Domestic indices open lower, mirroring global market downturn

The BSE Sensex fell 0.14 per cent reaching a level of 80,688. The Nifty 50 index edged down by 0.06 per cent to the 24,683 level.

Market Update at 9:35 AM: As anticipated from GIFT Nifty's performance, Indian benchmark indices opened today's trading session on a weak note, impacted by the downturn in global markets.

At 9:35 am, the BSE Sensex fell 0.14 per cent reaching a level of 80,688. The Nifty 50 index edged down by 0.06 per cent to the 24,683 level. Within the Nifty 50, Divi’s Laboratories, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Larsen & Toubro were among the leading gainers, whereas UltraTech Cement, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Tech Mahindra were among the market draggers.

However, broader indices outperformed the main indices, reflecting a widespread upbeat investor sentiment across the market. With 1,613 shares rising on the NSE and 684 shares declining, the advance-decline ratio strongly remained in favour of advances.

In terms of sectoral performance, Nifty Media, Nifty FMCG, and Nifty Pharma were the best performers, while Nifty Realty and Nifty Bank experienced the most decline.

Pre-Market Update at 8:00 AM: U.S. markets cooled off overnight, ending their longest rally of the year, as all three major indices closed in the red with attention now turning to Fed Chair Powell's upcoming speech later this week.

The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 0.33 per cent, the S&P 500 fell 0.20 per cent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.15 per cent. The dollar dropped to a new seven-month low on Tuesday as traders anticipated remarks from the Federal Reserve Chair, which could offer insights into the pace of the U.S. monetary easing cycle.

All major Asian market indices were trading significantly lower today, mirroring the weakness sparked by overnight uncertainties in the U.S. market. Indian equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty 50, are also expected to open in the red in today's trading session, as predicted by the weakness in GIFT Nifty.

Oil prices dipped on reports indicating rising U.S. crude inventories and expectations that tensions in the Middle East were easing after mediators toured the region.

On August 20, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,457.96 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) made a sizeable inflow of Rs 2,252.10 crore.

The Nifty IT Index has seen a strong rebound over the past two weeks, climbing by around 8 per cent. Do you think IT stocks will continue their rally, or are they likely to face profit booking?