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New Week, New Shock:Crude at $111, Rupee at Record Low— Markets Brace for a Cautious Monday

Morning Market Brief
Monday, May 18, 2026 · Pre-Market Edition · Issue #50
New Week, New Shock:
Crude at $111, Rupee at Record Low
— Markets Brace for a Cautious Monday
Last week’s tentative two-day recovery was erased on Friday. The new week opens with Brent crude surging to $111.83, the rupee crashing through ₹96, petrol prices hiked to ₹106.68, and the Nifty failing to hold above 23,800. The question is no longer “can markets recover?” — it’s “how far can they hold?