The April 2026 futures on SGX Nifty are currently down by 163.50 points, suggesting a potentially unfavorable opening for the benchmark index today.
Institutional Movements:
On 22 April 2026, provisional data indicated that foreign portfolio investors divested shares amounting to Rs 2,078.36 crore, whereas domestic institutional investors also recorded net sales of Rs 1,048.17 crore in the Indian equity market. In April, up to the 22nd, foreign institutional investors sold shares totaling Rs 44,281.38 crore. This follows their cash sales of 122,540.41 crore in March, 6,640.78 crore in February, and 41,435.22 crore in January 2026.
Global Markets
Asian markets saw minor drops on Thursday, even with President Donald Trump’s choice to prolong a ceasefire with Iran. On Tuesday, Trump announced an extension of a two-week U.S. ceasefire, citing the “seriously fractured” state of Tehran’s government as justification. The ceasefire will continue until Iran submits a proposal or talks conclude, according to Trump, while the U.S. military upholds its blockade of Iranian ports. Still, the timeline remains unclear. Iranian state media reported Wednesday that Tehran’s negotiators have opted out of discussions with the U.S., deeming them a “waste of time.” It has been reported that insufficient commitment from Iran has caused Vice President JD Vance to delay his trip for peace talks.
Recently, Iran’s navy announced the capture of two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz. In April, Japan’s manufacturing sector saw its most notable growth in four years, as shown by the S&P Global flash Purchasing Managers’ Index. This growth was fueled by companies ramping up production due to supply worries linked to conflicts in the Middle East. The S&P Global flash Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 54.9 in April, reaching its highest point since January 2022, an increase from 51.6 in March. The 50-mark signifies the line that separates expansion from decline. In the first quarter of the year, South Korea’s economy showed unexpected growth, marking its fastest expansion since the third quarter of 2020. The 1.7% growth from January to March exceeded the commonly cited estimate of 1.0% and suggests a rebound from the 0.2% decline in the prior quarter.
Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite reached record levels on Wednesday following President Donald Trump’s extension of the U.S. ceasefire with Iran, along with positive earnings reports that boosted market sentiment. The broad market index increased by 1.05%, closing at 7,137.90, while the tech-focused index rose by 1.64%, concluding at 24,657.57. Meanwhile, the index increased by 340.65 points, representing a rise of 0.69%, closing the day at 49,490.03.
Domestic Market
The domestic equity benchmarks concluded their three-day winning streak with a significant drop on Wednesday, as ongoing selling in major IT stocks and escalating geopolitical tensions impacted market sentiment. The Nifty 50 started off on a notably low note at 24,470.85, mirroring unfavorable global cues after the failed U.S.-Iran talks prior to the ceasefire deadline. During the session, the price movement showed considerable volatility and unpredictability, with the index varying significantly between a high of 24,515.95 and a low of 24,352.90. The Nifty encountered ongoing selling pressure, ultimately dropping beneath the crucial 24,400 mark by the close of the trading session, even after a few short-lived recovery efforts.
Investor sentiment remained fragile and watchful, even with the slight reassurance offered by news of a ceasefire extension. As uncertainty continues in West Asia, market participants are directing their focus towards Q4 earnings, looking for signals strong enough to alleviate their worries. The market saw a drop of 756.84 points, indicating a decline of 0.95%, with a closing value of 78,516.49. The Nifty 50 index saw a drop of 198.50 points, which is a decline of 0.81%, finishing at 24,378.10. In the past three trading sessions, there were increases of 1.65% and 1.57% in the major indices, respectively.