Indian Benchmark Indices Open Higher on Friday; Nifty Trads Above 24,500 Mark

Broader market indices, including the Nifty Small-cap and Nifty Mid-cap, also saw gains of around 0.3 per cent each.

Market Update at 09:45 AM: India's stock markets opened on a positive note Friday, buoyed by upbeat global cues and optimism around a possible trade agreement with the U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned a "potential" trade deal with India, lifting investor sentiment.

At 9:19 a.m. IST, the Nifty 50 index was up 0.38 per cent at 24,428, while the BSE Sensex climbed 0.53 per cent to reach 80,659.44. By 9:48 the Nifty 50 surged above 24,500 mark.

Out of the 13 key sectoral indices, 10 were trading in the green. Broader market indices, including the Nifty Small-Cap and Nifty Mid-Cap, also saw gains of around 0.3 per cent each.

Asian markets followed the global uptrend, supported by an overnight rally in U.S. stocks, where strong tech earnings outweighed concerns over weak economic data. Trump’s remarks about trade negotiations with India, South Korea, and Japan helped improve market sentiment, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that China showed interest in restarting trade talks.

Pre-Market Update at 8:00 AM: Indian equity benchmarks, the Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to open on a flat note this Friday, as suggested by Gift Nifty trends, despite supportive signals from global markets. At 7:52 AM, Gift Nifty was hovering around 24,433, showing a marginal dip of 3.5 points compared to the previous close of Nifty futures.

Wall Street extended its winning streak, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 marking gains for the eighth day in a row, backed by strong earnings reports from tech leaders like Microsoft and Meta. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced by 83.60 points (0.21 per cent) to settle at 40,752. The S&P 500 rose by 35 points (0.63 per cent) to close at 5,604, while the Nasdaq Composite moved up by 264 points (1.52 per cent) to end the session at 17,710.

In Asia, stock markets tracked Wall Street’s strength. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.24 per cent, while the broader Topix rose 0.67 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi remained range-bound, and the Kosdaq added 0.60 per cent. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng opened in the green but later turned negative, down 0.19 per cent.

On the macro front, China expressed willingness to resume trade talks with the U.S., although its commerce ministry called on Washington to correct "unjust practices" and remove unilateral tariffs to create a constructive environment.

In the U.S., economic data painted a mixed picture. The ISM manufacturing PMI slipped to a five-month low of 48.7 in April, slightly below forecasts. Jobless claims rose more than expected, with 241,000 new filings for the week ending April 26. Moreover, Q1 2025 GDP contracted by 0.3 per cent, marking the first decline since 2022. A surge in imports weighed on growth, while consumer spending grew just 1.8 per cent, its slowest pace since mid-2023. Inflation remained a concern.

Back home, India's GST collections hit a new record in April 2025, reaching Rs 2.37 lakh crore—up 12.6 per cent from the previous year and surpassing the prior record of Rs 2.10 lakh crore set in April 2024. March collections were at Rs 1.96 lakh crore.

Gold prices were largely steady at USD 3,240.34 per ounce, but the metal is on track for its sharpest weekly drop since late February, losing over 2 per cent amid easing trade worries. The U.S. dollar was firm, heading for its third weekly gain in a row, supported by optimism over trade negotiations.

On the institutional front, FIIs made modest purchases worth Rs 50.57 crore on April 30, 2025, while DIIs were net buyers of Rs 1,792.15 crore. For today’s session, RBL Bank remains under the F&O ban list.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.