GIFT Nifty:

GIFT Nifty March 2026 futures were down 46.00 points, suggesting a weak opening for the Nifty 50 today.

Institutional Flows:

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 8,752.65 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 12,068.17 crore in the Indian equity market on 04 March 2026, provisional data showed.

The FIIs have sold shares worth Rs 12,048.29 crore in March (till 04 March 2026). This follows their cash sales of Rs 6,640.78 crore in February and Rs 41,435.22 crore in January 2026.

Global Markets:

Asia market traded higher on Thursday, rebounding after several days of steep losses as sentiment improved following overnight gains on Wall Street and easing concerns over surging oil prices.

South Korea's Kospi jumped over 12%, staging a sharp rebound from its worst session recorded on Wednesday.

As per media reports, the rebound in South Korea's stock market was partly largely driven by a reversal of leveraged selling. A wave of margin calls among retail investors had triggered heavy selling earlier in the week, but once those positions were unwound the market began to recover, the reports added.

Other media report stated that the sell-off was mainly driven by the upside risk around oil prices stemming from the evolving geopolitical developments. Since South Korea is a major crude oil importer, uncertainty around how far oil prices could rise may weigh on the current account balance and add to inflationary pressures.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reportedly said on Wednesday that Washington will roll out a series of measures aimed at stabilizing oil shipments through the Persian Gulf, signaling that the government is prepared to step in as geopolitical tensions threaten one of the world's most critical energy corridors.

China's big policy meeting dubbed the 'Two Sessions,' which kicked off on Wednesday, remained on investor's radar.

China has reportedly set its GDP growth target for 2026 at 4.5% to 5%, the lowest target on record going back to early 1990s, as Beijing grapples with persistent deflationary pressures and trade tensions with the United States. Beijing also kept its budget deficit target unchanged from last year's 'around 4%' of GDP

Overnight in the U.S., stocks rose, building on the momentum seen late in the previous session, as the surge in oil prices pulled back following developments in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and fears about a U.S. economic growth scare faded.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 238.14 points, or 0.49%, to close at 48,739.41. The 30-stock index snapped a three-day run of losses. The S&P 500 gained 0.78% and ended at 6,869.50, while the Nasdaq Composite moved 1.29% higher and settled at 22,807.48.

Domestic Market:

The domestic equity benchmarks ended sharply lower on Wednesday as investors turned risk-averse amid escalating geopolitical tensions and a sharp surge in crude oil prices. The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran unsettled global markets, while the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil prices higher, raising concerns over inflation and energy costs.

Sentiment was further dented by heavy selling from foreign institutional investors and the rupee slipping to a record low. Against this backdrop, the Nifty closed below the 24,500 mark. Barring the Nifty IT index, all other sectoral indices on the NSE ended in the red, with metal, PSU bank and oil & gas stocks leading the decline.

The S&P BSE Sensex tanked 1,122.66 points or 1.40% to 79,116.19. The Nifty 50 index dropped 385.20 points or 1.55% to 24,480.50.

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