News Nook: Sep 23, 2026

Indian Sector Specific News:

A) BFSI:

1)  Focus on Scale, Resilience, Better Governance: Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman to India Inc

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged Indian companies to grow not only in size but also become stronger, more resilient, well-managed and better governed.
• She also encouraged companies to invest more in R&D and create products designed and developed in India, as private-sector R&D spending remains relatively low compared with major economies.
• Source: IBEF

2) Piyush Goyal Highlights Ease of Doing Business, FTA Opportunities and Trade Reforms

• The government plans to make exporting easier by providing businesses with better digital support, integrated offices and around 1,000 trained local personnel to guide exporters.
• A new Trade Connect platform will help businesses find export opportunities, understand foreign tariffs and use Free Trade Agreement benefits, while reforms aim to strengthen domestic manufacturing and global trade.
• Source: Press Information Bureau

3) Only 11 Insurers Have Begun Ind AS Transition

• Only 11 insurers—2 life, 4 general, 4 health and 1 reinsurer—have started moving to Ind AS, a new accounting standard aimed at improving financial transparency and risk assessment.
• The transition requires major changes across finance, actuarial, investments and technology, leading many insurers to seek more time or flexibility from regulators.
• Source: Moneycontrol

4) Bank strike from September 28: Customers may get just 2 days of banking in 9 days

• Bank unions will go on a 3-day strike from September 28–30, which may affect services at bank branches.
• Due to the strike, weekends and the October 2 holiday, customers may get only 2 banking days in 9 days. Digital banking is expected to continue.
• Source: Upstox News Desk

5) SEBI says Adani firms paid Rs 1.5 crore to settle disclosure violations

• SEBI settled disclosure-related cases against five Adani Group companies for a total of about Rs 1.5 crore.
• The cases were linked to SEBI’s examination of issues raised in the Hindenburg report.
• Source: Moneycontrol

B) Automobile:

1) M&M launches Thar OG at Rs 10.32 lakh

• Mahindra has launched the new 3-door Thar OG at a starting price of Rs 10.32 lakh, with deliveries starting October 11.
• It gets more powerful engines, improved suspension, better off-road features, six airbags and other design upgrades.
• Source: Zee Business

C) Pharma:

1) Top pharma companies maintain volume growth amid shift to chronic therapies

• India’s top 10 pharma companies continued to see positive sales volume growth in 2026, while many smaller companies struggled.
• Demand is shifting towards long-term treatments for diseases like diabetes and heart problems, which now make up about 56% of the pharma market.
• Source: Rediff

D) Energy:

1) India’s First Mineral Exchange May Be Operationalised by Next Fiscal: Official

• India is planning its first coal and minerals exchanges within the next 8–9 months to make mineral pricing more transparent and uniform across states.
• The exchange will cover major minerals such as coal, limestone, bauxite and copper, while the government also seeks overseas access to critical minerals like lithium, nickel and rare earths to reduce import dependence.
• Source: IBEF

2) Kayamkulam power plant may restart with new gas pipeline

• A new gas pipeline from Kochi to Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi could help restart the idle Kayamkulam power plant when electricity demand is high.
• The ₹2,448.70 crore pipeline could also provide a more reliable gas supply to homes, vehicles and industries in southern Kerala.
• Source: The New Indian Express

3) Saudi Aramco plans to create a separate gas division

• Saudi Aramco plans to reorganise its business by creating a separate gas division to develop natural gas and LNG projects.
• The company may later sell a small stake in the gas business to raise money while keeping control of its operations.
• Source: Reuters

4) Oil & gas capex boom could benefit energy services companies

• Investor Anshul Saigal said his firm owns Deep Energy, which provides services such as drilling and gas compression to oil and gas companies.
• He sees higher oil and gas spending, along with new discoveries, supporting demand for such services, but clarified that this is not a buy recommendation.
• Source: Business Today

E) Agriculture:

1) Gadkari urges sugar mills to diversify into ethanol and CBG

• Nitin Gadkari asked sugar mills to reduce dependence on sugar and expand into ethanol, CBG and other value-added products.
• Using farm waste like sugarcane residue and paddy straw for fuel could create extra income for farmers, reduce waste and cut fuel imports.
• Source: ChiniMandi

F) Infrastructure:

1) RBI changes valuation rules for InvIT and REIT units

• RBI has introduced new rules for financial institutions to value InvIT and REIT units in a more standardised way.
• Unquoted units will generally be valued using their reported NAV. If an InvIT or REIT fails to disclose NAV properly, the units will be valued at just Re 1.
• Source: ANI

2) India’s commercial real estate enters a new growth cycle

• India’s office demand is growing strongly, with record office leasing of 45.5 million sq ft in H1 2026, driven by companies and global capability centres (GCCs).
• Growth is spreading to areas like Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway as better infrastructure, data centres and retail demand create new business hubs.
• Source: ThePrint

Indian Economy and Government Initiatives:

• The government is considering a small merchant fee on some UPI transactions to help cover the cost of running and maintaining the payment system, while critics argue that keeping UPI free would encourage wider digital payments and economic growth.
• The Finance Ministry has urged bank employees to avoid the September 28–30 strike and resolve their demands through talks, saying most concerns have already been addressed and asking them to keep banking services running.
• India’s rising heatwaves are hurting health, workers, agriculture and the economy, making it necessary to strengthen local heat plans, protect outdoor workers and expand measures like green spaces, drinking-water facilities, rest breaks and flexible working hours.

Indian Stock Market Update:

• Sensex rose 299 points to 74,828, while Nifty gained 118 points to 23,447, helped by lower crude prices and hopes of easing tensions in West Asia.
• Analyst Mayuresh Joshi said Radico Khaitan could benefit from growth in premium and super-premium liquor products, better margins and plans to become debt-free.
• He said Ola Electric faces challenges in service, distribution, models and rising competition, while established two-wheeler companies are expanding their EV offerings.

Bonus Briefs:

• Markets are watching US, EU and China economic data, inflation, crude prices and geopolitical tensions for clues on future interest-rate moves.
• Tesla shares are in focus ahead of the expected reveal of its next-generation Roadster, which could influence investor sentiment.
• US stock futures remained largely flat as crude oil approached $100 a barrel, raising concerns that higher energy prices could affect inflation and interest rates.