February 15: Top Things You Must Know Before the Market Opens!

The GIFT Nifty pointed to a positive start for Indian equities, with Nifty futures trading at 22,977.50 around 7:10 AM IST.

Market Update 8:15 AM: U.S. stock markets ended mixed on Friday. US Treasury yields fell, following President Donald Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariff plans, though no immediate action was taken. The S&P 500 slipped slightly by 0.01 per cent, closing at 6,114.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.37 per cent to settle at 44,546.08, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.41 per cent, finishing at 20,026.77.

Asian equities saw a subdued session as trading volumes remained light due to a U.S. market holiday on Monday. The dollar weakened after disappointing U.S. retail sales data renewed expectations of two potential Federal Reserve rate cuts this year.

The GIFT Nifty pointed to a positive start for Indian equities, with Nifty futures trading at 22,977.50 around 7:10 AM IST.

Indian stock markets extended their losing streak for the eighth straight session, marking their longest stretch of declines since February 2023. Investor sentiment remained cautious amid global economic uncertainties and domestic concerns. By the close, the Sensex slipped 199.76 points or 0.26 per cent to end at 75,939.21, while the Nifty 50 fell 102.55 points or 0.44 per cent to 22,929.25. Broader indices were under heavy pressure, with the BSE Midcap index losing 2.6 per cent and the Smallcap index plunging 3.3 per cent.

U.S. Treasury yields held steady, with the 10-year yield unchanged at 4.47 per cent and the 2-year yield flat at 4.25 per cent.

The U.S. dollar remained on the defensive at 106.75, as weak economic data fueled speculation of further Fed rate cuts.

WTI crude oil futures declined to approximately USD 70.5 per barrel on Monday, weighed down by expectations of increased supply from Iraq and Russia.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued their selling spree for the eighth consecutive session, offloading equities worth Rs 4,294 crore on February 14. Meanwhile, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) were net buyers, acquiring stocks worth Rs 4,363 crore on the same day.

Manappuram Finance remains on the Futures & Options (F&O) ban list for today.

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