Currency & Commodity
The Rupee's performance against the US Dollar saw fluctuations. Initially, the Rupee rose but later fell to 89.98 against the US Dollar. In the commodities
market, contrasting trends were observed. While gold and silver futures rose on global cues, crude oil increased to Rs 5,217 in futures trade. Simultaneously, copper and zinc futures also increased due to rising spot demand. However, cottonseed oil and coriander futures experienced declines due to weakening demand. Aluminium prices increased marginally in futures, and guar seed and guar gum futures also rose on spot demand.
Market & Sector
The stock market showed mixed signals. The Sensex increased by 158 points, indicating positive momentum, although the market was flat in 2026, with ITC dragging down performance. Sector-specific updates included a surge in Hero MotoCorp sales by 40% in December, and TVS Motor sales soared by 50% in the same month. Honda Cars India sales rose by 3.6% in December. Maruti Suzuki announced an upcoming small car price revision. The tobacco sector faced challenges, with tobacco stocks sliding and ITC shares dropping by 5% due to new excise duty implementations. In other sectors, KPI Green Energy received approval for a 32 MW grid connection, and NMDC Iron Ore output was up 15% in December.
Corporate & Policy
Several corporate and policy developments were reported. Kalpataru Projects secured a Rs 719 crore EPC order. HoABL sold 1419 flats in the Mumbai region for Rs 640 crore. GST collections increased in December 2025. Vodafone Idea faced a Rs 638 crore GST penalty. The Electronics Manufacturing Scheme approved 22 proposals. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) introduced reforms in 2025 to ease compliance and governance and relaxed KYC norms for company directors. The government launched a digital fertilizer subsidy system. Further, the NHAI discontinued KYC for FASTag.
Government Initiatives
Government initiatives also played a significant role. The Haryana Lado Lakshmi Yojana was amended, and its scope was expanded. GST and Cess measures aimed to curb pan masala evasion. The Punjab government planned to utilize AI to boost agriculture. RBI reported that Rs 2000 banknotes had been mostly returned, with 98.41% returned. The Statistics Ministry launched a new logo. Additionally, the government announced the launch of Bharat Taxi in Delhi and other cities. Banks can now set up pension funds for the National Pension System (NPS), as per the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
Additional Developments
Several other developments were observed. Air India had a pilot grounded due to fitness concerns. ITIs were focused on outcome-based grading and skill development. The India Manufacturing PMI fell to a 2-year low. Swiggy and Zomato witnessed a surge in orders on New Year's Eve. The industry observed that the cigarette excise hike might boost smuggling. Furthermore, the Rajasthan Startup Summit was scheduled for January 4-6. Mangalam-Industrial, Alstone-Textiles, and Filatex-Fashions were also mentioned, representing activity in different sectors. HUDCO sanctioned Rs 46,000 crore in loans in Q3. Gold began 2026 firmly, while silver prices declined after a rally.
