India s foreign exchange reserves rose by $4.53 billion in the week ending March 21, reaching $658.8 billion. The Reserve Bank of India bought dollars regularly as the rupee appreciated. The reserves had peaked at $705 billion in September. However, valuation gains in April-December 2024 were significantly lower, and reserves decreased by $13.8 billion in the same period.

Goldman Sachs lowered price targets for IT stocks by 3% to 32% due to reduced US revenue growth forecasts. LTIMindtree was downgraded to Neutral , while Tata Consultancy Services remains better positioned. Wipro and Tech Mahindra may face more significant challenges. Discretionary spending recovery could be further delayed, potentially affecting project scopes and IT spending.

Wall Street stocks plummeted on Friday as Amazon, Microsoft, and other tech giants faced selloffs due to fears of weak economic growth and high inflation spurred by U.S. tariff hikes. With inflation concerns rising, shares of major companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon fell significantly. The S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones all ended the week notably lower.

Gold prices hit a record high as global shares fell due to concerns over U.S. tariffs. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq saw significant declines. Inflation and geopolitical tensions are driving investors towards safe-haven assets. U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar weakened, while oil prices remained flat amid supply concerns and the impact of tariffs on the global economy.

European stocks fell as U.S. inflation data raised concerns, exacerbated by new tariffs from President Trump. The pan-European STOXX 600 index dropped 0.7% on Friday and 1.4% for the week, its worst since mid-December. German unemployment increased, while below-forecast inflation in Spain and France spurred ECB rate cut bets. Deutsche Bank and Ubisoft also faced notable declines.

The dollar fell on Friday due to growth concerns and uncertainty ahead of President Trump s planned tariff announcement. The yen strengthened as stocks plummeted and Treasury yields dropped. Core inflation and consumer spending in the U.S. showed significant changes, while European economic data also influenced market movements.

Oil prices fell on Friday due to fears of a U.S.-led global recession but rose for the third straight week amid increased U.S. pressure on OPEC members Venezuela and Iran. Trump s new tariffs and U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela are reshaping oil supply expectations, potentially tightening the market.

Four companies—Park Hospital, Ardee Engineering, SIS Cash Service, and Pace Digitek—have filed draft IPO papers with Sebi. They plan to raise funds for expansion, debt repayment, and acquisitions, with offerings ranging from Rs 100 crore to Rs 1,260 crore.

NSE has increased the lot sizes for Bank Nifty and Nifty Midcap Select derivatives to 35 and 140, respectively, effective April 25, 2025. Existing contracts remain unchanged, while other index derivatives retain their current lot sizes per SEBI guidelines.

Several Nifty Microcap250 stocks, including Senco Gold, Rajesh Exports, KPI Green Energy, and Spandana Sphoorty, are projected to offer over 100% returns in the next 12 months, according to analyst estimates compiled by Trendlyne.