Global Market Cues

Overnight, global markets presented a mixed picture. US equities closed with varied results on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. The S&P 500 declined by 0.24% to 6,800.09 points, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.63% to 48,113.89 points, primarily due to weakness in healthcare and energy sectors. Conversely, the Nasdaq Composite managed a gain of 0.23%, closing at 23,111.46 points. This mixed performance followed the release of November's nonfarm payroll data, which showed an increase of 64,000 jobs, but also an unexpected rise in the unemployment rate to 4.6%. Investors are now factoring in expectations of at least 58 basis points in interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve next year.

European markets largely closed lower on December 16. The STOXX Europe 50 Index dropped 0.66% to 4820.59, with the FTSE 100 also down 0.68%, the DAX losing 0.63%, and the CAC 40 falling 0.23%.

Asian markets are trading with mixed sentiments this morning. Japan's Nikkei 225 slipped marginally by 0.03-0.14%, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also saw a slight decline of 0.21%. In contrast, South Korea's Kospi rose by 0.5-0.64%, and Mainland China's CSI 300 posted a modest gain of 0.31%. However, the Shanghai Composite fell 1.11% on December 16.

Commodity markets saw notable movements. Crude oil prices rebounded sharply after falling to five-year lows in the previous session. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 1.2% to $55.78 per barrel, and Brent crude futures climbed 0.9% to $59.46 per barrel. This surge is attributed to President Donald Trump's order for a "total and complete blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela. Gold prices are holding steady around $4,310-$4,313 per ounce, showing a slight increase, supported by expectations of further US interest rate cuts and a higher US unemployment rate. The US Dollar Index (DXY) is trading near multi-month lows at around 98.147-98.193, as softer labor market data strengthens the case for future Fed rate cuts.

GIFT Nifty and Domestic Cues

GIFT Nifty futures are indicating a muted to slightly positive opening for the Indian market on Wednesday. As of early morning, GIFT Nifty futures were trading around 25,937, showing a negligible decline of 3 points, while other reports suggested a rise of 0.05% to 25,928 or up 0.13% to 25,949.50. This suggests a flat to marginally higher start for the Nifty 50.

On Tuesday, December 16, Indian benchmark indices closed lower for the second consecutive day. The Sensex shed 0.63% to end at 84,679.86, and the Nifty 50 dropped 0.64% to settle at 25,860.10. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net sellers, offloading Indian equities worth ₹2,060.76 crore (or ₹2,382 crore). Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) provided some counterbalance by buying shares worth ₹1,077 crore. The Indian rupee continued its weakening trend, breaching the 91 level against the US dollar for the first time and hitting a fresh record low before recovering slightly to 91.03.

Key Stocks in Focus

• Ola Electric: Will be in focus as founder Bhavish Aggarwal has sold personal shares to repay a ₹260 crore promoter loan.
• Akzo Nobel India: The stock is likely to react to news that promoter Imperial Chemical Industries plans to sell up to a 9% stake via a block deal, valued at approximately ₹1,290.6 crore with a floor price of ₹3,150 per share.
• IndiGo: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed with the Delhi High Court, seeking compensation for passengers affected by flight cancellations in November and December due to new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules.
• Vedanta: The company will be watched after NCLT Mumbai approved its demerger into five distinct entities.
• Energy Sector Stocks: With crude oil prices rebounding due to geopolitical tensions, energy-related stocks could see increased activity.

Key Events to Watch Today

• SEBI Board Meeting: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) board is scheduled to meet today to deliberate on several regulatory reforms, including a proposal to exclude statutory levies from the Total Expense Ratio (TER) charged by mutual funds, and various stockbroker norms.
• Global Inflation Data: Investors will be closely monitoring the release of inflation data from the UK and the Euro Area for further global economic cues.
• Bank of Japan (BoJ) Interest Rate Decision: The market anticipates a potential interest rate hike from the Bank of Japan later this week, which could influence broader Asian market sentiment.

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

Tags: Pre-Market Stock Market Nifty Sensex Market Update

← Back to All News

View All Articles