GIFT Nifty:
The GIFT Nifty April 2026 futures currently traded 78.50 points lower, suggesting a red start for the benchmark index today.
Institutional Flows:
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 11,163.06 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 14,894.72 crore in the Indian equity market on 30 March 2026, provisional data showed.
The FIIs have sold shares worth Rs 122,540.41 crore in March (till 30 March 2026). This follows their cash sales of Rs 6,640.78 crore in February and Rs 41,435.22 crore in January 2026.
Global Markets:
Asia markets rebounded on Wednesday after statements from U.S. President Donald Trump raised hopes that the Iran war could end soon.
On Tuesday stateside, Trump said the U.S. could leave Iran in "two or three weeks.” He further said, "We leave because there’s no reason for us to do this."
Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan’s Tankan survey for the first quarter of 2026, which measures business sentiment, showed optimism among large Japanese manufacturers rising to 17 from 15. That beat expectations of 16 which was widely reported in the media and reached its highest level since the fourth quarter of 2021.
Large non-manufacturers’ business sentiment stood at 36, unchanged from the previous quarter and above widely reported media expectations of 33.
Further, China’s RatingDog PMI came in at 50.8 in February, missing widely reported forecast for 51.6 and slowing from a more than 5-year high of 52.1 in February.
Overnight on Wall Street, stocks rose on Tuesday following new reports that gave investors hope that the Iran war could soon come to an end.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1,125.37 points, or 2.49%, and closed at 46,341.51. The S&P 500 gained 2.91% to end at 6,528.52, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 3.83% to 21,590.63.
The moves in the benchmark indices came after an unconfirmed report said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is open to ending the war with guarantees.
A media article reported that President Donald Trump had told aides he was willing to end military hostilities in the Middle East even if the Strait of Hormuz remained largely shut.
Another report later stated that the president said he believes the Iran war will likely end soon, with other nations taking the lead in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Domestic Market:
The domestic equity market fell sharply, with Sensex and Nifty dropping over 2%, as a combination of global and domestic factors weighed on sentiment. Escalating US-Iran tensions triggered a surge in crude oil prices, raising inflation concerns, while weak global cues and sustained foreign investor selling added pressure. Banking stocks tumbled after RBI imposed limits on forex positions, fueling fears of mark-to-market losses.
The rupee hitting record lows and volatility linked to monthly F&O expiry further exacerbated the selloff, leading to a broad-based decline across sectors. The Nifty settled below the 22,350 mark dragged by banking shares.
The S&P BSE Sensex tanked 1,635.67 points or 2.22% to 71,947.55. The Nifty 50 index plunged 488.20 points or 2.14% to 22,331.40. In two consecutive sessions, the Sensex declined 4.41% while the Nifty fell 4.18%.