Quick service restaurant (QSR), restaurant and food delivery stocks will be in focus on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, as the prices of commercial LPG cylinders have been hiked. The hike comes amid a surge in global oil prices driven by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The price hike is effective immediately, and therefore, the 19 kg commercial LPG cylinders will become more expensive starting today. Commercial LPG cylinders are used by restaurants, hotels, catering services, and small industries, so cost pressures can affect companies in the hospitality sector. Among the stocks that may face pressure after the rise in LPG price hike are Westlife Foodworld, Jubilant FoodWorks, Sapphire Foods, Restaurant Brands Asia and others.
Stock Market Opening
Meanwhile, Indian benchmark indices are expected to open sharply higher with a gap-up, supported by strong global cues amid rising expectations of de-escalation in the Middle East and a corresponding moderation in brent crude oil prices, which have eased below the USD 105 mark.
US markets closed on a robust note, with the S&P 500 gaining nearly 3 per cent and the Nasdaq rising over 3.5 per cent, while Asian markets have also opened strong, with the Kospi up over 5 per cent and the Nikkei gaining more than 3 per cent, indicating a firm positive start for domestic equities.
LPG, Jet Fuel Price Hiked
Prices of commercial LPG were hiked by Rs 195.50. A 19-kg commercial LPG now costs Rs 2,078.50 in Delhi, according to state-owned oil companies. Rates were last increased by Rs 114.5 per 19-kg cylinder on March 1. Domestic cooking gas LPG rates, which were last hiked by Rs 60 per 14.2-kg cylinder on March 7, remain unchanged. It costs Rs 913 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi.
Similarly, the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, was more than doubled to a record Rs 2.07 lakh per kilolitre. ATF price in Delhi was hiked by Rs 110,703.08 per kilolitre, or 114.5 per cent, to Rs 207,341.22 per kilolitre, according to state-owned fuel retailers.
