News Nook: Sep 18, 2026

Indian Sector Specific News:

A) BFSI:

1) India’s Merchandise Exports Rise 26.1% in August 2026

• India’s goods exports grew 26.1% in August to US$43.8 billion, while slower import growth helped reduce the trade deficit to US$26.9 billion.
• Services continued to support the economy with a US$17.5 billion surplus, though higher oil prices could push India’s current account deficit to 1.5% of GDP in FY27.
• Source: IBEF

2) Insurance Stocks Rise on Expectations of Lower Distributor Commissions

• Insurance stocks rose as investors expected Irdai to reduce commissions paid to distributors, especially banks, which could lower insurers’ costs and improve profits.
• Life insurers such as HDFC Life, Max Financial and ICICI Prudential gained, while New India Assurance and ICICI Lombard also rose on the expectations.
• Source: Business Standard

3) GIFT City Rises to 37th Globally in Financial Centres Ranking

• GIFT City improved nine places to rank 37th globally and entered the top 15 financial centres in the Asia-Pacific region.
• It also ranked 26th globally in FinTech, reflecting growth in its financial services, technology and innovation ecosystem.
• Source: DD India

4) SEBI Extends Common Reporting Platform to Clearing Members

• SEBI has expanded its common reporting platform to clearing members that are also stock brokers, helping reduce duplicate compliance work and reporting costs.
• The platform will be introduced in phases, making compliance simpler and more efficient for clearing members.
• Source: Moneycontrol/PTI

5) SEBI Bars Kore Digital and Three Executives Over Alleged Financial Manipulation

• SEBI has temporarily barred Kore Digital and three senior executives from raising funds through public offerings, citing prima facie evidence of financial manipulation and misleading disclosures.
• SEBI has ordered a forensic audit of the company’s books and alleged that ₹541.3 crore of revenue was misstated, while also restricting Kore from moving from the SME platform to the main board without approval.
• Source: LiveMint

6) SEBI Rules Out NSE Self-Listing Ahead of IPO

• SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said NSE cannot currently list its own shares on its platform, as the exchange has not formally requested permission and it is too early to consider such a move.
• NSE’s ₹22,560 crore IPO opened on September 17 at ₹1,700–1,785 per share and is scheduled to list on September 25; SEBI will also examine brokers’ concerns over the new UPI transaction charges.
• Source: The New Indian Express

B) Automobile:

1) Government Pushes for Affordable and Self-Reliant Electric Mobility

• The government highlighted schemes such as PM E-DRIVE and PLI-Auto to increase EV adoption, charging infrastructure and local manufacturing of EV parts and batteries.
• The Minister called for affordable EVs, more local production, innovation and lower costs, while EV users shared benefits such as lower running expenses and reduced dependence on petrol and diesel.
• Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)

2) Automobile PLI Scheme Investments Cross ₹45,000 Crore

• Investments under the ₹25,938 crore Automobile PLI scheme have crossed ₹45,000 crore, supporting local production of advanced vehicles, including electric vehicles.
• The government aims to develop affordable and scalable automotive technology in India that can also be exported to other emerging markets, while EV buses and trucks are helping reduce running costs and crude oil dependence.
• Source: BusinessWorld

C) Pharma:

1) Supreme Court Ruling Brings Greater Procedural Accountability to Pharma Regulation

• The Supreme Court’s decision in the Salus Pharmaceuticals case reinforces that pharma regulators must follow proper legal authority and procedures while taking action against companies.
• The ruling highlights timely testing, valid sampling authority and proof of individual involvement before criminal liability is imposed on company directors or partners.
• Source: Medical Dialogues

D) FMCG:

1) FMCG Companies Likely to Continue Price Hikes as Costs Rise

• Higher raw material costs are pushing FMCG companies to raise prices, with most expected to see double-digit sales growth in Q2 despite some pressure on profit margins.
• Larger FMCG companies could gain market share as smaller players may struggle to absorb higher costs; if crude oil reaches around $120 per barrel, further price hikes may follow.
• Source: CNBC TV18

E) Agriculture:

1) India’s First Soil Carbon Payments Give Farmers Extra Income

• Over 2,500 farmers in Punjab and Haryana received ₹3,000–15,000 each for adopting practices like direct-seeded rice, reduced tillage and crop-residue management that increase soil carbon and reduce emissions.
• The programme covers over 2 million acres and 100,000 farmers across seven states, while these practices also saved water and reduced crop-residue burning and pollution.
• Source: Press Information Bureau

F) Energy:

1) Russian Oil Uncertainty Creates Supply Concerns for Indian Refiners

• Indian state-owned refiners face supply uncertainty as Middle East disruptions have reduced oil flows, while tighter US restrictions on Russian oil could make Russian crude more expensive and difficult to buy.
• India is increasing purchases from the US, Brazil, Canada, Venezuela and Africa, but this diversification may raise costs and put pressure on refiners’ margins as crude inventories have fallen to about 20 days of imports.
• Source: The Economic Times

2) India’s Power-Sector Emissions Stay Flat as Clean Energy Expands

• India’s power-sector emissions remained flat from H1 2024 to H1 2026, as clean energy met the entire 7% rise in electricity demand, with solar, wind, nuclear and hydro generation increasing.
• Overall emissions still rose 3.7% in H1 2026, mainly due to higher emissions from steel and cement, whose combined share reached 23% of India’s total CO₂ emissions.
• Source: PTI

3) Oil India to Spend ₹15,000 Crore on Deepwater Exploration

• Oil India plans to invest ₹15,000 crore over the next three years to drill deepwater exploration wells in the Andaman, Krishna-Godavari, Mahanadi and Kerala-Konkan basins.
• The company will benefit from the government’s Samudra Manthan scheme, which can fund up to 50% of eligible drilling costs, while Oil India is also seeking overseas oil, gas and critical-mineral assets.
• Source: Business Standard

G) IT:

1) IT Hiring Shifts Beyond Metros as Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities See Strong Growth

• More than 41,000 IT jobs are expected to open in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities in September, while overall IT talent demand has risen 15% year-on-year to over 1.17 lakh jobs.
• Full-time IT jobs grew 10%, but internships and part-time roles surged 90%; GCC hiring rose 38% and tech jobs in Big 4/Big 10 firms increased 68%.
• Source: ThePrint

Indian Economy and Government Initiatives:

• Piyush Goyal highlights the government’s achievements since 2014 across welfare, women’s empowerment, farmer support, youth opportunities, economic reforms, digitalisation and infrastructure, presenting these measures as part of the broader goal of building a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
• Moody’s has raised its forecast for India’s FY27 economic growth to 7% from 6%, citing the economy’s resilience and stronger investment. The higher forecast reflects expectations of continued domestic demand and investment supporting India’s growth despite global economic uncertainties.

Indian Stock Market Update:

• Nifty gained around 75 points and moved towards 23,350, while the Sensex slipped into the red during the session.
• Smallcap stocks jumped 1.8%, while the metals sector rose 1.5%; Tata Motors PV, TCS and Tech Mahindra were among the top losers.
• The market attempted to end a five-week losing streak, but Nifty faced resistance in the 23,280–23,350 zone.
• Nifty needed to close above 23,400 for a weekly gain, while Bank Nifty rose about 100 points with 56,000 and 56,500 seen as key levels.