Crude oil prices are rising as global supplies tighten following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes, carrying roughly 20% of global oil trade at any given time, making any disruption there a significant market event. When the strait closes, tankers carrying crude from major Gulf producers cannot reach buyers in Asia, Europe, and beyond through their usual path. Suppliers must reroute around longer sea lanes, which raises transport costs and delays delivery. In tight supply conditions, even a short closure can push spot prices sharply higher. Higher crude prices feed quickly into fuel costs for businesses and consumers. Refining margins, shipping costs, and energy-linked inflation tend to move up in tandem. Countries that import most of their oil, including India, face the added pressure of a rising import bill, which can widen trade deficits and put pressure on currencies. Watch for how long the closure lasts and whether major producers signal output or supply route changes.
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.
