Points

• The BSE Sensex closed over 280 points higher and the NSE Nifty50 ended above 24,300, driven by a mix of global developments and foreign fund flows. • Sectoral performance was mixed, with gains in metals and telecommunications offsetting pressure on banking and financial stocks. • Key economic indicators showed stability for the rupee against the US dollar and a significant increase of nearly $10 billion in India's foreign exchange reserves for the week ending August 14.

• Indian stock markets closed slightly lower, with the BSE Sensex falling 172 points and the Nifty 50 slipping to 24,219.05 despite an initial positive opening. • Market sentiment was dampened by geopolitical tensions, specifically warnings from Iran regarding retaliation against countries involved in the US "economic war." • Experts, including Enrich Money CEO Ponmudi R, highlight that the US-Iran standoff creates significant uncertainty for Indian investors due to its potential impact on crude oil and energy prices.

• Democratic Party chair Kim Min-seok has initiated a reconciliation push by calling for frequent, informal talks with People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyeok. • Simultaneously, Kim is seeking to revive cooperation with the Rebuilding Korea Party, exploring the possibility of a merger to strengthen the liberal alliance. • The Rebuilding Korea Party has responded cautiously, stating that rebuilding trust is a necessary prerequisite after previous merger negotiations collapsed.

• Indian stock markets experienced a significant downturn, with the Nifty 50 falling below 24,200 and the Sensex slumping nearly 500 points from its daily high. • While HDFC Bank and Infosys provided some support to the Nifty 50, gains were limited by losses in SBI, Bajaj Finance, Cipla, Titan, and Apollo Hospitals. • In separate corporate news, law firm Trilegal has opened a new office in GIFT City to serve financial institutions and investment funds.

• On August 24, 2026, the Indian stock market saw gains, with the Nifty 50 topping 24,300 and the Sensex rising by over 200 points. • Market attention is now focused on the upcoming Jackson Hole symposium, where signals regarding inflation and interest rates will be critical. • Analysts warn that a hawkish message could increase Treasury yields and strengthen the dollar, potentially reducing demand for risk assets like cryptocurrency.

• Merck and Moderna announced that their Phase 3 INTerpath-001 trial met primary endpoints for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in patients with completely resected stage IIB-IV melanoma. • The study found that combining KEYTRUDA with intismeran autogene—an mRNA-based individualized neoantigen therapy tailored to a patient's specific tumor mutations—provided statistically significant improvements over using KEYTRUDA alone. • This marks the first and only combination regimen to demonstrate such clinically meaningful improvements in the adjuvant melanoma setting.

• The Indian stock market continued its decline on Tuesday, with the Sensex dropping 493 points and the Nifty50 extending its losing streak for a sixth consecutive day. • Sectoral performance was mixed, as Nifty IT and Nifty Realty fell by 1.04% and 1.16% respectively, while Nifty Auto and Nifty India Defence saw modest gains. • Global trends mirrored this volatility, highlighted by a significant 2.5% plunge in Japan's Nikkei 225, contrasting with slight gains in the Shanghai Composite and Hang Seng Index.

• The Indian stock market experienced a downturn on August 18, 2026, with the Sensex falling 493 points. • The Nifty 50 index continued its downward trend, marking its sixth consecutive session of declines. • This prolonged slump reflects ongoing volatility and bearish sentiment across the BSE and NSE.

• Helus Pharma has appointed Michael Halstead, the former President of Intra-Cellular Therapies, as its new Chief Executive Officer. • The company successfully completed patient enrollment for its Phase 3 APPROACH study evaluating the drug candidate HLP003. • To support late-stage development and future commercialization, Helus Pharma has secured $50 million in new funding.

• Indian markets showed caution on Thursday, with the Sensex dropping 100 points and the Nifty testing the 24,350 level as investors awaited US inflation data. • In contrast, other Asian equities rose, led by South Korea's Kospi, which surged 3.76% driven by strong buying in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. • Japan's Nikkei 225 also advanced by 1.45%, while China's CSI 300 saw a marginal increase of 0.05% following a mixed performance on Wall Street.