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Oil prices rose slightly on Wednesday, supported by a weaker dollar. However, concerns about a potential U.S. economic slowdown and the impact of tariffs on global growth limited the gains. U.S. crude oil production is set to reach a new record this year, while U.S. stockpiles increased last week. Investors await further data and OPEC+ plans.

Wall Street struggles to recover from recent losses despite potential Russia-Ukraine ceasefire news, with President Trump s tariff hikes on Canada adding pressure. Major indexes hit five-month lows and the market faces increasing uncertainty, affecting spending, investment, and sentiment.

The dollar hovered near a five-month low amid concerns about the U.S. economy under Trump s trade policies. The euro remained strong due to optimism over Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks. Volatility hit the Canadian dollar with Trump s tariff reversal. Market attention is on the U.S. CPI report. Bitcoin stabilized after recovering from a four-month low.

President Trump defended his tariff use, expressing confidence they will boost U.S. revenue, despite recession fears. Addressing CEOs, he warned of potential higher tariffs and vowed faster environmental approvals and tax cuts. Market volatility raised worries, but Trump emphasized rebuilding the country while hinting at a stricter trade regime.

Sensex closed marginally down in a volatile session as IndusInd Bank fell 27% due to selling pressure, while PC Jewellers rose 0.8% and Mold-Tek increased by 0.2%. Experts recommend avoiding IndusInd Bank and suggest potential buys in PC Jewellers and Mold-Tek on dips.

Investors are favoring stability, shifting towards balanced advantage funds and largecap schemes as small and midcap stocks experience volatility. The upcoming financial year-end boosts investments in ELSS for tax benefits, while new fund offers see a slowdown. Despite market fluctuations, overall SIP flows remain robust with some closures seen in February.

NFRA has appealed to the Supreme Court against a Delhi HC order, arguing that an Engagement Quality Control Reviewer (EQCR) is not an auditor and cannot face disciplinary action. NFRA claims this order undermines its authority and affects proceedings on misconduct by chartered accountants in major companies, potentially harming public interest.

AGS managed over 32,000 ATMs and cash recycler machines as of September and reported ₹901 crore of revenue from operations in the nine months to December 2024 and ₹1,471 crore in FY24. CMS, which manages nearly 73,000 ATMs and recorded nearly double the revenue compared with AGS, is expected to be a major beneficiary given the efforts of the latter s banking clients to look for alternative arrangements to service ATMs.

Sanjay Shah wanted to distribute among 650 employees about ₹33 crore worth of shares of Prudent Corporate Advisory Services, India s fifth-largest mutual fund distributor. The intended recipients included staff members engaged at his home.

Trading was volatile, following conflicting tariff updates, while progress toward a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia briefly lifted equities.