Mumbai, April 24 -- The week ahead is likely to be shaped by a precarious geopolitical overhang and a gradually stabilising domestic macro backdrop. On the energy front, Brent crude topped $106 per barrel this week as the US and Iran remained deadlocked over the Strait of Hormuz, despite Trump extending the fragile ceasefire.

As per media reports, even if the strait reopens, supply bottlenecks and infrastructure damage would likely keep Brent anchored in the $80 per barrel $90 per barrel range, which is still materially above pre-conflict levels. This would continue to exert pressure on India's import bill and corporate margins.

Domestically, India's CPI inflation edged up to 3.40% in March 2026, with food inflation at 3.87%, while WPI ...