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IREDA's board will meet on March 25 to consider an interim dividend for FY 2025-26. The trading window for securities will remain closed until 48 hours post-meeting. The board also approved raising its borrowing plan for FY 2025-26 to ?35,800 crore. View More
Jump in renewables capacity expected to reduce dependence on coal as source of electricity generation to 49% in 10 years from 70% currently View More
Banks have turned cautious about lending to solar module makers after a December letter from the clean energy ministry urging them to be cautious about financing new solar photovoltaic module capacity. The sector also faces pressure from a preliminary 126% US tariff. View More
The move marks a step towards building a robust, self-reliant solar manufacturing ecosystem that will boost domestic production, strengthen supply chains View More
The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran has upended the supply of aluminum in the Middle East, sending prices of the base metal skyrocketing. View More
In this articleFollow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT View of the interior of a furnace in an aluminium foundry.Monty Rakusen | via Getty Images The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran has upended the supply of aluminum in the Middle East, sending prices of the base metal skyrocketing.While aluminum may be the most abundant metal on earth, it is crucial to the function of the world economy. It is an essential material across electronics, transport, and construction, as well as other industries such as solar panels and packaging. At the outbreak of the Iran conflict on Feb. 28, 3-month LME aluminum futures initially jumped by as much as 10% by March 12 before paring some gains to land around 8% higher, as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a significant disruption to supply. Stock Chart IconStock chart iconHow aluminum has performed against gold, silver and copper since the beginning of the Iran conflict on February 28. It's been the best-performing industrial metal over the past two weeks, and prices are now hovering just below 4-year highs at $3,370 as of Wednesday afternoon in London. Bahrain's Alba, which hosts the world's largest smelter, has also cut production by 19% of its 1.6 million tons of annual output, only adding to fears of a global shortage.Lower stock levels and the potential for further supply disruption in the Middle East could push prices towards $4,000 per ton, according to metals intelligence provider CRU Group. CRU principal analyst Guillaume Osouf wrote in a recent article that the LME price would likely be much higher now if it wasn't for weak global demand for the metal."A prolonged conflict will likely drastically change our market outlook for the rest of the year due to the lasting impact this will have on global supply, and the potential negative effects on demand," he added.The answer as to where the price could be headed next lies with China, according to other analysts. China is the biggest producer of aluminum and tends to keep production constrained at 45.5 million tons per year to reduce emissions and prevent overcapacity issues. "If the Chinese government decides that the prices are too high they can restart a number of idle smelters in the country and the world will be full of aluminum," Artem Volynets, CEO of miner ACG Metals, told CNBC's Europe Early Edition on Wednesday. Despite the recent rise in price on the LME, neither analyst sees aluminum becoming a significant trade for retail investors, as is the case with silver and copper. Volynets added that he would be "surprised" to see retail investors involved in such an industrial element, while Osouf told CNBC that the gross long position is only marginally smaller than what it was at the end of January, so involvement from funds has been limited since the start of the conflict. "Interestingly, the shorts have increased their exposure by 15k lots, suggesting a larger portion of investors believe in lower prices from now," he added. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
Move aims to boost domestic production, enhance supply chain resilience, reduce import dependence, and ensure higher quality standards across the solar value chain View More
The minister said as on February 28, 2026, no funds have been released under the scheme, as it provides for the release of PLI to successful bidders a year after commissioning of the manufacturing projects awarded under the scheme View More
The communist-run island nation is thought to be facing its biggest test since the collapse of the Soviet Union amid a U.S. oil blockade. View More
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel gestures during the BRICS summit second plenary session in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6, 2025.Pablo Porciuncula | Afp | Getty Images Cuba's President Miguel DÃaz-Canel on Wednesday lashed out at the "almost daily" threats from the U.S. and pledged to meet the Trump administration's move to choke off the island's fuel supplies with "unyielding resistance."His comments come after the communist-run island nation of roughly 10 million people partially reconnected its power grid on Tuesday evening, energy officials said, following a nationwide blackout that reportedly lasted for more than 29 hours.Cuba's gird operator, UNE, said on social media that it was gradually restoring electricity to all provinces and cities around the country, without providing further details on the cause of the power grid's collapse. The country, which is located just 90 miles from Florida, is currently facing its biggest test since the fall of the Soviet Union.The U.S. has imposed an oil blockade on the island since January, shortly after its ally and a key provider of oil, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was seized in an audacious military operation. U.S. President Donald Trump has effectively cut Cuba off from Venezuelan oil, called its government "an unusual and extraordinary threat", and pledged to impose tariffs on any country that supplies it with oil.Trump has repeatedly talked up the prospect of a "friendly takeover" of Havana in recent days, saying the White House could turn its sights on Cuba after the Iran war. The U.S. president has also said he could do anything he wanted with the country, adding that he thinks he will have the "honor" of "taking Cuba." Cuba suffered a widespread power cut on March 16, 2026, according to the national electricity company, against the backdrop of a severe crisis on the island caused by the US energy blockade.Yamil Lage | Afp | Getty Images Cuba's DÃaz-Canel sharply criticized U.S. threats against Havana in a social media post."They intend to... announce plans to take over the country, its resources, its properties, and even the very economy they seek to suffocate in order to force us to surrender," DÃaz-Canel said Wednesday on X, according to a Google translation. "This is the only way to explain the fierce economic war being waged as collective punishment against the entire people. Faced with the worst-case scenario, #Cuba is guided by one certainty: any external aggressor will face unyielding resistance," he added.Cuba's president confirmed talks between the country's government and the Trump administration last week, but cautioned that any prospect of an agreement would likely take some time. 'Discontent is gathering pace' In addition to adopting domestic energy rationing measures, Cuba's government has sought to dramatically increase its solar power generation amid the ongoing fuel shortage. But analysts have warned Cuba's pivot to renewable energy sources may ultimately prove to be a case of "too little, too late," given the country's failure over the years to diversify its energy mix. Read moreTrump says he thinks he will have the 'honor' of 'taking Cuba'Cubaâs president confirms talks with U.S. â but warns an agreement will take timeIs Cuba next? What the fallout from the Iran war means for Havana "With Cuba's electricity grid teetering on total collapse, events risk overtaking both the regime and Washington. Although loyal security forces remain capable of suppressing unrest at current levels, discontent is gathering pace," he added."The US game plan for Cuba is unclear and could easily be dictated by fast-moving events rather than strategy," Robert Munks, head of Americas research at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, said in a research note.Russia, which has been allied to Cuba for decades, sought on Tuesday to reaffirm its commitment to helping authorities in Havana amid the country's economic crisis. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh highlighted India's role in shaping a sustainable future. The nation is expanding its clean energy ecosystem to support emerging sectors. The SHANTI Act opens nuclear energy for wider participation. View More
Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said India stands at a decisive stage in the global transition towards a green future and is well placed to play a leading role in shaping it. Speaking at the 10th Sustainable Business Futures Summit 2026, the minister said with a significant share of the world's population, India's progress would play a key role in determining the success of the global green transition. "This presents both a responsibility and an opportunity for India to emerge as a major global driver of sustainable development powered by green technologies and clean energy systems," Singh said. The minister highlighted that India was steadily expanding its clean energy ecosystem to support emerging sectors such as data centres and artificial intelligence, which require a reliable, round-the-clock energy supply. In this context, he referred to the SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing and Accelerating Nuclear Transformation of India) Act, describing it as a landmark reform that opens the nuclear energy sector for wider participation, including private players, and enables new avenues for clean and dependable energy generation. Live Events "India's approach to green transition is based on an integrated strategy combining technological innovation, economic growth, and environmental sustainability ," Singh said. "This includes development of next-generation energy systems, advanced energy storage, flexible and digitally enabled grids capable of integrating multiple energy sources such as solar, wind, nuclear and hydrogen, along with climate modelling, risk analytics, and advanced construction technologies," he said. .Pbanner{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;background-color:#ec1c40;margin-top:20px;padding:5px 10px;border-radius:4px;color:#fff;line-height:10px;} .Pbannertext{display:flex;align-items:center;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannertext img{height:20px;margin:0 6px} .Pbannerbutton a{display:flex;align-items:center;background-color:#fff;color:#ec1c40;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:4px 8px;border-radius:6px;font-size:15px;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannerbutton img{height:20px;margin-right:6px} .Pbannerbutton a:hover{background-color:#f7f7f7} Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
