GIFT Nifty:
GIFT Nifty June 2025 futures were trading 33.50 points lower in early trade, suggesting a negative opening for the Nifty 50.
Institutional Flows:
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth 890.93 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 1,091.34 crore in the Indian equity market on 18 June 2025, provisional data showed.
According to NSDL data, FPIs have sold shares worth Rs 10191.83 crore in the secondary market during June 2025. This follows their purchase of shares worth Rs 18082.82 crore in May 2024.
Global Markets:
US Dow Jones futures were down 103 points in early trade. Wall Street will be shut on Thursday for the Juneteenth holiday, with regular trading set to resume Friday.
Asian shares slipped on Thursday as investors digested the US Federal Reserve's widely expected decision to keep interest rates unchanged. Adding to the cautious mood: ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran continue to weigh on sentiment.
Eyes are also on the central bank decisions from Taiwan and the Philippines, due later today.
As expected, the Fed held its benchmark rate steady at 4.25%-4.5% on Wednesday, marking no change since December. Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicated the committee would wait to assess the inflationary impact of President Trump’s tariff measures before considering any policy shifts.
Despite the hawkish pause, the Fed still pointed to two rate cuts by the end of the year.
Geopolitical concerns remain front and center. Investor nerves were further rattled after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed President Trump's calls for unconditional surrender. His remarks, delivered via a televised statement on Wednesday, were his first since Friday, when Israel escalated its offensive against Iran.
Back on Wall Street, US equities ended mixed on Wednesday. The Dow slipped 0.10%, the S&P 500 edged down 0.03%, while the Nasdaq bucked the trend with a 0.13% gain.
Domestic Market:
Equity benchmarks ended slightly lower today, marking their second straight day of losses, as rising geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran weighed on investor sentiment. Early gains fizzled out, dragged down by nervousness around Middle East instability and oil price volatility. Amid the volatility, auto and consumer discretionary stocks bucked the trend, rising on optimism around a potential demand revival. The S&P BSE Sensex declined 138.64 points or 0.17% to 81,444.66. The Nifty 50 index fell 41.35 points or 0.17% to 24,812.05. In two consecutive sessions, the Sensex is down 0.43%, while the Nifty has shed 0.54%.