SGX Nifty March 2026 futures experienced a decline of 486.50 points, indicating a bearish start for the Nifty 50 today.

Institutional Flows:

On 18 March 2026, provisional data indicated that foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) divested shares amounting to Rs 2,714.35 crore, whereas domestic institutional investors (DIIs) recorded net purchases totaling Rs 3,253.03 crore in the Indian equity market. Foreign Institutional Investors have divested shares amounting to Rs 73,704.31 crore in March (up to 18 March 2026). This comes after their cash sales of Rs 6,640.78 crore in February and Rs 41,435.22 crore in January 2026.

Global Markets:

On Thursday, Asia-Pacific markets experienced a downturn, following the losses observed on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a new closing low for the year. The Bank of Japan maintained its interest rates at 0.75%, while acknowledging that inflation risks have shifted to the upside as a result of the conflict in Iran. In the commodities market, Brent crude for May 2026 settlement increased by $3.85, reflecting a rise of 3.59%, reaching $111.23 a barrel. Overnight in the U.S., the 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial experienced a decline of 1.63%, concluding at 46,225.15, marking a new low for the year. The index has also finished below its 200-day moving average. The S&P 500 experienced a decline of 1.36%, and the Nasdaq Composite saw a decrease of 1.46%.

The Federal Reserve maintained its key policy rate at 3.5% to 3.75%, with Chair Jerome Powell tempering rate-cut expectations, indicating that inflation was not decreasing as much as ‘hoped.’ The U.S. central bank’s “dot plot” indicates a potential reduction in 2026 and another in 2027, although the exact timing remains uncertain. The producer price index, which monitors fluctuations in wholesale prices, increased by 0.7% in February, significantly surpassing the 0.3% forecasted by economists surveyed by Dow Jones.

Domestic Market:

Domestic equity benchmarks concluded Wednesday’s session with notable gains, marking the third consecutive day of rallying, despite the ongoing Middle East conflict maintaining a cautious investor sentiment. The S&P BSE Sensex increased by 633.29 points, reflecting a rise of 0.83%, reaching a total of 76,704.13. The Nifty 50 index experienced an increase of 196.65 points, reflecting a rise of 0.83%, reaching a level of 23,777.80. Over the course of three consecutive trading sessions, the Sensex and Nifty experienced increases of 2.87% and 2.71% respectively.