- Indian benchmarks gained as Asian markets also recovered.
- US markets ended mixed; technology shares showed continued weakness.
- Oil prices stabilized; precious metals rose on rate hopes.
The Indian benchmark indices witnessed gains on Friday as the Sensex rose 261 points to close trade at 77,763 and the Nifty gained 95 points to end at 24,270 at 3:30 PM.
Previously, during the early morning session, as the Sensex rang the opening bell about 450 points higher, testing 77,950, while the Nifty started the session above 24,300, climbing more than 150 points, as of 9:15 AM.
Asian Markets Recover
Markets across the Asia-Pacific region recovered after a subdued start to trading, with investor sentiment improving as buying returned following recent profit booking in technology stocks.
South Korea’s Kospi rose around 1.4 per cent, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 traded nearly 0.3 per cent higher, helping lift overall market sentiment heading into Friday’s session.
Wall Street Ends Mixed Amid Tech Weakness
US markets closed on a mixed note on Thursday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained more than 1 per cent, supported by buying in industrial and value stocks. However, the Nasdaq Composite fell around 0.8 per cent amid continued weakness in technology shares, while the S&P 500 ended largely unchanged.
The mixed performance reflected investor caution ahead of upcoming economic data and monetary policy signals.
Oil Holds Steady As Strait Of Hormuz Concerns Ease
Crude oil prices remained relatively stable after tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz improved, easing concerns over potential supply disruptions.
Brent crude futures traded around $72 per barrel, with markets continuing to monitor shipping activity through one of the world’s key energy corridors.
The stable oil prices are expected to provide some relief to import-dependent economies such as India by easing concerns over inflation and corporate input costs.
Gold, Silver Gain On Fed Rate Expectations
Precious metals extended their rally after weaker-than-expected US employment data strengthened expectations that the US Federal Reserve may refrain from raising interest rates in the near term.
Gold futures climbed around 1.6 per cent, while silver advanced more than 2 per cent as lower rate expectations boosted demand for non-yielding assets.
