Stock Market News Highlights: Nifty Settles Below 23,350, Sensex Ends Marginally Lower

• European Union members are calling for a bloc-wide windfall tax on energy firms following record-high fuel prices. • The Pentagon is reviewing options to withdraw between 25,000 and 40,000 U.S. troops from Europe despite threats from Russia.

• The New Development Bank is expanding the financial power of the BRICS nations by increasing its local-currency financing. • Wang Youming of the China Institute of International Studies states that using local currencies shields economies from politically motivated sanctions.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.5% this week following the first Federal Reserve interest rate hike since 2023. • August retail sales rose 1.2% to $773.9 billion, surpassing the 0.8% forecast and signaling strong consumer spending.

• Asian stock markets rose recently as a Bank of Japan interest rate hike boosted Japanese equities and falling oil prices reduced inflation pressure. • Regional performance varied, with India’s Nifty 50 rising 0.2% and Thailand’s SET gaining 0.3%, while the Philippines’ PSEi fell 1.2%.

• The Bank of Japan raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 1.25% on September 18, 2026. • The decision passed with a 7-2 vote, as board members Asada and Sato dissented and voted to hold rates steady.

• Major European stock indices all declined on September 18 according to Gate market data. • The German DAX30 index saw the largest point drop, closing down 424.38 points or 1.65% at 25,308.88 points.

• Senior European officials met in Dublin on September 18 to discuss how EU banks can better compete with U.S. rivals through increased scale and deeper capital markets. • The group reviewed a European Commission report that recommends removing barriers to cross-border banking and reducing political interference in bank mergers.

• The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index fell 1.66% during a week in September 2026. • Escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran drove up the prices of oil and European natural gas.

• European stocks closed notably lower on Friday, September 26, as investors reacted to signals from central banks regarding monetary policy. • Switzerland's SMI index ended the day down 1.15%, while the DAX and CAC 40 dropped approximately 1.1% and 1.4% over the course of the week.

• Senior European officials stated on September 18 that EU banks must increase their scale and develop deeper capital markets to compete with U.S. rivals. • EU finance ministers and central bank governors met in Dublin to review a European Commission report recommending the removal of cross-border banking barriers.

• Major European stock indices, including the Euro Stoxx 50 and Germany's DAX, saw their declines widen during a recent trading session. • Market data from Gate shows the Euro Stoxx 50, DAX, CAC 40, and FTSE MIB all dropped over 1%, while the UK's FTSE 100 fell by 0.9%.