Markets opened on a cautiously optimistic note on Wednesday, with the Sensex and Nifty showing marginal gains, while investors closely monitored global economic indicators and upcoming domestic policy decisions. The Sensex opened higher at 81,036.22 from its previous close of 80,845.75 and is currently trading at 81,168.92 as of 9.45 am, up by 323.17 points or 0.40 per cent. Similarly, the Nifty opened at 24,488.75 compared to its previous close of 24,457.15 and is now at 24,558.20, rising by 101.05 points or 0.41 per cent.

Investors are primarily focusing on multiple key events, including US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming speech and the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) monetary policy meeting, which begins today. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) demonstrated renewed confidence by net buying approximately ₹4,000 crore in the previous session, providing a positive sentiment boost to the markets.

The market’s technical indicators suggest a potentially bullish trend. “The Nifty has shown strength after breaking out of its recent consolidation range,” noted Mandar Bhojane from Choice Broking. “The formation of a bullish candlestick pattern on the daily chart suggests that the prevailing uptrend could continue.”

Several sector-specific developments are driving market dynamics. The defence sector is attracting significant attention following the Defence Ministry’s clearance of radar and light helicopter acquisitions worth ₹21,772 crore. “News of ₹71,722 crore of defence order proposals will keep the defence-related stocks on the radar,” said Dr. V K Vijayakumar from Geojit Financial Services.

PSU banks, cement, metal, and realty stocks are expected to remain in focus. “The rally in PSU banks is expected to continue due to hopes of an RBI Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) cut,” said market analysts. The cement sector anticipates improved post-monsoon demand, while metal stocks are showing potential due to rising base metal prices and potential Chinese stimulus measures.

Top gainers in the morning session included NTPC (1.82 per cent), HDFC Life (1.82 per cent), SBI Life (1.72 per cent), BEL (1.47 per cent), and Britannia (1.01 per cent). Conversely, Bharti Airtel (-0.92 per cent), Cipla (-0.54 per cent), Adani Enterprises (-0.46 per cent), Reliance (-0.36 per cent), and ICICI Bank (-0.32 per cent) were among the top losers.

Global market cues remain mixed. US markets recently saw the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching record highs, with investors anticipating potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Asian markets, however, opened mixed, influenced by political developments in South Korea and monetary policy speculation in Japan.

“Investors should adopt a cautious investment strategy with asset allocation as the underlying principle,” advised Dr. Vijayakumar. “Since the market has been resilient amidst challenges, it makes sense to remain invested.”

Market technicals suggest potential upward movement. “A decisive close above the 24,500 level may pave the way for further gains towards 24,800 and 25,000,” said Bhojane. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) currently stands at 55.7, indicating sustained positive momentum.

The rupee dipped to a record low of 84.69 against the dollar yesterday, reflecting broader currency trends. Manish Bhandari, CEO and Portfolio Manager of Vallum Capital Advisors, commented, “INR has depreciated against the US dollar, but appreciated against the developed markets and key emerging markets. This reflects the strength of the Indian economy. The market is less worried about Trump’s impact on the Indian economy. All currencies have depreciated against the US Dollar. USD has become relatively stronger against both developed countries and emerging markets (including India) in the last two months (with the US presidential election).”

Commodity markets also present interesting dynamics. Gold is trading marginally higher at $6,250 per ounce, while Brent Crude advanced 2 per cent to $73.5 per barrel, anticipating potential OPEC+ production cut extensions.

As the market navigates through these complex economic landscapes, investors are advised to remain vigilant and strategic in their investment approaches.

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