Nifty Set to Open Above 25,000 Mark; Bharat Heavy Electricals Q4 Results in Focus
Early indications from the Gift Nifty indicate that the Indian equity benchmark indices are likely to open in green on Friday, May 16, 2025.
As of 07:16 am, Gift Nifty hovered near the 25,174 mark, up by 95 points over the previous close.
Asian markets traded mixed on Friday, while the US markets also closed on a mixed note in overnight trading.
India’s trade deficit numbers were out yesterday, where the trade deficit widened in April 2025. The unemployment rate in India stood at 5.1% in April.
India's merchandise trade gap widened in April 2025, reaching $26.42 billion compared to $21.54 billion in March. Export figures stood at $38.49 billion, marking a 9.03% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, imports grew at a sharper pace of 19.12% year-on-year, amounting to $64.91 billion.
On the employment front, the national unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above was recorded at 5.1% in April. The rate was slightly higher among males at 5.2%, while for females it stood at 5%. These figures, drawn from the Current Weekly Status (CWS) methodology, also revealed a labour force participation rate (LFPR) of 55.6% during the month.
On D-Street, stock-specific action is likely to continue amid Q4 earnings. On Thursday, few prominent Indian companies are scheduled to announce their Q4 earnings today.
Bharat Heavy Electricals, Emami, Delhivery, CreditAccess Grameen, Kalpataru Projects International and Jubilant Pharmova will announce their Q4 earnings today.
On May 15, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers, purchasing ₹5,392.94 crore worth of shares. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) sold shares worth ₹1,668.47 crore during the same period.
On Thursday, Indian equity markets witnessed strong upward momentum, driven by broad-based buying interest. The Nifty 50 crossed the key 25,000 mark, ending the session at 25,062.10 with a gain of 395.20 points, or 1.60%. The Sensex also posted a sharp rise of 1,200.18 points, or 1.48%, to close at 82,530.74.
Asian markets showed a mixed performance on Friday, reacting to Japan’s GDP figures and awaiting additional economic data from across the region.
Japan’s economy experienced its first contraction in a year during the January–March quarter, with the decline deeper than market expectations. The country’s real GDP fell at an annualised rate of 0.7%, significantly exceeding the projected 0.2% decline. This followed a revised 2.4% expansion in the previous quarter. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, GDP slipped by 0.2%, slightly more than the 0.1% contraction anticipated.
U.S. stock markets saw a mixed close on Thursday following the release of key economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced by 0.65% to settle at 42,322.75, and the S&P 500 recorded a 0.41% gain, ending the session at 5,916.93. However, the Nasdaq slipped 0.18% to finish at 19,112.32.
US retail sales growth slowed in April. Retail sales edged up 0.1% last month after an upwardly revised 1.7% surge in March. The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits held steady at a seasonally adjusted 229,000 for the week ended May 10.
Crude oil prices remained largely unchanged as markets reacted to optimism surrounding the US-China trade agreement. Brent crude slipped slightly by 0.02% to $64.52 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude inched up by 0.06% to settle at $61.66.
Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
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