Markets may start session with positive numbers

8 Apr 2024 , 09:21 AM

Domestic equity indices are set to start the day with green numbers. In its previous trading session on Friday, markets were almost flat at closing. BSE Sensex closed 21 points higher at 74,248. NSE Nifty closed at 22,513.

On the global front, US markets closed higher on Friday after a robust employment data reaffirmed the perception that the economy is healthy, even as it suggested the Federal Reserve may postpone interest rate cuts. Dow Jones closed 307 points higher. Nasdaq Composite index ended with a gain of 199 points. S&P 500 index closed with a gain of 57 points.

Asian equities began the week on a muted tone on Monday, while the dollar firmed as investors speculated on when the US Federal Reserve will begin decreasing interest rates in the aftermath of yet another spectacular employment report.

Chinese Shanghai Composite was trading 0.25% higher. Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed 1.35% higher. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index ended with a gain of 0.81%. South Korean Kospi index is trading 0.19% higher. Taiwan index is up by 0.62%.

On the nifty index, Kotak Bank, SBI Life, HDFC Bank, Bajaj Finserv, and HDFC Life were the biggest gainers on Friday. Grasim, Ultratech Cement, Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Auto, and Bharti Airtel ended as the top laggards.

On Monday, oil prices plummeted more than $1 a barrel, with Brent falling below $90, as Middle East tensions eased after Israel withdrew more soldiers from southern Gaza and agreed to new talks on a potential truce in the six-month conflict.

The rupee rose 8 paise to settle at 83.31 versus the US dollar on Friday, as the Reserve Bank of India left the benchmark interest rate constant at 6.5% for the seventh day in a row.

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