Washington is turning up the economic pressure on Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced “Operation Economic Outcast”, a sweeping sanctions campaign targeting Iran and countries that continue doing business with it, as the US seeks to force open the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices, meanwhile, have extended their decline, with Brent hovering near $92 a barrel even as fresh attacks on tankers keep supply risks alive.
In corporate India, TCS is looking beyond Porsche. The IT major says its strategic partnership with the German luxury carmaker, along with its acquisition of Porsche’s IT consulting subsidiary MHP, could open doors to other European automakers and help it build long-term capabilities in AI-powered mobility.
Markets have plenty else to watch. Gold has surged more than 17% since July 17 as the “debasement trade” gathers momentum, while the rupee has opened slightly stronger against the dollar. Sunshine Pictures has also made its market debut at a nearly 10% premium, and Jefferies sees as much as 25% upside in UPL.
Beyond markets, Jaishankar’s Russia visit has secured assurances on uninterrupted energy and fertiliser supplies, Indian applications to US colleges have fallen 15% amid tighter visa rules, and another spell of heavy rain has hit Delhi after Monday’s downpour brought parts of the capital to a crawl.
Oil prices fall as Bessent announces sanctions on Iran, tankers struck near Hormuz
Oil prices extended their decline on Tuesday August 25, as Washington intensified economic pressure on Iran and countries trading with it, in an effort to force open the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude hovered near $92 a barrel, building on a drop of more than 2% in the previous session. West Texas Intermediate traded close to $85. This came as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced “Operation Economic Outcast” against Iran.
TCS says Porsche partnership opens access to other European automakers
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said its strategic partnership with Porsche AG and the acquisition of the German automaker’s IT consulting subsidiary MHP will help the company expand its presence across Europe’s automotive sector. K Krithivasan, CEO & Managing Director of TCS, said the deal is aimed at building long-term AI mobility capabilities and accessing new customers beyond Porsche.
Explained | Why are gold prices surging and how far can they go?
The global price of gold has risen over 17% since July 17. Market participants say the latest leg of the rally is being driven by a renewed focus on the so-called “debasement trade”, as investors seek protection against the long-term impact of expanding government debt and liquidity injections.
Rupee opens at 95.73 against US dollar RBI looks to mitigate pressure on currency
The rupee strengthened on Tuesday (August 25) compared to its previous day’s closing. This, however, leaves the rupee a little dampened in its renewed hope of stability as Brent crude eased further. The Indian currency opened at 95.73 per US dollar, compared with Monday’s (August 224) close of 95.75.
Jaishankar’s Russia visit secures energy, fertiliser supply assurance; India flags $50-billion trade gap
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Russia has secured assurances of uninterrupted energy and fertiliser supplies for India, renewed momentum for bilateral trade and discussions on expanding economic cooperation despite disruptions caused by the West Asia war.
Sunshine Pictures shares debut at 10% premium after 106x-subscribed IPO
Shares of Sunshine Pictures Ltd. made a decent debut on the stock market on Tuesday, August 25. The stock opened at ₹395.90 on the NSE, a premium of 9.97% over its issue price of ₹360. On the BSE, it opened at ₹394, a premium of 9.44%. The ₹282.14-crore IPO was open for subscription from August 18 to August 20 and received an overwhelming response from investors.
This $5 billion chemical stock can surge 25%, says Jefferies
The management of UPL (market capitalisation of over $5 billion) remains confident it will deliver its FY27 growth guidance of 10-14%, with second-quarter performance broadly tracking internal expectations, according to analysts at Jefferies. The global brokerage has maintained its ‘buy’ rating on the agrochemicals major with a target price of ₹715 per share.
Indian students’ US college applications drop 15% as visa rules tighten
Amid tightening of immigration policies, the number of Indian students seeking admission in US colleges witnessed a 15% decline in 2025-26 over the previous year, a report by a non-profit organisation representing over 1,100 institutions said.
Moody’s upgrades Pakistan rating to B3; Check where India stands?
Moody’s Ratings on Monday upgraded Pakistan’s sovereign credit rating to B3 from Caa1, while maintaining a stable outlook, citing improvements in governance, a stronger external position and improving fiscal metrics. Moody’s said Pakistan’s external vulnerability risks have eased since its last rating action in August 2025.
AI commerce: When your agent meets my agent
A decade of digital public infrastructure has given India something few, if any, other countries possess: open, interoperable, population-scale transaction rails that no single company owns. UPI transformed payments. Less celebrated, but increasingly relevant, ONDC and the Beckn protocol are doing the same for commerce, writes SAP’s AI Native North Star Architecture lead PVN Pavankumar.
Heavy rain hits Delhi again after flooded roads, flight disruptions bring capital to a crawl
Heavy rain lashed Delhi on Tuesday, August 25, a day after intense showers flooded roads, disrupted flights and left commuters navigating waterlogged stretches across the national capital and neighbouring Gurugram. Delhi’s August rainfall has already exceeded normal levels at several monitoring stations.