On Thursday, August 21, the benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to see a muted start, following mixed cues from global markets.
As of 7:12 AM, the GIFT Nifty was trading near 25,083, up 4 points from its previous close.
Asian markets traded mixed, while the US stock market ended lower overnight, after the release of the US Federal Reserve's July meeting minutes. The minutes from the Federal Reserve’s July meeting showed officials were divided, with most agreeing it was too soon to cut rates despite growing concerns over inflation and a weakening labor market.
Meanwhile, the minutes of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee meeting held in August indicated that members highlighted global trade disputes and tariff-related uncertainties as potential headwinds to growth. However, the committee noted that the domestic economy remains stable, with inflation expectations staying manageable.
On Wednesday, August 20, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers. FIIs sold equities worth ₹1,100.09 crore for the 2nd consecutive session.
Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) showed strong momentum. They purchased shares worth ₹1,806.34 crore on the same day. This marked their 32nd consecutive session of net buying.
India’s stock markets extended their winning streak to a fifth consecutive session on Wednesday, supported by gains in technology and consumer stocks.
The Nifty 50 advanced 0.28% to close at 25,050.55, while the Sensex gained 0.26% to settle at 81,857.84. Over the past five sessions, the benchmarks have risen around 2.3% and 2%, respectively. The Nifty Midcap index rose 0.5% and the Nifty Smallcap index gained 0.3%. Technology stocks (Nifty IT), with significant U.S. revenue exposure, gained 2.7% ahead of the Federal Reserve meeting scheduled for August 21–23.
Growth in India’s eight key infrastructure sectors eased to 2% in July 2025, compared to 6.3% in the same period a year ago. In June, growth was 2.2%.
The Nasdaq and S&P 500 fell on Wednesday as investors booked profits in tech stocks and shifted to other sectors, while awaiting Federal Reserve signals at the Jackson Hole symposium.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 16.04 points, or 0.04%, finishing at 44,938.31. In contrast, the S&P 500 slipped 15.59 points, or 0.24%, to settle at 6,395.78, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 142.09 points, or 0.67%, closing at 21,172.86.
The US dollar weakened after President Donald Trump urged Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to step down. The dollar index, tracking the currency against peers like the yen and euro, slipped 0.13% to 98.20.
Gold slipped 0.2% to $3,343.43/oz in early Asian trade as investors awaited Fed Chair Powell’s Jackson Hole speech for clues on September rate cut.
WTI crude oil futures rose to $62.8 per barrel and Brent crude oil futures rose toward $67 per barrel on Thursday, building on gains from the previous session, supported by a bigger-than-expected weekly drop in US crude inventories.
Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
For android only