Samsung India today announced the Top 100 teams selected for the fifth edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, the company's flagship innovation programme that empowers young people to build technology-driven solutions for real-world challenges.

Chosen from thousands of applications received from across the country, the shortlisted teams represent a new generation of innovators solving problems that matter to their communities. Their ideas span artificial intelligence, healthcare, education, accessibility, sports and environmental sustainability, demonstrating how technology can improve everyday life. 

As Samsung celebrates 30 years in India, the fifth edition of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is its biggest and most ambitious yet, reflecting the company's long-term commitment to nurturing India's innovation ecosystem and empowering young people to contribute to the vision of Digital India and Viksit Bharat.

Sumit Gupta, Co-Founder, CoinDCX

Eleven years ago, Ethereum introduced a simple but radical idea: that trust could be programmed. Today that idea underpins a global financial and technological infrastructure used by millions. What began as a whitepaper has become the base layer for decentralized finance, tokenization, and the next generation of the internet. Our conviction in Ethereum, and in blockchain broadly, has only strengthened over the years. As institutions continue to build on this foundation, Ethereum's role in shaping Web3 is not just historical, it is foundational to where the industry goes next.

Common facilities like lifts, open spaces, and clubhouses are owned jointly by all flat owners as part of their undivided interest in the property. Read full report here

Odisha is set to witness a landmark moment in its education landscape as the Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will inaugurate Jagadguru Kripalu University (JKU), a newly established private university positioned as a future-ready hub for multidisciplinary learning and innovation.

The inauguration signals a growing push towards next-generation institutions aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, focusing on employability, research, and holistic development. Located on a 100-acre eco-conscious campus close to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, JKU is expected to contribute significantly to the region's academic and economic ecosystem.

Founded by world-renowned Spiritual Leader and IIT-IIM alumnus, Swami Mukundananda, the university draws inspiration from Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. It aims to combine modern academic frameworks with Indian knowledge systems, positioning itself at the intersection of tradition and technology.

Codingal, a Y Combinator-backed learning platform for school-age children , has expanded its curriculum to include Math and Public Speaking alongside its Coding and AI programmes. The expansion builds on the continued growth in the platform's live coding and AI classes and follows requests from parents seeking the same instructor-led format across additional subjects.

Founded by Vivek Prakash and Satyam Baranwal , Codingal began as a coding platform before adding AI to its curriculum. With the addition of Math and Public Speaking, the platform now brings together AI and Coding, Math, and Public Speaking within its live learning model.

Math and Public Speaking have been added as complementary learning areas, giving students opportunities to strengthen reasoning, problem-solving and communication alongside their coding and AI skills.

Under the deal, Patanjali Ayurved will acquire a 73.56 per cent stake in Magma General Insurance, while the DS Group will own 24.5 per cent. Read the full report here

Vikas Gupta, Country Manager - India, Bybit

"Ethereum's biggest achievement has been transforming blockchain from a technology primarily used for peer-to-peer payments into a programmable platform for decentralized applications and digital finance. Since its launch in 2015, Ethereum has enabled the growth of decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, stablecoins, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs). The network's successful transition to Proof-of-Stake through "The Merge" in 2022 reduced its energy consumption by more than 99%, demonstrating its ability to evolve while maintaining security and decentralization. Today, Ethereum remains the largest smart contract blockchain by total value locked (TVL) and developer activity, making its greatest achievement the creation of a thriving ecosystem that continues to power innovation across Web3.

Over the next one to two years, Ethereum's performance is likely to be influenced less by speculation and more by real-world adoption and macroeconomic conditions. Institutional participation has increased significantly following the launch of spot Ethereum exchange-traded products in several markets, while growing adoption of stablecoins, decentralized finance, and tokenized real-world assets continues to strengthen network utility. Ethereum also serves as the settlement layer for a rapidly expanding Layer-2 ecosystem, helping improve scalability and lower transaction costs without compromising security. Alongside these ecosystem developments, factors such as global interest rates, liquidity conditions, regulatory clarity across major jurisdictions, and continued staking participation will play an important role in shaping market sentiment. As the ecosystem matures, sustainable network usage is expected to become a more meaningful driver of value than short-term market cycles.

Over the coming years, Ethereum is well positioned to strengthen its role as the foundational infrastructure for decentralized finance and the tokenization of real-world assets. Global financial institutions are increasingly exploring blockchain-based settlement, digital bonds, money market funds, and tokenized securities, with many of these initiatives being built on Ethereum or Ethereum-compatible networks. Investors should closely monitor the continued growth of Layer-2 networks, institutional adoption, staking participation, stablecoin usage, and the expansion of tokenized assets, which many industry participants view as one of blockchain's largest long-term opportunities. Improvements in user experience, wallet technology, and regulatory clarity will also be critical in driving broader adoption. While market volatility is expected to remain a feature of digital assets, Ethereum's long-term outlook will increasingly depend on its ability to support real economic activity and continue attracting developers, enterprises, and institutions to its ecosystem."

Vikas M Sachdeva, CEO, BitDelta India

Ethereum's biggest achievement has been proving that blockchain can be much more than a way to transfer value. By introducing smart contracts, it opened the door to innovations like DeFi, stablecoins, tokenization, NFTs and thousands of decentralized applications. It has become the foundation on which much of today's digital asset ecosystem is being built. Its successful transition to Proof-of-Stake also showed that a blockchain of this scale can evolve while becoming significantly more energy-efficient. Eleven years on, Ethereum continues to drive innovation and shape the future of digital finance. 

Ethereum's price will depend on a mix of technology, adoption and market confidence. If we continue to see greater institutional participation, growth in tokenization, stablecoins and real-world asset use cases, demand for Ethereum is likely to strengthen. Clearer regulations across major markets would also boost investor confidence. At the same time, broader factors such as interest rates, global liquidity and overall market sentiment will continue to influence prices. While Ethereum's long-term outlook remains promising, investors should also be prepared for the volatility that comes with any emerging asset class.

DashLoc, an AI-powered hyperlocal discovery and business operations platform, today announced the completion of four years of operations, marking a significant milestone in its journey from a bootstrapped startup operating out of a small basement guard room to a global SaaS company serving businesses across 12 countries. Founded by Sumit Singh and Gaurav, DashLoc began with a shared vision of helping businesses solve marketing and customer engagement challenges through technology. Four years later, the founders continue to lead product innovation as they work towards building a comprehensive AI-powered marketing suite for businesses. Over the past four years, DashLoc has evolved into a comprehensive AI-driven MarTech platform that enables businesses to improve digital discoverability, customer engagement, online reputation, and operational efficiency across multiple locations. The company currently serves more than 250 brands globally and has expanded its product portfolio to four enterprise solutions, with eight additional AI-powered products under development.

Management Solution and Sales Tax Platform will further simplify finance, compliance and legal operations for global businesses.

Hyderabad, 30th July 2026 : FinStackk, an accounting and tax compliance automation platform for Indian startups and businesses expanding to the United States, today announced that it aims to support 1,000 businesses by the end of the current financial year. Building on the milestone of supporting more than 500 businesses, the company is also strengthening its technology ecosystem with AI-powered solutions designed to simplify business operations.

As more Indian startups and SMEs establish operations in the US, managing incorporation, accounting, taxation, payroll, compliance and legal obligations often requires working with multiple service providers and disconnected software platforms. This fragmented approach limits visibility, increases operational complexity and creates compliance risks. FinStackk addresses these challenges through an integrated platform that combines financial management, compliance and expert advisory services into a single ecosystem.

Sundeep Mohindru, Founder & Promoter, M1xchange

"The Proposed MSME Amendment Bill, 2026 is a significant move in helping strengthen the Indian MSME eco system by dealing with one of the biggest problems associated with it, that of delayed payments. Compulsory requirement for CPSEs to settle MSME invoices through RBI licensed TReDS platforms institutionalizes an efficient and technology enabled payment process, ensuring that working capital gets infused into business at the right times.

This coupled with the proposed link between GeM and TReDS will go a long way in giving a significant boost to the TReDS eco system, by helping increase the transaction volumes and widen the participation amongst CPSE suppliers. It will facilitate a wider knowledge base and use of invoice discounting by MSMEs, enabling them to access funding on a timely basis without collateral.

The Bill with its measures for quick dispute settlement, mediation and enforceability gives further confidence to the MSMEs, in terms of quicker and more predictable repayment of dues."

Under the deal, Patanjali Ayurved will acquire a 73.56 per cent stake in Magma General Insurance, while the DS Group will own 24.5 per cent. Read full report here

The industry's concerns have also grown after a June 2026 Supreme Court judgment recognised the economic value of unpaid domestic work. Read full report here

Flipkart Group, in partnership with PayU Finance, today announced the launch of Flipkart Pay Later, a new credit offering that gives customers flexible repayment options embedded directly at checkout. The offering is available across Flipkart, Myntra, and Flipkart Minutes, and marks the next step in Flipkart Finance and PayU Finance's efforts to build a digital credit infrastructure designed around how India shops.

Flipkart Pay Later gives customers three repayment options: Pay Later, offering upto 30 days  for everyday purchases, a Pay in 3 option that splits the cost across three payments, and EMI plans ranging from 3 to 12 months for higher-value categories including mobiles, electronics, appliances, and furniture. The offering is suited for high-frequency, lower-value transactions across Flipkart Minutes, fashion, home, beauty, and general merchandise, as well as larger purchases where structured repayment makes access easier.

Vikaas M Sachdeva, Chief Executive Officer, BitDelta India

"The FOMC's decision to maintain interest rates reinforces what markets have increasingly come to expect that monetary policy will continue to be guided by incoming economic data rather than a predetermined easing cycle. While the policy decision itself was largely priced in, the voting split and the Fed's continued emphasis on inflation underscore that the path towards lower rates remains uncertain.

For digital assets, this does not materially alter the broader outlook. Crypto markets continue to be influenced by liquidity conditions, interest rate expectations and macroeconomic signals, much like other risk assets. As investors navigate the evolving landscape, inflation trends, labour market data and broader geopolitical developments will remain key indicators shaping market sentiment in the months ahead."

Ruchit Thakur, Market Analyst, VT Markets

The Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged at its most recent meeting, indicating a cautious attitude as officials deal with ongoing inflation and consistent economic growth. However, the absence of clear forward guidance has increased policy uncertainty, leading markets to reevaluate the anticipated course of future interest rate changes. The US dollar weakened as the probability of more rate increases declined, which in turn strengthened the price of gold and silver by increasing their appeal as safe havens and lowering opportunity costs.

Increased uncertainty usually makes global markets more volatile, affecting commodities, bonds, stocks, and currencies. As a result, risk sensitive industries may face pressure until the Fed's policy direction is more clear, and investors frequently turn to protective assets like precious metals.

Additionally, a declining dollar might support commodity and emerging market asset values. Long-term uncertainty, however, is anticipated to keep markets highly data dependent and vulnerable to abrupt changes after important inflation and economic announcements.

BioEnergy Global 2026, India's premier summit and conference dedicated to bioenergy and renewable energy, inaugurated today at IICC, Yashobhoomi, New Delhi. The opening day marked the beginning of one of India's largest gatherings focused on clean energy, sustainable development, and innovation in the bioenergy sector. 

Organized by Meera Trade Fair Media Pvt. Ltd., the summit runs through July 31. The scale of participation showed over 200 exhibitors, 10,000+ visitors, 200 conference delegates and 50 plus speakers across more than 50 sessions.

Keynote addresses and insightful sessions were delivered by  eminent dignitaries, including Mr. Balram Gupta, CEO and Founder, Meera Trade Fair Media Pvt. Ltd.; Lt. Col. Monish Ahuja (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director, PRESPL and Chairman, Confederation of Biomass Energy Industry of India; Dr Atul Mohod , DG SSSNibe, Dr Mohammad Rihan DG NISE, Prafulla Pathak President SESI; Dr. Rasmus Alex Wendt, Energy Counsellor, The Royal Danish Embassy, New Delhi; Shri Sambhaji Kadu Patil, Director General, Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune; Mr. Ravi P. Gupta, CGM, Alternate Energy, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, R&D Centre; Ms. Jennifer Doerper, Director, Biogas Membranes, Evonik; Mr. Harmit Singh, CEO, Kessels Steam Turbines Pvt. Ltd along with other distinguished experts and industry leaders.

Prithvi Exchange (India) Limited, one of India's leading RBI-authorized foreign exchange service providers, has strengthened its presence in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) with the inauguration of two new branches in Thane and Ghatkopar. The expansion takes the company's nationwide network to 38 branches, reinforcing its commitment to making foreign exchange services more accessible across key urban markets.

The expansion includes Prithvi Exchange's second branch in Thane and third branch in Mumbai, strengthening its presence across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The new branches have been strategically established to cater to the growing demand for foreign exchange solutions among leisure travellers, students pursuing overseas education, business travellers and individuals requiring outward remittance services.

Abu Dhabi is betting bigger on India. And it is doing so at a time when global markets are grappling with geopolitical tensions. Read full report here

Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO, Pi42

"With Bitcoin trading around $64,000, the market is witnessing a phase where short-term volatility is being shaped by macroeconomic developments, while long-term fundamentals continue to strengthen. Growing institutional participation, sustained interest in spot ETFs, and Bitcoin's fixed supply reinforce confidence in its long-term trajectory. At the same time, market projections pointing to substantially higher valuations over the coming years reflect the increasing belief that the next phase of growth will be driven by broader adoption and sustained capital inflows rather than speculative momentum. As Ethereum marks its 11th anniversary, its evolution from a smart contract platform to the backbone of DeFi, NFTs, and institutional blockchain adoption underscores the growing maturity of the digital asset ecosystem. Investors should stay focused on disciplined accumulation, prioritise fundamentally strong projects, and avoid reacting to short-term market swings."

MAS Financial Services Limited (MAS Financial) (BSE: 540749, NSE: MASFIN), specialized in MSME financing, announced today the unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended 30th June 2026. On a consolidated basis, MAS Financial Services Limited reports Assets under Management (AUM) of Rs 16,122.75 Crores and Profit after Tax (PAT) of Rs 110.15 Crores for the quarter ended 30th June 2026, up from Rs 13,298.50 Crores and Rs 86.59 Crores respectively for the quarter ended 30th June 2025. The consolidated disbursement was Rs 4,532.76 Crores during the quarter as the company continued to extend credit where it is due, marking a growth of approximately 21% in AUM and 27% in PAT over the corresponding quarter of the previous year

The MSME segment contributed approximately 80% in the YoY AUM growth of the company while other products also contributed meaningfully.

Overall, UAE investments in India have exceeded $25 billion since 2000, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of all Gulf capital entering the country. Read full report here

Ravi Singh, Chief Research Officer

The FOMC's decided to hold its benchmark rate at 3.50-3.75% for a fifth consecutive meeting with three of twelve voting members pushed for a hike, points to a central bank turning distinctly hawkish. The revised dot plot lifted the median year-end 2026 projection to roughly 3.8% from 3.4% earlier in the year, effectively rules out cuts for now as inflation still remains elevated on the back of firmer crude prices. For the dollar, this hawkish recalibration should lend near-term support, keeping the currency broadly firm and complicating flows for emerging-market currencies, including the rupee which had already seen sharp swings. The narrowing rate differential between Indian and US yields, layered strong momentum in US equity market could cap the scale of fresh FII flows. Foreign investors may prefer to wait for either a domestic growth catalyst or a more decisive outlook before adding meaningfully to Indian exposure. Until that clarity emerges, FII activity is likely to stay two-way and stock-specific rather than broad-based.

US Fed Keeps Rates Unchanged, Reaffirms Focus on Price Stability

Ankita Pathak, Head - Global Investments, Ionic Asset

It is clear from this policy, that the FOMC remains committed to bringing inflation back to its 2% target. While inflation moderated in June 2026 following the ceasefire announcement, upside risks persist, driven by higher oil prices amid renewed escalation of the conflict along with potential pressures from food, tariffs and shelter costs. As a result, the path towards lower inflation appears to be more gradual than earlier anticipated. The new Fed Chair has actively refrained from providing forward guidance and instead expects the markets to provide signals of the evolving macroeconomic situation. The differing views within the Committee highlight the uncertainty around the inflation outlook, reinforcing the Fed's data-dependent approach in the coming months. If Fed decides to tighten policy going forward, it could support the US dollar and weigh on commodities and emerging market assets if dollar strength is sustained.

The FOMC voted with 9:3 majority to keep the federal fund rate unchanged at 3.50-3.75%. Three committee members voted for 25 bps rate hike. The Fed Chair reiterated committee's commitment to deliver 2% inflation target, while keeping rate hike option open if inflationary pressures remain. While there was a slim possibility of a surprise rate hike in this meeting, the committee chose to keep policy rates unchanged and maintain its data-dependent approach before determining the future policy path.

Growth Remains Solid, Jobs Gain Continues, While Inflation Runs Above 2% Target

Overall growth remains resilient supported by productivity growth and strong capital investment. Labour market conditions also remain resilient with no apparent signs of stress- about 111,000 average jobs added in the last three months, while unemployment rate moderated to 4.2% in June 2026.

On the other hand, inflation continues to run above the Fed's target of 2.0%, with recent month's CPI and PCE inflation at 3.5% and 4.1% respectively.

Fed's Commitment To Deliver 2% Inflation Intact

In the monetary policy statement as well as press conference, the Fed Chair reiterated the committee's focus to reach the 2% inflation target. While the Fed kept policy rates unchanged at this meeting, possibility of future rate hikes remains if inflationary pressures persist. The FOMC also awaits the observations from the inflation task force that was announced in the last policy meeting.

Muted Market Reaction

Markets remained choppy despite Fed's pause decision as investors awaited results from major hyperscalers. S&P 500 closed 1.5% lower, while 10Y UST stayed around 4.68% and DXY closed at 100.9 (down ~0.5%).

Disclaimer - This view is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as an investment advice.

SafeGold, India's leading digital gold platform, has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with BlueStone, one of India's most innovative and trusted jewellery brands, that allows individuals to digitise their idle physical gold and put it to work - making monetization simple and enabling customers to earn returns on gold that would otherwise sit idle.

With this launch, SafeGold extends its existing digital gold product to cover physical gold that customers already own. Users can now bring their old or idle gold jewellery or coins, have it digitised through SafeGold's platform, lease it out and earn a yield of approximately 4% per annum, paid in gold grams, with BlueStone serving as the partner that facilitates the collection and conversion. This has 3 benefits:

Capri Global Capital Limited known by the brand name 'Capri Loans', one of the leading, retail-focused Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC's), today announced that it is working with OpenAI to adopt enterprise grade generative AI across key business functions. The initiative supports Capri Loans' technology-led growth strategy.

Over the coming months, Capri Global Capital will explore the deployment of secure AI-powered deployments and workflow tools to enhance customer service, knowledge management and operational processes across its network of more than 1,400 branches, serving over 7.6 lakh customers across India.

Lemonn (Nu Investors Technologies Pvt. Ltd), a stock broking platform under the PeepalCo Group, reported strong year-on-year (YoY) growth across key business metrics in May 2026, reflecting increasing retail participation in India's equity markets. Revenue from operations grew over 800% year-on-year to Rs 8.97 crore in May 2026 from Rs 99 lakh in the same month last year. During the period, retail order volumes increased 9.08X, rising from 3.05 lakh to 27.71 lakh orders, while the number of active retail traders grew 5.14X, from 4,722 to 24,309.

Devam Sardana, Business Head, Lemonn, said, "Our focus over the past year has been on building products that solve real investor needs, listening closely to customer feedback and continuously refining the investing experience. The strong growth we've seen is a reflection of that customer-first approach. Maintaining this structural discipline puts us on a very clear path to breaking even in the near term. Over the next two to three years, our priority is to continue deepening our product stack and refining platform stability to support this accelerating user acquisition."

Gaurav Udani, Founder - Thincredblu

"Nifty is expected to open higher around 23,900, up nearly 120 points, indicating a positive start supported by improved global cues and easing market sentiment.

The recovery could help the index move back towards key resistance levels, but traders should watch whether the gains are sustained after the opening.

Technically, 23,700-23,750 will act as the immediate support zone, while 24,000-24,100 remains the key resistance range. A decisive move above resistance could trigger fresh buying and improve the short-term outlook.

Despite the positive opening, markets remain sensitive to global developments, and volatility cannot be ruled out.

Traders should avoid chasing the gap-up opening and instead wait for confirmation above key resistance levels. A buy on dips approach remains preferable as long as Nifty holds above its immediate support zone."

Hybrid ETFs are designed to solve one of the biggest dilemmas investors face-choosing between growth and stability. Read full report here

Piyush Walke, Derivatives Research Analyst, Delta Exchange

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.5%-3.75% on Wednesday, meeting near-universal market expectations and leaving crypto markets to digest a muted response even as equities sold off on a combination of hawkish dissent and a geopolitical shock.

The price of Bitcoin dipped around 1% to $63,890 following the Fed's announcement while Ethereum similarly fell by about 1% , now trading for just above $1,900.

These came as part of a risk-asset rout by a selloff in Asian chip-stocks. This trend continued on Wednesday as markets showed increasing concern over the debt obligations by semiconductor and AI giants. Oil prices snapped higher as a result, with WTI and Brent crude up 7.6% and 5.4%, respectively. Oil-price hikes could significantly impact trends in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), with inflation concerns having a knock-on effect on interest-rate expectations.

For Bitcoin $62,700-$63,000 range marks the first major demand zone. A decisive move below this area could open the door to a decline toward $62,000, with the broader $61,300-$61,900 support region coming into focus thereafter while the immediate resistance zone lies around $65,400-$65,700. Ethereum is also approaching a critical support level around $1,860 after facing rejection in the $1,960-$1,980 range. As of now Ethereum is broadly trading sideways within the range of $1,930-$1,880

Vaishali Patel, Senior Manager - Research- Technical Department at Jainam

The Nifty 50 opened with an upward gap, gaining 264.85 points (1.10%) and close at 24,250.20 supported by broad-based buying across IT, Metal and FMCG stocks. U.S. markets ended sharply lower after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged and signalled a cautious outlook, with investors disappointed by the absence of any clear indication of near-term rate cuts. 

Asian markets traded mostly lower following the Fed's cautious policy stance and continued weakness in global technology stocks. Crude oil prices traded higher, supported by expectations of stronger economic activity and resilient energy demand.

Technically, the current bullish candle suggests the index is attempting to resume its intermediate uptrend after several sessions of consolidation. Nifty is approaching the crucial 24,450-24,500 resistance zone. A decisive breakout above this level could extend the rally towards 24,700 and 24,900-25,000. On the downside, immediate support is placed at 24,050-24,100, while the stronger base lies at 23,850-23,650 coinciding with the rising trendline and the 50-day moving average. As long as the index holds above these levels, the broader trend remains positive, with a buy-on-dips approach favoured.

Akshat Siddhant, Lead quant analyst, Mudrex

Bitcoin rebounded sharply to $64,700 after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%. The decision also lifted broader risk sentiment, pushing gold close to $4,100 from around $4,000. However, institutional flows remain mixed. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded a fourth consecutive day of net outflows, taking total withdrawals to $526 million, while Ethereum ETFs extended their inflow streak to a third straight week. With major market triggers out of the way, Bitcoin now needs to reclaim $65,000 to strengthen the recovery, with $63,000 remaining the key support ahead of Friday's monthly close.

Rajesh Palviya, Head of Research, Axis Direct 

The US Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged was widely expected, but the policy statement reinforced its data-dependent approach and signalled that inflation risks remain a key concern. The presence of multiple dissents in favour of a rate hike underscores that the Fed is not yet ready to declare victory over inflation, implying that higher interest rates could persist for longer. This has already pushed US bond yields higher and strengthened the dollar, creating near-term headwinds for global equities, particularly emerging markets.

For Indian markets, the immediate impact is likely to be sentiment-driven rather than structural. Elevated US yields could keep foreign portfolio flows volatile, while sectors with premium valuations may witness intermittent profit-taking. However, India's strong domestic macro fundamentals, resilient earnings outlook and healthy liquidity should help cushion the impact. Investors should closely monitor US bond yields, dollar movement and crude oil prices, which together will determine the near-term direction of Indian equities.

Rajesh Palviya, Head of Research, Axis Direct 

The Nifty 50 extended its rebound on Wednesday, advancing 264.85 points, or 1.10%, to close at 24,250.20, while the Sensex gained 888.68 points to settle at 77,654.60. The rally was broad-based, led by information technology as the Nifty IT index climbed 2.32%, with Infosys surging over 4% following upbeat earnings optimism. Buying interest also emerged in metals, pharmaceuticals and private banks, reflecting improving market breadth and investor sentiment.

Global cues, however, remain mixed. The US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, but an unusually hawkish outcome with three policymakers dissenting in favour of a rate hike pushed long-dated Treasury yields close to two-decade highs.

The Dow Jones declined 2.19%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq lost 1.52% and 1.74%, respectively, amid renewed selling in technology stocks.

Despite the weak Wall Street close, Asian markets have opened on a stronger footing, with the Nikkei rebounding sharply by over 1,300 points. Elevated crude oil prices remain the key macro risk after Brent settled above $88 per barrel on escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, keeping inflation concerns alive for import-dependent economies such as India. Meanwhile, GIFT Nifty near 24,330 indicates a flat-to-positive start for domestic equities.

Technically, the near-term bias remains neutral to mildly positive. Sustaining above the 24,400 level could pave the way towards 24,600, while immediate support is placed at 24,100, followed by 23,950. The trajectory of crude oil prices and global risk sentiment will remain the key factors influencing market direction in the near term.

Nischal Shetty, founder, WazirX

"Bitcoin continues to trade in a tight range as markets weigh macro uncertainty against improving regulatory clarity. The latest developments around the U.S. CLARITY legislation have reinforced optimism for long-term institutional adoption, even as investors await the outcome of key policy decisions from the Federal Reserve. 

Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions and volatility in oil prices are keeping risk assets on edge, while a softer U.S. dollar is offering some support to crypto. 

Over the last 24 hours, Bitcoin gained 0.50% to reach $64,186, while Ethereum edged up 0.16% to reach $1,911, reflecting cautious as markets await the next major macro trigger."

BTC briefly moved above $64K after the Fed kept interest rates unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, but the price dropped as Fed Chair maintained a firm stance on inflation. BTC is now struggling below $64K while futures open interest has climbed to a two-month high, showing that leveraged trading is increasing. Positive funding rates suggest many traders still expect prices to rise. BTC needs to recover above $64K to improve momentum. A fall below $63.3K could trigger selling, while holding support may allow another recovery attempt.

Vikram Subburaj, CEO, Giottus.com

Bitcoin traded near $64,150 on Thursday, up about 0.2% over 24 hours, after the US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged. The market response remained restrained. Three of the 12 voting policymakers preferred a quarter-point rate increase. The Fed also provided limited guidance on the timing of its next policy move.

Immediate support lies around $63,200-$63,000, followed by $62,000. Resistance is visible near $64,600-$65,100, with the recent local high around $66,700 presenting a stronger hurdle. A sustained move above this area would improve the recovery, while a break below $63,000 could return Bitcoin towards the lower end of its recent range.

On-chain conditions suggest cautious consolidation rather than a confirmed breakout. Glassnode reported that exchange liquidity has contracted and aggressive selling has eased moderately. However, perpetual-futures buying has weakened, long-position funding costs have cooled sharply and options open interest continues to expand. This indicates reduced speculative conviction alongside expectations of greater future volatility.

Institutional demand has also weakened. US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded withdrawals of $225.1 million on July 23, $240.1 million on July 24, $11.6 million on July 27 and $49.7 million on July 28. These four completed sessions produced combined outflows of $526.5 million. July 29 showed a preliminary $57.7 million outflow, with BlackRock's figure still unavailable.

Large-cap altcoins were mixed. Ethereum gained 0.5% to about $1,916, while BNB rose 1.2% to $576. XRP slipped 0.3% to $1.08, Solana declined 4.6% to $73.15, and TRON added 0.3% to $0.326. Bitcoin dominance remained elevated near 58.7%, indicating limited broad-market rotation.

Markets now imply roughly a 57% probability of a September rate increase. Today's release of second-quarter US GDP and June PCE inflation data will be closely watched. Attention will then turn to Friday's Employment Cost Index, which could determine whether those expectations strengthen further.

Our advice: Investors should avoid chasing short-term moves. Staggered accumulation, limited leverage and disciplined position sizing remain preferable until Bitcoin clears $66,700 with renewed spot and ETF demand.

At the close on Wednesday, the total market cap of all BSE Sensex companies stood at Rs 4,83,35,323.