5159: Austerity push rattles markets, Tata succession questions surface & brands eye the Vijay wave | MC Editor's Picks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s austerity call amid the West Asia conflict rattled markets, dragging the Sensex lower and pushing the rupee to a record low as fears over India’s import bill intensified. Moneycontrol examines how curbing spending on crude oil, fertilisers, cooking gas and gold could potentially save billions in forex outflows, even as fuel retailers brace for massive losses due to elevated crude prices. The gold industry, meanwhile, is seeking urgent clarity after Modi urged citizens to avoid buying the precious metal for a year. In other news, governance tensions at Tata Trusts have intensified around Noel Tata’s succession-related moves, and NTPC’s massive Bihar nuclear project signals India’s accelerating clean energy ambitions. Tune in for more headline-making stories from the day.