Midday Market Update: Sensex Slips, Nifty Holds Gains Amid Tariff Jitters

Market Update at 12:15 PM: Indian equities ended mixed as caution prevailed among investors ahead of the deadline for U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs. The BSE Sensex slipped 179.8 points or 0.22 per cent to 83,059.67, while the Nifty 50 managed to gain 55 points or 0.21 per cent to settle at 25,350.15.

Leading the gains on the Sensex were Bajaj Finance, Bharat Electronics, Bajaj Twins, Hindustan Unilever, and Eternal. On the other hand, Trent, Tech Mahindra, Tata Steel, Maruti Suzuki, M&M, Asian Paints, and Sun Pharma emerged as the Top Losers.

In the broader market space, the Nifty Midcap 100 and Smallcap 100 indices each declined by 0.36 per cent. Sectorally, the Nifty Metal index dropped 0.8 per cent, followed by losses in the Auto, Bank, and Consumer Durables indices. However, sectors like FMCG, IT, Pharma, Realty, and Oil & Gas witnessed gains.

Market Update at 9:45 AM: Indian stock markets opened on a flat note this Friday, with investors adopting a cautious approach amid expectations of a potential trade agreement between India and the U.S. and reacting to recent regulatory developments.

As of 9:15 a.m. IST, the Nifty 50 edged up by 0.09% to 25,428.85, while the BSE Sensex saw a slight rise of 0.08%, reaching 83,306.81. Among the major sectoral indices, 12 out of 13 registered mild gains at the opening bell. However, broader market indices, including Small-Cap (CNX Smallcap) and Mid-Cap (CNX Midcap) stocks, showed little movement and traded largely unchanged.

Market participants were also digesting SEBI’s interim order against U.S.-based Jane Street over alleged manipulation of equity derivatives. The regulatory action comes at a time when several global trading giants like Citadel Securities, IMC Trading, Millennium, and Optiver are increasing their footprint in India's rapidly expanding derivatives segment.

Meanwhile, attention remains focused on the upcoming July 9 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for reciprocal trade tariffs, as markets watch for signs of progress on a possible India-U.S. trade agreement.

Pre-Market Update at 7:45 AM: Indian equity benchmarks Nifty 50 and Sensex are expected to start Friday’s session on a strong note, supported by favorable global cues and positive sentiment surrounding a potential trade deal. As of 7:25 AM, GIFT Nifty was quoting at 25,529, indicating a 34-point gain from its previous close and suggesting a positive opening for domestic markets.

Asian markets traded in a mixed range amid growing caution from investors, who remain watchful of upcoming tariff deadlines despite optimism from Wall Street’s strong rally. U.S. markets closed at record highs ahead of the July 4 holiday, largely driven by gains in technology stocks and upbeat job data.

In the Indian market, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) continued their buying streak for the fourth straight session, whereas Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained sellers. On July 3, FIIs offloaded equities worth Rs 1,481.19 crore, while DIIs purchased shares amounting to Rs 1,333.06 crore.

Markets ended slightly in the red on Thursday. After initial gains of nearly 0.5 per cent, both Nifty and Sensex reversed direction in the latter half due to profit booking in financial stocks. The Nifty closed 0.19 per cent lower at 25,405.3, and the Sensex slipped 0.2 per cent to settle at 83,239.47.

Wall Street wrapped up Thursday’s session on a bullish note. The S&P 500 advanced by 51.94 points to 6,279.36, while the Nasdaq jumped 207.97 points to close at 20,601.10, and the Dow Jones climbed 344.11 points to 44,828.53. Nvidia led the rally with a 1.33 per cent gain, taking its market cap to USD 3.89 trillion, just shy of the USD 4 trillion mark, making it the world’s most valuable company ahead of Apple and Microsoft.

The U.S. House approved President Trump's USD 3.4 trillion tax and spending proposal, nicknamed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," in a close 218–214 vote. The plan includes permanent 2017 tax cuts and increased spending on immigration. This is expected to push U.S. national debt past USD 36.2 trillion, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

U.S. job data showed nonfarm payrolls increasing by 147,000 in June, topping expectations of 110,000. May’s revised figure came in at 144,000. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.1 per cent, with initial jobless claims falling to 233,000 — the lowest in seven weeks.

Gold prices rose 0.2 per cent to USD 3,330.85/oz during early Asian trading, supported by deficit concerns stemming from the new U.S. spending bill. Meanwhile, Brent crude was trading around USD 68.7 per barrel and WTI at USD 67, as new U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil added pressure to the supply outlook.

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Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.