The Indian stock market is expected to start strong on Friday, likely opening with a big jump, even though global markets are showing weakness. This is due to rising tensions between the US and China over trade policies and their impact on the world economy.
Key Highlights for Today’s Indian Stock Market:
1. Global Market Pressure
- Asian stock markets fell sharply following a big sell-off in the US stock market.
- Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 5.46%, and South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.55%.
- These drops were due to increased worries over the US-China trade war.
2. Gift Nifty Update
- Gift Nifty was trading around 22,940, which is 460 points higher than Nifty’s previous close.
- This suggests a gap-up opening for the Indian stock market.
3. Wall Street Tumbles
- US markets closed sharply lower on Thursday.
- Dow Jones fell 1,014 points (2.50%)
- S&P 500 dropped 3.46%
- Nasdaq plunged 4.31%
- Big tech stocks like Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Tesla saw major losses.
4. Trump’s Tariff Pause
- US President Donald Trump paused tariffs for 90 days for countries that didn’t retaliate but increased tariffs on China.
- He acknowledged that people are getting worried about the trade war but believes new trade deals will happen.
5. RBI’s Interest Rate Cut
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6%.
- The RBI also changed its stance to “accommodative”, which means it may support more growth-focused policies.
- It reduced India’s GDP forecast for FY26 from 6.7% to 6.5%.
6. Previous Market Closing
- On Wednesday (before the Thursday holiday for Mahavir Jayanti), the Sensex fell 380 points and closed at 73,847.
- The Nifty 50 dropped 136 points, closing at 22,399.
7. Market Volatility Expected
- Experts say the Indian stock market may stay volatile until there is more clarity on the US tariffs.
- The upcoming earnings season may bring stock-specific movements.
8. TCS Q4 Results
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) reported a small decline in profit.
- Net profit: ₹12,224 crore (down 1.3% QoQ)
- Revenue: ₹64,479 crore (up 0.8%)
- Final dividend: ₹30 per share
9. US Inflation Drops
- US consumer prices fell in March for the first time since May 2020.
- This drop was due to cheaper fuel and used vehicles.
10. US Jobless Claims
- More Americans applied for unemployment benefits.
- Claims rose slightly to 223,000 last week.
11. US Fed Viewpoint
- The US Fed is unsure about future interest rate changes due to uncertainty in trade policy.
12. Gold and Crude Oil Update
- Gold prices rose close to an all-time high due to recession fears.
- Spot gold: $3,205 per ounce
- Crude oil prices fell again.
- Brent: $63.03 per barrel
- WTI: $59.71 per barrel
13. US Dollar Falls
- The US dollar weakened against major currencies, hitting a 10-year low against the Swiss franc.
Also Read: RBI’s 25 bps Cut Hits Bank Stocks—Find Out Which Banks Fell the Most!
Conclusion
Despite global uncertainties, the Indian stock market is set for a strong start today, thanks to Gift Nifty’s premium and RBI’s supportive stance. However, global tensions, especially the US-China trade war, could keep markets on edge in the coming days.
