Indian Stock Market Sees Significant Shifts Amid Global Economic Concerns

Indian Stock Market Expected to Open Lower on Monday

The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to open lower on Monday following mixed global market cues. Investors are assessing the latest developments over the US-Iran war in the Middle East and the surge in crude oil prices, which continues to dent investor sentiment.

Asian markets rose, while the US stock market ended mixed, with all three Wall Street indices posting strong gains last week. The Indian stock market was closed on Friday, 3 April 2025, on account of Good Friday. On Thursday, the Indian stock market recouped sharp losses and ended in the green for the second consecutive session on fag-end buying. The Sensex gained 185.23 points, or 0.25%, to close at 73,319.55, while the Nifty 50 settled 33.70 points, or 0.15%, higher at 22,713.10.

Market sentiment remains fragile and depends on the developments in the US-Iran war, with crude oil prices and foreign fund flows expected to remain key drivers of market direction in the near term.

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Key Global Market Cues for Sensex Today

Asian markets traded higher as investors watched out for the latest developments in the US-Iran war. Markets in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan are closed for a holiday.

US Stock Market Performance

Read also: US-Iran Tensions Spark Uptick in Oil Prices Amid Global Market Decline

The US stock market ended mixed on Thursday, as diplomatic signals from the Middle East helped calm markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.13%, to 46,504.67, while the S&P 500 rose 0.11% to 6,582.69. The Nasdaq Composite closed 0.18% higher at 21,879.18. For the week, the S&P 500 rallied 3.36%, the Nasdaq surged 4.44%, and the Dow rose 2.96%.

US-Iran War and US Nonfarm Payrolls

US President Donald Trump appeared to set a new, final deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, threatening Tehran with “Hell” in an expletive-laden post on his Truth Social platform. US job growth rebounded more than expected in March, with US nonfarm payrolls increasing by 178,000 jobs last month, the most since December 2024.

Crude Oil Prices and Japanese Bond Yields

Crude oil prices rose amid fears of supply losses due to shipping disruptions in the Middle East from the US-Iran war. Benchmark Japanese government bond (JGB) yields rose to a fresh near-three-decade high on Monday, with the benchmark 10-year JGB yield rising 2 basis points (bps) to 2.400%, the highest since February 1999.

Gold Rate Today and Dollar

Gold prices declined more than 1%, pressured by a stronger dollar and fading hopes of US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. The dollar was steady, with the dollar index at 100.2. The euro eased 0.13% to $1.151, while sterling last fetched $1.3187.

Banks' Q4 Business Updates

Banking stocks like HDFC Bank, Yes Bank, IDBI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Union Bank of India, and RBL Bank will remain in focus after the companies reported their Q4 business update over the weekend, ahead of the beginning of the Q4 results 2026 season.