Welcome to Markets Desk, your midday read on what's moving and why.
India's Reserve Bank held rates steady at five point two five percent, but the decision came with a cautious tone. Policymakers flagged rising global fuel prices and currency pressure on the rupee as key risks, with Middle East tensions — particularly uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz — complicating the inflation outlook and weighing on investor sentiment.
That Strait of Hormuz uncertainty is the same thread running through equity markets globally. Indian shares managed modest gains ahead of the rate decision, but the moves were tentative, with traders caught between cautious optimism on U.S.-Iran negotiations and the real possibility that a prolonged closure disrupts oil supply chains and pushes energy costs sharply higher.
Shifting to a story that has markets in Seoul practically glued to their screens — Nvidia chief Jensen Huang is in South Korea, and investors there are tracking his every stop with near-obsessive attention. The visit carries weight because South Korean chipmakers sit deep in Nvidia's supply chain, and any signal about AI hardware demand or new partnerships could move those stocks significantly.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
