Nifty Flat, Sensex Up At Pre-Open, Signalling Mixed Start For Benchmarks 

Mumbai, August 6: Benchmarks diverged at pre open signalling a mixed start as oil steadied and Middle East crisis showed signs of resolution. 

Nifty 50 rose 0.08% and Sensex advanced 0.25% at pre open while Gift Nifty rose 0.3%.  

Indian benchmark indices ended with modest gains in the previous session after the Reserve Bank of India struck an optimistic tone in its policy review. The central bank left interest rates unchanged, upgraded its FY27 economic growth projection and reiterated its commitment to maintaining inflation around the target, helping the Sensex rise 0.19% and the Nifty edge up 0.04%.  

Stocks including Aurobindo Pharma, Biocon, Cummins India, GMM Pfaudler and Navin Fluorine are likely to attract investor attention with each company reporting a year-on-year rise in net profit. 

Asian equities pause after recent gains 

Most Asian markets traded lower on Thursday as investors booked profits following Wednesday’s sharp advance in technology shares. 

Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.6%, while South Korea’s Kospi declined 4% as semiconductor stocks came under renewed pressure. MSCI’s broad Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan slipped 1.3%, reflecting a broad-based cooling in regional sentiment after the previous day’s rally. 

Crude oil prices remained largely unchanged, offering some comfort to import-dependent economies such as India by keeping inflation worries in check. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen held firm following recent official intervention, while the U.S. dollar hovered near multi-month lows against major peers. 

Dow reaches another milestone, Nasdaq under pressure 

Overnight, Wall Street delivered a mixed finish, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average extending its record-setting run as optimism over possible diplomatic progress in the Middle East boosted investor confidence. 

The S&P 500 closed nearly unchanged, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite ended lower after weakness in chipmakers weighed on the index. SpaceX shares declined amid investor concerns over returns from its expanding artificial intelligence investments, while Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) also fell, dragging the semiconductor segment lower. 

Despite pressure on technology stocks, broader market sentiment remained constructive as hopes of easing geopolitical tensions raised expectations that energy prices could remain contained, supporting the corporate earnings outlook. 

European markets continue record run 

European equities closed at fresh lifetime highs on Wednesday, extending their recent rally as encouraging corporate earnings overshadowed geopolitical uncertainties. 

The pan-European STOXX 600 index edged higher, led by gains in mining companies after stronger gold prices. Positive quarterly updates from Glencore, Heineken and Sandoz helped lift sentiment across the region, reinforcing confidence in the ongoing earnings season. 

Although shares of Prudential and Novo Nordisk declined after company-specific developments, investors largely shrugged off those losses amid improving earnings momentum across sectors. 

Markets also monitored diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran following attacks in the Red Sea that reignited concerns over global shipping routes. However, hopes that negotiations could prevent a broader escalation continued to underpin investor appetite for equities. 

Source

• exchanges