The GIFT Nifty is indicating a positive start for the Indian markets today. It was trading above 24,000, up around 200 points.
Global developments are also expected to influence market direction. Factors such as ongoing geopolitical tension, movement in crude oil prices, trends in commodities, and other international cues are likely to set the tone for today’s trade.
On the domestic front, the ongoing Q4FY26 earnings season will remain a key trigger. Company results, sector-specific trends, and regulatory updates are expected to drive stock-specific action during the session.
Previous session: Markets end lower
The market ended the last week of trading on April 24 on a weak note, with both benchmark indices closing lower. The Sensex settled at 76,664.21, down 999.79 points or 1.29%, while the Nifty closed at 23,897.95, falling 275.10 points or 1.14%.
Let’s take a look at the key factors that could shape the markets today and the important cues investors should keep an eye on before the opening bell.
Asian markets
Asia-Pacific markets mostly edged higher on Monday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 rising 0.53% to a record high and South Korea’s Kospi gaining 1% to hit a fresh peak, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.54%.
US Market
US stock markets ended on a green note on Friday (April 24), with two key indices touching record levels. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to close at 7,165.08, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.63% to settle at 24,836.60. Both indices also hit fresh intraday highs during the session. However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average moved in the opposite direction, slipping 79.61 points or 0.16% to close at 49,230.71.
Geopolitical tension to remain a key trigger
The ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran is expected to remain an important factor influencing global markets. The situation has led to disruptions in key trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz and created uncertainty around energy supplies, which directly impacts crude oil prices and investor sentiment.
Recently, US President Donald Trump, who over the weekend said he had scrapped plans to send U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad for talks with Iran. “Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership,’” he wrote on Truth Social.
US Fed meeting in focus
The US Federal Reserve is scheduled to hold its policy meeting on April 28-29, where interest rate decisions will be discussed. Markets are widely expecting the central bank to keep rates unchanged for the third straight time. At present, the benchmark interest rate is in the range of 3.5% to 3.75%.
India-New Zealand FTA
India and New Zealand are expected to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) on April 27, with a goal to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion over the next five years. This target was agreed upon in December 2025, even though current goods trade between the two countries remains relatively low at just over $1 billion.
Crude oil
Crude oil prices saw a sharp jump in early trading. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose about 2.1% to trade near $96.41 per barrel, while global benchmark Brent crude surged around 2.30% to hover close to $107.7 per barrel.
US dollar Vs Indian Rupee
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the dollar’s performance against major global currencies, was slightly lower in early Monday trade, up 0.04% at 98.58. The index compares the dollar against currencies like the euro, British pound, Japanese yen, Swiss franc, and Swedish krona, giving an overall sense of its strength.
Meanwhile, the Indian rupee showed some gains, appreciating 0.14% to close at 94.25 against the US dollar on April 24.
FII, DII data
Foreign investors continued to sell Indian equities. On April 24, they offloaded shares worth Rs 8,828 crore. This was their biggest single-day selling since April 7.
At the same time, domestic institutional investors bought shares worth Rs 4,701 crore during the session.
Gold rate today
In the international market, gold was trading at $4,692 per ounce.
Gold prices in India remain in sharp focus. On the MCX, June 5, 2026, gold futures were trading at Rs 1,52,799 per 10 grams in the latest update.
Q4 earnings in focus
The results season will remain active this week, with over 200 companies set to announce their financial performance for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Key companies expected to report include Adani Enterprises, Hindustan Unilever, Maruti Suzuki India, UltraTech Cement, Vedanta and Zomato.
Key sectoral gainers in last trading session
In the last trading session, on the sectoral front, the non-alcoholic beverages segment rose about 1.22%, leading the pack. Plastics stocks also saw a modest increase of around 0.44%. Shipbuilding and shipping sectors followed with smaller gains of nearly 0.4% and 0.3% respectively.
Best and worst performing business group in last trading session
In the last trading session, among gainers, Patodia Group led with a rise of 2.39%, followed by Ramco Group up 0.71%, Ruchi Group gaining 0.47%, and Aarti Group adding 0.45%. On the other hand, some groups saw declines, with Garware Group falling 3.44% and the Anil Ambani Group down 3.95%. The HCL Group saw the sharpest drop, declining 5.82%.
