Market Opens in Red Amid Tariff Concerns

Stock market today: Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, the Indian equity benchmark indices, opened in red on Friday. This downturn comes as Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs on India and its likely impact on exports and economy hit sentiment.

At 9:18 AM, Nifty50 was trading at 24,568.60, down 28 points or 0.11%. BSE Sensex was at 80,500.27, down 123 points or 0.15%.

Expert Insights on Market Trends

Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited, highlights the market's technical and fundamental weaknesses. "Continuous lower lows on the Nifty is technically a weak sign," he says, pointing to the lack of a sharp uptick in earnings for FY26.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) have been selling consistently in August, with total cash market selling reaching Rs 15950 crores. However, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) have shown strong buying, injecting Rs 10864 crores into the market.

Global Market Reactions

The Dow Jones and S&P 500 declined, affected by Eli Lilly's underwhelming results, while the Nasdaq hit a new record. Asian equities, however, moved higher, with Japanese markets benefiting from technology sector strength.

Oil prices remained stable but are on track for their largest weekly decline since late-June. Gold futures reached new highs, influenced by tariff uncertainties and anticipated US interest rate reductions.