Pre-Market Report: GIFT Nifty Signals Positive Start Amid Fragile Geopolitical Ceasefire

Global Market Cues

The US markets recorded a stellar performance on Thursday as optimism surrounding a temporary truce in West Asia triggered a massive short-covering rally. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 2.85% to close at 47,909.92, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite gained 2.51% and 2.80% respectively. However, gains were slightly capped late in the session after US President Donald Trump expressed skepticism regarding the long-term effectiveness of the ceasefire.

Asian markets have opened Friday's session on a firm footing. Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading higher by 1.8%, and South Korea’s KOSPI has jumped over 2.3%. In the commodities space, Brent crude has stabilized around the $96–$98 per barrel mark, providing some relief to oil-importing nations like India, though prices remain sensitive to any breach in the ceasefire agreement.

GIFT Nifty and Domestic Cues

GIFT Nifty is currently trading around the 23,945 level, indicating a premium of approximately 60–70 points over the Nifty 50's previous close. This suggests a steady to positive start for the Sensex and Nifty 50, which had snapped a five-day winning streak on Thursday due to profit-booking and financial sector weakness.

On the domestic policy front, the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee recently maintained the repo rate at 5.25% with a "neutral" stance, projecting a GDP growth of 6.9% for FY27. Market participants are now shifting their focus from macro-policy to the Q4 earnings season, which kicked off with major IT results.

Key Stocks in Focus

• TCS: The IT giant reported a robust Q4FY26 performance with a 12.2% YoY jump in net profit to ₹13,718 crore. Revenue grew 9.6% YoY, and the board has recommended a final dividend of ₹31 per share.
• Eicher Motors: Royal Enfield's electric brand, "Flying Flea," officially launches its first motorcycle, the FF.C6, today. Bookings and the first store opening in Bengaluru will be closely watched.
• Dilip Buildcon: The company has been declared the L-1 bidder for a barrage and protection work project across the Sabarmati River worth ₹268 crore.
• Wipro & Tata Steel: These heavyweights remain in the spotlight as investors position themselves ahead of their upcoming quarterly announcements and react to sectoral trends set by TCS.
• Shraddha Prime Projects: The stock may see action after announcing the receipt of the Commencement Certificate for its "Shraddha Phoenix" redevelopment project in Mumbai, expected to generate ₹150 crore in revenue.

Key Events to Watch Today

• US-Iran Ceasefire: Any updates or statements from Tehran or Washington regarding the sustainability of the two-week truce will be the primary driver of global volatility.
• Corporate Earnings: Reaction to TCS results will set the tone for the IT sector, while other mid-cap earnings will continue to influence stock-specific movements.
• FII Activity: Foreign Institutional Investors remained net sellers in the previous session (offloading over ₹2,800 crore); their participation in today’s expected gap-up will be crucial for sustaining higher levels.
• US Inflation Cues: Markets are processing the latest PCE data (2.8% headline) and looking ahead to March CPI forecasts, which suggest energy-led price pressures.

TAGS: Pre-Market, Stock Market, Nifty, Sensex, Market Update

Tags: Pre-Market Stock Market Nifty Sensex Market Update