The IMF on Tuesday explained how Middle East war will impact the global economy, stating that low-income and developing economies, especially those with limited oil buffers, are likely to be hit hardest. Gulf energy exporters will face economic fallout from damaged infrastructure, production disruptions, export constraints, and weaker tourism activity. North Africa will be among the hardest hit.

Canadian PM Mark Carney on Tuesday announced a suspension of the federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel from April 20 to September 7. The measure is expected to reduce the cost of regular gasoline by 10 cents per litre and diesel by four cents per litre, he stated. Fuel costs have risen globally amid Middle East tensions.

Amazon has announced a deal to acquire satellite company Globalstar, known for powering Apple's 'Emergency SOS' feature on iPhones, for $11.57 billion. The deal will enable Amazon Leo, a rival of Elon Musk's satellite internet service Starlink, to add direct-to-device services to its low Earth orbit satellite network. Amazon Leo is expected to launch its services in mid-2026.

Iran has diversified its economy over the years despite sanctions by strengthening its non-oil exports. Iran's exports include cement and sheep to Kuwait, saffron to Spain, and packaging material to Bulgaria, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. To deal with sanctions on its imports, Iran has developed extensive production capacities for automobiles, steel, iron, electronics, pharma and food products.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its forecast for India's economic growth in FY27 to 6.5%, up from 6.4% estimated in January. Strong carryover momentum from FY26 and the decline in additional US tariffs on Indian goods outweigh the adverse impact of the Middle East conflict, it said. It further estimated growth to hold steady at 6.5% in FY28.

Crude oil prices averaging $130/barrel could slow India’s FY27 GDP growth by about 0.8 percentage points, according to S&P Global Ratings. It added India's GDP growth could fall from its base-case estimate of 7.1% for FY27 if rising oil prices and supply disruptions persist amid West Asia war. Its base case assumes Strait of Hormuz disruption to ease during April.

US stock futures held steady Tuesday as potential US-Iran talks offered relief from Hormuz blockade fears. Investors focused on big bank earnings led by JPMorgan and awaited wholesale inflation data. Nvidia denied acquisition rumors, Novo Nordisk integrated OpenAI, and Globalstar surged on Amazon partnership rumors.

The upcoming Vande Bharat sleeper train is expected to reduce Pune-Bengaluru travel time to around 13 hours, significantly faster than current trains. Part of Indian Railways' modernisation push, the service will offer high-speed, comfortable overnight travel. Once launched, it could transform intercity connectivity and provide a strong alternative to long-duration rail and road journeys.

Pune Airport will add 15 new flight slots from May 1, increasing capacity to 235 and introducing routes to Tirupati, Mangaluru, and Bagdogra. The expansion aims to boost connectivity, tourism, and trade under the UDAN scheme. While it improves efficiency, infrastructure constraints remain, highlighting the need for further upgrades to support Pune's growing air traffic demand.

SpiceJet has sought more time from the Delhi High Court to deposit ₹144 crore in its dispute with Kalanithi Maran, warning that immediate payment could lead to financial collapse. The case, rooted in a 2015 share transfer deal, continues to escalate, with courts closely examining the airline's plea amid ongoing financial and operational challenges.