Top things you must know before the market opens!

The GIFT Nifty is indicating a flat start for the day. Nifty futures were trading at 24,737.

Pre-Market Update at 8:45 AM: The Nasdaq Composite Index crossed the 20,000 mark for the first time on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in a year dominated by the buzz around artificial intelligence and hopes for declining interest rates. These factors have sparked a strong rally in technology stocks.

The index, heavily weighted towards tech companies, has climbed over 33 per cent this year, driven by major players such as Apple, Nvidia, Google-parent Alphabet, and more recently, Tesla. Wednesday's surge followed a U.S. inflation report that strengthened expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut next week.

The Nasdaq gained 1.77 per cent, closing at a record high of 20,034.89. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 advanced 0.82 per cent to settle at 6,084.19. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 99.27 points, or 0.22 per cent, to finish at 44,148.56.

The GIFT Nifty is indicating a flat start for the day. Nifty futures were trading at 24,737.

The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield stands at 4.287 per cent, while the 2-year bond yield at 4.163 per cent.

Brent crude held at $73 and WTI at $70 as supply concerns from EU sanctions clashed with weak demand signals from rising U.S. fuel inventories and OPEC’s lowered demand forecasts. Hopes persist for a demand boost from China’s policies and potential Fed rate cuts.

On December 11 2024, foreign institutional investors (FII) sold shares worth Rs 1,012 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DII) bought shares worth Rs 2,007 crore.

Stocks that are banned for trading in the F&O segment on December 12, 2024, are HINDCOPPER, METROPOLIS, GRANULES, MANAPPURAM, PVRINOX, RBLBANK.

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