What to Watch on March 5, 2026
US–Israel–Iran Conflict Escalates
Tensions in the Middle East have intensified sharply, with the United States and Israel stepping up coordinated military operations targeting Iranian power assets. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an Iranian naval vessel was sunk in international waters, signaling a major escalation in the conflict.
Dollar Pauses Rally
The US dollar paused its recent strong rally. The dollar index eased to 98.78 against a basket of major currencies, retreating from a more than three-month high reached earlier in the week.
China Sets 2026 Growth Target
China has set its 2026 economic growth target in the range of 4.5% to 5%, slightly below last year’s 5% expansion and marking its most modest growth goal since 1991. The country plans to maintain its budget deficit at around 4% of GDP this year, the same record level seen in 2025.
Stocks to Watch on Thursday: Gujarat Gas, BSE, Great Eastern Shipping, L&T and Others
The stock-specific actions are likely to continue, and here is the list of stocks to watch out for on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
Company
| Trigger
| Brief Details
|
Gujarat Gas
| LNG shortage
| Issued force majeure; gas supply cut from March 6 due to Middle East disruption.
|
BSE
| SEBI nod
| Cleared to launch Sensex Next 30 monthly F&O contracts.
|
Great Eastern Shipping
| Vessel buy
| Acquiring a 2014-built Kamsarmax bulk carrier; delivery by Q1 FY27.
|
Ramky Infrastructure
| EPC order
| Won ₹1,401.84 crore Dighi Port Industrial Area project.
|
Neogen Chemicals
| Fundraise
| Board to consider equity fundraise on March 7.
|
L&T
| Middle East impact
| Monitoring situation; stock fell 4.5% on BSE.
|
Aqylon Nexus
| Stock split
| 10:1 split; trades ex-split.
|
Nexome Capital
| Rights issue
| Shares to trade ex-rights.
|
Stock in F&O Ban on March 5th
For today, Sammaan Capital and SAIL will remain on the F&O ban list.
Institutional Flows – FIIs and DIIs
On March 4, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers, having sold equities worth ₹8,752.65 crore. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), on the other hand, bought shares totalling ₹12,068.17 crore during the same session.
FIIs have emerged as net sellers for the last 4 consecutive trading sessions.
Wednesday’s Indian Stock Market Action
On Wednesday, the Indian stock market extended its slump as escalating US-Israel clashes with Iran lifted oil prices to a 19-month high, and stoked fears of a prolonged conflict.
The Sensex crashed 1,122.66 points, or 1.40%, to close at 79,116.19, while the Nifty 50 settled 385.20 points, or 1.55%, lower at 24,480.50.
Wall Street Closed Higher on Wednesday
US equities closed higher on Wednesday, with technology stocks leading the gains.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 238.14 points, or 0.49%, to finish at 48,739.41. The S&P 500 advanced 52.87 points, or 0.78%, to close at 6,869.50, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 290.79 points, or 1.29%, ending the session at 22,807.48.
Among major movers, Nvidia gained 1.66%, AMD jumped 5.82%, Microsoft added 0.31%, Amazon rallied 3.88%, and Tesla surged 3.44%. Apple, however, slipped 0.47%. In the energy sector, Exxon Mobil fell 1.3% and ConocoPhillips declined 2.42%. Meanwhile, Moderna shares soared 16% during the session.
US Private Payrolls Rise and Service Sector Activity
Private sector hiring in the US recorded its strongest growth in seven months in February, according to ADP’s national employment report. Employers added 63,000 jobs during the month — the biggest increase since July 2025 — following a downwardly revised gain of 11,000 jobs in January.
US service-sector activity accelerated more than expected in February, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Institute for Supply Management.
Commodities – Gold and Crude Oil
Gold prices rose as the dollar declined and the war in the Middle East entered a sixth day with no sign of resolution. Spot gold price gained 0.6% to $5,172 an ounce, while silver price rose 0.88% to $84.27 an ounce.
Crude oil prices rose amid persistent worries about supplies because of the Middle East conflict. Brent crude oil price jumped 0.63% to $82 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rallied 0.88% to $75.83 a barrel.
Also Read: Gold Price Today in India