On a Wednesday in September 2026, Indian equity markets pulled back under the twin weight of rising crude oil prices and a sudden leadership departure at IT services firm Coforge. The retreat follows a pattern as old as emerging markets themselves — when energy costs climb, investors recalibrate everything from inflation expectations to central bank resolve, and confidence becomes the scarcest commodity of all. For Coforge, the chairman's exit without a named successor reminded markets that in a services business, human continuity is as foundational as any balance sheet figure.