Crude oil prices surged sharply, with US WTI jumping 6.61% to $106.58 a barrel and Brent crude climbing 5.9% to $117.81, extending a rally into its eighth consecutive day. The move was driven by two converging forces: a steep drop in US oil inventories reported by the Energy Information Administration, and no visible progress toward ending the Middle East conflict now in its third month. The EIA inventory data matters because lower stockpiles signal that supply is tightening relative to demand. When reserves fall unexpectedly, traders price in the risk that near-term supply may not be enough to meet consumption, pushing prices higher. The Middle East situation adds a separate layer of risk. Prolonged conflict in a region central to global oil flows keeps a geopolitical risk premium baked into prices. With no signs of resolution, that premium is not coming off soon. For markets, sustained crude above $100 puts pressure on inflation, raises input costs across transport and manufacturing, and complicates central bank rate decisions. Energy stocks may benefit, but broader consumer spending could take a hit if fuel prices stay elevated.
Indian startups raised $5.2 billion across 501 deals in H1 2026, down 9% in value but up 7% in deal count year-on-year, per the Inc42 Indian Tech Startup Funding Report. The drop is driven by fewer mega-rounds, while AI funding surged 317% and growth-stage deal activity hit a multi-year high.
The BSE Sensex fell 893 points and the Nifty 50 shed 279 points on June 30, 2026, wiping out roughly Rs 6 lakh crore in investor wealth in a single session. Both indices dropped 1.16%, closing at 76,200.68 and 23,824.10 respectively.
Kotak Mahindra Bank shares fell nearly 3% to Rs 397.6 after CEO Ashok Vaswani announced plans to exit the bank. Investor concern now centres on succession timing and whether the bank's ongoing digital and deposit-growth strategy will stay on track.
South Korea's Kospi dropped 3% at Monday's open while Japan's Nikkei fell 1%, as escalating US-Iran conflict triggered a broad risk-off move across Asian markets. South Korea's heavy reliance on Middle East oil imports makes it especially vulnerable to geopolitical shocks of this kind.
