💼 Top 20 India & World Business News Stories
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Here are 20 major business, corporate, markets, finance, trade and economic stories in focus today, based on the latest available reporting.
🇮🇳 India Business
1. Nayara Energy Raises Petrol and Diesel Prices
Nayara Energy has increased petrol prices by ₹5 per litre and diesel prices by ₹3 per litre, effective today, as international crude and refined-product prices remain elevated. The company operates more than 7,000 fuel stations across India.
2. UPI Transactions Rise 27% in First Half of FY27
UPI processed around 145 billion transactions during April–September 2026, up 27% from 114 billion during the corresponding period a year earlier. The growth comes ahead of the new Merchant Discount Rate framework scheduled to begin October 15, while ordinary consumers will continue to have free UPI payments.
3. Jio Platforms IPO Could Open on October 21
Reliance Industries’ digital arm Jio Platforms is reportedly preparing for its much-anticipated IPO, potentially opening for subscription on October 21. The proposed issue is estimated at about $3.8 billion, which would make it one of India’s largest public offerings.
4. September IPO Rush Leaves India With 29 Upcoming Listings
Indian companies raised approximately ₹39,000 crore through IPOs in September, making it one of the country’s busiest primary-market months of 2026. Although only one fresh IPO is expected to open next week, around 29 companies are scheduled to make their stock-market debuts.
5. NSE Examines Derivatives Expiry Settlement Framework
SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said the regulator is reviewing concerns surrounding the settlement-price framework for derivatives on expiry days. The review follows the rollout of the Closing Auction Session and continuing efforts to improve market infrastructure.
6. SEBI Considers Changes to Commodity-Derivatives Rules
India’s markets regulator is considering easing position limits for some non-agricultural commodity derivatives and changing settlement arrangements for selected agricultural contracts. The objective is to deepen liquidity and encourage greater participation from genuine hedgers.
7. Green Energy Corridor Phase III Gets ₹1.86 Lakh Crore Push
The government has approved Green Energy Corridor Phase III, involving a total outlay of ₹1.86 lakh crore. The programme aims to strengthen transmission infrastructure capable of evacuating up to 135 GW of renewable energy by FY33, creating a major pipeline of work for the power-transmission sector.
8. Sterlite Technologies Benefits From US AI Infrastructure Boom
Sterlite Technologies has emerged as a major beneficiary of growing US demand for data-centre infrastructure and optical fibre. Its June 2026 quarter recorded an 87% year-on-year rise in sales, while its order book reached ₹18,618 crore.
9. Welspun Corp Builds Record US-Focused Order Book
Welspun Corp’s order book has approached ₹45,000 crore, helped by major US infrastructure contracts. Its US subsidiary recently won an order worth approximately $412.5 million, while the company’s core profit increased substantially after excluding a one-time gain.
10. India’s Manufacturing Investment Share Falls
Manufacturing accounted for only 27% of new projects in the first half of FY27, a three-year low, while services accounted for about 39%. Information technology investments were among the areas supporting the increase in services-sector project activity.
11. India’s Capital Expenditure Reaches ₹5.63 Lakh Crore
Central government capital expenditure reached around ₹5.63 lakh crore, equivalent to 46% of the FY27 target by September 22. Infrastructure spending is expected to remain an important component of government investment during the year.
12. Bajaj Finance Plans ₹17,500 Crore Fundraising
Bajaj Finance’s board has approved plans to raise as much as ₹17,500 crore, comprising a ₹11,700-crore qualified institutional placement and warrants worth up to ₹5,800 crore, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
13. Reliance Plans ₹1 Trillion Biogas Investment in Andhra Pradesh
Reliance Industries, through Anant Ambani, has announced plans for a major ₹1 trillion biogas initiative in Andhra Pradesh. The proposed investment is aimed at expanding compressed-biogas production and developing clean-energy infrastructure.
14. GST Revenue Growth Shows Signs of Slowing
India’s GST collections remain above ₹2 lakh crore, but economists are watching a slowdown in the rate of revenue growth compared with earlier years. The trend is being monitored as an indicator of consumption, business activity and tax buoyancy.
15. Indian Companies Prepare for Possible RBI Rate Changes
Indian businesses are closely watching the RBI’s upcoming monetary-policy decision amid higher inflation, oil prices and global borrowing costs. Earlier reporting indicated that large Indian corporations were preparing debt issues to lock in financing before a possible rate increase.
🌎 World Business
16. Global Bond Sell-Off Pushes Borrowing Costs to Multi-Year Highs
Global government bond markets remain under pressure, with US, French, British and Japanese yields reaching multi-year or multi-decade highs. The US 10-year Treasury yield recently reached about 5.34%, its highest level since 2002.
17. US Jobs Data Changes Federal Reserve Rate Expectations
US stocks rose after September employment data showed only 29,000 new non-farm jobs, well below expectations of around 90,000. The weaker labour-market reading reduced market expectations of another Federal Reserve rate increase in October, although bond yields subsequently moved higher.
18. G7 Agrees to Release 100 Million Barrels of Oil and Diesel
G7 countries have agreed to release up to 100 million barrels of crude oil and diesel reserves over the next four months in an effort to ease fuel-market pressure. The move comes as geopolitical disruption has pushed energy prices sharply higher.
19. US-Russia Discussions Reportedly Include Potential Lukoil Deal
US-Russia discussions connected to the Ukraine conflict have reportedly expanded to include a potential multibillion-dollar transaction involving Lukoil’s global oil assets. The reported proposal would require approval from both Washington and Moscow, and its eventual implementation remains uncertain.
20. AI Investment Boom Faces Rising Financing Costs
The global AI investment boom continues to attract enormous amounts of capital, but sharply higher bond yields are increasing financing costs for technology companies and infrastructure projects. Investors are increasingly examining whether expected AI revenues will justify the enormous spending on data centres, chips and computing capacity.
📊 Major Business Themes Today
Oil above $100 • global bond-market pressure • India’s UPI expansion • Jio Platforms IPO • India’s IPO boom • renewable-energy infrastructure • AI investment • higher borrowing costs • RBI policy expectations • global trade and energy security.
