As the markets open on Thursday, here is a look at the key indicators shaping today’s pre-market landscape. From GIFT Nifty signals to international market movements and stock recommendations, let’s dive into the major trends:

GIFT Nifty Signals a Negative Start

GIFT Nifty, formerly known as SGX Nifty, is trading lower by 121.50 points, or 0.49%, at 24,738.50 on the NSE IX, signaling a weak opening for Dalal Street.

Technical View of the Market

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is showing a bearish crossover, indicating a potential downtrend. However, this might not be the best time to take short positions as the index is nearing a double-bottom support level, which could spark a short-term recovery towards 25,000.

Fear Gauge Rises: India VIX Increases

India’s Volatility Index (VIX), a measure of market fear, rose by 2.57% to settle at 13.39, reflecting heightened uncertainty in the market.

Global Market Trends

Dow Jones: The Dow closed higher on Thursday, up by 0.37%, marking its fourth record close in the last five sessions, supported by strong U.S. retail sales data and TSMC’s optimistic forecast for chipmakers.
S&P 500: Slightly declined by 0.02%.
Nasdaq: Rose marginally by 0.04%.

Mixed Performance Across Asian Markets

Japan: The Topix index rose by 0.6%, driven by a weaker yen.
Australia: The S&P/ASX 200 fell by 0.7%.
South Korea: Shares saw a slight decline.
Hang Seng Futures: Dropped by 0.3%.

Crude Oil Prices Rise on U.S. Inventory Drop

Crude oil futures saw a slight increase on Friday, supported by an unexpected drop in U.S. oil inventories and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. However, concerns about lower global demand are pushing oil prices towards their biggest weekly loss in more than a month.

Dollar Strengthens as U.S. Data Beats Expectations

The U.S. dollar is set for its third consecutive weekly gain, boosted by robust economic data and the likelihood of a dovish European Central Bank. Expectations are that U.S. interest rates will remain higher for longer, especially if Donald Trump wins the presidency.

Stocks in F&O Ban List

Several stocks are under the F&O (Futures & Options) ban, meaning they’ve crossed 95% of the market-wide position limit. These include:

Chambal Fertilisers
SAIL
Hindustan Copper
RBL Bank
Granules
Manappuram Finance
PNB
GNFC
IDFC First Bank
Tata Chemicals
IEX
Nalco
LTF
Bandhan Bank

Institutional Investor Activity

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs): Net sellers, offloading shares worth Rs 7,421 crore on Thursday.
Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs): Bought shares worth Rs 4,980 crore.

Rupee Faces Pressure

The Indian Rupee ended lower by 4 paise, settling at 84.06 against the U.S. dollar, due to foreign fund outflows and the overall strength of the dollar.

FII Net Short Position Rises

The net short positions of Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) increased slightly from Rs 1.68 lakh crore on Wednesday to Rs 1.69 lakh crore on Thursday, indicating a more cautious outlook among foreign investors.

Sumit Bagadia Stock Recommendations for Today

Amines and Plasticizers
- Buy at ₹321.85
- Target: ₹345
- Stop Loss: ₹310
Weizmann
- Buy at ₹136
- Target: ₹144
- Stop Loss: ₹131
Palash Securities
- Buy at ₹163.35
- Target: ₹175
- Stop Loss: ₹157
Kanpur Plastipack
- Buy at ₹129.30
- Target: ₹136
- Stop Loss: ₹125
Nalwa Sons Investments
- Buy at ₹6,251.50
- Target: ₹6,666
- Stop Loss: ₹6,000

Buy or Sell Recommendations by Vaishali Parekh

State Bank of India (SBI)
- Buy at ₹800
- Target: ₹840
- Stop Loss: ₹790
HEG Ltd
- Buy at ₹2,572
- Target: ₹2,650
- Stop Loss: ₹2,290
SeQuent Scientific Ltd
- Buy at ₹196
- Target: ₹205
- Stop Loss: ₹190

Summary Table

Market Indicator	Details
GIFT Nifty	Down by 121.50 points (0.49%)
RSI & Technical Outlook	Bearish crossover, near double-bottom
India VIX	Increased by 2.57% to 13.39 levels
Dow Jones	Up by 0.37%
S&P 500	Down by 0.02%
Nasdaq	Up by 0.04%
Asian Markets	Mixed performance across regions
Crude Oil	Prices rise, headed for weekly loss
U.S. Dollar	Strengthened, third weekly gain
F&O Ban List	14 stocks under ban
FII Activity	Net selling: Rs 7,421 crore
DII Activity	Net buying: Rs 4,980 crore
Rupee Movement	Down by 4 paise, settled at 84.06
FII Net Short Position	Rs 1.69 lakh crore