Rising inflation in the country has already broken the backbone of the common man but prices of ghee and cooking oil have again increased by Rs20 to Rs50 in Karachi.

According to details, the A and B brands of ghee and oil companies’ prices increased from Rs20 to Rs50 over the last ten days.

The price of A brand cooking oil is being sold at Rs610 per kilogram after an increase of Rs20.

The cooking oil of the B brand is being sold in the market at the rate of Rs500 instead of Rs450 per liter. B brand of cooking oil is available at Rs 470 per liter instead of Rs 450.

A shopkeeper said that an increase in prices has been witnessed over the last ten days.

The shopkeeper further revealed that prices were increased due to the rise in shipping companies’ fares and demand in difference between demand and supply.

The outgoing year proved to be an inflationary tsunami, devastating household budgets as prices of food and essential commodities surged to record levels.

Pulses, vegetables, fruits, meat, chicken, milk, yoghurt, flour, bread, and even a cup of tea became crushingly expensive, eroding the purchasing power of salaried classes.

Stock market recommendations: Sona BLW Precision Forgings, and Eicher Motors have been recommended as the top stocks to buy this week by Sudeep Shah, Head – Technical Research and Derivatives, SBI Securities. He also shares outlook on Nifty and Bank Nifty:Nifty ViewThe benchmark index Nifty staged a strong pullback rally over the last week, closing decisively above the 24000 mark with a robust gain of 5.89%. This marked its strongest weekly performance since February 2021 and signaled a meaningful shift in near-term market sentiment. Investor confidence improved notably after the announcement of a two week ceasefire between the US and Iran, which helped ease global geopolitical concerns. From its recent swing low of 22182, the index rebounded sharply by more than 1800 points, translating into an impressive recovery of 8.19% in just six trading sessions. However, the more important aspect of this move lies in the underlying drivers of strength rather than just the headline numbers.Encouragingly, the rally has been supported by a clear improvement in market participation. Market breadth strengthened significantly, pointing to widespread buying interest across sectors and market capitalizations. The broader market indices remained at the forefront of this rally, with both the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 posting gains of over 7% for the week. Each formed a strong bullish candle on the charts, suggesting that leadership is emerging beneath the surface and that the broader market may be contributing meaningfully to the ongoing recovery.From a technical perspective, the Nifty has moved above its 20day exponential moving average, which has now begun to turn upward—an early sign of improving short-term momentum. Additionally, the previously declining slope of the 50, 100, and 200day EMAs has started to flatten, hinting at a possible shift in overall trend structure. Momentum indicators are also offering supportive signals. The daily RSI has rebounded to around the 54 mark and is trading above its 9day average, reflecting strengthening buying momentum. At the same time, the MACD histogram shows a gradual pickup in upside momentum, though the key question remains whether this momentum can sustain itself over the coming sessions.Looking ahead, these technical developments indicate that the pullback rally may extend further in the near term. The Nifty is likely to test the 24300 level initially, followed by 24500 if positive momentum continues. On the downside, the zone of 23650–23600 is expected to act as a critical support area, and a sustained hold above this region will be essential to maintain the current bullish undertone.Bank Nifty ViewThe banking benchmark index, Bank Nifty, has emerged as a clear outperformer over the past week, underlining strong leadership from the banking space. The index posted a sharp gain of 8.47% during the week, marking its strongest weekly performance seen in the last couple of years and reflecting a decisive turnaround in sentiment.On the weekly chart, this robust up move has translated into the formation of a large bullish candlestick, signalling strong buying interest and a convincing rebound from lower levels. Technically, the index is now trading comfortably above its 20day exponential moving average, pointing to a positive shift in the short-term trend.Momentum indicators continue to validate this recovery. The daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently placed at 53.91 and remains in a rising trajectory, indicating strengthening upside momentum along with improving breadth within the banking sector.Looking ahead, Bank Nifty appears well placed to extend its ongoing pullback rally. In the near term, the index is likely to test the 56700 level, followed by 57500 if positive momentum sustains. On the downside, the zone of 54700–54600 is expected to act as a crucial support area, and a sustained hold above this range will be key to maintaining the prevailing bullish bias.

Stock recommendations:

Sona BLW Precision ForgingsSONACOMS has broken out of a downward-sloping trendline on the daily chart, signaling a potential trend reversal. The breakout is backed by strong follow-through buying, reinforcing bullish sentiment. The stock has also closed above the upper Bollinger Band, indicating an expansion in volatility along with strength. Momentum indicators further support the up move, with the MACD line crossing above both the signal and zero line. Overall, the alignment of price action and indicators suggests continued upside potential in the near term. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 556-551 with a stoploss of 530. On the upside, it is likely to test the level of 610 in the short term.Eicher Motors Eicher Motors, after slipping below its 200-day EMA to a low of 6442, has staged a sharp pullback of nearly 15% over the past four sessions. The stock has reclaimed key short and long-term moving averages, indicating improving strength. Momentum indicators also support the recovery, with RSI rebounding from the 40 zone, signaling renewed bullish momentum. Additionally, a close above the Bollinger Band midline points to expanding volatility, suggesting the pullback is likely to extend in the near term. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 7440-7380 with a stoploss of 7100. On the upside, it is likely to test the level of 8000 in the short term.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Rupee began the week in red, tumbling 48 paise to 93.31 against US dollar in early trade on Monday. This comes as geopolitical tensions around the Middle East continue to intensify and oil prices once again skyrocket beyond the $100 per barrel mark.Investor mood turned cautious after the ceasefire that had supported markets last week began to fade. At the same time, weekend talks in Pakistan failed yeild an agreement to end the war, further fueling uncertainty. In the aftermath, US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US Navy would begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz.Following the announcement, Brent crude for June delivery climbed 7% to $102 a barrel. At the same time, US equity futures and Asian shares fell, while US Treasury yields and the dollar moved higher, reversing last week’s trend.Meanwhile at home foreign investors continued to pull money out of Indian equities amid the uncertainty. In the first 10 days of April, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) withdrew Rs 48,213 crore ($5.14 billion), according to NSDL data. This comes after a record outflow of Rs 1.17 lakh crore (about $12.7 billion) in March. In contrast, February had seen an inflow of Rs 22,615 crore, the highest in 17 months.So far in 2026, total FPI outflows have reached Rs 1.8 lakh crore. The continued selling reflects lower risk appetite among global investors.VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, said that the energy crisis linked to the Middle East conflict, along with its possible impact on the Indian economy and weakening rupee, has kept foreign investors in a selling mode. He added that markets like South Korea and Taiwan are currently more attractive due to better earnings growth expectations compared to India’s outlook for FY27.Commenting on the failed peace talks between Washington and Tehran, banking and Market Expert Ajay Bagga said, “Last Wednesday, there was hope in the markets that something was coming by when the ceasefire and the talks were announced. But that momentum has faded. We are again getting negative on the Indian markets…We are suggesting to investors not to try to trade this market…Do your disciplined monthly investment through the SIP route...”Efforts to stabilise the situation faltered over the weekend, with the United States and Iran failing to reach an agreement.The conflict, which began on February 28, has continued to ripple through global markets. Following joint strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, Tehran has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route that carries nearly 20% of the world’s fuel. As tensions in the Middle East continue to intensify, investors remain cautious, with developments around the Strait of Hormuz and the broader conflict continuing to shape movements across commodities, currencies and equity markets.