Zepto Pre-IPO Tumbles 30%, NSE Adds 10-Min F&O Window

From Aug 3, 2026 the NSE will shift the standard futures‑and‑options closing bell from 3:30 pm to 3:40 pm, adding a 10‑minute window after the new cash‑market closing auction (3:15‑3:35 pm). The change lets market participants hedge, rebalance or unwind positions as real‑time price discovery unfolds, curbing end‑day volatility.

Indian Sensex fell ~1,100 points and Nifty down 359 as investors watch US‑Iran negotiations, crude oil price movement, and the upcoming RBI Monetary Policy Committee meeting. Analysts warn markets remain volatile with geopolitics and policy cues dictating direction.

Axis Mutual Fund says India's bond market is at a turning point and recommends investors buy, not panic, despite oil price and geopolitical pressures. It notes higher crude costs strain inflation and growth, but India’s stronger fiscal and financial position allows a neutral‑to‑slightly long‑duration stance.

Zepto’s unlisted shares fell from about Rs 52 to Rs 40, a 30% drop, even after SEBI approved its upcoming IPO. Analysts say the slide reflects broader weakness in the pre‑IPO market and investor caution amid volatile equity conditions.

Taiwan's market cap slightly exceeds India's, delivering far higher returns over 1‑year and 5‑year periods, but its index is heavily weighted toward TSMC, exposing investors to concentration risk, whereas India's Nifty offers broader diversification.

Reliance Retail’s FY26 profit jumped ₹3,503 cr to ₹13,476 cr, driven largely by converting a ₹40,000 cr inter‑company loan into zero‑coupon optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCDs). The swap slashed finance costs by about ₹8,000 cr, shifting earnings from the holding firm to the operating retailer and bolstering its financial health ahead of a potential listing.

In India, short‑term capital gains on listed shares and equity‑oriented mutual funds, provided Securities Transaction Tax (STT) is paid, incur a flat 20% tax. Long‑term gains (held over 12 months) are taxed at 12.5% on amounts above ₹1.25 lakh, with STT required for the concessional rate. The rules, unchanged ahead of the 2026 Union Budget, shape investor behavior and market liquidity.

Ahead of the RBI’s policy meeting, the finance ministry warned that soaring global energy prices, a weakening rupee and an anticipated below‑normal monsoon could reignite inflation pressures. While retail inflation remains under the 4% target, wholesale price indices are rising sharply, raising concerns over food price spikes and household budgets.

The India Meteorological Department cut its monsoon outlook for 2026 to 90% of long‑period average, making it the driest season since 2015. With an emerging El Niño and hotter June temperatures, the deficit could strain agriculture, push up food prices and heighten heatwave risks.

The Indian government announced a reduction in export levies effective June 1, setting duties at ₹1.5 per litre for petrol, ₹13.5 for diesel and ₹9.5 for aviation turbine fuel. Domestic excise rates remain unchanged, a move meant to ensure local supply while responding to global oil price volatility.

India and the United States will meet in New Delhi from June 1‑4 to nail down an interim trade pact. Negotiators will address market access, tariff reductions, non‑tariff barriers and investment promotion, building on a February framework that aimed to cut US tariffs on Indian goods to 18%.

A sharp hike in India’s gold import duty from 6% to 15% cut demand by roughly 70%, falling to about 7.5 tonnes in the two weeks after May 13, compared with 25 tonnes a year earlier. Jewelers cite the higher tax, a weak rupee and the Prime Minister’s anti‑gold appeal as drivers, while consumers shift to lighter, lower‑carat pieces.