GIFT Nifty:
GIFT Nifty May 2025 futures were trading 156 points lower in early trade, suggesting a weak opening for the Nifty 50.
Institutional Flows:
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 2,385.61 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 1,369.19 crore in the Indian equity market on 29 April 2025, provisional data showed.
According to NSDL data, FPIs have bought shares worth Rs 893.73 crore in the secondary market during April 2025 (so far). This follows their sale of shares worth Rs 6027.77 crore in March 2024.
Global Markets:
Asian markets were a mixed bag on Wednesday as investors sifted through a flurry of economic data across the region—some hopeful, others not so much.
Starting with China, the country’s manufacturing activity contracted more than expected in April, with the official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dipping to 49.0—below the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction.
Japan's industrial production in March shrank by 1.1% month-on-month, more than double the expected decline. Retail sales also disappointed, rising 3.1% year-on-year, short of the 3.6% forecast, after a hot streak through early 2024. Meanwhile, all eyes are now on the Bank of Japan, which kicked off its policy meeting today. Markets expect rates to remain steady at 0.5% when the decision lands on Thursday.
Across the Pacific, U.S. stocks posted their sixth straight day of gains on Tuesday, driven by cooling Treasury yields and renewed optimism on the trade front. The Dow climbed 0.8%, while both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched up about 0.6% gains.
President Trump added to the cheer, signaling positive progress on tariff negotiations with India—"coming along great," he said. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that "substantial talks" are underway with Japan and hinted that a deal with South Korea might be on the horizon.
US consumer confidence took a hit, with the Conference Board’s index dropping 7.9 points to 86.0 in April—its lowest reading since May 2020. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow forecast for Q1 also slipped to -2.7%, while the JOLTS report showed a drop in job openings to 7.192 million.
In corporate news, Coca-Cola managed to fizz up 0.8% despite reporting a dip in Q1 revenue—even price hikes couldn’t fully quench investor thirst. Meanwhile, Spotify lost some rhythm, tumbling over 3% after issuing underwhelming guidance for monthly active users.
Domestic Market:
Domestic equity benchmarks ended the day with modest gains, buoyed by strong foreign and domestic institutional inflows that kept overall market sentiment upbeat. The Nifty managed to close above the 24,300 mark, signaling resilience despite a lackluster session. The S&P BSE Sensex added 70.01 points or 0.09% to 80,288.38. The Nifty 50 index rose 7.45 points or 0.03% to 24,335.95.