National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides

The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS

Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent

India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?

How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?

Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition

‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal

Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch

Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine

Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states

Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions

Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy

Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS

'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia

Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside

Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift

New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more

Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot

RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress

Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'

IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act

Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott

Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances

Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation

New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know

India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims

Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed

US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance

Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built

Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH

Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school

Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report

Indian shares ended higher on Wednesday, snapping two sessions of declines after the rupee recovered sharply following reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review economic situation over the weekend and that a rate hike is not ruled out.

Rupee recouped to 71.90 against the US&nbspdollar, from a record low of 72.92 hit earlier in the session.

Investors are also awaiting August retail inflation data later in the day.

The broader NSE Nifty closed 0.73 per cent firmer at 11,369.90 while the benchmark BSE Sensex ended 0.81 per cent higher at 37,717.96.

Rupee recouped to 71.90 against the US dollar, from a record low of 72.92 hit earlier in the session.

Indian shares ended higher on Wednesday, snapping two sessions of declines after the rupee recovered sharply following reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will review economic situation over the weekend and that a rate hike is not ruled out. Rupee recouped to 71.90 against the US&nbspdollar, from a record low of 72.92 hit earlier in the session. Investors are also awaiting August retail inflation data later in the day. The broader NSE Nifty closed 0.73 per cent firmer at 11,369.90 while the benchmark BSE Sensex ended 0.81 per cent higher at 37,717.96.

Sensex ends higher as rupee recovers from life-low

The policies of India and Pakistan have contributed to a global glut in the world's sugar market, Australia's Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham told Reuters.

"It is clear that export subsidies introduced recently by the Indian and Pakistan Governments have contributed to a growing glut on global markets," Birmingham said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

"[Australia] has expressed its concerns to the Indian and Pakistani Government at the highest levels in the clearest possible terms."

Raw sugar futures in New York slumped to a 10-year low of 9.91 cents on August 22 as India and Pakistan both moved ahead with price subsidies to boost local production.

India, which is expected to surpass Brazil and become the world's largest sugar exporter this year, in May approved a subsidy of 55 Indian rupees ($0.7623) per tonne of cane sold.

Pakistan, whose sugar production has increased in recent years, in January quadrupled the volume of sugar eligible for export subsidies to 2 million tonnes to reduce excessive domestic supplies.

Birmingham's comments came as Reuters reported Australian and Brazilian sugar industry groups are working on a formal complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over possible sugar export subsidies by India.

Birmingham declined to confirm the report.

Pakistan, whose sugar production has increased in recent years, in January quadrupled the volume of sugar eligible for export subsidies to 2 million tonnes to reduce excessive domestic supplies.

The policies of India and Pakistan have contributed to a global glut in the world's sugar market, Australia's Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham told Reuters. "It is clear that export subsidies introduced recently by the Indian and Pakistan Governments have contributed to a growing glut on global markets," Birmingham said in an emailed statement to Reuters. "[Australia] has expressed its concerns to the Indian and Pakistani Government at the highest levels in the clearest possible terms." Raw sugar futures in New York slumped to a 10-year low of 9.91 cents on August 22 as India and Pakistan both moved ahead with price subsidies to boost local production. India, which is expected to surpass Brazil and become the world's largest sugar exporter this year, in May approved a subsidy of 55 Indian rupees ($0.7623) per tonne of cane sold. Pakistan, whose sugar production has increased in recent years, in January quadrupled the volume of sugar eligible for export subsidies to 2 million tonnes to reduce excessive domestic supplies. Birmingham's comments came as Reuters reported Australian and Brazilian sugar industry groups are working on a formal complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over possible sugar export subsidies by India. Birmingham declined to confirm the report.

India and Pakistan have driven global sugar glut: Australia's minister for trade

Technology giant Apple Inc. in its live event on Wednesday launched the new Apple smartwatch 'Series 4'.&nbsp;

<a href="http://wionews.com/business-&-economy/apple-unveils-iphone-xs-xs-max-in-two-sizes-165334">Also Read: Apple unveils iPhone XS, XS Max in two sizes</a>

CEO Tim Cook opened the event at the Steve Jobs Centre in California describing iOS as the most advanced and the most personal operating system.&nbsp;

"iOS has changed the way we live, to the way we learn, work and shop. We want to make it more personal," Cook shared.

The event revolved around a couple of Apple's "personal products and how can we take them even further," Cook added.

Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, took over from Cook to introduce&nbsp;the overhauled, Apple smartwatch Series 4.&nbsp;

Williams underlined some of the key features of the smartwatch. The watch aims to provide more connectivity to the users and serve as the ultimate fitness and health tracking device.&nbsp;

Apple smartwatch Series 4 comes studded with new features such as:

Fall detection feature&nbsp;

An accelerometer, gyroscope-based feature lets the watch detect a fall. The watch will also be able to send out a notification and an SOS alert to contacts during an emergency.&nbsp;

New heart feature

The new watch will give out a notification for too low heart rate and can detect changes in heart rhythm. The electrical heart sensor has electrodes at the back of the crystal in the digital crown which turns the watch into a personal ECG device.&nbsp;

The new Apple Smartwatch boasts of a 30 per cent larger screen, louder speakers and a thinner design.&nbsp;

The watch will be available in three attractive colours -- silver, gold and space grey. The standardstanda will be available for $399 while the cellular version is priced at $499.

 
&nbsp;

The new Apple smartwatch boasts of a 30 per cent larger screen, louder speakers and a thinner design.

Technology giant Apple Inc. in its live event on Wednesday launched the new Apple smartwatch 'Series 4'. Also Read: Apple unveils iPhone XS, XS Max in two sizes CEO Tim Cook opened the event at the Steve Jobs Centre in California describing iOS as the most advanced and the most personal operating system. "iOS has changed the way we live, to the way we learn, work and shop. We want to make it more personal," Cook shared. The event revolved around a couple of Apple's "personal products and how can we take them even further," Cook added. Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, took over from Cook to introduce the overhauled, Apple smartwatch Series 4. Williams underlined some of the key features of the smartwatch. The watch aims to provide more connectivity to the users and serve as the ultimate fitness and health tracking device. Apple smartwatch Series 4 comes studded with new features such as: Fall detection feature An accelerometer, gyroscope-based feature lets the watch detect a fall. The watch will also be able to send out a notification and an SOS alert to contacts during an emergency. New heart feature The new watch will give out a notification for too low heart rate and can detect changes in heart rhythm. The electrical heart sensor has electrodes at the back of the crystal in the digital crown which turns the watch into a personal ECG device. The new Apple Smartwatch boasts of a 30 per cent larger screen, louder speakers and a thinner design. The watch will be available in three attractive colours -- silver, gold and space grey. The standardstanda will be available for $399 while the cellular version is priced at $499.

Apple launches 'Series 4' smartwatch with built-in ECG feature and fall detection  

Apple unveiled upgrades to its priciest iPhones on Wednesday as part of an effort to boost its position in the premium smartphone market.

The California tech giant revealed its iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, updating the top-of-the-line handsets released a year earlier.

Apple opened its event by saying its new <a href="http://wionews.com/business-&-economy/apple-launches-apple-watch-series-4-smartwatch-with-built-in-ecg-feature-and-fall-detection--165332">Apple Watch Series 4</a> range will have edge-to-edge displays, like its latest phones, which are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

The new series will be able to detect an irregular heartbeat and start an emergency call automatically if it detects a user falling down, potentially appealing to older customers.

Executives made the announcement at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple's new circular headquarters in Cupertino, California, named after the company's co-founder who wowed the world with the first iPhone in 2007.

<img alt="pic 1.PNG" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/pic%201.PNG" width="770" />

The company also announced new health features for its next-generation Apple Watch including one allowing users to take their own electrocardiogram and another that detects when a person falls.

<img alt="PIC 2.PNG" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/PIC%202.PNG" width="770" />

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Executives made the announcement at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple's new circular headquarters in Cupertino, California, named after the company's co-founder who wowed the world with the first iPhone in 2007.

Apple unveiled upgrades to its priciest iPhones on Wednesday as part of an effort to boost its position in the premium smartphone market. The California tech giant revealed its iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, updating the top-of-the-line handsets released a year earlier. Apple opened its event by saying its new Apple Watch Series 4 range will have edge-to-edge displays, like its latest phones, which are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models. The new series will be able to detect an irregular heartbeat and start an emergency call automatically if it detects a user falling down, potentially appealing to older customers. Executives made the announcement at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple's new circular headquarters in Cupertino, California, named after the company's co-founder who wowed the world with the first iPhone in 2007. The company also announced new health features for its next-generation Apple Watch including one allowing users to take their own electrocardiogram and another that detects when a person falls. (With inputs from agencies)

Apple unveils iPhone XS, XS Max

Volatility has continued on the stock market on Wednesday morning. The Nifty is hovering around 11,300, while the Sensex is marginally higher.&nbsp;

At 10 30 am, Sensex was up 57.50 points or 0.15% at 37470.63, and the Nifty was up 14.30 points or 0.13% at 11301.80. The market breadth is negative as 666 shares advanced, against a decline of 1,334 shares, while 96 shares are unchanged.

The domestic stock markets&nbsp;are likely to trade cautiously on Wednesday tracking the subdued activity in regional Asian peers and caution ahead of IIP and inflation data scheduled to be released after market trading hours today.&nbsp;

Asian stocks slipped to 14-month lows on Wednesday, as investor confidence was chilled by the latest round of verbal threats in an intensifying US-China trade conflict, Reuters said in a report.

Asian shares fell on Wednesday as China delayed issuing licenses to American businesses hoping to operate in the country, as the threat of more trade tariffs from Washington loomed.&nbsp;

The approach of Hurricane Florence on the East Coast and upcoming sanctions on Iran's energy industry lifted oil prices. Benchmark U.S crude surged past $70 a barrel, the report said further.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.4%&nbsp;to 22,571.76, and the Kospi in South Korea fell 0.2%&nbsp;to 2,279.70, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was 0.2%&nbsp;lower at 26,372.02 and the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.3%&nbsp;to 2,656.26.

Indian stock markets (Sensex and Nifty) traded slightly changed in the morning deals on Wednesday with Sensex and Nifty trading flat ahead of macro data while the Indian rupee touched a fresh all-time low at 72.91 vs US dollar.

Volatility has continued on the stock market on Wednesday morning. The Nifty is hovering around 11,300, while the Sensex is marginally higher. At 10 30 am, Sensex was up 57.50 points or 0.15% at 37470.63, and the Nifty was up 14.30 points or 0.13% at 11301.80. The market breadth is negative as 666 shares advanced, against a decline of 1,334 shares, while 96 shares are unchanged. The domestic stock markets are likely to trade cautiously on Wednesday tracking the subdued activity in regional Asian peers and caution ahead of IIP and inflation data scheduled to be released after market trading hours today. Asian stocks slipped to 14-month lows on Wednesday, as investor confidence was chilled by the latest round of verbal threats in an intensifying US-China trade conflict, Reuters said in a report. Asian shares fell on Wednesday as China delayed issuing licenses to American businesses hoping to operate in the country, as the threat of more trade tariffs from Washington loomed. The approach of Hurricane Florence on the East Coast and upcoming sanctions on Iran's energy industry lifted oil prices. Benchmark U.S crude surged past $70 a barrel, the report said further. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 lost 0.4% to 22,571.76, and the Kospi in South Korea fell 0.2% to 2,279.70, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was 0.2% lower at 26,372.02 and the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.3% to 2,656.26.

Stock market indices turn volatile, Nifty struggles around 11,300

The Indian rupee touched a new all-time low of 72.91 against the US dollar on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The rupee is now just 9 paise away from breaching the 73 level.

The rupee, which has been in a downward spiral recently, fell 22 paise on Wednesday. The BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty also dropped into negative territory.

The rupee has been Asia's worst-performing currency this year, falling over 12% against the dollar. A number of reasons have been blamed for the slide, including the rising prices of crude oil (India imports most of its oil), the trade wars set off by the US, which in turn are making jittery investors buy more dollars, thereby weakening the rupee.&nbsp;

The domestic currency (rupee) extended losses very quickly after opening at a record low against the US dollar today.&nbsp;The market sentiments were cautious ahead of IIP and inflation data scheduled to be released later today.&nbsp;

Rising crude oil prices, along with a widening current account, continued to put pressure on the rupee.&nbsp;Oil prices rose on Wednesday after a report of falling crude inventories and the looming sanctions against Iran fuelled expectations of a tightening market, said a Reuters report.

The rupee has been the worst performing Asian currency this year. Despite strong GDP growth, the currency has weakened about 12 per cent this year amid higher oil prices and a broad sell-off in emerging markets, widening India's current account deficit and a worsening balance of payments that slipped into the red in April-June for the first time in six quarters.

Yesterday on September 11, 2018,<a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/business-&-economy/rupee-pulls-back-from-record-low-after-rbi-intervention-closes-at-727-165120"> rupee closed </a>at a record low of 72.69 per US dollar, against a previous close of 72.45 per USD. Weakness in the currency, analysts said, was largely because of factors such as a surge in oil prices, trade war concerns along with lack of aggressive intervention by India’s central bank.

The rupee has been Asia's worst-performing currency this year, falling over 12% against the dollar. A number of reasons have been blamed for the slide.

The Indian rupee touched a new all-time low of 72.91 against the US dollar on Wednesday. The rupee is now just 9 paise away from breaching the 73 level. The rupee, which has been in a downward spiral recently, fell 22 paise on Wednesday. The BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty also dropped into negative territory. The rupee has been Asia's worst-performing currency this year, falling over 12% against the dollar. A number of reasons have been blamed for the slide, including the rising prices of crude oil (India imports most of its oil), the trade wars set off by the US, which in turn are making jittery investors buy more dollars, thereby weakening the rupee. The domestic currency (rupee) extended losses very quickly after opening at a record low against the US dollar today. The market sentiments were cautious ahead of IIP and inflation data scheduled to be released later today. Rising crude oil prices, along with a widening current account, continued to put pressure on the rupee. Oil prices rose on Wednesday after a report of falling crude inventories and the looming sanctions against Iran fuelled expectations of a tightening market, said a Reuters report. The rupee has been the worst performing Asian currency this year. Despite strong GDP growth, the currency has weakened about 12 per cent this year amid higher oil prices and a broad sell-off in emerging markets, widening India's current account deficit and a worsening balance of payments that slipped into the red in April-June for the first time in six quarters. Yesterday on September 11, 2018, rupee closed at a record low of 72.69 per US dollar, against a previous close of 72.45 per USD. Weakness in the currency, analysts said, was largely because of factors such as a surge in oil prices, trade war concerns along with lack of aggressive intervention by India’s central bank.

Rupee continues downward spiral, hits new record low of 72.91 against US dollar

A US&nbspregulator said on Tuesday it would launch an investigation into an off-road utility vehicle produced by Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd following a complaint by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV that it infringed upon the intellectual property rights of its Jeep design.

The US&nbspInternational Trade Commission (ITC) said in a statement that it was launching a patent-related investigation into the Indian automaker's Roxor vehicle.

The ITC said the complaint was related to the import and sale in the United States of certain motorized vehicles and components that Fiat Chrysler had alleged infringed on its trademarks. The agency said it would aim to complete its probe within 45 days.

The ITC has indicated it will begin an investigation of Fiat Chrysler's complaint and that it will also be conducting a 100-day expedited consideration of the 2009 agreement and its effect on the investigation, said Rich Ansell, vice president of marketing, Mahindra Automotive North America.

Fiat Chrysler could not immediately be reached for comment.

Last month, Mahindra said that Fiat Chrysler had filed a patent violation complaint with the ITC against the company and called the complaint without merit.

Mahindra said that it and its North American unit had filed a public interest statement with the ITC and had begun proceedings in a Michigan court to enforce a design agreement that it had executed with Fiat Chrysler in 2009.

Mahindra was seeking an injunction against Fiat Chrysler from proceeding with the complaint, it added.

Fiat Chrysler had not made a monetary claim in the complaint but was seeking to block Mahindra Automotive from importing any parts or components into the United States that infringe upon Fiat Chrysler's intellectual property rights, it said.

The US International Trade Commission said in a statement that it was launching a patent-related investigation into Mahindra's Roxor.

A US&nbspregulator said on Tuesday it would launch an investigation into an off-road utility vehicle produced by Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd following a complaint by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV that it infringed upon the intellectual property rights of its Jeep design. The US&nbspInternational Trade Commission (ITC) said in a statement that it was launching a patent-related investigation into the Indian automaker's Roxor vehicle. The ITC said the complaint was related to the import and sale in the United States of certain motorized vehicles and components that Fiat Chrysler had alleged infringed on its trademarks. The agency said it would aim to complete its probe within 45 days. The ITC has indicated it will begin an investigation of Fiat Chrysler's complaint and that it will also be conducting a 100-day expedited consideration of the 2009 agreement and its effect on the investigation, said Rich Ansell, vice president of marketing, Mahindra Automotive North America. Fiat Chrysler could not immediately be reached for comment. Last month, Mahindra said that Fiat Chrysler had filed a patent violation complaint with the ITC against the company and called the complaint without merit. Mahindra said that it and its North American unit had filed a public interest statement with the ITC and had begun proceedings in a Michigan court to enforce a design agreement that it had executed with Fiat Chrysler in 2009. Mahindra was seeking an injunction against Fiat Chrysler from proceeding with the complaint, it added. Fiat Chrysler had not made a monetary claim in the complaint but was seeking to block Mahindra Automotive from importing any parts or components into the United States that infringe upon Fiat Chrysler's intellectual property rights, it said.

US to probe Mahindra over Fiat Chrysler Jeep complaint

Apple Inc is expected to launch three new iPhones on Wednesday and leaks from Apple website have so far suggested that they will be named XS Max for the top variant, XS for the next level model and Xr for the entry version.

The names were first spotted on Apple's products sitemap page by technology website ATH and was later confirmed by media outlet Verge.

Reuters could not independently verify the content of the sitemap as it was no longer available.

Apple for years was known for being very secretive about new product launches, but in the last few years, iPhone specifications have routinely found its way into the public domain before the launch.

A small German e-commerce site specializing in electronics, Arktis, has already put up pictures of the new models on its website.

"Apple has sent us some dummies/samples," an Arktis spokeswoman said. "But we do not know how Apple will call their newest devices. It was just a guess that we named them Apple Xr."

Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Apple's market capitalization has passed $1 trillion and the company needs to sustain revenue growth from its signature product even as global demand for smartphones plateau. One way to do that is to get people to buy more expensive phones.

Apple will likely blast further past the $1,000 price barrier when it launches new iPhones, but Wall Street is most intrigued by how deep into its larger-than-ever lineup price hikes may go.

"There's no real game changer on the table," said Hal Eddins, chief economist at Apple shareholder Capital Investment Counsel. "It's a matter of getting people to keep moving up."

The new top model is expected to have a 6.5-inch (16.5-cm) screen with an edge-to-edge display and an OLED display with richer colours, and Wall Street is targeting a price of $1,049 or $1,099 versus the current $999 base price for the iPhone X.

The second phone with a 5.8-inch OLED display would be similar to the iPhone X but with an improved processor, and according to the sitemap will be called iPhone XS.

The third expected model with a 6.1-inch display has intrigued analysts most. The big display is expected to use lower-cost LCD technology but looks more like last year's iPhone X than the iPhone 8, which itself looked similar to phones going back to 2014's iPhone 6.

That fresher profile could help lure price-conscious Apple customers with three- and four-year-old phones into an upgrade said, Eddins. Expectations for Apple's lineup have been fueled by reports from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is based in Taiwan, where many of the contracts manufacture that also make Apple products are based.

While some expect a $699 price for the iPhone 9, Goldman Sachs analyst Rod Hall sees as much as $849, a significant bump for a mid-range device.

"Given the better-than-expected iPhone X demand this summer we doubt Apple is inclined to go for lower price points," Hall wrote in a note to clients.

Rival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has a few models that cost nearly as much as Apple models, but the bulk of its lineup, like that of other phone makers, consists of cheaper models.

"Apple has never competed on price," said Josh Blechman, director of capital markets at Exponential ETFs, which holds Apple shares in its exchange-traded fund.

In addition to new models, Apple is also expected to unveil a gold-colour option for the two new OLED-screened phones, a new version of its wireless Airpods earbuds with wireless charging and a new version of its Apple Watch with a bigger display. It also is expected to release a wireless charging mat that will be able to charge several devices at once.

Apple shares were down 1.3 per cent at $221.20 in early trading on the Nasdaq.

Apple for years was known for being very secretive about new product launches, but in the last few years, iPhone specifications have routinely found its way into the public domain before the launch.

Apple Inc is expected to launch three new iPhones on Wednesday and leaks from Apple website have so far suggested that they will be named XS Max for the top variant, XS for the next level model and Xr for the entry version. The names were first spotted on Apple's products sitemap page by technology website ATH and was later confirmed by media outlet Verge. Reuters could not independently verify the content of the sitemap as it was no longer available. Apple for years was known for being very secretive about new product launches, but in the last few years, iPhone specifications have routinely found its way into the public domain before the launch. A small German e-commerce site specializing in electronics, Arktis, has already put up pictures of the new models on its website. "Apple has sent us some dummies/samples," an Arktis spokeswoman said. "But we do not know how Apple will call their newest devices. It was just a guess that we named them Apple Xr." Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Apple's market capitalization has passed $1 trillion and the company needs to sustain revenue growth from its signature product even as global demand for smartphones plateau. One way to do that is to get people to buy more expensive phones. Apple will likely blast further past the $1,000 price barrier when it launches new iPhones, but Wall Street is most intrigued by how deep into its larger-than-ever lineup price hikes may go. "There's no real game changer on the table," said Hal Eddins, chief economist at Apple shareholder Capital Investment Counsel. "It's a matter of getting people to keep moving up." The new top model is expected to have a 6.5-inch (16.5-cm) screen with an edge-to-edge display and an OLED display with richer colours, and Wall Street is targeting a price of $1,049 or $1,099 versus the current $999 base price for the iPhone X. The second phone with a 5.8-inch OLED display would be similar to the iPhone X but with an improved processor, and according to the sitemap will be called iPhone XS. The third expected model with a 6.1-inch display has intrigued analysts most. The big display is expected to use lower-cost LCD technology but looks more like last year's iPhone X than the iPhone 8, which itself looked similar to phones going back to 2014's iPhone 6. That fresher profile could help lure price-conscious Apple customers with three- and four-year-old phones into an upgrade said, Eddins. Expectations for Apple's lineup have been fueled by reports from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who is based in Taiwan, where many of the contracts manufacture that also make Apple products are based. While some expect a $699 price for the iPhone 9, Goldman Sachs analyst Rod Hall sees as much as $849, a significant bump for a mid-range device. "Given the better-than-expected iPhone X demand this summer we doubt Apple is inclined to go for lower price points," Hall wrote in a note to clients. Rival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has a few models that cost nearly as much as Apple models, but the bulk of its lineup, like that of other phone makers, consists of cheaper models. "Apple has never competed on price," said Josh Blechman, director of capital markets at Exponential ETFs, which holds Apple shares in its exchange-traded fund. In addition to new models, Apple is also expected to unveil a gold-colour option for the two new OLED-screened phones, a new version of its wireless Airpods earbuds with wireless charging and a new version of its Apple Watch with a bigger display. It also is expected to release a wireless charging mat that will be able to charge several devices at once. Apple shares were down 1.3 per cent at $221.20 in early trading on the Nasdaq.

Apple website leak suggest iPhones could be named XS, XS Max, Xr

The rupee Wednesday rebounded from the historic low of 72.91 to end higher by 51 paise at 72.18 against the dollar after the finance ministry assured of steps to avert its fall to "unreasonable levels".

The rupee had crashed to an all-time low of 72.91 in morning trade tracking higher crude oil prices that increased concerns of widening trade deficit at home.

The forex sentiment bolstered after the government said all steps will be taken to ensure the domestic currency does not depreciate to "unreasonable levels", amid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take stock of the economic situation over the weekend.

"Government and RBI will do everything to ensure that rupee does not slide to unreasonable levels. Today's correction seems to reflect that realisation," Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg tweeted.

Adding to the bullish mode, the country's trade deficit for August softened to US $17.4 billion against near five-year high of US $18.02 billion.

The rupee hit a day's high of 71.86, showing a sharp jump of 105 paise from the historic low, in the afternoon trade on positive sentiment.&nbsp

The currency pared some gains in the last hour of trade to settle at 72.18 to the US dollar, revealing a smart rise of 51 paise or 0.70 per cent -- the biggest one-day gain for the domestic unit since May 25.

The RBI intervened heavily in the foreign exchange market after the rupee took another plunge to threatened to breach the 73-mark, currency dealers said.

Traders and investors were also awaiting inflation and IIP data due today and could be a big trigger for the battered currency, a forex dealer said.

India's benchmark 10-year sovereign yield also eased to 8.13 per cent.

The Indian currency has been caught in a free fall for last few sessions and tagged among the worst performing currencies in Asia having weakened by a steep 13.81 per cent since the beginning of the year.

Asia's third-largest economy is battling with deluge of headlines covering from a range of fundamental concerns to deteriorating macro environment against the grim backdrop of surging global crude prices and sustained capital outflows.

Besides, multiple factors including - inflation fears and a widening current account deficit along with escalation in global trade war tensions have also gripped forex sentiment.

This year has also seen a sustained outflow of foreign funds from equity and debt markets.

Meanwhile, crude prices turned little weak, having neared the US $78-mark after a drop in US crude inventories and the prospect of supply disruption from Iran.

Benchmark Brent crude futures were trading at US $78.83 a barrel in early Asian trade.

The Financial Benchmarks India private limited (FBIL), meanwhile, fixed the reference rate for the dollar at 72.7549 and for the euro at 84.3244.

The forex and money market will remain closed tomorrow on account of 'Ganesh Chaturthi'.

In the cross currency trade, the rupee also bounced back against the British Pound to close at 93.76 per pound from 94.63. It recovered against Japanese yen to finish at 64.74 per 100 yens from 65.29 earlier.

The home unit also recouped against the euro to end at 83.58 from 84.20 yesterday.

On the global front, the US dollar traded little changed against its major rivals as investors were closely watching trade developments after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on almost all Chinese imports.

Against a basket of other currencies, the dollar index was higher at 95.07.

In forward market, premium for dollar declined owing to mild receiving from exporters.

The benchmark six-month forward premium payable in January 2019 eased to 122.75-124.75 paise from 124-126 paise and the far-forward July contract also moved down to 279.75-281.75 paise from 282-284 paise yesterday.

The rupee had crashed to an all-time low of 72.91 in morning trade tracking higher crude oil prices that increased concerns of widening trade deficit at home.

The rupee Wednesday rebounded from the historic low of 72.91 to end higher by 51 paise at 72.18 against the dollar after the finance ministry assured of steps to avert its fall to "unreasonable levels". The rupee had crashed to an all-time low of 72.91 in morning trade tracking higher crude oil prices that increased concerns of widening trade deficit at home. The forex sentiment bolstered after the government said all steps will be taken to ensure the domestic currency does not depreciate to "unreasonable levels", amid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take stock of the economic situation over the weekend. "Government and RBI will do everything to ensure that rupee does not slide to unreasonable levels. Today's correction seems to reflect that realisation," Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg tweeted. Adding to the bullish mode, the country's trade deficit for August softened to US $17.4 billion against near five-year high of US $18.02 billion. The rupee hit a day's high of 71.86, showing a sharp jump of 105 paise from the historic low, in the afternoon trade on positive sentiment. The currency pared some gains in the last hour of trade to settle at 72.18 to the US dollar, revealing a smart rise of 51 paise or 0.70 per cent -- the biggest one-day gain for the domestic unit since May 25. The RBI intervened heavily in the foreign exchange market after the rupee took another plunge to threatened to breach the 73-mark, currency dealers said. Traders and investors were also awaiting inflation and IIP data due today and could be a big trigger for the battered currency, a forex dealer said. India's benchmark 10-year sovereign yield also eased to 8.13 per cent. The Indian currency has been caught in a free fall for last few sessions and tagged among the worst performing currencies in Asia having weakened by a steep 13.81 per cent since the beginning of the year. Asia's third-largest economy is battling with deluge of headlines covering from a range of fundamental concerns to deteriorating macro environment against the grim backdrop of surging global crude prices and sustained capital outflows. Besides, multiple factors including - inflation fears and a widening current account deficit along with escalation in global trade war tensions have also gripped forex sentiment. This year has also seen a sustained outflow of foreign funds from equity and debt markets. Meanwhile, crude prices turned little weak, having neared the US $78-mark after a drop in US crude inventories and the prospect of supply disruption from Iran. Benchmark Brent crude futures were trading at US $78.83 a barrel in early Asian trade. The Financial Benchmarks India private limited (FBIL), meanwhile, fixed the reference rate for the dollar at 72.7549 and for the euro at 84.3244. The forex and money market will remain closed tomorrow on account of 'Ganesh Chaturthi'. In the cross currency trade, the rupee also bounced back against the British Pound to close at 93.76 per pound from 94.63. It recovered against Japanese yen to finish at 64.74 per 100 yens from 65.29 earlier. The home unit also recouped against the euro to end at 83.58 from 84.20 yesterday. On the global front, the US dollar traded little changed against its major rivals as investors were closely watching trade developments after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on almost all Chinese imports. Against a basket of other currencies, the dollar index was higher at 95.07. In forward market, premium for dollar declined owing to mild receiving from exporters. The benchmark six-month forward premium payable in January 2019 eased to 122.75-124.75 paise from 124-126 paise and the far-forward July contract also moved down to 279.75-281.75 paise from 282-284 paise yesterday.

Rupee rebounds from historic low after government pep talk; closes up 51 paise at 72.18

Market benchmark Sensex Wednesday surged about 305 points to end at 37,717.96, spurred by bargain-hunting in FMCG, metal and capital goods stocks amid a recovery in the rupee.

The broader Nifty too regained the key 11,300-mark.

Sentiment got a boost after the rupee rebounded from its historic low of 72.91 (intra-day) against the dollar to 71.86 in late afternoon trade, while India's exports grew by 19.21 per cent to US $27.84 billion in August, brokers said.

Meanwhile, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said the government and the RBI will do everything to ensure that the rupee does not depreciate to "unreasonable levels".

The rupee had closed at yet another record low of 72.69 yesterday.

The 30-share BSE Sensex, after a positive opening at 37,546.42, advanced to the day's high of 37,752.58 on a flurry of buying by DIIs and retail investors.&nbsp;

It finally settled 304.83 points, or 0.81 per cent, higher at 37,717.96. Intra-day, it also slipped into the negative zone to hit a low of 37,342.

The gauge had plunged about 977 points in the previous two sessions as global trade war tensions rattled investor optimism.

The broader NSE Nifty, in a volatile session, recaptured the key 11,300-mark. It ended at 11,369.90, up 82.40 points or 0.73 per cent. During the day, it moved between 11,380.75 and 11,250.20.

Brent crude oil prices also eased to some extent after breaching the USD 79 a barrel mark.

Buying activity picked up ahead of IIP and inflation data due later in the day as domestic investors accumulated recently-hammered stocks amid a higher opening in European markets.

However, most other Asian markets extended losses for the sixth straight session as investors fear an escalation in the China-US trade conflict.

Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 749.62 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold equities worth Rs 1,454.36 crore on a net basis Tuesday, provisional data showed.&nbsp;

Stock Exchanges will remain shut Thursday on account of 'Ganesh Chaturthi'.&nbsp;

Sentiment got a boost after the rupee rebounded from its historic low of 72.91 (intra-day) against the dollar to 71.86 in late afternoon trade, while India's exports grew by 19.21 per cent to US $27.84 billion in August, brokers said.

Market benchmark Sensex Wednesday surged about 305 points to end at 37,717.96, spurred by bargain-hunting in FMCG, metal and capital goods stocks amid a recovery in the rupee. The broader Nifty too regained the key 11,300-mark. Sentiment got a boost after the rupee rebounded from its historic low of 72.91 (intra-day) against the dollar to 71.86 in late afternoon trade, while India's exports grew by 19.21 per cent to US $27.84 billion in August, brokers said. Meanwhile, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said the government and the RBI will do everything to ensure that the rupee does not depreciate to "unreasonable levels". The rupee had closed at yet another record low of 72.69 yesterday. The 30-share BSE Sensex, after a positive opening at 37,546.42, advanced to the day's high of 37,752.58 on a flurry of buying by DIIs and retail investors. It finally settled 304.83 points, or 0.81 per cent, higher at 37,717.96. Intra-day, it also slipped into the negative zone to hit a low of 37,342. The gauge had plunged about 977 points in the previous two sessions as global trade war tensions rattled investor optimism. The broader NSE Nifty, in a volatile session, recaptured the key 11,300-mark. It ended at 11,369.90, up 82.40 points or 0.73 per cent. During the day, it moved between 11,380.75 and 11,250.20. Brent crude oil prices also eased to some extent after breaching the USD 79 a barrel mark. Buying activity picked up ahead of IIP and inflation data due later in the day as domestic investors accumulated recently-hammered stocks amid a higher opening in European markets. However, most other Asian markets extended losses for the sixth straight session as investors fear an escalation in the China-US trade conflict. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth Rs 749.62 crore, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold equities worth Rs 1,454.36 crore on a net basis Tuesday, provisional data showed. Stock Exchanges will remain shut Thursday on account of 'Ganesh Chaturthi'.

Sensex zooms 305 points on value-buying; Rupee rebounds

Retail inflation cooled to an 11-month low of 3.69 per cent in August mainly due to a fall in prices of kitchen items, including fruits and vegetables, official data showed Wednesday.

The inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 4.17 per cent in July and 3.28 per cent in August 2017.

CPI inflation was at 3.58 per cent in October 2017 and has remained above RBI's targeted rate of 4 per cent since then.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be considering this set of data for formulating its next bi-monthly monetary policy on October 5.&nbsp

The central bank has been mandated to keep retail inflation at 4 per cent level (with a margin of 2 per cent on either side).

The inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 4.17 per cent in July and 3.28 per cent in August 2017.

Retail inflation cooled to an 11-month low of 3.69 per cent in August mainly due to a fall in prices of kitchen items, including fruits and vegetables, official data showed Wednesday. The inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 4.17 per cent in July and 3.28 per cent in August 2017. CPI inflation was at 3.58 per cent in October 2017 and has remained above RBI's targeted rate of 4 per cent since then. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be considering this set of data for formulating its next bi-monthly monetary policy on October 5. The central bank has been mandated to keep retail inflation at 4 per cent level (with a margin of 2 per cent on either side).

Retail inflation cools to 11-month low of 3.69% in August

Over-optimistic bankers, a slowdown in government decision-making process and moderation in economic growth mainly contributed to the mounting bad loans, said former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in a note to a Parliamentary panel.

In a note to Chairman of Estimates Committee Murli Manohar Joshi, he said: "A variety of governance problems such as the suspect allocation of coal mines coupled with the fear of investigation slowed down government decision making in Delhi, both in the UPA and the subsequent NDA governments".

Project cost overruns escalated for stalled projects and they became increasingly unable to service debt, he said, adding the continuing travails of the stranded power plants, even though India is short of power, suggests government decision making has not picked up sufficient pace to date.

He further said a larger number of bad loans were originated in the period 2006-2008 when economic growth was strong, and previous infrastructure projects such as power plants had been completed on time and within budget.

"It is at such times that banks make mistakes. They extrapolate past growth and performance to the future. So, they are willing to accept higher leverage in projects, and less promoter equity. Indeed, sometimes banks signed up to lend based on project reports by the promoter's investment bank, without doing their own due diligence," he said.

Citing an example, he said "one promoter told me about how he was pursued then by banks waving chequebooks, asking him to name the amount he wanted".

This is the historical phenomenon of irrational exuberance, common across countries at such a phase in the cycle, he said.

Unfortunately, he said, that growth does not always take place as expected and the years of strong global growth before the global financial crisis was followed by a slowdown, which extended even to India, showing how much more integrated the country had become with the world.

Strong demand projections for various projects were shown to be increasingly unrealistic as domestic demand slowed down, he said.

He also pointed to the loss of promoter and banker interest for the rise in NPAs.

Over malfeasance and corruption in the NPA problem, he said, "Undoubtedly, there was some, but it is hard to tell banker exuberance, incompetence, and corruption apart".

"Clearly, bankers were overconfident and probably did too little due diligence for some of these loans. Many did no independent analysis, and placed excessive reliance on SBI Caps and IDBI to do the necessary due diligence. Such outsourcing of analysis is a weakness in the system, and multiplies the possibilities for undue influence," the note said.

On steps required to prevent recurrence rising non-performing assets &nbsp;(NPAs), Mr Rajan suggested that there is need for improving governance of public sector banks and process of project evaluation and monitoring to lower the risk of project NPAs.

Besides, he also made a case for strengthening the recovery process and distance public sector banks from the government.

The Parliament's Committee on Estimates had invited Mr Rajan to brief it on the matter after former Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian praised him for identifying the NPA crisis and trying to resolve it.

Mr Rajan, who was RBI governor for three years till September 2016, is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at Chicago Booth School of Business.

'A variety of governance problems such as the suspect allocation of coal mines coupled with the fear of investigation slowed down government decision making in Delhi, both in the UPA and the subsequent NDA governments,' Rajan said in a note to the chairman of Parliament's Estimates Committee, Murli Manohar Joshi.

Over-optimistic bankers, a slowdown in government decision-making process and moderation in economic growth mainly contributed to the mounting bad loans, said former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan in a note to a Parliamentary panel. In a note to Chairman of Estimates Committee Murli Manohar Joshi, he said: "A variety of governance problems such as the suspect allocation of coal mines coupled with the fear of investigation slowed down government decision making in Delhi, both in the UPA and the subsequent NDA governments". Project cost overruns escalated for stalled projects and they became increasingly unable to service debt, he said, adding the continuing travails of the stranded power plants, even though India is short of power, suggests government decision making has not picked up sufficient pace to date. He further said a larger number of bad loans were originated in the period 2006-2008 when economic growth was strong, and previous infrastructure projects such as power plants had been completed on time and within budget. "It is at such times that banks make mistakes. They extrapolate past growth and performance to the future. So, they are willing to accept higher leverage in projects, and less promoter equity. Indeed, sometimes banks signed up to lend based on project reports by the promoter's investment bank, without doing their own due diligence," he said. Citing an example, he said "one promoter told me about how he was pursued then by banks waving chequebooks, asking him to name the amount he wanted". This is the historical phenomenon of irrational exuberance, common across countries at such a phase in the cycle, he said. Unfortunately, he said, that growth does not always take place as expected and the years of strong global growth before the global financial crisis was followed by a slowdown, which extended even to India, showing how much more integrated the country had become with the world. Strong demand projections for various projects were shown to be increasingly unrealistic as domestic demand slowed down, he said. He also pointed to the loss of promoter and banker interest for the rise in NPAs. Over malfeasance and corruption in the NPA problem, he said, "Undoubtedly, there was some, but it is hard to tell banker exuberance, incompetence, and corruption apart". "Clearly, bankers were overconfident and probably did too little due diligence for some of these loans. Many did no independent analysis, and placed excessive reliance on SBI Caps and IDBI to do the necessary due diligence. Such outsourcing of analysis is a weakness in the system, and multiplies the possibilities for undue influence," the note said. On steps required to prevent recurrence rising non-performing assets (NPAs), Mr Rajan suggested that there is need for improving governance of public sector banks and process of project evaluation and monitoring to lower the risk of project NPAs. Besides, he also made a case for strengthening the recovery process and distance public sector banks from the government. The Parliament's Committee on Estimates had invited Mr Rajan to brief it on the matter after former Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian praised him for identifying the NPA crisis and trying to resolve it. Mr Rajan, who was RBI governor for three years till September 2016, is currently the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at Chicago Booth School of Business.

Slowdown in govt decision-making responsible for mounting bad loans: Raghuram Rajan

Iraq replaced Saudi Arabia in August as the top oil supplier to India, data from industry and shipping sources showed, as refiners turned to Iraqi barrels to compensate for a lower intake of Iranian oil ahead of U.S. sanctions in November.&nbsp

The United States is reimposing sanctions on Iran following Washington’s decision in May to withdraw from a 2015 international deal aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme. While some sanctions were implemented from Aug. 6, those affecting Iran’s petroleum sector take effect only from Nov. 4.

Imports of Iranian oil by India, Tehran’s top oil client after China, fell by about a third to about 523,000 bpd in August from July as state-refiners slowed purchases due to a delay in securing government approval to use Iranian ships.

Despite the lower purchases, Iran remained the third biggest oil supplier to India in August, the data showed.

Washington will consider waivers for Iranian oil buyers such as India but they must eventually halt imports as sanctions are imposed on Tehran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last Thursday.

Iraq and Saudi Arabia continued to be the two biggest oil suppliers to India last month, the tanker arrival data obtained from sources showed. The sources declined to be identified.

India refiners shipped in 1.02 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iraqi Basra oil in August, an increase of about 46 per cent from the previous month, while imports from Saudi Arabia declined 5 per cent to about 747,000 bpd during the period, the data showed.

India imported less Nigerian oil in August as the west African nation’s output was hit by outages in a couple of major streams such as Bonny Light and Tornados. Also, Asian buyers opted to take light sweet U.S. oil rather than Nigerian.

India’s imports of US oil in August rose to a record 275,000 bpd, accounting for about 6 per cent of its overall purchases, the data showed.

India refiners had booked US oil cargoes in June when discounts between US crude future and Brent was wide enough to make arbitrage economics feasible for India.

India’s monthly oil imports from Nigeria declined by about 34 per cent to about 279,000 bpd, the data showed.&nbsp

Overall India’s monthly oil imports in August rose 3.1 per cent to about 4.7 million barrels, while they were up 15.8 per cent from a year earlier, the data showed.&nbsp

Iraq and Saudi Arabia continued to be the two biggest oil suppliers to India last month, the tanker arrival data obtained from sources showed.

Iraq replaced Saudi Arabia in August as the top oil supplier to India, data from industry and shipping sources showed, as refiners turned to Iraqi barrels to compensate for a lower intake of Iranian oil ahead of U.S. sanctions in November. The United States is reimposing sanctions on Iran following Washington’s decision in May to withdraw from a 2015 international deal aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear programme. While some sanctions were implemented from Aug. 6, those affecting Iran’s petroleum sector take effect only from Nov. 4. Imports of Iranian oil by India, Tehran’s top oil client after China, fell by about a third to about 523,000 bpd in August from July as state-refiners slowed purchases due to a delay in securing government approval to use Iranian ships. Despite the lower purchases, Iran remained the third biggest oil supplier to India in August, the data showed. Washington will consider waivers for Iranian oil buyers such as India but they must eventually halt imports as sanctions are imposed on Tehran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last Thursday. Iraq and Saudi Arabia continued to be the two biggest oil suppliers to India last month, the tanker arrival data obtained from sources showed. The sources declined to be identified. India refiners shipped in 1.02 million barrels per day (bpd) of Iraqi Basra oil in August, an increase of about 46 per cent from the previous month, while imports from Saudi Arabia declined 5 per cent to about 747,000 bpd during the period, the data showed. India imported less Nigerian oil in August as the west African nation’s output was hit by outages in a couple of major streams such as Bonny Light and Tornados. Also, Asian buyers opted to take light sweet U.S. oil rather than Nigerian. India’s imports of US oil in August rose to a record 275,000 bpd, accounting for about 6 per cent of its overall purchases, the data showed. India refiners had booked US oil cargoes in June when discounts between US crude future and Brent was wide enough to make arbitrage economics feasible for India. India’s monthly oil imports from Nigeria declined by about 34 per cent to about 279,000 bpd, the data showed. Overall India’s monthly oil imports in August rose 3.1 per cent to about 4.7 million barrels, while they were up 15.8 per cent from a year earlier, the data showed.

Iraq replaces Saudi as top oil supplier to India in August: Data

BSE Sensex and NSE’s Nifty 50 opened higher on Tuesday, but soon erased all gains to trade flat as persistent trade frictions and turmoil in emerging markets continue to mar the outlook for global equities.&nbsp

Banks continue to trade in the green, while autos too have maintained their lead. The Nifty Midcap index is hovering around its opening levels, up around a quarter of a per cent. &nbsp

Index heavyweight names such as ITC, HUL and HDFC twins too are weighing on the market. &nbsp

At 9:25 am, the BSE Sensex was trading 66 points lower at 37,856, with 17 index stocks trading in the black. The Nifty was ruling 10 points lower at 11,428. A total of 23 index stocks were trading in the green.

Meanwhile, the top five Sensex gainers were Axis Bank, Mahindra and Mahindra, Infosys, Adani Ports, and State Bank of India, which gained between 0.89 per cent and 1.50 per cent.

At 9:25 am, the BSE Sensex was trading 66 points lower at 37,856, with 17 index stocks trading in the black.

BSE Sensex and NSE’s Nifty 50 opened higher on Tuesday, but soon erased all gains to trade flat as persistent trade frictions and turmoil in emerging markets continue to mar the outlook for global equities. Banks continue to trade in the green, while autos too have maintained their lead. The Nifty Midcap index is hovering around its opening levels, up around a quarter of a per cent. Index heavyweight names such as ITC, HUL and HDFC twins too are weighing on the market. At 9:25 am, the BSE Sensex was trading 66 points lower at 37,856, with 17 index stocks trading in the black. The Nifty was ruling 10 points lower at 11,428. A total of 23 index stocks were trading in the green. Meanwhile, the top five Sensex gainers were Axis Bank, Mahindra and Mahindra, Infosys, Adani Ports, and State Bank of India, which gained between 0.89 per cent and 1.50 per cent.

Sensex, Nifty give up gains after higher opening, trade flat

The Indian rupee on Tuesday opened marginally stronger at 72.30 to its previous close of 72.45.

At 9.10am, the rupee was trading at 72.42 a dollar, up 0.02% from its Monday’s close of 72.45. The home currency opened at 72.30 per dollar and touched a high and a low of 72.28 and 72.44, respectively.

Government officials communicated last week with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on the need to intervene more aggressively in the market to support the rupee, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is not public. They also discussed the need for other measures including deposit schemes for non-resident Indians, the people said.

The rupee has sunk 11.6% so far this year versus the US dollar, set for its worst annual performance since 2011. It pared losses on Monday after a government official said the finance ministry and central bank are in touch on a daily basis, and the latter is intervening when needed. A spokesman for the finance ministry didn’t respond to calls made to his office.

The rupee has hit fresh lows nearly every day this month as high crude prices raise concerns about the oil-importing nation’s finances and the potential for contagion from emerging markets including Turkey and Argentina. The sharp drop could jeopardize India’s macroeconomic stability by increasing import costs and impinge on the ability of companies to repay overseas loans.

The currency carnage is likely to keep alive expectations that India’s central bank may extend its rate-increase cycle as early as next month after taking the benchmark to a two-year high in August.

The RBI sold $6.18 billion of foreign currency in June and $5.8 billion in May to protect the rupee, its data shows. The central bank has said it does not target any particular level of the exchange rate and steps in only to curb undue volatility in the currency. Data on intervention is published with a lag.

(With inputs from agencies)

At 9.10am, the rupee was trading at 72.42 a dollar, up 0.02% from its Monday’s close of 72.45.

The Indian rupee on Tuesday opened marginally stronger at 72.30 to its previous close of 72.45. At 9.10am, the rupee was trading at 72.42 a dollar, up 0.02% from its Monday’s close of 72.45. The home currency opened at 72.30 per dollar and touched a high and a low of 72.28 and 72.44, respectively. Government officials communicated last week with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on the need to intervene more aggressively in the market to support the rupee, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is not public. They also discussed the need for other measures including deposit schemes for non-resident Indians, the people said. The rupee has sunk 11.6% so far this year versus the US dollar, set for its worst annual performance since 2011. It pared losses on Monday after a government official said the finance ministry and central bank are in touch on a daily basis, and the latter is intervening when needed. A spokesman for the finance ministry didn’t respond to calls made to his office. The rupee has hit fresh lows nearly every day this month as high crude prices raise concerns about the oil-importing nation’s finances and the potential for contagion from emerging markets including Turkey and Argentina. The sharp drop could jeopardize India’s macroeconomic stability by increasing import costs and impinge on the ability of companies to repay overseas loans. The currency carnage is likely to keep alive expectations that India’s central bank may extend its rate-increase cycle as early as next month after taking the benchmark to a two-year high in August. The RBI sold $6.18 billion of foreign currency in June and $5.8 billion in May to protect the rupee, its data shows. The central bank has said it does not target any particular level of the exchange rate and steps in only to curb undue volatility in the currency. Data on intervention is published with a lag. (With inputs from agencies)

Rupee opens marginally stronger but trades flat against US dollar

Petrol and diesel rates went up again on Tuesday, with the price of Petrol increasing by Rs 0.14 in both Delhi and Mumbai.

Petrol price touched Rs 80.87 per litre in Delhi and Rs 88.26 per litre in Mumbai, while diesel was retailing at Rs 72.97 per litre and Rs 77 47 per litre in Delhi and Mumbai, respectively.&nbsp;

The Centre on Monday ruled out a cut in taxes in fuel, saying that neither they nor some states had the appetite to stomach revenue loss from such a move, a top government official said Monday.

Fuel prices began an almost unbroken northward march since August 1. They fell only once on August 13 in the last 41 days. Prices surged on 29 days and remained unchanged on 11 days, and have been breaching record levels for more than a week now.&nbsp;

Sector experts say a weak rupee and high excise duty are major factors for the rise in fuel prices. The rupee on Monday touched an all-time low of Rs 72.67 against the US dollar.&nbsp;

Also, high global crude oil cost has become a major concern for the country which is a net importer of oil. The UK Brent crude oil price hovers around $77 per barrel.

Prices were on Tuesday increased by 14 paise. In Delhi, petrol is currently selling at Rs 80.87 a litre.

Petrol and diesel rates went up again on Tuesday, with the price of Petrol increasing by Rs 0.14 in both Delhi and Mumbai. Petrol price touched Rs 80.87 per litre in Delhi and Rs 88.26 per litre in Mumbai, while diesel was retailing at Rs 72.97 per litre and Rs 77 47 per litre in Delhi and Mumbai, respectively. The Centre on Monday ruled out a cut in taxes in fuel, saying that neither they nor some states had the appetite to stomach revenue loss from such a move, a top government official said Monday. Fuel prices began an almost unbroken northward march since August 1. They fell only once on August 13 in the last 41 days. Prices surged on 29 days and remained unchanged on 11 days, and have been breaching record levels for more than a week now. Sector experts say a weak rupee and high excise duty are major factors for the rise in fuel prices. The rupee on Monday touched an all-time low of Rs 72.67 against the US dollar. Also, high global crude oil cost has become a major concern for the country which is a net importer of oil. The UK Brent crude oil price hovers around $77 per barrel.

Fuel prices go up again, petrol selling at Rs 88.26 a litre in Mumbai

The rupee hit a life-time low yet again on Tuesday amid strong dollar demand from foreign banks, but the currency pared some of its losses later in the day following a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervention, dealers said.

The rupee has been the worst performing Asian currency this year. Despite strong GDP growth, the currency has weakened about 12 per cent this year amid higher oil prices and a broad sell-off in emerging markets, widening India's current account deficit and a worsening balance of payments that slipped into the red in April-June for the first time in six quarters.

After opening on a stronger footing on Tuesday, the rupee weakened to a record low of 72.75 to the dollar. It recovered some of its losses to close at 72.7075 after the RBI likely sold dollars in the market to stem the weakness.

"There is no point in predicting a range for the rupee at the start of the day," said the chief forex dealer at a state-run bank. "Nowadays no prediction on the bottom of the rupee works."

Indian bonds also fell tracking a weaker rupee, which could stoke inflationary pressures given the rising cost of crude oil and other imported commodities.

The 10-year benchmark bond yield rose to 8.19 per cent, its highest level since November 17, 2014.

Another forex dealer said it appears that some banks are selling bonds to get rupee funds for buying dollars.

"This is adding to the (dollar) demand and pushing the rupee down further," said the dealer at a state-run bank.

Foreigners have sold a net $6.5 billion so far this year with most of the outflows in debt markets where investors have seen heavy mark-to-market losses due to the plunging rupee.

Going forward, investors will closely watch the central bank's policy moves and its stance on rupee intervention, traders said.

Indian shares fell more than 1 per cent for a second straight session on Tuesday, as markets globally braced for a potential escalation in the Sino-US&nbsp;trade dispute, while the rupee continued its downward spiral touching a fresh life-low.

China will ask the World Trade Organization next week for permission to impose sanctions on the United States, for Washington's non-compliance with a ruling in a dispute over US&nbsp;dumping duties that China initiated in 2013, a meeting agenda showed on Tuesday.

The broader NSE Nifty ended down 1.32 per cent to 11,287.50, while the benchmark BSE Sensex was down 1.34 per cent at 37,413.13. Both indexes marked their worst closing levels since Aug. 2.

The rupee hit a new low of 72.7500 to the dollar in the session, further weakening from the record trough hit in the last session.

Financials and consumer stocks were top drags on the indexes, with HDFC Bank Ltd falling 2 per cent, while ITC Ltd ended 3.1 per cent lower.

The rupee weakened to a record low of 72.75 to the dollar. It recovered some of its losses to close at 72.7075.

The rupee hit a life-time low yet again on Tuesday amid strong dollar demand from foreign banks, but the currency pared some of its losses later in the day following a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervention, dealers said. The rupee has been the worst performing Asian currency this year. Despite strong GDP growth, the currency has weakened about 12 per cent this year amid higher oil prices and a broad sell-off in emerging markets, widening India's current account deficit and a worsening balance of payments that slipped into the red in April-June for the first time in six quarters. After opening on a stronger footing on Tuesday, the rupee weakened to a record low of 72.75 to the dollar. It recovered some of its losses to close at 72.7075 after the RBI likely sold dollars in the market to stem the weakness. "There is no point in predicting a range for the rupee at the start of the day," said the chief forex dealer at a state-run bank. "Nowadays no prediction on the bottom of the rupee works." Indian bonds also fell tracking a weaker rupee, which could stoke inflationary pressures given the rising cost of crude oil and other imported commodities. The 10-year benchmark bond yield rose to 8.19 per cent, its highest level since November 17, 2014. Another forex dealer said it appears that some banks are selling bonds to get rupee funds for buying dollars. "This is adding to the (dollar) demand and pushing the rupee down further," said the dealer at a state-run bank. Foreigners have sold a net $6.5 billion so far this year with most of the outflows in debt markets where investors have seen heavy mark-to-market losses due to the plunging rupee. Going forward, investors will closely watch the central bank's policy moves and its stance on rupee intervention, traders said. Indian shares fell more than 1 per cent for a second straight session on Tuesday, as markets globally braced for a potential escalation in the Sino-US trade dispute, while the rupee continued its downward spiral touching a fresh life-low. China will ask the World Trade Organization next week for permission to impose sanctions on the United States, for Washington's non-compliance with a ruling in a dispute over US dumping duties that China initiated in 2013, a meeting agenda showed on Tuesday. The broader NSE Nifty ended down 1.32 per cent to 11,287.50, while the benchmark BSE Sensex was down 1.34 per cent at 37,413.13. Both indexes marked their worst closing levels since Aug. 2. The rupee hit a new low of 72.7500 to the dollar in the session, further weakening from the record trough hit in the last session. Financials and consumer stocks were top drags on the indexes, with HDFC Bank Ltd falling 2 per cent, while ITC Ltd ended 3.1 per cent lower.

Rupee pulls back from record low after RBI intervention, closes at 72.7

After a positive opening on Tuesday, rupee slumped again in the afternoon trade reaching a record low of&nbsp;72.73 against the US dollar.

The Indian currency had inched 15 paise higher at 72.30 against the dollar on Tuesday morning amid increased selling by banks and exporters.

The <a href="http://wionews.com/business-&-economy/rupee-opens-marginally-stronger-but-trades-flat-against-us-dollar-165020">rupee on Tuesday opened marginally stronger</a> at 72.30 to its previous close of 72.45.

At 9.10am, the rupee was trading at 72.42 a dollar, up 0.02 per cent from its Monday’s close of 72.45.

The home currency opened at 72.30 per dollar and touched a high and a low of 72.28 and 72.44, respectively.

The rupee on Monday slumped to a&nbsp;new record low of 72.67 a dollar in intra-day trade before closing at 72.45, showing a steep 72 paise fall on growing fears of contagion from an emerging-market rout and escalation of a&nbsp;global trade war.

Meanwhile, the markets loomed in red today afternoon as&nbsp;Sensex traded at 37,417.41 while Nifty hovered at 11,289.00.&nbsp;

Market benchmark BSE Sensex crashed 509 points to close at more than one-month low of 37,413.13 due to heavy losses in metal, auto and financial stocks as investors fretted over heightened global trade war concerns.&nbsp;

The 50-share NSE Nifty cracked below the 11,300-mark by falling 150.60 points or 1.32 per cent at 11,287.50. Intra-day, it shuttled between 11,479.40 and 11,274.

The BSE benchmark Sensex Tuesday rose 95 points, but soon turned choppy on weak global cues amid lingering global trade war concerns.

The 30-share index opened higher by 95.32 points, or 0.25 per cent, at 38,017.49. It, however, turned choppy and was trading 8 paise, or 0.02 per cent, higher at 37,930.97 at 9.30 am. The gauge had lost 467.65 points in the previous session.

Nifty bounced by 30.30 points, or 0.26 per cent, at 11,468.40 in opening trade, only to turn flat within the first 15 minutes of the session.

(With inputs from PTI)

The currency had inched 15 paise higher at 72.30 against the US dollar amid increased selling by banks and exporters in the morning.

After a positive opening on Tuesday, rupee slumped again in the afternoon trade reaching a record low of 72.73 against the US dollar. The Indian currency had inched 15 paise higher at 72.30 against the dollar on Tuesday morning amid increased selling by banks and exporters. The rupee on Tuesday opened marginally stronger at 72.30 to its previous close of 72.45. At 9.10am, the rupee was trading at 72.42 a dollar, up 0.02 per cent from its Monday’s close of 72.45. The home currency opened at 72.30 per dollar and touched a high and a low of 72.28 and 72.44, respectively. The rupee on Monday slumped to a new record low of 72.67 a dollar in intra-day trade before closing at 72.45, showing a steep 72 paise fall on growing fears of contagion from an emerging-market rout and escalation of a global trade war. Meanwhile, the markets loomed in red today afternoon as Sensex traded at 37,417.41 while Nifty hovered at 11,289.00. Market benchmark BSE Sensex crashed 509 points to close at more than one-month low of 37,413.13 due to heavy losses in metal, auto and financial stocks as investors fretted over heightened global trade war concerns. The 50-share NSE Nifty cracked below the 11,300-mark by falling 150.60 points or 1.32 per cent at 11,287.50. Intra-day, it shuttled between 11,479.40 and 11,274. The BSE benchmark Sensex Tuesday rose 95 points, but soon turned choppy on weak global cues amid lingering global trade war concerns. The 30-share index opened higher by 95.32 points, or 0.25 per cent, at 38,017.49. It, however, turned choppy and was trading 8 paise, or 0.02 per cent, higher at 37,930.97 at 9.30 am. The gauge had lost 467.65 points in the previous session. Nifty bounced by 30.30 points, or 0.26 per cent, at 11,468.40 in opening trade, only to turn flat within the first 15 minutes of the session. (With inputs from PTI)

After positive opening, rupee hits record low of 72.73, markets close in red

The rupee has fallen over 12 per cent this year, making it one of the worst-performing currencies among emerging markets.&nbsp;

On September 10, it touched an all-time low of 72.66 against the dollar.

Which of course also means that now would be a bad time to travel abroad. (Rising crude prices have also led to international airlines hiking airfares.)&nbsp;

But there are exceptions — the rupee finds better conversion rates in certain and East Central Asian countries.&nbsp;

So think in those directions and it might not be a bad idea to book soon.&nbsp;

The Indian airlines have so far held off on airfare increases on account of the cut-throat competition coupled with the ongoing lean season, but things are likely to change soon.&nbsp;

Most airlines pay their costs in dollars, so airfare changes are expected to be announced sometime before the festival season.&nbsp;

Anyhow, let's have a look at how the falling rupee could impact your upcoming travel plans:

Europe tour:&nbsp;

Exchange rate 1 Euro = Rs 84.31 
6 Nights,7 Days 
Cost per person: Rs 95,696

The lodging rates are higher, general society transport will cost you more, as will sustenance. Abandons saying, you will pay significantly more for the passage tickets at spots of traveller intrigue as well.

UK tour:

Exchange rate 1 Pound sterling = Rs 94.68 
6 Nights,7 Days 
Cost per person: Rs 1,80,314

Everything in the UK will cost significantly more. From lodgings to transport to flights to tickets at spots of enthusiasm, for each pound you spend, your brain is hysterically going to duplicate the sum by 94. What's more, the outcomes probably won't be everything that lovely.

USA tour:

Exchange rate 1 US Dollar = Rs 72.52 
5 Nights,6 Days 
Cost per person: Rs 2,11,323

Heading out to the US is a compelling expensive undertaking today, what with the execution of the rupee against the dollar.If you travel US for work, business or holidays, your costs will go up. Your travel, accommodation, food and other expenses might disturb your whole budget.&nbsp;

August-September is off-season the extent that abroad excursions are concerned. Subsequently, the effect will be negligible on furlough travel. Individuals who have responsibilities abroad won't drop venture out because of rupee shortcoming.

(With inputs from agencies)

Which of course also means that now would be a bad time to travel abroad. (Rising crude prices have also led to international airlines hiking airfares.)

The rupee has fallen over 12 per cent this year, making it one of the worst-performing currencies among emerging markets. On September 10, it touched an all-time low of 72.66 against the dollar. Which of course also means that now would be a bad time to travel abroad. (Rising crude prices have also led to international airlines hiking airfares.) But there are exceptions — the rupee finds better conversion rates in certain and East Central Asian countries. So think in those directions and it might not be a bad idea to book soon. The Indian airlines have so far held off on airfare increases on account of the cut-throat competition coupled with the ongoing lean season, but things are likely to change soon. Most airlines pay their costs in dollars, so airfare changes are expected to be announced sometime before the festival season. Anyhow, let's have a look at how the falling rupee could impact your upcoming travel plans: Europe tour: Exchange rate 1 Euro = Rs 84.31 6 Nights,7 Days Cost per person: Rs 95,696 The lodging rates are higher, general society transport will cost you more, as will sustenance. Abandons saying, you will pay significantly more for the passage tickets at spots of traveller intrigue as well. UK tour: Exchange rate 1 Pound sterling = Rs 94.68 6 Nights,7 Days Cost per person: Rs 1,80,314 Everything in the UK will cost significantly more. From lodgings to transport to flights to tickets at spots of enthusiasm, for each pound you spend, your brain is hysterically going to duplicate the sum by 94. What's more, the outcomes probably won't be everything that lovely. USA tour: Exchange rate 1 US Dollar = Rs 72.52 5 Nights,6 Days Cost per person: Rs 2,11,323 Heading out to the US is a compelling expensive undertaking today, what with the execution of the rupee against the dollar.If you travel US for work, business or holidays, your costs will go up. Your travel, accommodation, food and other expenses might disturb your whole budget. August-September is off-season the extent that abroad excursions are concerned. Subsequently, the effect will be negligible on furlough travel. Individuals who have responsibilities abroad won't drop venture out because of rupee shortcoming. (With inputs from agencies)

The falling rupee and what it can do to your travel plans

Prices of petrol and diesel continued to rise today even as the Congress observes a Bharat Bandh from 9 am to 3 pm over rising fuel prices.&nbsp

Both petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 23 paise after which a litre of petrol costs Rs 88.12 in Mumbai while diesel costs Rs 77.32.&nbsp

Fuel prices vary from state to state due to taxes and it is the highest in Mumbai.

In Delhi, petrol costs Rs 80.73 and diesel Rs 72.83. In Bengaluru, petrol price is Rs 83.36 and diesel is Rs 75.18.&nbsp

In Hyderabad, petrol costs Rs 85.60 and diesel Rs 79.22. In Chennai, petrol costs Rs 83.91 and diesel Rs 76.98. In Kolkata, petrol costs Rs 83.61 and diesel Rs 75.68.

Scaling up their offensive against the government on an issue that they hope will find resonance among the public ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year, a united opposition has decided to observe Bharat Bandh today.

Scaling up their offensive against the government on an issue which they hope will have resonance among the people less than seven months away from Lok Sabha elections, a united opposition has decided to observe Bharat Bandh today.

Prices of petrol and diesel continued to rise today even as the Congress observes a Bharat Bandh from 9 am to 3 pm over rising fuel prices. Both petrol and diesel prices were hiked by 23 paise after which a litre of petrol costs Rs 88.12 in Mumbai while diesel costs Rs 77.32. Fuel prices vary from state to state due to taxes and it is the highest in Mumbai. In Delhi, petrol costs Rs 80.73 and diesel Rs 72.83. In Bengaluru, petrol price is Rs 83.36 and diesel is Rs 75.18. In Hyderabad, petrol costs Rs 85.60 and diesel Rs 79.22. In Chennai, petrol costs Rs 83.91 and diesel Rs 76.98. In Kolkata, petrol costs Rs 83.61 and diesel Rs 75.68. Scaling up their offensive against the government on an issue that they hope will find resonance among the public ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year, a united opposition has decided to observe Bharat Bandh today.

Fuel prices increased again: Petrol at Rs 80.73/litre in Delhi, Rs 88.12/litre in Mumbai

BSE Sensex and NSE’s Nifty 50 declined on Monday, tracking losses in global markets. The rupee weakened further against the US dollar after India’s current account deficit widened to a four-quarter high due to rising crude oil prices.&nbsp

The Sensex started at 38,348, dipping by 41 points or 0.11 per cent in the opening tick, while the Nifty 50 shed nearly 19 points, or 0.16 per cent, to trade at 11,570.&nbsp

Eight of 11 sector gauges compiled by the National Stock Exchange were trading lower led by the Nifty PSU Bank index's 0.5 percent drop. On the flipside, the Nifty IT index was top gainer, up 0.5 percent.

Indices further fell in the initial trade with Sensex dipping over 100 points and the Nifty 50 slipping lower by over 33 points and turned volatile.&nbsp

The Indian rupee fell sharply and opened at a fresh record low of 72.18 against the dollar against Friday's close of 71.73.&nbsp

Except for IT and Metal, all sectoral indices on the NSE traded weak with Bank Nifty down by 0.31 per cent. PSU Bank was lower by 0.45 per cent.

Indices further fell in the initial trade with Sensex dipping over 100 points and the Nifty 50 slipping lower by over 33 points and turned volatile.

BSE Sensex and NSE’s Nifty 50 declined on Monday, tracking losses in global markets. The rupee weakened further against the US dollar after India’s current account deficit widened to a four-quarter high due to rising crude oil prices. The Sensex started at 38,348, dipping by 41 points or 0.11 per cent in the opening tick, while the Nifty 50 shed nearly 19 points, or 0.16 per cent, to trade at 11,570. Eight of 11 sector gauges compiled by the National Stock Exchange were trading lower led by the Nifty PSU Bank index's 0.5 percent drop. On the flipside, the Nifty IT index was top gainer, up 0.5 percent. Indices further fell in the initial trade with Sensex dipping over 100 points and the Nifty 50 slipping lower by over 33 points and turned volatile. The Indian rupee fell sharply and opened at a fresh record low of 72.18 against the dollar against Friday's close of 71.73. Except for IT and Metal, all sectoral indices on the NSE traded weak with Bank Nifty down by 0.31 per cent. PSU Bank was lower by 0.45 per cent.

Sensex falls over 100 points, Nifty near 11550

Oil prices rose on Monday as US drilling for new production stalled and as the market eyed tighter conditions once Washington's sanctions against Iran's crude exports kick in from November.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $67.96 per barrel at 0150 GMT, up 21 cents, or 0.3 per cent, from their last settlement.

Brent crude futures climbed 30 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $77.13 a barrel.

US energy companies cut two oil rigs last week, bringing the total count to 860, energy services firm Baker Hughes said on Friday.

The US rig count has stagnated since May, after staging a recovery since 2016, which followed a steep slump the previous year amid plummeting crude prices.

Outside the United States, new US sanctions against Iran's crude exports from November were helping push up prices.

Energy consultancy FGE said several major Iran customers like India, Japan and South Korea were already cutting back on Iran crude.

"Governments can talk tough. They can say they are going to stand up to Trump and/or push for waivers. But generally the companies we speak to ... say they won't risk it," FGE said.

"US financial penalties and the loss of shipping insurance scares everyone," it said in a note to clients.

TIGHTER OUTLOOK

With US rig activity stalling and Iran sanctions looming, the oil market outlook is tightening.

"Investors have largely turned positive again ... likely welcoming the return of backwardation," said Edward Bell, commodity analyst at Emirates NBD bank.

Backwardation describes a market in which prices for immediate delivery are higher than those for later dispatch. It is considered a sign of tight conditions giving traders an incentive to sell oil immediately instead of storing it.

The Brent backwardation between October this year and mid-2019 is currently around $2.20 per barrel.

While Washington exerts pressure on other countries to fall into line and also cut imports from Iran, it is also urging other major producers to raise their output in order not to create too strong a price spike.

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry will meet counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Russia on Monday and Thursday, respectively, as the Trump administration seeks the world's biggest exporter and producer to keep output up.

One key question going forward is how demand develops amid the trade dispute between the United States and China, as well as general emerging market weakness.

Consultancy FGE warned that "trade wars, and especially rising interest rates, can spell trouble for the emerging markets that drive (oil) demand growth."

Despite this, FGE said the likelihood of significantly weaker oil prices was relatively low as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) would withhold output to prevent prices from plunging.

"We see $65 per barrel as a trigger for cuts," FGE said.

Brent crude futures climbed 30 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $77.13 a barrel.

Oil prices rose on Monday as US drilling for new production stalled and as the market eyed tighter conditions once Washington's sanctions against Iran's crude exports kick in from November. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $67.96 per barrel at 0150 GMT, up 21 cents, or 0.3 per cent, from their last settlement. Brent crude futures climbed 30 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $77.13 a barrel. US energy companies cut two oil rigs last week, bringing the total count to 860, energy services firm Baker Hughes said on Friday. The US rig count has stagnated since May, after staging a recovery since 2016, which followed a steep slump the previous year amid plummeting crude prices. Outside the United States, new US sanctions against Iran's crude exports from November were helping push up prices. Energy consultancy FGE said several major Iran customers like India, Japan and South Korea were already cutting back on Iran crude. "Governments can talk tough. They can say they are going to stand up to Trump and/or push for waivers. But generally the companies we speak to ... say they won't risk it," FGE said. "US financial penalties and the loss of shipping insurance scares everyone," it said in a note to clients. TIGHTER OUTLOOK With US rig activity stalling and Iran sanctions looming, the oil market outlook is tightening. "Investors have largely turned positive again ... likely welcoming the return of backwardation," said Edward Bell, commodity analyst at Emirates NBD bank. Backwardation describes a market in which prices for immediate delivery are higher than those for later dispatch. It is considered a sign of tight conditions giving traders an incentive to sell oil immediately instead of storing it. The Brent backwardation between October this year and mid-2019 is currently around $2.20 per barrel. While Washington exerts pressure on other countries to fall into line and also cut imports from Iran, it is also urging other major producers to raise their output in order not to create too strong a price spike. US Energy Secretary Rick Perry will meet counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Russia on Monday and Thursday, respectively, as the Trump administration seeks the world's biggest exporter and producer to keep output up. One key question going forward is how demand develops amid the trade dispute between the United States and China, as well as general emerging market weakness. Consultancy FGE warned that "trade wars, and especially rising interest rates, can spell trouble for the emerging markets that drive (oil) demand growth." Despite this, FGE said the likelihood of significantly weaker oil prices was relatively low as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) would withhold output to prevent prices from plunging. "We see $65 per barrel as a trigger for cuts," FGE said.

Oil prices climb as US drilling stalls, Iran sanctions loom

Gold held on to a small loss from the previous session on Monday, as the dollar firmed amid expectations of a US&nbspFederal Reserve interest rate hike in September and fears of escalating trade tensions between the United States and China.

Spot gold was down 0.1 per cent at $1,194.61 at 0225 GMT, having fallen 0.4 per cent in the previous session.

US&nbspgold futures were almost flat at $1,200.30 an ounce.

"The strong US&nbspnonfarm payrolls led to some modest downward pressure on gold ... Going forward though, the US dollar will continue to weigh on gold, and as long as the dollar is strong, gold will remain constrained," said John Sharma, an economist at National Australia Bank.

Stronger-than-expected US payrolls data on Friday cemented expectations that the US&nbspFed will raise interest rates in September, in what would be its third hike this year.

The dollar firmed against a basket of major currencies on Monday thanks to the jobs data and after US&nbspPresident Donald Trump warned tariffs on a further $267 billion worth of Chinese imports, on top of earlier promises to levy duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.

"It appears that the US&nbspwill be able to weather the impact of the trade war for the time being, but the question is how long. With the imposition of tariffs, US&nbspexports will be negatively impacted as well," Sharma said.

Gold has fallen over 8 per cent this year as concerns over trade disputes, currency weakness in emerging markets and rising US&nbspinterest rates have strengthened the dollar, making bullion more expensive for buyers with other currencies.

"The markets continue to look for that golden lining. But the primary issue is (safe) haven demand remains fleeting in the presence of the stronger dollar narrative," said Stephen Innes, Asia-Pacific trading head at OANDA.

Investors increased their bearish stances in COMEX gold and silver contracts to the biggest on record in the holiday-shortened week to September 4, data showed.

Holdings of gold by exchange-traded funds have fallen over 4 million ounces since touching a peak in late April.

While gold bulls are buying whenever there is a pullback to the low $1,190s, the general malaise for commodities, coupled with the stronger dollar, suggest sellers are emerging on the rallies, Innes said.

Among other precious metals, spot silver was up 0.1 per cent at $14.11.

Platinum rose 0.3 per cent to $781.30, while palladium fell 0.4 percent to $976.97, after hitting over 11-week highs on Friday at $990.

Spot gold was down 0.1 per cent at $1,194.61 at 0225 GMT, having fallen 0.4 per cent in the previous session.

Gold held on to a small loss from the previous session on Monday, as the dollar firmed amid expectations of a US&nbspFederal Reserve interest rate hike in September and fears of escalating trade tensions between the United States and China. Spot gold was down 0.1 per cent at $1,194.61 at 0225 GMT, having fallen 0.4 per cent in the previous session. US&nbspgold futures were almost flat at $1,200.30 an ounce. "The strong US&nbspnonfarm payrolls led to some modest downward pressure on gold ... Going forward though, the US dollar will continue to weigh on gold, and as long as the dollar is strong, gold will remain constrained," said John Sharma, an economist at National Australia Bank. Stronger-than-expected US payrolls data on Friday cemented expectations that the US&nbspFed will raise interest rates in September, in what would be its third hike this year. The dollar firmed against a basket of major currencies on Monday thanks to the jobs data and after US&nbspPresident Donald Trump warned tariffs on a further $267 billion worth of Chinese imports, on top of earlier promises to levy duties on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. "It appears that the US&nbspwill be able to weather the impact of the trade war for the time being, but the question is how long. With the imposition of tariffs, US&nbspexports will be negatively impacted as well," Sharma said. Gold has fallen over 8 per cent this year as concerns over trade disputes, currency weakness in emerging markets and rising US&nbspinterest rates have strengthened the dollar, making bullion more expensive for buyers with other currencies. "The markets continue to look for that golden lining. But the primary issue is (safe) haven demand remains fleeting in the presence of the stronger dollar narrative," said Stephen Innes, Asia-Pacific trading head at OANDA. Investors increased their bearish stances in COMEX gold and silver contracts to the biggest on record in the holiday-shortened week to September 4, data showed. Holdings of gold by exchange-traded funds have fallen over 4 million ounces since touching a peak in late April. While gold bulls are buying whenever there is a pullback to the low $1,190s, the general malaise for commodities, coupled with the stronger dollar, suggest sellers are emerging on the rallies, Innes said. Among other precious metals, spot silver was up 0.1 per cent at $14.11. Platinum rose 0.3 per cent to $781.30, while palladium fell 0.4 percent to $976.97, after hitting over 11-week highs on Friday at $990.

Gold holds losses on rate hike views, trade worries

Donald Trump's latest threat to impose tariffs on all Chinese imports sent Asian markets tumbling Monday on growing fears of an all-out trade war between the world's top two economies.

The president's comments Friday added to the uncertainty on trading floors, which have also been hit by concerns of a brewing financial crisis in emerging markets.

They also overshadowed data showing a bigger-than-forecast jump in US jobs creation for August and sent all three main indexes on Wall Street into negative territory.

There was some relief earlier Friday that Trump did not immediately impose levies on $200 billion of Chinese goods after the passing of a deadline for a public consultation.

The threatened tariffs would add to the $50 billion in imports already targeted and mark a major step up in the long-running battle between the world's top two economies.

However, Trump told reporters on Air Force One later that day that "there's another $267 billion ready to go on short notice if I want".

That would cover virtually all the goods the United States imports China. Beijing has threatened to retaliate against any measures out of Washington.

"Markets had some hope that as we got to that deadline there would be some concessions, but there’s really escalation," Sean Fenton, director at Tribeca Investment Partners, told Bloomberg Television.

China surplus balloons&nbsp

There is also nervousness that talks between the US and Canada on a revised North American Free Trade Agreement had still not wrapped up.

Hong Kong stocks suffered the sharpest losses, falling 1.3 per cent in the morning, while Shanghai slipped 0.8 per cent with news that China's surplus with the US hit a record in August adding to concerns Trump will push ahead with the tariffs.

"Chinese trade data and a ballooning record surplus with the US over the weekend won't have helped. Time to be a little more realistic about this trade war and a little less sanguine methinks," said Greg McKenna chief market strategist at AxiTrader.

Sydney lost 0.1 per cent, Singapore slipped 0.4 per cent and Taipei shed 1.2 per cent. Manila and Jakarta were also sharply lower.

But Tokyo ended the morning marginally higher.

On currency markets the strong US jobs report added to expectations the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates at least two more times this year, putting further upward pressure on the dollar.

The greenback has already rallied against a number of emerging markets units -- with India's rupee at record lows and the Indonesian rupiah at a 20-year trough -- on fears that economic crises in Argentina, South Africa and Turkey could spread globally.

The president's comments Friday added to the uncertainty on trading floors, which have also been hit by concerns of a brewing financial crisis in emerging markets.

Donald Trump's latest threat to impose tariffs on all Chinese imports sent Asian markets tumbling Monday on growing fears of an all-out trade war between the world's top two economies. The president's comments Friday added to the uncertainty on trading floors, which have also been hit by concerns of a brewing financial crisis in emerging markets. They also overshadowed data showing a bigger-than-forecast jump in US jobs creation for August and sent all three main indexes on Wall Street into negative territory. There was some relief earlier Friday that Trump did not immediately impose levies on $200 billion of Chinese goods after the passing of a deadline for a public consultation. The threatened tariffs would add to the $50 billion in imports already targeted and mark a major step up in the long-running battle between the world's top two economies. However, Trump told reporters on Air Force One later that day that "there's another $267 billion ready to go on short notice if I want". That would cover virtually all the goods the United States imports China. Beijing has threatened to retaliate against any measures out of Washington. "Markets had some hope that as we got to that deadline there would be some concessions, but there’s really escalation," Sean Fenton, director at Tribeca Investment Partners, told Bloomberg Television. China surplus balloons There is also nervousness that talks between the US and Canada on a revised North American Free Trade Agreement had still not wrapped up. Hong Kong stocks suffered the sharpest losses, falling 1.3 per cent in the morning, while Shanghai slipped 0.8 per cent with news that China's surplus with the US hit a record in August adding to concerns Trump will push ahead with the tariffs. "Chinese trade data and a ballooning record surplus with the US over the weekend won't have helped. Time to be a little more realistic about this trade war and a little less sanguine methinks," said Greg McKenna chief market strategist at AxiTrader. Sydney lost 0.1 per cent, Singapore slipped 0.4 per cent and Taipei shed 1.2 per cent. Manila and Jakarta were also sharply lower. But Tokyo ended the morning marginally higher. On currency markets the strong US jobs report added to expectations the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates at least two more times this year, putting further upward pressure on the dollar. The greenback has already rallied against a number of emerging markets units -- with India's rupee at record lows and the Indonesian rupiah at a 20-year trough -- on fears that economic crises in Argentina, South Africa and Turkey could spread globally.

Asian markets hit by fresh trade fears after Trump comments

Sensex tanked 467.65 points or 1.22 per cent on Monday as markets closed, ending at 37,922.17. Nifty, on the other hand, plunged 151 points to close below 11,500 level.&nbsp;

In opening trade, BSE Sensex and NSE’s Nifty 50 declined on Monday, tracking losses in global markets.&nbsp;

The Sensex on Monday morning started at 38,348, dipping by 41 points or 0.11 per cent, while the Nifty 50 shed nearly 19 points, or 0.16 per cent, to trade at 11,570.&nbsp;

Indices further fell in the initial trade with Sensex dipping over 100 points and the Nifty 50 slipping lower by over 33 points and turned volatile.&nbsp;

In tandem with stock markets, the rupee too continued its weakness and depreciated to a fresh record low of 72.67 (intra-day) against the dollar at the interbank foreign exchange market.

The national currency weakened further against the US dollar after India’s current account deficit widened to a four-quarter high due to rising crude oil prices.&nbsp;

The national currency on Monday closed at a life-low of 72.45 against the US dollar.

It finished the day 72 paise lower against the American currency - its biggest one-day crash since August 13.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Sensex on Monday morning started at 38,348, dipping by 41 points or 0.11 per cent, while the Nifty 50 shed nearly 19 points, or 0.16 per cent, to trade at 11,570.

Sensex tanked 467.65 points or 1.22 per cent on Monday as markets closed, ending at 37,922.17. Nifty, on the other hand, plunged 151 points to close below 11,500 level. In opening trade, BSE Sensex and NSE’s Nifty 50 declined on Monday, tracking losses in global markets. The Sensex on Monday morning started at 38,348, dipping by 41 points or 0.11 per cent, while the Nifty 50 shed nearly 19 points, or 0.16 per cent, to trade at 11,570. Indices further fell in the initial trade with Sensex dipping over 100 points and the Nifty 50 slipping lower by over 33 points and turned volatile. In tandem with stock markets, the rupee too continued its weakness and depreciated to a fresh record low of 72.67 (intra-day) against the dollar at the interbank foreign exchange market. The national currency weakened further against the US dollar after India’s current account deficit widened to a four-quarter high due to rising crude oil prices. The national currency on Monday closed at a life-low of 72.45 against the US dollar. It finished the day 72 paise lower against the American currency - its biggest one-day crash since August 13. (With inputs from agencies)

Markets close in red; rupee hits new closing low of 72.45

Tokyo stocks opened fractionally lower on Monday, extending falls on Wall Street last week as a higher yen weighed on the market with concerns lingering over trade issues.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.04 per cent or 9.39 points to 22,297.67 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was down 0.11 per cent or 1.79 points at 1,682.52.

The dollar fetched 110.99 yen in early Asian trade, down from 111.02 yen in New York late Friday, when world equities stumbled on worries over the US-China trade war after a threat of fresh tariffs by President Donald Trump.

"Tokyo shares are seen dominated by selling orders following falls in US shares," SBI Securities said in a commentary.

Noting that the yen was edging higher against the dollar and the euro, it added that bargain-hunting buying may emerge later "on expectations for sound corporate earnings."

The Nikkei and Topix rebounded into positive territory several minutes later.

Electronic parts maker Rohm was down 2.42 per cent at 9,270 yen and chip testing devices maker Advantest was down 1.71 per cent at 2,404 yen.

Fast Retailing, the Uniqlo casual wear operator and market heavyweight, was down 0.85 per cent at 53,440 yen while Panasonic was down 0.43 per cent at 1,268 yen.&nbsp

Toyota was up 0.46 per cent at 6,627 yen after it said it was preparing to resume production at its quake-hit plant in Hokkaido.

In New York on Friday, the Dow ended down 0.3 per cent at 25,916.54.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.04 per cent or 9.39 points to 22,297.67 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was down 0.11 per cent or 1.79 points at 1,682.52.

Tokyo stocks opened fractionally lower on Monday, extending falls on Wall Street last week as a higher yen weighed on the market with concerns lingering over trade issues. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.04 per cent or 9.39 points to 22,297.67 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was down 0.11 per cent or 1.79 points at 1,682.52. The dollar fetched 110.99 yen in early Asian trade, down from 111.02 yen in New York late Friday, when world equities stumbled on worries over the US-China trade war after a threat of fresh tariffs by President Donald Trump. "Tokyo shares are seen dominated by selling orders following falls in US shares," SBI Securities said in a commentary. Noting that the yen was edging higher against the dollar and the euro, it added that bargain-hunting buying may emerge later "on expectations for sound corporate earnings." The Nikkei and Topix rebounded into positive territory several minutes later. Electronic parts maker Rohm was down 2.42 per cent at 9,270 yen and chip testing devices maker Advantest was down 1.71 per cent at 2,404 yen. Fast Retailing, the Uniqlo casual wear operator and market heavyweight, was down 0.85 per cent at 53,440 yen while Panasonic was down 0.43 per cent at 1,268 yen. Toyota was up 0.46 per cent at 6,627 yen after it said it was preparing to resume production at its quake-hit plant in Hokkaido. In New York on Friday, the Dow ended down 0.3 per cent at 25,916.54.

Tokyo stocks open lower with yen edging higher