The US dollar is on track for its second consecutive weekly decline, with currency markets pricing in reduced geopolitical risk premium as peace signals emerge around the Iran conflict. The move reflects a broader unwind of safe-haven positioning that had supported the greenback during periods of elevated Middle East tension. When war risk recedes, investors typically rotate out of dollar-denominated assets and into higher-yielding or risk-sensitive currencies, compressing the premium the dollar commands in uncertain environments. Traders and macro funds will be watching whether any formal diplomatic developments solidify the de-escalation narrative or whether the current rally in risk assets proves premature. A sustained dollar retreat would ease pressure on emerging market currencies and dollar-denominated debt, while complicating the export calculus for US multinationals reporting in foreign currencies. The durability of the move depends heavily on whether geopolitical signals harden into concrete agreements in the sessions ahead.
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.
