Nifty extended losses for the seventh consecutive session, declining 0.3% as crude prices remained elevated. Analysts say Nifty is expected to remain under pressure amid weak global cues, elevated crude prices and continued geopolitical tensions.

STATE OF THE MARKETS

GIFT Nifty (Earlier SGX Nifty) signals a positive start

GIFT Nifty on the NSE IX traded higher by 126 points, or 0.52 per cent, at 24,216, signaling that Dalal Street was headed for a positive start on Monday.

Tech View: If the Nifty fails to sustain above 24,000, significant bearishness could increase, dragging the index towards much lower levels. Therefore, long positions should be held with a strict stop-loss at 24,000.

India VIX: India VIX, which is a measure of the fear in the markets, fell 0.6% to settle at 11.32 levels.

US stocks end modestly higher

The main US stock market indexes closed modestly higher on Wednesday, as easing government bond yields boosted risk appetite while a dramatic rally in shares of vaccine-maker Moderna drove gains in the healthcare sector.

Asian stocks rose as pressure from the bond market eased after the US Treasury unveiled plans to buy back longer-dated debt to curb borrowing costs. Treasuries held their gains, while the dollar steadied after falling to a three-month low.

S&P 500 futures rose 0.1% as of 9:05 a.m. Tokyo time

Hang Seng futures rose 0.9%

Japan’s Topix rose 0.6%

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.5%

Euro Stoxx 50 futures fell 0.3%

Oil prices steadied in early trade on Thursday as investors assessed the outlook for the US-Iran war and the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Gold hovered near its highest level in more than two months on Thursday after a surprise liquidity support announcement by the US Treasury pushed yields and the dollar lower.

The US dollar nursed steep losses on Thursday, hovering near three-month lows as investors digested measures announced by the US Treasury Department to help calm the bond market that had seen long-end yields hit their highest since 2007.

Read more: Ahead of Market: 10 things that will decide stock market action on Thursday

Stocks in F&O ban today

3) SAIL

Securities in the ban period under the F&O segment include companies in which the security has crossed 95% of the market-wide position limit.

Foreign portfolio investors net bought shares worth Rs 407 crore on Wednesday. DIIs, meanwhile, were net buyers at Rs 3,974 crore.

The Indian rupee fell to its weakest level since late July on Wednesday, due to elevated oil prices and sustained dollar demand from companies, but likely intervention by the central bank kept a lid on its losses.