The Indian stock market benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty 50, are expected to open lower on Tuesday, 25 August, in line with weak global market cues.
Gift Nifty also signalled a negative start for domestic equities. The index was trading around 24,170, at a discount of about 60 points to the Nifty futures’ previous close.
In the previous session, domestic equity markets ended lower, with the Nifty 50 closing below 24,300. The Sensex declined 171.72 points, or 0.22%, to settle at 77,369.11, while the Nifty 50 fell 32.95 points, or 0.14%, to close at 24,219.05.
US-Iran war
Reports said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced fresh sanctions against Tehran aimed at cutting off financial support to the Iranian regime, with President Donald Trump also urging US allies to back the measures.
According to US officials cited in reports, the latest sanctions target five key sectors—digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping—in addition to Iran’s oil revenues. The measures reportedly cover 60 entities, vessels and individuals accused of facilitating support for the regime.
Meanwhile, reports said Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, warned that Tehran could halt all Gulf oil exports if Trump’s economic campaign continues. He also reportedly said that support by any country for Washington’s sanctions would be viewed as an act of war.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, said Washington has not ruled out the use of military force against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz or elsewhere in the region. According to reports, he said the US was not ruling out potential kinetic action anywhere in the region.
Crude oil prices
According to a Bloomberg report, oil prices held on to their losses as the US intensified economic pressure on Iran and its trading partners in an effort to push for the resumption of energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude traded near $92 a barrel after falling more than 2% in the previous session, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) hovered around $85 a barrel.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that countries would be given a specific timeline to sever their economic links with Iran or face unilateral punitive measures, as part of what he described as an “economic D-Day” campaign.
Crude prices have surged more than 50% so far this year as the war, now in its sixth month, continues to disrupt the movement of crude oil and refined fuels from the Middle East. However, it remains unclear whether the latest US measures will help ease Tehran’s control over the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz or trigger further tensions, particularly with China, which remains the largest buyer of Iranian oil.
What Gift Nifty live chart signals?
The Gift Nifty Live Chart shows a weak start for the Indian stock market today. By 8:00 AM, the Gift Nifty was trading around the 24,154 level, a discount of 60 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close of 24,209.60.
Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said Indian equity markets are expected to remain cautious following the weakness in the previous session, with escalating US-Iran tensions, WTI crude holding near $85 a barrel and declines across Asian markets adding to the risk-off tone. The US has launched what it calls an “Economic D-Day” against Iran, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announcing a sweeping new sanctions campaign that marks an intensification of economic pressure on Tehran. Early indications from GIFT Nifty futures, trading in the 24,140–24,170 range against the Nifty’s previous close of 24,219, point to a flat-to-mildly weaker opening for domestic equities.
The latest escalation in the US-Iran standoff follows the expiry of the 60-day ceasefire window, with no further talks currently planned. Iran’s rial has fallen to a record low, while shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely constrained, keeping uncertainty around energy supplies and the broader geopolitical outlook elevated.
WTI crude oil remains firm near the $85-per-barrel mark, keeping energy prices a key concern for domestic equities. Gold, meanwhile, continues to hold its recent gains and is gradually advancing further, reflecting sustained demand for safe-haven assets amid heightened uncertainty.
Stock market today
Speaking on the outlook for the Nifty 50 today, Ajit Mishra, Senior Vice President, Research at Religare Broking, said Nifty 50 continues to consolidate around the 24,200 level after failing to sustain its recent rebound. The 24,000 zone remains an important near-term support, and a decisive break below this level could reopen the downside towards the 23,650–23,800 zone. On the upside, the 24,300–24,400 region is likely to act as the immediate hurdle.
On the outlook for the Bank Nifty today, Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, believes Bank Nifty is also likely to remain under near-term pressure after facing selling pressure at higher levels. The 57,800–58,000 region remains the immediate resistance zone, and the index will need to sustain above this band to strengthen the ongoing recovery. A decisive breakout above 58,000 could reinforce bullish momentum and pave the way towards the 58,300–58,500 levels.
On the downside, 57,300–57,200 remains the immediate support zone, followed by the stronger 57,100–57,000 region. A decisive break below 57,000 could trigger renewed selling pressure and expose the index to support levels of 56,600 and lower. Overall, the near-term technical outlook for Bank Nifty remains cautious. A sustained move above 58,000 would improve the short-term structure and strengthen recovery prospects, while continued trading below the 57,300–57,000 support zone could shift momentum back in favour of the bears.
Stocks to buy today
Regarding stocks to buy today, market experts — Sumeet Bagadia of Choice Broking, Ganesh Dongre, and Senior Manager — Technical Research at Anand Rathi, recommended these eight buy-or-sell stocks for intraday trading Welspun Living Ltd, Redington Ltd, LTM Ltd, Computer Age Management Services Ltd, Cipla Ltd, Hindalco Industries Ltd, NACL Industries Ltd, and V-Mart Retail Ltd.
Sumeet Bagadia’s stock recommendations today
Buy Welspun Living in cash at ₹190.4; SL at ₹184; TGT at ₹204
Buy Redington in cash at ₹365; SL at ₹352; TGT at ₹390
Ganesh Dongre’s buy or sell stocks
Buy LTM at ₹4,515; SL at ₹4,450; TGT at ₹4,700
Buy Computer Age Management Services at ₹450-455; SL at ₹435; TGT at ₹470
Buy Cipla at ₹1,435; SL at ₹1,420; TGT at ₹1,465
Shiju Koothupalakkal’s intraday stocks for today
Buy Hindalco Industries cmp: ₹1,058; Target: ₹1,120; Stop loss: ₹1,035
Buy NACL Industries cmp: ₹176; Target: ₹186; Stop loss: ₹172
Buy V-Mart Retail cmp: ₹856; Target: ₹905; Stop loss: ₹836
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
