Opening Bell : Benchmarks likely to make flat to positive amid positive global cues
Indian equity markets are likely to make flat to positive start on Friday, tracking positive cues from global markets. Traders are likely to take some support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing GST 2.0 as a double dose of support and growth for the nation and asserted that the series of next-generation reforms to make India self-reliant will not stop.
Some of the key factors to be watched:
India's exports this year to be higher than 2024-25: Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that India's exports during the current financial year would be higher than 2024-25, while asserting the government is working at a fast pace for diversification of outbound shipments.
GST reforms to strengthen India's clean-energy transition: Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has described the government's overhaul of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as a historic Diwali gift that will strengthen India's clean-energy transition.
PM Modi, EU leadership reaffirm commitment to seal India-EU FTA soon: India and European Union have pledged to seal their much-awaited free trade deal by December with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 27-nation bloc's top leaders Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen pledging to promoting a rules-based global order, amid Washington's disruptive trade policies.
ALEMAI seeks review of import duties, free trade pacts to offset US tariff impact: Aluminium extrusion manufacturers' body ALEMAI (Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India) has said that the government needs to look at import duties, free trade pacts, and policies that promote domestic consumption so as to mitigate impacts of US tariffs.
Cement stocks will be in focus: Cement Manufacturers' Association (CMA) has said that a reduction in GST is likely to enhance the competitiveness of the Indian cement industry by creating a level playing field with global peers.
On the global front: The US markets ended in green on Thursday, after poor private sector employment and higher than expected jobless claims raised optimism over rate-cut by Federal Reserve this month. Asian markets are mostly in green on Friday, following the broadly positive cues from Wall Street overnight.
Back home, Indian equity benchmarks pared most of their gains and settled flat with positive bias on Thursday amid the expiry of Sensex F&O contracts. Initially, markets traded higher after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council approved a new dual-slab structure of 5 percent and 18 percent, and scrapped the existing 12 percent and 28 percent rates, in a landmark move aimed at simplifying India's indirect tax regime. But, profit-taking and weakness in select heavyweights dragged the indices lower as the day progressed. Finally, the BSE Sensex rose 150.30 points or 0.19% to 80,718.01 and the CNX Nifty was up by 19.25 points or 0.08% to 24,734.30.
Some of the important factors in trade:
India FDI up 15% to $18.62 billion in April-June FY26: The government data has showed that Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) equity inflow in India increased by 15% to $18.62 billion during April-June period of this fiscal year (FY26), as compared to $16.17 billion in the same period of last fiscal.
India raises concerns over mobility, non-tariff barriers faced by Indian exporters in EU: India has raised concerns over certain issues such as migration, mobility, streamlining visa processes and non-tariff barriers being faced by domestic exporters in the European Union (EU), including in Germany, and both sides agreed to work together to resolve these issues and facilitate smoother trade flows.
Foreign fund outflows: Foreign institutional investors offloaded equities worth Rs 1,666.46 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
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