Nifty, Sensex Likely to Open Lower on Thursday Amid Mixed Global Cues

Pre-Market Update at 7:47 AM: The Indian stock market is likely to open lower on Thursday amid mixed global cues and ahead of the tabling of the Economic Survey 2025–2026 in Parliament. Gift Nifty trends and overnight developments across global markets are indicating a cautious start for domestic equities.

Gift Nifty was trading around the 25,364 level, a discount of nearly 86 points from the previous close of Nifty futures, pointing to a negative opening for the Indian stock market indices.

On Wednesday, domestic equities ended with healthy gains supported by broad-based buying and optimism over a potential India–EU free trade agreement. The Sensex rose 487.20 points, or 0.60 per cent, to close at 82,344.68, while the Nifty 50 gained 167.35 points, or 0.66 per cent, to settle at 25,342.75. Market experts said the recent positive momentum could continue amid Budget expectations and improving global sentiment, while investors remain focused on Q3 earnings.

Asian markets traded mixed after the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy decision. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.18 per cent, while the Topix slipped 0.57 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.09 per cent and the Kosdaq surged 2.69 per cent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index futures indicated a lower opening.

U.S. stock markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 12.19 points, or 0.02 per cent, to 49,015.60. The S&P 500 eased 0.01 per cent to 6,978.03, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.17 per cent to 23,857.45. The S&P 500 briefly crossed the 7,000 mark during the session.

Among U.S. stocks, Nvidia rose 1.6 per cent, Micron Technology surged 6.1 per cent, and Intel jumped 11.04 per cent. Texas Instruments gained 9.9 per cent, while Apple declined 0.71 per cent. Tesla shares slipped 0.10 per cent.

The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, with the Federal Open Market Committee maintaining the federal funds rate in the range of 3.5 per cent to 3.75 per cent. The central Bank provided limited clarity on the timing of future rate cuts.

On the domestic macro front, India’s industrial production grew 7.8 per cent in December 2025, marking the fastest growth in over two years. In comparison, factory output had expanded by 3.7 per cent in December 2024.

Tesla reported a sharp 61 per cent decline in fourth-quarter profits due to weaker auto sales. Net profit fell to USD 840 million for the quarter ended December 31, compared with USD 2.1 billion a year earlier, while revenue declined 3.1 per cent to USD 24.9 billion. The company said its 2026 capital expenditure would exceed USD 20 billion, more than double last year’s USD 8.5 billion.

Microsoft delivered strong fiscal second-quarter results, with total revenue rising 17 per cent to USD 81.27 billion and earnings at USD 5.16 per share, beating estimates. The Azure cloud business posted 38 per cent revenue growth on a constant-currency basis, in line with expectations.

Samsung Electronics reported a more than threefold jump in fourth-quarter operating profit to a record 20 trillion won. Revenue increased 24 per cent year-on-year to 93.8 trillion won, while operating profit from the chip business surged 470 per cent. Mobile division profit, however, declined 10 per cent.

In commodities, gold prices extended their record rally as investors sought safe-haven assets amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Spot gold rose 2.1 per cent to USD 5,511.79 per ounce after touching a record high of USD 5,591.61. Spot silver gained 1.3 per cent to USD 118.061 per ounce.

Crude oil prices climbed to a four-month high after geopolitical tensions escalated following warnings to Iran by U.S. President Donald Trump. Brent crude rose 1.23 per cent to USD 68.40 per barrel, while WTI crude gained 0.47 per cent to USD 63.51 per barrel.

There are no stocks banned for trading in the F&O segment today.

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