Indian Stock Market Set for Lower Open Amid Weak Global Cues; GIFT Nifty Signals Caution
The Indian stock market is expected to open lower on Wednesday, tracking weak global cues and mixed signals from Wall Street, even as the domestic indices broke their four-day losing streak in the previous session. The benchmark indices—Sensex and Nifty 50—closed higher on Tuesday, with the Sensex rising 317.45 points (0.39%) to 82,570.91, and the Nifty 50 gaining 113.50 points (0.45%) to settle at 25,195.80.
Despite the rebound, the GIFT Nifty was trading around the 25,174 level in early trade, nearly 91 points below the Nifty futures’ previous close, indicating a cautious and potentially negative start for domestic equities.
Globally, investor sentiment remains subdued following the latest US inflation data. The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.3% in June—the highest monthly gain in five months—raising fresh doubts over early interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. On a year-on-year basis, inflation rose to 2.7%, up from 2.4% in May.
The mixed inflation data led to choppy trading on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 436.36 points (0.98%) to 44,023.29, and the S&P 500 lost 24.80 points (0.40%) to 6,243.76. However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite closed at a record high of 20,677.80, up 0.18%. Major tech stocks like Nvidia (+4.04%), AMD (+6.41%), and Super Micro Computer (+6.92%) rallied, while Tesla slipped 1.93%.
In Asia, markets were broadly lower. Japan’s Nikkei 225 and Topix declined 0.2% and 0.11%, respectively. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.8%, and the Kosdaq shed 0.56%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures, however, indicated a slightly positive start.
On the macro front, all eyes remain on the ongoing India-US trade talks, as a team from India’s Commerce Ministry is in Washington for negotiations. Analysts expect market action to remain range-bound in the near term, with stock-specific moves driven by Q1FY26 earnings and management commentary.
