The Indian Rupee saw gains on Wednesday. This was due to a weaker dollar. Positive sentiment from trade talks with Washington also helped. The rupee reached an intra-day high. Expectations of a U.S. Federal Reserve rate cut further boosted the currency. Market observers are watching for the Fed s future actions. Trade policy developments will also be key.

India’s massive gold holdings, totaling nearly $3.5 trillion across households, RBI, and religious institutions, highlight its economic resilience. Gurmeet Chadha countered the “dead economy” tag amid global uncertainties, citing robust Q1 FY26 GDP growth of 7.8% and strong domestic consumption, services, and manufacturing, underscoring India’s sustained financial strength.

Indian stocks finished higher Wednesday, with the Sensex and Nifty rising for a second straight session, lifted by optimism around progress in India-U.S. trade talks and expectations that the Federal Reserve will trim interest rates later in the day.

Investors focus on Vedanta’s demerger, DreamFolks’ setback, and GST-driven auto demand. L&T shows resilience, Reliance faces near-term limits, highlighting mixed short-term risks and long-term value opportunities across sectors.

Hong Kong stocks hit a four-year high, driven by tech companies. Confidence in China s AI and a potential TikTok deal boosted the market. Mainland Chinese stocks also saw gains. Tech giants like Baidu and Alibaba surged. Developments in China s AI infrastructure and new AI models are noteworthy. Alibaba and Baidu are using internally designed chips.

MCX shares rose sharply after Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey signalled plans to let banks, pension funds, and FPIs participate in commodity trading. The move is expected to deepen markets, boost liquidity, and drive higher institutional participation in exchanges like MCX.

Groww’s IPO filing reveals a Rs 1,060 crore fresh issue and strong FY25 performance with 49% revenue growth and Rs 1,824 crore profit. Despite client base dips, it leads the market share at 25.1%, outpacing Zerodha and Angel One in active clients.

Shares of Prestige Estates rallied as much as 2.3% to their day’s high of Rs 1,663 per share on the NSE after Nomura initiated coverage on the counter with a Buy rating and a target price of Rs 1,900, implying a nearly 17% upside from the last closing price of Rs 1,625. With today’s gain, the stock is up for the third consecutive session.

City-based FMCG firm Ganesh Consumer Products Ltd has fixed a price band of Rs 306-322 per share for its initial public offering (IPO) that aims to raise Rs 408 crore in combination of fresh issue and offer for sale from promoters.

Sanjay Bakshi, also known as Fundoo Professor, has criticized India s sovereign gold bond (SGB) scheme, deeming it a flawed government borrowing program. He points to the high effective borrowing cost, exceeding 19% annually, and the lack of risk management. The scheme, designed to curb gold imports, has turned into a costly liability for taxpayers.