Opening bell 2nd April, Nifty down by 1.31% and Sensex by 1.19%

On Thursday, the Indian stock market opened the day trading in red in the pre-opening session, with the NIFTY 50 trading at 22,383.40, down by 1.31%, and the SENSEX at 72,262.05 down by 1.19%.

Indian markets are likely to be volatile today amid negative cues from Asian markets, on rising crude oil prices, and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. The previous session ended in the green amid buying interest across various sectors.

Global cues

• Asian markets traded lower, and U.S markets traded mixed amid cautious market sentiment as investors await U.S President Donald Trump’s address on the Iran war.

Gift Nifty

• On April 2, 2026, the GIFT Nifty traded in red amid weak cues from the Asian markets.

Asian Markets

• Asian markets traded lower after U.S President Donald Trump warned that Washington would strike Iran “very hard” over the next two to three weeks.

US & European Markets

• Dow Jones and Nasdaq traded higher, led by gains in Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon shares.
• S&P 500 traded lower amid cautious investor sentiment due to the scheduled national address by U.S President Donald Trump on the state of the war in Iran.

• The United Kingdom’s FTSE traded higher, led by gains in Antofagasta, Rolls-Royce, and Compass Group shares.
• The French index, CAC, traded in green amid gains in Industrials, Technology, and Financial stocks.
• The German index, the DAX, closed higher, led by gains in Rheinmetall, Siemens Energy, and Infineon stocks.

Commodities

• Crude oil prices traded in green, amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
• Precious metals, such as gold and silver, traded lower amid a firm dollar.
• Natural gas traded in green, as hopes for a swift resolution to the Middle East war faded.

Currency Movements

• The dollar index traded higher after President Donald Trump offered no clarity on when the Middle East conflict might end.
• The rupee weakened against the other currencies amid continuous foreign fund outflows.

Sectors to watch

• Automobile Sector: Domestic passenger vehicle sales rose by 16% in March, led by enhanced affordability after tax cuts last September and the introduction of several new models.
• Banking Sector: The RBI tightened foreign exchange rules by prohibiting banks from offering non-deliverable forward contracts involving the rupee to clients to curb the rupee's decline.
• Renewable Energy Sector: India's renewable energy use has significantly increased, providing 20% of the nation's electricity, reflecting a national priority to tap into clean energy. 

Stocks to watch

• MM Forgings: MM Forgings CFO R. Venkatakrishnan resigned from the position due to age and health reasons, effective April 1.
• Prestige Estate Projects: Prestige Estate Projects entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for a 17.212-acre land parcel.
• Lupin: Lupin’s subsidiary, Nanomi BV, Netherlands, entered into definitive agreements to acquire a 43.38% stake in Multicare Pharmaceuticals for $39.6 million.
• Hero MotoCorp: Hero MotoCorp completed the acquisition of Euler Motors for ₹210 crore.

FII and DII Inflows - 1st April 2026

(The above numbers are in ₹ Cr)

• On 1st April, net outflows were ₹1,159.35 crore, with DIIs as net buyers and FIIs as net sellers, due to cautious investor sentiment amid rising tensions in West Asia.

Global Events & Updates

• On April 2, India will release HSBC Manufacturing PMI data.
• Italy will release the new car registration data today.
• The U.S will release the initial jobless claims data today.

Things to look out for

• The UK’s S&P Global Manufacturing PMI dropped to 51.0 in March 2026.
• The Eurozone's S&P Global Manufacturing PMI rose to 51.6 in March 2026.