Gold has emerged as the best-performing asset class in FY25, delivering a remarkable return of 41 per cent in USD terms and 33 per cent in INR (rupee) terms, according to a National Stock Exchange (NSE) released on Monday.

In a year marked by global uncertainties and shifting investment trends, gold’s safe-haven appeal surged, making it the top choice for investors worldwide, including in India.

The NSE ‘Market Pulse report for April’ highlights that global gold demand rose to a 15-year high of 4,974 tonnes, driven by a 25 per cent increase in investment demand.

Central banks across the world continued their buying spree, purchasing over 1,000 tonnes of gold for the third consecutive year -- more than double the annual average seen between 2010 and 2021.

Capital expenditure (capex) at small private airports in India — nearly half of the overall upcoming private airport capex – will be up 50-60 per cent on average in fiscals 2026-2028 compared with previous three fiscal years, a report showed on Monday.

This will be driven by capacity expansion due to substantial increase in terminal utilisation levels, according to the report by Crisil Ratings.

On the other hand, capex at large private airports – remaining half of the overall upcoming private airport capex – will see a decline during the same period as much of the capacity expansion has been completed or is nearing completion.

“Small private airports are expected to embark on a significant expansion of upto 1.5 times of their current base by fiscal 2028. This is in response to escalating travel demand and moderate capacity on the ground. Strong demand leading to recovery of air traffic movement has yielded a remarkable compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45 per cent in passenger traffic at small private airports between fiscals 2022 and 2025,” said Ankit Haku, Director, Crisil Ratings.

The ceasefire between India and Pakistan has paved the way for a sharp rally in the market and with this, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) are likely to resume their equity purchases in India, analysts said on Monday.

Sensex and Nifty surged more than 2.7 per cent in the morning trade.

According to market watchers, the prime mover of the rally will now be the FII buying, which has been sustained for 16 continuous days except last Friday when the conflict escalated.

“Domestic macros like expectations of high GDP growth and revival of earnings growth in FY26 and declining inflation and interest rates augur well for the resumption of a rally in the market,” said Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said on Monday that operations at the airport are “currently smooth”, however, due to changing airspace conditions and increased security measures, some flight schedules and security checkpoint processing times may be affected.

The airport management has advised passengers to follow updates and instructions from their airlines, allow extra time for security checks due to heightened measures, and adhere to hand baggage and check-in luggage regulations.

Passengers have been advised to check the latest flight status through their airline or the official Delhi Airport website.

“We strongly encourage passengers to rely only on official channels for accurate updates. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work closely with all stakeholders to ensure your journey remains safe and efficient,” Delhi airport said.

Sensex and Nifty surged more than 2.7 per cent on Monday in the morning trade after India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire following four days of conflict.

At around 10.11 am, Sensex was trading 2,185 points or 2.75 per cent up at 81,640.01 while the Nifty climbed 672.80 point or 2.80 per cent at 24,680.80.

According to analysts, India's markets and economy have demonstrated remarkable resilience, consistently transcending external perturbations and geo-political uncertainties.

This strength comes from a steady, domestically-oriented economy, which helps protect against global troubles, showing that every crisis eventually ends.

“A thawing of the relationship between India and Pakistan is likely to trigger a massive rebound for benchmark Nifty in early Monday trades, That said, any fresh violations of the ceasefire deal from Pakistan could keep bullish sentiments fragile,” said Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research), Mehta Equities.

The domestic indices surged on Monday with Sensex jumping over 1,900 points in the morning trade, as India-Pakistan tensions eased with ‘Operation Sindoor’ marking a significant demonstration of India’s military and strategic prowess.

Buying was seen in the PSU bank, IT and auto sectors in the early trade.

At around 9.34 am, Sensex was trading 1,943 points or 2.45 per cent up at 81,398.42 while the Nifty climbed 598.8 point or 2.49 per cent at 24,606.85.

Nifty Bank was up 1,395.95 points or 2.60 per cent at 54,991.20. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 54,679.55 after rising 1,456.20 points or 2.74 per cent. Nifty Smallcap 100 index was at 16,584.60 after climbing 498.95 points or 3.10 per cent.

According to analysts, India's markets and economy have demonstrated remarkable resilience, consistently transcending external perturbations and geo-political tensions. This strength comes from a steady, domestically-oriented economy, which helps protect against global troubles, showing that every crisis eventually ends.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced a "full and immediate ceasefire" between India and Pakistan.

He shared no details of the negotiations or the ceasefire.

Secretary of State Rubio said in a State Department statement that he and Vice-President J D Vance conducted these talks.

“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire," President Trump wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.

In a major strategic move, India will now treat any future act of terrorism on its soil as an Act of War -- a clear warning to adversaries, particularly Pakistan, in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and the unfolding Operation Sindoor.

This landmark decision, taken at the highest levels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, signals a new threshold in India’s national security doctrine, top government sources told.

The reclassification of terror from a "proxy threat" to an "act of war" reflects both the changing nature of conflict and the government’s resolve to adopt a zero-tolerance policy. It comes at a time when Pakistan’s involvement in cross-border terrorism is once again under international scrutiny.

In a security move prompted by escalating tensions with Pakistan, Indian Railways has decided to halt night-time train operations in the border areas of Jammu and Punjab.

The decision affects regions close to the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC), including Amritsar, Bathinda, Firozpur, and Jammu.

According to official sources, trains that were earlier scheduled to pass through these areas at night will now be rescheduled to operate during daylight hours.

Additionally, certain short-distance trains operating in these sensitive zones will be cancelled until further notice.

This precautionary measure comes in the wake of increased military activity along the border.

Besides blunting Pakistan’s drone attacks overnight, India has carried out precision attacks on six Pakistan Air Force bases in Rafiqui, Sukkur, Murid, Chunia, Chaklala, and Rahim Yar Khan, said an official on Saturday.

Pakistan's military installations, like a radar site at Pasrur and the Sialkot aviation base, were also targeted, the official said.

Defence experts said Chaklala air base in Rawalpindi is considered one of Pakistan’s most sensitive as it is located just 10 km from Islamabad. The base handles both VIP and PAF operations.

The strike on Chaklala, in a way, is a warning served by India that even the most fortified of PAF assets are within its range. The strike is also a warning against launching transport missions and aerial refuelling from the base that was used extensively in the 1965 and 1971 wars.