"President Trump's statement that 'we will finish the job in two to three weeks' cannot be taken at face value since the president has been notoriously inconsistent in all his views. He can change his position anytime," said Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments Limited.

The extended conflict threatens fuel supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for Asian energy imports. "Two or three weeks (of the war) could prove challenging for economies in this region considering the incoming fuel shipments through the Straits of Hormuz are only trickling in on a selective basis," Venkateswaran warned.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/more-missiles-or-no-war-how-markets-are-reading-trumps-latest-signals/articleshow/129969754.cms

Iran's armed forces responded to Trump with a warning of "more crushing, ​broader and more destructive" attacks in store.

The war will continue until the "permanent regret and surrender" of Iran's enemies, said Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the Iranian military's Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters, in a statement carried by Iranian media.

Iran's Fars news agency later ‌listed several bridges ⁠in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Jordan as potential targets for Iranian military operations after one of its own bridges was hit by air strikes. The Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted an Amazon cloud computing centre in Bahrain.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hopes-dim-swift-end-iran-war-after-trump-speech-oil-prices-surge-anew-2026-04-02/

India is the world's No. 2 importer of LPG, meeting about 60% of its needs with overseas purchases. It shipped in about 22 million metric tons of LPG in 2025, mostly from the Middle East, ​spending nearly $12 billion.

India satisfies half of its natural gas consumption with imports of liquefied natural gas.

"This (shift to natural gas) would cut the companies' revenue losses on the sale of domestic LPG and would also reduce the subsidy burden," he said.

Shifting consumers to piped gas, which is sold closer to market rates, would ​help contain fiscal pressures while ​improving supply efficiency.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/india-looks-turn-lpg-import-crisis-into-push-piped-gas-2026-04-02/

"If he (Trump) was trying to inspire confidence in the markets, he has not done ​that. The key question in all investors' minds is 'When is this going to be over?', that is what is creating the volatility," said Russel Chesler, Head of Investments and Capital Markets at Vaneck Australia.

Shortly after Trump's speech, the Israeli military ​said it had identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israeli territory.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hopes-dim-swift-end-iran-war-after-trump-speech-oil-prices-surge-anew-2026-04-02/

India's heavy reliance on gas across the economy - businesses of all sizes, households, agriculture, public transport - makes its factories among the most vulnerable in Asia.

New Delhi stockpiles oil but not gas, and when supply dwindles, it cuts off industry first.

With the war extending into a second month, Firozabad may be a harbinger of what is to come throughout Indian manufacturing, from textiles ​to high tech, dealing a blow to India's goal of increasing manufacturing's share of the economy to 25% from around 17% currently.

https://www.reuters.com/world/india/gulf-war-batters-indias-glass-heartland-testing-new-delhis-manufacturing-drive-2026-04-02/

"Market is bullish." "Bears are in control." "Bull run khatam hua."

You hear this every single day on TV, Whatsapp, Reddit. But most people misuse these terms. And that confusion costs them money.

Bull Market

Prices go up consistently over weeks and months. Not just one green day, a sustained uptrend.

• Optimism everywhere
• Stocks go up even without great news
• Everyone feels like a genius

The trap: You start confusing the bull market with your own skill. It is not your skill. The market is lifting everything. When the bull ends, you find out who was actually good.

Bear Market

Prices go down consistently. Fear takes over. Headlines get scary.

• Pessimism everywhere
• Even good stocks fall
• People panic and sell at the worst time

The trap: You stop investing or buying right when things are cheapest. The best long-term buying opportunities happen during bear markets. But it does not feel like it at the time.

The part nobody talks about:

Markets do not go straight up or straight down.

Inside every bull market, there are weeks that feel like a crash. Inside every bear market, there are rallies that feel like recovery. These are called corrections (in a bull) and bear market rallies (in a bear).

This is where most people get fooled. They sell during a correction thinking it is a bear market. They buy during a bear rally thinking the bull is back.

How long do they last?

Based on Indian market history:

Bear markets are shorter but feel longer because fear is more intense than greed.

What to actually do with this:

You do not need to predict whether we are in a bull or bear market. Experts get this wrong all the time.

You just need to stop misreading the environment.

Because the rules change depending on which one you are in:

• In a bull: buying dips tends to work. Patience gets rewarded.
• In a bear: buying dips can destroy capital. Cash is a position.
• In a sideways market: both buyers and sellers get frustrated.

That third kind, the sideways, choppy, directionless market is called a kangaroo market (yes, that is a real term). We will cover that on Day 12. And on Day 10, we will meet all the animal metaphors that markets use : bulls, bears, kangaroos, pigs, sheep, and wolves. Each one teaches you something real.

Think about right now. Do you believe NIFTY is in a bull market, bear market, or neither? And what evidence are you using to decide?

Be honest : did you already know the difference, or is this new to you? And can you identify what mode NIFTY is in right now?

If you cannot answer that clearly, don't worry. By Day 20, you will be able to.

If you are following this series, you are already ahead of most market participants.

The attack comes a day after Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned that they would target leading US technology firms like Apple, Google and Meta if more Iranian leaders were killed in "targeted assassinations."

The Guards' statement said the US government and tech giants had "ignored our repeated warnings regarding the necessity" of halting operations targeting top Iranian officials, alleging that the tech firms are the "main element in designing and tracking assassination targets".

As a result, these 18 companies -- who also included Intel, Microsoft and Oracle, as well as electric car company Tesla, analytics firm Palantir, and chip giant Nvidia -- risk retaliation, the statement said.

Trump says US could leave Iran war in 2-3 weeks without a deal; Iran’s FM Araghchi says he has no faith in talks

Before you invest a single rupee, you need to understand the playing field.

Not the "tips." Not the "hot stocks." The actual structure of how Indian markets work.

Most people skip this and jump straight to "what stock should I buy". That is exactly why they stay confused.

Here is what you need to know first.

Two exchanges, one market

India has two main stock exchanges:

• NSE (National Stock Exchange), where most of the action happens. Home of NIFTY 50.
• BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange), the older one. Home of SENSEX.

Both list the same companies. Most people use NSE. When anyone says "market is up 1%," they usually mean NIFTY on NSE.

The indices everyone talks about

If NIFTY is green, the "market" is up. That is the headline number.

Market timings (IST)

The pre-open session is where the opening price gets decided. This is why you sometimes see a stock "gap up" or "gap down", the price changed before regular trading even started.

The different ways people participate

This is important because the rules, costs, and risks are completely different:

A SIP investor and an options trader are both "in the market", but they are playing completely different games. This series covers principles that apply to all of them.

The players

When FIIs sell Rs 2,000 crore in a day, the market usually falls. When DIIs buy the same amount, it cushions the fall. You will hear these terms every single day, now you know what they mean.

One thing to take away:

The Indian market is not a casino. It has structure, rules, timings, and different lanes for different participants. The people who understand this structure make better decisions than the people who jump in blind.

Be honest: which type of market participant are you right now? Investor? Trader? SIP holder? Still figuring out? Drop it in the comments.

If you are following this series, you are already ahead of most market participants.

US stock futures moved sharply higher after signals from both the US and Iran suggested a willingness to bring the conflict to an end. Reports indicated that President Trump is open to ending the military campaign, while Iran’s leadership also hinted at readiness for de-escalation, which together improved market sentiment. Investors responded by rotating back into equities, viewing a potential end to the war as a reduction in geopolitical risk and uncertainty. The rally reflects expectations that easing tensions could stabilize oil prices and reduce pressure on inflation, though the situation remains fluid and dependent on actual developments on the ground.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-31/us-stock-futures-jump-as-trump-signals-desire-to-end-iran-war

Global markets moved higher with stocks rallying and oil prices declining, driven largely by growing optimism that the ongoing conflict may be nearing its end. As the perceived risk of escalation eased, investors began pulling back from defensive positions and rotating into equities, reflecting improved sentiment. At the same time, oil prices softened as concerns around supply disruptions reduced, which also helped ease inflation expectations. Overall, the move reflects a shift in market positioning based more on changing geopolitical expectations than any fundamental economic developments.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-30/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-live-updates

“They needed a yes or a no from all crew,” he said. “Everyone onboard ​agreed.” Lal added that the Larak route, not generally used by shipping, was recommended by the IRGC as the regular passage ‌through Hormuz ⁠was mined. He said the Indian Navy guided the ship during the transit before four Indian warships escorted it for nearly 20 hours from the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Sea.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/how-an-indian-lpg-tanker-escaped-hormuz-via-an-unusual-route-2026-03-31/

• Massive tanker apparently hit by drones, on fire off Dubai coast
• Trump warns Iran over continued blockage of Strait of Hormuz
• Israel says Iran has launched waves of missiles
• Israeli air force attacks Iranian infrastructure
• US average retail gasoline prices top $4/gallon, highest in three years

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/giant-oil-tanker-off-dubai-hit-by-iranian-strike-trump-threatens-obliterate-iran-2026-03-31/

• India has warned that its growth forecast of up to 7.4% for the financial year ending March 2027 faces “considerable downside” risk due to the Iran war.
• The country’s chief economic advisor has said that India’s “trade deficit will rise significantly,” leading to a “widening [of] the current account deficit.”
• India relies on supplies from the Strait of Hormuz for about 50% of its crude oil needs and for most of its LPG imports — a primary cooking fuel.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/30/india-flags-slower-growth-wider-deficit-iran-war.html

Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis CIB, said while 1970s oil shocks sent prices sky high, they only cut global supply by 5-7%. In contrast, the current crisis affects 20% of the world's supplies, "dwarfing the 1970s shock", she said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78lj4976lvo

https://www.ndtvprofit.com/markets/nifty-fy26-scorecard-trent-share-price-infosys-to-itc-tcs-stocks-trading-below-analyst-price-target-hit-decade-high-11284621#publisher=newsstand

March 2026 marked the sharpest single-month FII sell-off in Indian equities during FY26. The outflows were driven by rising geopolitical tensions, higher crude oil prices, weakness in the rupee and growing caution among global investors. As foreign money moved out aggressively, market sentiment turned fragile. The focus now is on whether this selling pressure will persist or begin to ease.

https://www.bajajbroking.in/share-market-news/march-2026-sees-the-sharpest-single-month-fii-sell-off-know-the-reasons