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Benchmarks likely to make positive start amid strong global cues
Oct-16-2025

Indian equity markets are likely to make a positive start on Thursday, amid strong global cues driven by hopes of Federal Reserve rate cut. Traders are likely to take some support amid ongoing India-US trade talks and encouraging Q2 earnings results. Additionally, sentiment may be further boosted by foreign institutional investors (FIIs), who were net buyers of shares worth Rs 68.64 crore.

Some of the key factors to be watched:

IMF's upward revision of India's growth forecast reflects strong fundamentals: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the IMF's upward revision of India's GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal to 6.6 per cent reflects the country's economic resilience and strong fundamentals.

India, EU trade pact talks in last leg: The report said that the negotiations between India and the European Union on the proposed free trade agreement are progressing very well and have reached the last leg.

India open to raise energy purchases from America: Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal will join the Indian delegation in the US for trade talks, with India indicating its readiness to step up energy imports from America.

India's vegetable oil imports surge 51% in September: Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) has said that India's vegetable oil imports jumped 51 per cent to 16.39 lakh tonnes in September from a year earlier, driven by a surge in crude palm oil shipments, while refined oil imports dropped to zero for the first time since 2021.

India’s unemployment rate rises marginally to 5.2% in September: The government data has showed that the unemployment rate for those aged 15 and above increased marginally to 5.2 per cent in September.

On the global front: The US markets ended mostly in green on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a report showed that New York manufacturing activity has seen a significant turnaround in the month of October. Asian markets are trading mostly in green on Thursday, despite escalating China-U.S. trade tensions, valuation concerns and worries over a U.S. government shutdown that entered its third week.

Back home, Indian equity benchmarks rebounded sharply on Wednesday, gaining over half a percent on buying in Realty and Telecom shares, driven by a rally in Asian and European markets amid hopes of a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve later this month. Investor sentiment was also underpinned by a weaker dollar in international markets and falling oil prices. Finally, the BSE Sensex rose 575.45 points or 0.70% to 82,605.43 and the CNX Nifty was up by 178.05 points or 0.71% to 25,323.55.

Some of the important factors in trade:

IMF raises India’s GDP forecast to 6.6% for FY26: International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised upwards India's GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal to 6.6 per cent compared to its earlier estimate of 6.4 per cent on the back of strong growth, offsetting the impact of US tariffs on Indian shipments. 

Public sector banks’ credit growth outperforms private peers: Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju has said that the public sector banks have emerged stronger and more resilient, with credit growth outperforming their private peers in the recent past. 

India, Saudi Arabia to strengthen cooperation in chemicals & petrochemicals sector: India and Saudi Arabia have held a bilateral meeting with focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation, promoting investments, and exploring new areas of collaboration in the Chemicals and Petrochemicals sector.

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