: Revised MCLR across tenors effective Aug. 20, 2026; 1-year MCLR set at 9.45%, 6-month at 9.25%, 3-month at 9.20%, 1-month at 8.50% and overnight at 8.15%.
- Veedol Corporation: Promoter entity Standard Greases and Specialities Pvt. acquired 2.95 lakh shares (1.69% stake) from promoter group entity Janus Consolidated Finance Pvt. pursuant to an amalgamation scheme, increasing its stake to 40.28% from 38.59%.
- Refex Industries: Promoter Refex Holding Pvt. created a pledge over 2.09 crore equity shares (2.69%) in favour of Northern Arc Capital as collateral for a loan.
- Home First Finance: Committee of Directors to consider issuance of senior secured listed NCDs of up to Rs 150 crore on a private placement basis at its meeting on Aug. 21 2026.
- BLS International Services: Step-down subsidiary BLS International Vize Hizmetleri Limited Sirketi merged into fellow step-down subsidiary iDATA Danismanlik Ve Hizmet Dis Tic AS as part of an internal group restructuring.
- Fine Organics: Completion of 80% acquisition of Malaysia's Oleofine Organics SDN. BHD. delayed by three months.
- Happiest Minds Technologies: NCLT Bengaluru approved merger of wholly-owned subsidiary Aureustech Systems with Happiest Minds; appointed date Apr. 1, 2026.
- EMS: Emerged as H-1 bidder for two NHAI toll collection contracts at Rangamati Fee Plaza (Rs 22.31 crore) and Bartana Fee Plaza (Rs 19.91 crore), with a combined contract value of about Rs 42.22 crore for a 1-year period.
- G R Infraprojects: Subsidiary Nagaur Mukundgarh Highways lost its GST annuity matter in the Rajasthan High Court; the court dismissed the writ petition challenging GST levy on annuity payments, with the disputed amount at about Rs 69.79 crore. The company is evaluating legal remedies.
- PNB Housing Finance: Mr. Rajiv Kumar Singh is appointed as an Independent Director of the Co. Mr. Shreekant is appointed as an Independent Director of the Company.
- Jubilant Ingrevia: To acquire 40% stake in Zettaone for Rs 189.2 crore in two tranches.
- Manipal Health Enterprises: Manipal Health Enterprises to Acquire Kinder Women's Hospital in Bengaluru.
- HEG: NCLT Indore approved the demerger and merger scheme involving HEG, HEG Graphite and Bhilwara Energy; the scheme will become effective upon filing the NCLT order with the Registrar of Companies.
- RailTel Corporation: Received an EPFO work order worth Rs 166.8 crore for a 1-year extension of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) services, to be executed till Feb. 9, 2027.
- CG Power: Reported a suspected cybersecurity incident affecting its IT systems; core systems and operations remain unaffected, and the company has engaged cybersecurity experts and notified CERT-In.
- Kotak Mahindra Bank: Priced senior notes under its $1 billion EMTN programme; approved pricing, tenure and other terms of the issuance on Aug. 18, 2026.
- KRBL: CARE Ratings withdrew the credit rating assigned to the company's commercial paper programme following the company's request, as no commercial paper remains outstanding.
- Hindustan Zinc: Renewable power consumption rises to 22%; target 70% by FY28, with 530 MW round-the-clock arrangement.
- eMudhra: EOW Navi Mumbai closed 3i Infotech complaint on Aug. 18, 2026, calling it a civil dispute.
- Federal Bank: Board meets Aug 21, 2026 to consider $500 million foreign currency debt issuance via GIFT City.
- Balkrishna Inds: Finance Committee approved up to Rs 550 crore NCD issuance on private placement basis, Aug. 18 2026.
- Aegis Logistics: denies any binding deal or board approval for Tristar acquisition talks.