GIFT Nifty indicates red start for equities; Strait of Hormuz stays largely closed despite ceasefire
GIFT Nifty:
The GIFT Nifty April 2026 futures currently traded 55 points lower, suggesting a red opening for the benchmark index today.
Institutional Flows:
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,711.19 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 955.90 crore in the Indian equity market on 09 April 2026, provisional data showed.
The FIIs had sold shares worth Rs 39,644.72 crore in April (till 09 April 2026). This follows their cash sales of Rs 122,540.41 crore in March, Rs 6,640.78 crore in February and Rs 41,435.22 crore in January 2026.
Global Markets:
Asia markets traded mostly higher on Friday, though a fragile two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran keeps investors on tenterhooks with oil prices resuming gains.
The Mideast conflict, which has been going on for more than a month, led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and traffic continues to largely be restricted via the crucial energy waterway despite the ceasefire.
Tehran had said it would reopen the strait as long as all attacks on the country were halted, according to a statement from its foreign minister. Media reports said that Israel had also agreed to the ceasefire. That followed U.S. President Donald Trump pausing attacks on Iran on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in China, factory-gate prices rose for the first time in more than three years, while the consumer price index climbed 1% in March from a year earlier.
Overnight on Wall Street, oil prices came off their highs of the day while the S&P 500 traded into the green.
The S&P 500 ended the session at 6,824.66, adding 0.62%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.83% to 22,822.42. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 275.88 points, or 0.58%, and settled at 48,185.80. The 30-stock index turned positive for the year, up 0.25%.
Domestic Market:
The key equity benchmarks ended sharply lower on Thursday, snapping a five-day winning streak as investor sentiment weakened amid global uncertainty. The decline was driven by concerns around the US-Iran ceasefire, which weighed on markets worldwide.
Adding to the cautious mood, investors remained on the sidelines ahead of TCS's quarterly earnings, seeking cues for the IT sector. Volatility also rose due to the weekly expiry of Sensex derivatives contracts, further pressuring indices. The Nifty slipped below the 23,800 mark, dragged by losses in banking and financial services stocks.
The S&P BSE Sensex tumbled 931.25 points or 1.20% to 76,631.65. The Nifty 50 index dropped 222.25 points or 0.93% to 23,775.10. In the past five consecutive trading sessions, the Sensex surged 7.80% while the Nifty soared 7.46%.
