Sensex Snaps Four Sessions, Nifty Seven
The Sensex closed 628.04 points higher at 77,537.72 and the Nifty 50 gained 153.53 to 24,231.85. The two streaks differed in length: the Sensex had fallen four sessions, the Nifty seven. Nifty Media rose 2.1 per cent and Realty 1.4 per cent; only Chemicals and PSU Bank finished lower.
Commodities : Gold Past $4,550 as the Dollar Weakens
Gold crossed $4,550 an ounce and silver topped $67 in global trade, both lifted by a softer dollar after the US Treasury moved to contain the rise in global bond yields. At those levels the gold-to-silver ratio stands at about 67.9 — a narrower spread than the decade average, which usually favours silver buyers.
Digital Payments : 763 Million UPI Payments Every Day
UPI processed 23.66 billion transactions worth ₹29.88 lakh crore in July, an all-time high on both counts. That is 763 million payments a day. Volume grew 21.5 per cent over the year while value grew 19.0 per cent — meaning the average payment fell from ₹1,289 to ₹1,263.
Health : Bengal Joins Ayushman Bharat
PM-JAY was launched in West Bengal on 16 August, offering ₹5 lakh of annual cashless cover to about 1.5 crore families. Some 3.4 crore people have enrolled and 1.23 crore verified cards have been issued. Swasthya Sathi runs alongside for two to three months before a phased withdrawal.
Agriculture : Rice Is Two-Thirds of the Sowing Gap
Kharif area to 14 August was 1,016.57 lakh hectares against 1,037.52 last year, down 2.02 per cent. Rice alone accounts for 14.37 lakh hectares of the 20.95 lakh hectare shortfall — 68.6 per cent. Pulses were flat at 108.14 lakh hectares and cotton down 0.89 per cent.
Space : ISRO Returns to the Pad in September
GISAT-1A, also designated EOS-05, is set to fly on a GSLV from Sriharikota in the first week of September, ending a launch pause that began with the PSLV-C62 failure on 12 January. The satellite is built for high-frequency imaging of the Indian landmass and carries a ten-year design life.
Energy : Brent Holds Near $92 on Hormuz Deadlock
Brent rose toward $92 a barrel on 19 August, a fourth straight session of gains, with no agreement between Washington and Tehran on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has set conditions for reopening; attacks on regional shipping have further dented hopes of an early settlement.
Automobiles : Tata Motors at a Five-Month High
Tata Motors rose about 2 per cent on Thursday to ₹487.40 on the BSE, its highest in more than five months and 22 per cent above its June low. The stock was among the day’s notable movers in a session where realty and media led the sectoral gains.
Sport: Delhi Stages the Badminton Worlds
The 30th BWF World Championships are being played at the Indira Gandhi Arena from 17 to 23 August, India’s first time as host since 2009. P. V. Sindhu beat Canada’s Wen Yu Zhang 21-16, 21-17; Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty reached the pre-quarterfinals by walkover.
Trade : One Month of the India–UK Agreement
CETA has been in force since 15 July. Ninety-nine per cent of Indian goods now enter Britain duty-free or at reduced duty, against 90 per cent of British goods coming the other way. Two-way trade stood at £48 billion in 2025. A Double Contributions Convention ends duplicate social security payments.
