Crude oil prices surged to $120 per barrel on April 30, reaching their highest point since mid-2022. The move was driven by growing fears over a prolonged U.S. blockade on Iranian oil exports and stalled nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran is a significant oil producer, and any extended cut to its exports tightens global supply. The current disruption shows no clear end point, with analysts linking a price reversal to a broader diplomatic deal that remains out of reach for now. Tighter supply with steady or rising demand typically pushes prices higher, and the $120 level has reignited concerns about fuel costs feeding into broader inflation. Energy-intensive sectors like aviation, shipping, and manufacturing face direct margin pressure. Watch for any movement in U.S.-Iran nuclear talks as the key trigger that could ease supply fears. Until then, the market is likely to price in continued disruption, keeping crude 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.
