BILKUL BAZAAR— The Daily News Wrap
- Bilkul Online
- 9:00 PM | 16 Aug – 17 Aug 2026
National Business News Highlights
1. RBI Advances FCNR(B) Swap Facility Deadline to August 31
The Reserve Bank of India has shortened the window for its FCNR(B) forex swap facility by a month to August 31. The move has prompted banks to accelerate dollar fundraising plans.
2. Indian Banks Race to Raise Up to $7 Billion Overseas
Major lenders including ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, YES Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank are stepping up overseas borrowing after the RBI’s early closure of the FX swap facility. Banks could raise at least $5 billion in the next two weeks.
3. Rupee Falls to ₹95.59 Against Dollar
The Indian rupee weakened 17 paise to ₹95.59 against the US dollar in early trade as markets reacted to the RBI’s decision to advance the FCNR(B) swap deadline.
4. Sensex Falls 281 Points; Nifty Ends at 24,288
Indian equities closed lower on Monday, with the Sensex falling 281 points and the Nifty settling at 24,288. The Nifty IT index was among the weaker performers.
5. SEBI Says Closing Auction Session Is Here to Stay
SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said the newly introduced Closing Auction Session will not be rolled back, although the regulator remains open to feedback from market participants.
6. Horizon Industrial Parks IPO Opens Today
Blackstone-backed Horizon Industrial Parks launched its ₹2,600-crore IPO on August 17, marking a major public-market debut for India’s industrial and logistics infrastructure sector.
7. Behari Lal Engineering IPO Gets 108.44 Times Subscription
The SME public issue of Behari Lal Engineering closed with an overwhelming 108.44-times subscription, receiving bids for about 80.38 crore shares against 74.12 lakh shares on offer.
8. Foreign Investors Put ₹16,621 Crore into Indian Equities in First Half of August
Foreign portfolio investors invested ₹16,621 crore in Indian equities during the first fortnight of August, following ₹20,200 crore of inflows in July.
9. Six Listed REITs Distribute ₹3,136 Crore in Q1
India’s six listed real estate investment trusts distributed ₹3,136 crore to more than 4.85 lakh unitholders in the June quarter, with their combined assets under management exceeding ₹3.17 lakh crore.
10. Government Sets LPG Production Targets for Refiners
The government has set LPG production targets for domestic refiners to reduce dependence on imports. Reliance Industries’ older refinery has been assigned the largest target, of up to 18,000 tonnes a day.
International Business News Highlights
1. Fed Seen Holding Interest Rates Through 2026
Economists surveyed by Reuters expect the US Federal Reserve to keep its key interest rate unchanged next month and through the end of 2026, amid cooling inflation and weaker consumer demand.
2. Wall Street Stays Near Record Highs Amid Rate Uncertainty
US stocks remained close to record levels on Monday as investors weighed weaker retail sales, inflation trends, Middle East tensions and the outlook for Federal Reserve policy.
3. European Markets Gain as Technology and Pharma Stocks Rise
European shares started the week mostly higher, led by technology and pharmaceutical companies. Germany’s DAX extended its record run while the STOXX 600 also advanced.
4. Japan’s Economy Grows Slower Than Expected
Japan’s second-quarter GDP growth came in at 0.3%, below the 0.5% forecast, raising expectations that the Bank of Japan may delay further interest-rate increases.
5. German Companies Cut US Investment to Three-Year Low
German corporate investment in the United States fell to its lowest level in three years during the first half of 2026, reflecting growing concerns over trade and economic conditions.
💬 QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
— Mark Twain
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