Mumbai, Aug. 21 -- Dalal Street heads into the new week navigating a delicate balance between resilient domestic fundamentals and an unresolved energy crisis that continues to cloud near-term visibility. Traders remain cautious, awaiting for clarity to emerge on two fronts: crude oil and the Fed.

At the macro level, the Hormuz overhang remains the dominant headwind. Brent crude marched towards the $93 per barrel mark, as the US and Iran remained at an impasse, with China-linked supertankers turning back mid-transit and a vessel reportedly struck near the strait.

The June 18 MOU expired this week with no successor deal, leaving Hormuz shipping running at approximately 5% of pre-war volume.

For India, elevated crude prices sustains press...