Pre-Market Report: GIFT Nifty Signals Steady Start Amid Mixed Global Cues and AI Jitters

Global Market Cues

The overnight performance on Wall Street was characterized by high volatility as investors grappled with "AI-related disruption fears" and high valuations. Despite the intraday swings, major U.S. indices managed to close slightly in the green. The S&P 500 rose 0.10% to 6,843.22, the Nasdaq Composite added 0.14%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.07%. Tech heavyweights remained mixed; Amazon halted its recent slide, but Alphabet and other software names faced pressure.

In Asia, trading remains thin due to the Lunar New Year holidays in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. However, the markets that are open are showing resilience. Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading nearly 1% higher, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 0.6%, breaking a three-day losing streak.

On the commodities front, Brent crude has softened to around $67 per barrel as progress in U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations eased supply concerns. Gold prices have also retreated significantly, trading near $4,870 an ounce as safe-haven demand cooled.

GIFT Nifty and Domestic Cues

GIFT Nifty is currently trading around the 25,760 level, indicating a positive start of approximately 35–45 points for the Nifty 50. In the previous session, the Nifty 50 settled at 25,725.40, while the Sensex closed at 83,450.96.

Domestic sentiment is supported by a sharp decline in the India VIX, which fell nearly 5% to 12.67, suggesting a reduction in near-term market anxiety. Institutional activity also turned favorable on Tuesday, with Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) becoming net buyers to the tune of ₹995.20 crore, complementing steady support from Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs).

Key Stocks in Focus

• Bharti Airtel: The company’s subsidiary, Airtel Money, has received a Certificate of Registration from the RBI to operate as a Type II non-deposit accepting NBFC.
• Eternal (Zomato/Blinkit): The company has announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI to integrate advanced AI capabilities across its commerce and ecosystem platforms.
• BHEL: The state-owned engineering major has secured a Letter of Acceptance from SAIL for a captive power plant at the IISCO Steel Plant in Burnpur.
• Adani Enterprises: Adani Road Transport has finalized the acquisition of a 49% stake in Sree Vishwa Varadhi Private Limited.
• Infosys: The IT giant remains in the spotlight after introducing "Infosys Topaz," an AI-first value framework designed to scale generative AI adoption for global enterprises.
• Dilip Buildcon: The company has emerged as the L-1 bidder for a new infrastructure project, which is expected to boost its order book.

Key Events to Watch Today

• Federal Reserve Minutes: Market participants are awaiting the release of minutes from the Fed’s January meeting for clues on the timing of potential rate cuts.
• US-Iran Geopolitical Developments: Continued updates on nuclear negotiations will likely influence global oil and energy stock prices.
• FII/DII Flow Trends: After a period of persistent selling, the market will watch if FIIs maintain their net-buying stance for a second day.
• Sectoral Rotation: With IT and PSU Banks showing strength recently, focus may shift to Metal and Realty stocks which faced selling pressure in the previous session.

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

Tags: Pre-Market Stock Market Nifty Sensex Market Update