The benchmark Indian equity indices Sensex and Nifty 50 were expected to open flat but in the red on Tuesday, December 30, amid thin trade following weak cues from the global peers.
Early indications from the Gift Nifty also pointed to a muted opening for Indian equities. The Gift Nifty was trading around the 25,936 mark, down 29 points or 0.11% compared with the previous close of Nifty futures.
Meanwhile, Indian stock market benchmarks finished lower on Monday, December 29, as muted trading activity and the lack of any decisive triggers kept investors cautious, reinforcing expectations of a consolidation phase in the near term. Investor sentiment was further dampened by continued selling from foreign institutional investors (FIIs). The BSE Sensex declined for the fourth consecutive session, shedding 345.91 points, or 0.41%, to close at 84,695.54. Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty 50 also extended its losing run to a third straight day, falling 100.20 points, or 0.38%, to settle at 25,942.10.
“The market appears short on catalysts for further upside, with investors largely in holiday mode, signaling a potential consolidation phase in the near term. While the outlook for 2026 remains constructive, attention is expected to shift toward upcoming Q3 earnings and clarity on the US trade agreement. In an environment of global trade anxiety and a weakening rupee, investors are likely to favor large-cap stocks for their relative safety and stronger earnings. visibility,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments.
Here are the key things that changed since the stock market closed yesterday and may impact Sensex, Nifty 50 movement today:
Asian Markets
Asian stocks took a breather after a seven-session rally, mirroring technology-led declines on Wall Street, while gold and silver moved in a narrow range following a pullback from fresh all-time highs. MSCI Inc.’s Asia Pacific share gauge slipped 0.1% in early trade, with Japan’s Topix down 0.3%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edging up 0.1%, and Euro Stoxx 50 futures easing 0.1%. For several Asian markets, including Japan, South Korea and Thailand, Tuesday marks the final trading session of the year. Globally, the MSCI All Country World Index has climbed 21% in 2025, while a broader measure of Asian equities has surged nearly 26 percent over the same period.
Gift Nifty Today
The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a positive start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading near 25,936 level, down 29 points or 0.11% from the Nifty futures’ previous close.
wall street
Wall Street stocks edged lower in muted trading on Monday as markets entered another holiday-shortened week. The dip did little to dent the strong gains logged by major indices over the year, with just two trading sessions remaining before year-end. US markets will be shut on Thursday for New Year’s Day.
The S&P 500 slipped 24.20 points, or 0.3%, to close at 6,905.74. Despite the modest decline, the benchmark index remains up more than 17% for the year and is still tracking its eighth consecutive monthly advance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 249.04 points, or 0.5%, to 48,461.93, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 118.75 points, or 0.5%, to 23,474.35.
Russia-Ukraine conflict
Russia on Monday accused Ukraine of attempting to attack the residence of President Vladimir Putin, threatening retaliation without providing evidence. Kyiv dismissed the claim as baseless and accused Moscow of using it to derail already fragile peace talks.
The exchange further hurt prospects for a negotiated settlement, with Russia saying it was reassessing its stance in ongoing negotiations. The allegation gained traction after Donald Trump said Putin had told him Ukraine was behind the attempted attack—an assertion Kyiv has firmly denied.
yen strengthened
The yen strengthened on Monday in light holiday trading, on track for its fifth gain in six sessions as markets weighed the timing of additional interest rate hikes in Japan and the chances of intervention. Bank of Japan policymakers debated the need to continue raising rates, the minutes from its policy meeting earlier in December, when the central bank hiked its policy rate to a 30-year high of 0.75% from 0.5%, showed on Monday.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, rose 0.09% to 98.12, with the euro down 0.12% at $1.1757. Sterling weakened 0.04% to $1.3489. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar weakened 0.23% to 156.18.
Gold and silver prices
Silver stabilized after suffering its sharpest single-day fall in more than five years, as traders locked in profits following a strong year-end rally.
The white metal remained above $71 an ounce on Tuesday after plunging 9% in the previous session, while gold was largely steady near $4,340 an ounce after dropping 4.4%. Precious metals came under pressure as technical indicators signaled that prices had risen too quickly, with thin market liquidity amplifying recent volatility. Spot silver slipped 0.5% to $71.74 an ounce as of 7:15 am in Singapore, having touched a record high of $84.01 in the prior session. Gold edged up 0.1% to $4,336.86, while platinum and palladium extended losses after posting double-digit declines on Monday.
oil prices
Oil prices held on to most of their gains as traders balanced rising geopolitical risks — from Venezuela to Russia and Iran — against concerns about a potential supply glut.
West Texas Intermediate traded near $58 a barrel after jumping 2.4% on Monday, while Brent settled below $62. Venezuela began shutting oil wells in a region that holds the world’s largest crude reserves amid a US blockade. Separately, Donald Trump said the US had struck a facility inside the country.
The developments came as Trump’s renewed efforts to end the war in Ukraine ran into fresh hurdles after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would reassess his negotiating stance following alleged drone attacks on his residence. Meanwhile, the US president warned that Washington would strike Iran again if it moved to rebuild its nuclear programme.
(With inputs from agencies)
