The equity benchmarks are likely to open marginally higher on Thursday, tracking the broader sentiment in Asia, but caution ahead of Russia-US talks over the war in Ukraine could cap the upside in a holiday-truncated week.
Gift Nifty futures were trading at 24,698 as of 8:00 a.m. IST, indicating that the Nifty 50 will open above Wednesday’s close of 24,619.35.
MSCI’s broader index for Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan rose 0.2 per cent, adding to Wednesday’s rally on prospects of a Federal Reserve rate cut next month.
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will discuss a possible deal to end the war in Ukraine when they meet on Friday in Alaska.
Meanwhile, Trump has threatened “severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to peace in Ukraine, but said that a meeting between them could swiftly be followed by a second that would include Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
The talks are being closely watched by market participants in India after Washington imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s Russian oil imports.
Positive US-Russia talks could help ease US-India trade tensions, according to multiple analysts.
The Nifty and Sensex have risen about 1 per cent so far this week and are set to snap six consecutive weeks of losses, triggered by trade uncertainty and muted quarterly earnings.
The markets will be closed on Friday for Independence Day.
STOCKS TO WATCH
** Bharat Petroleum Corporation reports better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by a dip in costs and improved fuel demand
** Domino’s India operator Jubilant Foodworks beats first-quarter profit estimates by a wide margin as lower-priced items on the menu and free deliveries bolstered demand
** United Spirits misses profit estimates as higher marketing spends overshadow sustained demand for premium liquor
Published on August 14, 2025