Market Snapshot, 17 August 2026

📈 Equities

• India: The Sensex fell 369 points to 77,639 (‑0.47%), and the Nifty slipped below 24,300 (‑0.36%). IT, PSU banks, and FMCG shares led the decline amid cautious sentiment over high crude prices and Middle‑East tensions.
• Asia‑Pacific: Chinese blue‑chips gained 0.8%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.6% ahead of key Chinese activity data. Japan’s Nikkei edged up 0.3%. South Korea’s markets were closed for a holiday.
• US & Canada (last week): The S&P 500 and TSX reached record highs, supported by strong earnings and softer US inflation. AI‑linked stocks were mixed — Cisco and Applied Materials fell despite solid results, while Intel dropped 4% after a $20 billion stock offering.

🪙 Commodities

• Gold: Firm, supported by a weaker US dollar and lower Treasury yields. MCX October futures rose 0.73% to ₹1 54 590.
• Silver: Stable at ₹2 499 per 10 g in major Indian cities.
• Oil: Brent crude trades near $88.67 per barrel (+0.2%), after a 6% surge last week. US crude eased slightly to $82.19. The Strait of Hormuz blockade continues to restrict flows, keeping prices elevated.

💱 Currencies

• US Dollar Index (DXY): Slipped below 100 after soft CPI (+0.1% m/m), weak retail sales (‑0.6%), and poor consumer sentiment. Traders cut September Fed hike odds from ≈52% to ≈36%.
• GBP: Bullish, near 2026 highs, supported by Bank of England’s hawkish tone.
• EUR: Mildly bullish on ECB rate‑hike expectations.
• JPY: Weak, sliding despite intervention efforts.

🌍 Geopolitics

• Middle East: Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, reducing oil flows by 10–15%. US naval blockade of Iranian ports continues; Houthi militants struck Saudi Arabia’s Jazan refinery, heightening supply risk.
• Europe: A $92 million Sicilian art heist involving Antonello da Messina works made cultural headlines.

Summary: Global markets are balancing strong corporate earnings against geopolitical risk. Asian equities show resilience while Indian indices retreat. Commodities stay firm, gold and oil elevated. The US dollar weakens, boosting sterling and euro. Energy markets remain volatile under Middle‑East tension.