Markets opened cautiously on Friday, with the Nifty 50 rising by 12.35 points or 0.05 percent to 25,597.65 and the Sensex increasing by 78.70 points or 0.09 percent to 83,546.36 as of 9:57 am. The Nifty began at 25,546.85 against its previous close of 25,585.30, while the Sensex opened at 83,331.78, compared to Thursday’s close of 83,467.66.
This subdued opening followed strong gains in the previous session, as investors assessed mixed global signals and awaited significant quarterly earnings reports. The GIFT Nifty indicated a negative start, trading around the 25,600 mark with a decline of 56 points.
“The Indian equity markets are expected to open on a negative to flat note today,” stated Amruta Shinde, Technical & Derivative Analyst at Choice Equity Broking Private Limited. She noted this reflects cautious market sentiment influenced by weak global cues and the lack of robust domestic triggers.
IT stocks were the biggest laggards in the morning session, with Wipro leading the decline, dropping 4.52 percent to ₹242.34, followed by Infosys, which fell 1.52 percent to ₹1,449.10, and Tech Mahindra, down 1.11 percent to ₹1,447.50. The sector saw profit-booking after recent gains, with Eternal also decreasing by 2.36 percent to ₹339.65, and Power Grid declining 0.96 percent to ₹289.05.
Conversely, Asian Paints emerged as a top gainer, surging 3.05 percent to ₹2,483.10. Mahindra & Mahindra climbed 1.66 percent to ₹3,620.00, while Nestle India increased by 0.99 percent to ₹1,289.30. Banking stocks provided some support, with Axis Bank gaining 0.84 percent to ₹1,206.30, and Titan rising 0.79 percent to ₹3,669.20.
“The market is resilient and technically strong. Price action in leading stocks indicates short covering,” remarked Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments Limited. He added that “favorable results from banking majors HDFC and ICICI can impart fundamental support to the market.”
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued their buying streak for the second consecutive day, purchasing equities worth ₹997 crore on October 16. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) also showed strong support, acquiring over ₹4,000 crore in equities on the same day.
Global markets experienced pressure, with major US indices, including the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq, closing over half a percent lower. Rising US-China trade tensions and a prolonged US government shutdown negatively impacted investor sentiment globally. Gold soared to a record high of $4,371 per ounce as risk-averse investors sought safe-haven assets.
In commodity markets, crude oil prices experienced significant volatility. “Crude oil prices declined once again after the US President announced the termination of certain trade ties with China,” noted Rahul Kalantri, VP of Commodities at Mehta Equities Ltd. He highlighted that “an oversupplied market, driven by larger OPEC+ output hikes and weakening demand amid the US government shutdown, added further pressure on prices.”
Technically, the Nifty faces immediate resistance at 25,700 and 25,800 levels, while support is positioned at 25,500 and 25,400. “A decisive move above 25,666 could pave the way for a rally towards 26,000–26,300,” commented Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money. The Bank Nifty maintained a strong performance, trading above 57,600, just shy of its record high of 57,625.
Market participants are now keenly focused on quarterly earnings, particularly with Reliance Industries set to report results today. “All eyes are now on Q2 earnings, with Reliance Industries reporting today,” observed Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research) at Mehta Equities Ltd. The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) upward revision of India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast to 6.6 percent and declining crude prices near $57.35 a barrel have also contributed to improving sentiment.
Published on October 17, 2025.
