The Indian stock market benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty 50, are likely to open on a higher note on Thursday, 20 August, amid overnight recovery on Wall Street and rally in Asian markets, as softer US Treasury yields boosted global risk appetite.
Asian markets opened mostly higher, meanwhile, US stock futures ended higher on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Indian indices Nifty 50 extended its losing streak to seven consecutive sessions on Wednesday, August 19, marking its longest spell of declines since September 2025. The index remained under pressure amid the ongoing West Asian conflict and persistently high crude oil prices. The Nifty 50 settled 77 points, or 0.32%, lower at 24,078.30, while the 30-share Sensex declined 326 points, or 0.42%, to close at 76,909.68.
“Markets remained under pressure on Wednesday, extending the prevailing corrective phase amid weak global cues. After an initial decline, the Nifty gradually moved lower as the session progressed and came close to testing the 24,000 mark before settling at 24,078.30, down around 0.32%. The Sensex closed at 76,909.68, lower by around 0.42%.
Investor sentiment remained subdued as Brent crude moved towards the $92 per barrel mark amid stalled US-Iran peace negotiations, raising concerns over global energy supplies. Rising bond yields in developed markets further weighed on risk appetite and reduced the attractiveness of emerging-market equities. However, selective buying in heavyweight stocks helped cushion the overall decline,” said Ajit Mishra – SVP, Research, Religare Broking.
Here are key global market cues for Sensex today:
Asian markets
Asian equities moved higher on Thursday, August 20, as easing bond market pressures boosted investor sentiment after the US Treasury unveiled plans to repurchase longer-dated debt to help contain borrowing costs.
MSCI’s Asia-Pacific equity index climbed 0.8%, with South Korean markets leading the regional rally. The Kospi jumped 3.86% during intraday trade, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.95% and the Topix advanced 0.80%. Meanwhile, Hang Seng futures indicated a 0.9% increase.
Gift Nifty today
Gift Nifty was trading around the 24,202.5 level, down nearly 84.90 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close, indicating a negative start for the Indian stock market indices.
Wall Street
S&P 500 futures remained largely unchanged on Wednesday night following a strong session on Wall Street, which was supported by a decline in Treasury yields.
S&P 500 futures edged up around 0.1%, while Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.3%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures also rose 19 points, or 0.04%.
Earlier in the day, the S&P 500 ended its three-session losing streak as longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields retreated from multi-year highs. The decline in yields came after the government announced measures aimed at easing pressure following the recent sell-off in the bond market.
Crude oil prices
Oil prices remained largely stable in early Asian trade on Thursday as investors weighed the potential trajectory of the U.S.-Iran war and concerns over the safety of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures for October delivery edged up 25 cents, or 0.3%, to $91.87 a barrel. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for September was down 2 cents at $85.81 a barrel. The more actively traded October WTI contract rose 14 cents, or 0.2%, to $84.53 a barrel.
Both Brent and WTI posted gains for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, closing at their highest levels since July 24. The September WTI contract is set to expire later on Thursday.
US-Iran war
Trump said the measures would amount to “Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” describing them as an “ECONOMIC D-DAY” and calling on all US allies to support Washington.
He warned that countries allowing financial institutions, companies, airports or government bodies to assist Iran would face severe economic repercussions, although he did not specify what those penalties would entail. Trump also called for an end to activities including smuggling, cash transfers, operations by exchange houses and the use of ship registries to support Iran.
Gold rate today
Gold prices remained close to a more than two-month high on Thursday after a surprise liquidity support announcement from the U.S. Treasury sent bond yields and the dollar lower.
Spot gold was largely unchanged at $4,512.19 per ounce as of 0031 GMT, after touching $4,525.79 earlier in the session, its highest level since June 2. The precious metal surged more than 4% on Wednesday. Gold typically benefits from periods of geopolitical and economic uncertainty as investors seek safe-haven assets, while elevated interest rates tend to weigh on its appeal since gold does not generate interest income.
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