GIFT Nifty:

GIFT Nifty May 2025 futures were trading 12.50 points lower in early trade, suggesting a mildly negative opening for the Nifty 50.

Institutional Flows:

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 8,250.53 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net sellers to the tune of Rs 534.54 crore in the Indian equity market on 24 April 2025, provisional data showed.

According to NSDL data, FPIs have sold shares worth Rs 12055.66 crore in the secondary market during April 2025 (so far). This follows their sale of shares worth Rs 6027.77 crore in March 2024.

Global Markets:

Asian stocks advanced on Friday, following a third consecutive day of gains on Wall Street. The rally was led by technology stocks, as investor sentiment improved with the U.S. signaling a softer stance on tariffs.

In Japan, inflation data showed Tokyo’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 3.5% year-on-year in April, up from 2.9% in March, reaching a two-year high. The core CPI, which excludes fresh food prices, increased to 3.4%, beating market forecasts of 3.2% and rising from 2.4% in the previous month.

The core-core CPI, which excludes both fresh food and energy and is closely monitored by the Bank of Japan, climbed to 3.1%, up from 2.2% in March. This reading remains above the central bank's 2% inflation target.

On Wall Street, all three major U.S. indices closed higher. The S&P 500 gained 2.03%, the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.74%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.23%.

The tech sector led the gains, with Amazon.com Inc. and NVIDIA Corporation rising over 3% each after both companies reported strong demand for AI data centers.

Market optimism was also supported by expectations of easing trade tensions. President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. had met with Chinese officials earlier in the day but did not provide details. This statement contrasted with Beijing’s denial of ongoing trade talks, leaving the status of China-U.S. negotiations unclear.

In economic data, U.S. initial jobless claims for the week ended April 19 rose to 222,000, in line with forecasts and slightly up from 216,000 the prior week. Despite ongoing concerns about the economic impact of tariffs, claims remained within a stable range.

Domestic Market:

Domestic equity benchmarks ended in the red Thursday, breaking a seven-session winning streak as global cues and geopolitical tensions weighed on investor sentiment. The Pahalgam terror attack cast a shadow over the markets, with escalating tensions between India and Pakistan prompting a risk-off mood. Adding to the market nerves was the monthly expiry of Nifty50 F&O contracts, which further amplified volatility. The S&P BSE Sensex declined 315.06 points or 0.39% to 79,801.43. The Nifty 50 index lost 82.25 points or 0.34% to 24,246.70. In the previous seven trading sessions, Sensex and Nifty jumped 8.49% and 8.62%, respectively.