DDIndia Business: Economic Headlines & Updates

Business

August 18, 2026 5:35 PM

India’s coconut sector emerges as a global growth engine, supporting 30 million livelihoods and expanding value-added exports

India’s coconut sector, deeply rooted in the country’s agricultural economy and cultural traditions, is steadily evolving from a predominantly traditional farming activity into a diversified, export-oriented industry. Supporting the livelihoods o...

August 18, 2026 5:26 PM

Sensex falls 493 points, Nifty declines for sixth straight day as crude oil rises to USD 91/barrel

Market benchmark indices ended lower on Tuesday, with the Sensex falling 493 points and the Nifty dropping to 24,154.90 level, as elevated crude oil prices and fading hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough in West Asia weighed heavily on investors’ sen...

August 18, 2026 4:23 PM

From trade deals to exports, how India is putting FTAs to work

India's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) strategy is entering a new phase. After expanding its network of trade agreements over the past decade, the focus is now shifting towards ensuring that Indian businesses make fuller use of the market access created ...

August 18, 2026 2:56 PM

US envoy calls for predictable taxation, stable regulations to deepen India-US trade ties

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor has called for predictable taxation, stable regulatory frameworks, stronger intellectual property protection and trust-based engagement on export controls and technology flows to further strengthen India-US commercia...

August 18, 2026 10:22 AM

Sensex falls over 300 points, Nifty slips below 24,300 as crude prices rise

Indian benchmark indices opened lower on Tuesday, with the Sensex falling over 300 points and the Nifty slipping below the 24,300 level as rising crude oil prices and renewed geopolitical tensions weighed on investor sentiment. The Sensex opened at ...

August 18, 2026 8:58 AM

Oil prices climb, bond yields rise as US-Iran ceasefire expires

Oil prices crept higher and bond yields rose, blunting paltry gains for stocks at the start of Asian trading on Tuesday as a U.S.-Iran truce expired and Tehran said it would shift to a "fully offensive" military posture. MSCI's broadest index of Asi...

August 17, 2026 11:11 PM

FM Sitharaman reviews industrial corridor projects, calls for faster infrastructure and investment

Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday chaired the third meeting of the Apex Monitoring Authority of the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT), reviewing the progress of projects...

August 17, 2026 7:04 PM

Qatar-India Postal Remittance Service powered by UPI goes live through Qatar Post outlets

A new digital postal remittance service enabling people in Qatar to send money directly to Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-enabled bank accounts in India is now available through Qatar Post outlets, strengthening digital financial connectivity betwe...

August 17, 2026 5:51 PM

Bharat Taxi: How India’s first cooperative ride-hailing platform is reimagining urban mobility

India’s ride-hailing landscape is witnessing the emergence of a new model that seeks to combine digital technology with cooperative ownership. Bharat Taxi, described as India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform, places drivers at the ce...

August 17, 2026 4:31 PM

BSE, PHDCCI join hands to expand capital-market access for MSMEs

Stock exchange BSE Ltd and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) on Monday announced a partnership to promote equity financing and expand capital-market access for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country. The two organ...