Global markets exhibited mixed trends as investor anxiety grew following a decline in U.S. indices, attributed to renewed concerns over global growth and policy uncertainty.
On Friday morning, the markets opened with a subdued tone. The Sensex rose by 182.98 points or 0.22 percent, reaching 84,587.44 by 9:45 am, compared to the previous close of 84,404.46. Similarly, the Nifty 50 gained 42.95 points or 0.17 percent, trading at 25,920.80 compared to Thursday’s close of 25,877.85. Both indices started the day at 84,379.79 and 25,863.80, reflecting cautious investor sentiment as they approached the month’s final trading day.
“Global markets are trading mixed this Friday morning, reflecting investor caution after U.S. indices closed lower overnight amid renewed concerns over global growth and policy uncertainty,” said Ponmudi R., CEO of Enrich Money. On Thursday, foreign portfolio investors sold domestic equities worth ₹3,077 crore, putting further pressure on the rupee and overall market sentiment as the weekend loomed. Domestic institutional investors partially mitigated these losses, purchasing equities worth ₹2,469 crore on the same day.
In terms of individual stock performance, Eicher Motors emerged as a top gainer in the Nifty 50, rising 2.10 percent to ₹7,033.50. Other gainers included Maruti Suzuki at 1.40 percent to ₹16,433, ITC at 1.33 percent to ₹424.30, Bajaj Finance at 1.15 percent to ₹1,064.45, and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, which increased by 1.03 percent to ₹416.70. Conversely, NTPC saw a decline of 1.72 percent to ₹339.20, Cipla dropped 1.68 percent to ₹1,514.30, Max Healthcare fell 1.61 percent to ₹1,159.50, IndiGo decreased by 0.86 percent to ₹5,676, and Kotak Mahindra Bank slipped 0.73 percent to ₹2,121.60.
Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research) at Mehta Equities, noted that the much-anticipated meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, along with the U.S. Federal Reserve’s 25 basis point rate cut, failed to improve market sentiment. “This reflects a classic ‘buy on rumor, sell on fact’ trend,” he said, expressing disappointment that the summit yielded only a one-year truce in the U.S.-China trade war rather than a definitive trade agreement.
The Nifty 50 continues to encounter resistance in the 26,050–26,100 range, closing below 25,900 on Thursday following a narrow trading range. Ponmudi R. indicated that sustaining above 25,800 maintains a positive bias, while a decisive move above 26,100 could rejuvenate momentum toward 26,250–26,400. The Bank Nifty concluded near 58,000, at a critical support area, with immediate support at 58,000–57,500 and resistance between 58,300–58,500.
Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, remarked that the Indian market’s rally is losing steam as it approaches the record high of 26,277 established in September 2024. He noted that renewed selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) may dampen market conditions in the near term as they view Indian valuations as relatively high, especially in light of earnings growth.
Amruta Shinde, a Technical and Derivative Analyst at Choice Broking, advised traders to adopt a cautious approach: “Given the heightened volatility and mixed global cues, traders are advised to maintain a cautious ‘buy-on-dips’ strategy, particularly when using leverage. Fresh long positions should be considered only if the Nifty sustains above the 26,100 mark.”
In commodities, crude oil futures traded lower on Friday, with January Brent oil futures at $63.94, down 0.67 percent, and December WTI crude oil futures at $60.14, down 0.71 percent. Additionally, November crude oil futures traded at ₹5,347 on the MCX, down 0.82 percent from the previous close of ₹5,391.
“WTI crude oil prices fell toward $60 per barrel on Friday, extending their monthly decline as expectations of rising global supply dampened sentiment ahead of the OPEC+ meeting,” stated Rahul Kalantri, VP of Commodities at Mehta Equities. He added that a stronger dollar and decreasing optimism over U.S.-China energy trade discussions further contributed to the decline in prices.
Published on October 31, 2025.
