In 2025, China and India were the biggest buyers of Qatar's LNG exports, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. This was followed by Taiwan, Pakistan, South Korea, Kuwait, Italy, Bangladesh and Japan. Most of Qatar's LNG exports went to Asia in 2025, Bloomberg stated. Qatar's largest LNG production facility was bombed by Iran amid war.

Government on Thursday approved "RELIEF" (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) under Export Promotion Mission with financial outlay of ₹497 crore. The move comes amid West Asia war and its impact on maritime logistics. The scheme will provide support for shipments that have already left during disruption period as well as prospective exports planned for the affected region.

ICICI Bank on March 18 received a Goods and Services Tax (GST) demand of ₹768.6 crore, including penalty and interest. The notice relates to an alleged short payment of GST on services provided to customers maintaining specified minimum balances in their accounts. "[We] will…[be] contesting the order through a writ petition," ICICI Bank said.

According to World Trade Organization (WTO), if the oil price shock stemming from the West Asia war persists, global merchandise trade volume growth could slow to 1.4%. Before the war began, merchandise trade growth was expected to slow to 1.9%, down from 4.6% in 2025. Sustained high oil prices could shave 0.5 percentage points off the projected growth, WTO said.

Humacyte shares tanked over 20% to a record low after the company priced a $20 million stock offering at a 25% discount. Despite securing a $1.5 million order from Saudi Arabia for its Symvess blood vessel and discussing a potential JV, the dilutive capital raise weighed heavily on investor sentiment.

Novo Nordisk received FDA approval for a higher 7.2 mg dose of its weight-loss drug Wegovy. The approval, granted under accelerated pathways, was based on positive results from the STEP UP trial. Despite this milestone, Novo Nordisk shares fell nearly 2% in morning trading, with retail sentiment on Stocktwits turning bearish.

Quant Network's QNT token surged over 11% after a Robinhood listing, defying broader market drops as Bitcoin fell below $70,000. Conversely, Immutable's IMX dropped 3% despite the same listing. QNT hit a two-month high, driving retail sentiment to 'extremely bullish', while rising oil prices continued to pressure both crypto and equity markets.

American Rebel shares plummeted over 40% after announcing a 1-for-100 reverse stock split to maintain Nasdaq compliance. The move targets the $1 minimum bid price requirement and aims to improve trading eligibility. This split reduces outstanding shares from approximately 24.8 million to roughly 247,988, trading ex-split on March 23, 2026.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, head of the World Trade Organization, warned the Middle East conflict could harm global food security. She said shipping problems and high energy costs are raising fertiliser prices and reducing supply. This may force farmers to use fewer inputs and grow less food. She urged countries to keep trade routes open and stable.

Global markets fell sharply on Thursday as oil prices surged after Iran attacked energy sites across the Gulf. Brent crude crossed $115 per barrel, raising fears of inflation and slower growth. Stocks dropped across Europe, Asia and United States. Experts warn the US-Israel-Iran conflict could turn into an energy crisis affecting fuel prices, food supply and the global economy.