Stock Market Updates: GIFT Nifty Hints A Muted Start For Sensex, Nifty; RIL, Axis, Wipro Q1 In Focus
Sensex Today: The benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, are expected to open on a cautious yet slightly positive note on
Sensex Today: The benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, are expected to open on a cautious yet slightly positive note on Friday, as investors monitor a range of domestic and global factors. The market sentiment will likely be shaped by corporate Q1 earnings, institutional flows, forex reserve updates, developments on the India-US trade front, Japan's inflation data, and key economic releases from the US.
At 8:50 AM, GIFT Nifty futures were trading 16 points higher at 25,190, hinting at a flat-to-positive start for the Indian bourses.
Global cues remain broadly supportive. On Wall Street, all major indices ended higher after upbeat economic data and robust earnings lifted investor confidence. US retail sales rose by 0.6% month-on-month in June 2025, exceeding expectations of just 0.1% and breaking a two-month decline. Weekly jobless claims also dropped by 7,000 to 221,000—marking the lowest level since April—contrary to forecasts of a rise to 235,000.
This optimism was reflected in US equity markets, where the S&P 500 climbed 0.54% to 6,297.36, the Dow Jones rose 0.52% to 44,484.49, and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.7% to 20,885.65.
In Asia, markets offered mixed cues. The ASX 200 in Australia rose 0.69%, touching a new record high. However, Japan's Nikkei slipped 0.20% while the broader Topix index remained flat with a slightly negative bias. South Korea's Kospi also declined by 0.4%.
Japan Inflation in Focus
Japan's inflation data released today showed signs of easing, which could impact the Bank of Japan's monetary stance. Core inflation dropped to 3.3% in June from 3.7% in May, in line with market expectations. Headline inflation also cooled to 3.3%. Interestingly, the BOJ's preferred core-core inflation measure—which excludes volatile food and energy prices—rose slightly to 3.4% from 3.3%, signaling that underlying price pressures still persist.
Overall, with mixed regional cues and a data-heavy day ahead, the markets may see a cautious start, with stock-specific action dominating due to Q1 results announcements.
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First Published:
July 18, 2025, 09:14 IST
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