GIFT Nifty signals positive start as Wall Street rebounds; oil stays elevated
GIFT Nifty:
GIFT Nifty August 2026 futures were up 35.50 points, indicating a mildly positive start for the Nifty 50.
Economy:
India's infrastructure output grew 5% year-on-year in June 2026, accelerating from a revised 3.2% increase in May and marking the fastest growth since January. Growth was led by iron ore output, which rose 43.9%, while cement, steel and electricity production also increased. Refinery product output, however, declined 4.7% amid supply disruptions in Persian Gulf energy exports. The data are based on a revised series with 2022-23 as the base year, which expands the core infrastructure basket to nine industries from eight with the inclusion of iron ore.
India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable to be held today:
The 4th India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable will be held in Singapore on 20 August 2026, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State Jitin Prasada representing India. The meeting will review ongoing initiatives and explore ways to deepen cooperation in advanced manufacturing, connectivity, digitalisation, healthcare, skills development and sustainability under the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership roadmap. A business roundtable involving key business leaders will also be held alongside the ministerial meeting.
Institutional Flows:
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 407.99 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 3,973.72 crore in the Indian equity market on 19 August 2026, according to provisional data.
FPIs bought shares worth Rs 13921.14 crore in August so far, through 19 August 2026. This follows net cash purchases of Rs 6,731.97 crore in July 2026, while they were net sellers of Rs 53,957.90 crore in June 2026.
Global Markets:
Most Asian stock indices traded higher on Thursday, tracking a rebound on Wall Street as a retreat in US Treasury yields improved risk appetite. The recovery followed the US Treasury's announcement that it would double the size of its buyback operations for longer-dated government debt, helping ease pressure in the bond market after 30-year Treasury yields hit their highest level since 2007 earlier in the week.
Global crude prices, however, remained elevated near $92 a barrel as hopes for a near-term resolution to the US-Iran conflict faded. Stalled talks and uncertainty over crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz continued to fuel concerns that higher energy costs could keep inflation elevated.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 ended a three-session losing streak on Wednesday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite also gained around 0.2%. The rebound was supported by the decline in longer-dated Treasury yields following the US Treasury's liquidity-support measures.
Investors also digested a hawkish set of minutes from the Federal Reserve's July meeting. The minutes showed that three policymakers had favoured a 25-basis-point rate hike, while several officials said further tightening could be required if inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target. The Fed kept its benchmark rate at 3.50%-3.75% at the 28-29 July meeting.
Investors will now watch US weekly jobless claims for fresh clues on the labour market and the outlook for monetary policy.
Domestic Market:
Key benchmark indices extended their losing streak on Wednesday as elevated crude oil prices, higher global bond yields and persistent geopolitical uncertainty kept investors cautious. The Nifty settled below the 24,100 level. The broader market remained under pressure, with both midcap and smallcap indices ending lower. Most sectoral indices closed in the red, led by weakness in defence and energy stocks, while IT shares bucked the trend and gained amid bargain hunting. Brent crude remained elevated near $92 a barrel as uncertainty over the US-Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz kept supply concerns in focus.
The S&P BSE Sensex dropped 325.78 points or 0.42% to 76,909.68. The Nifty 50 index lost 76.60 points or 0.32% to 24,078.30. The Sensex declined 1.49% in four consecutive trading sessions, while the Nifty fell 2.05% in seven consecutive trading sessions.
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