D-Street Remains Cautious Amid Trade Talks, Sensex, Nifty Open Marginally Higher

The GIFT Nifty indicated a muted day ahead for the domestic markets. As of 8:59 AM, the index slid close to 30 points and stood under 24,800.

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that trade negotiations between the United States and India are “working very well,” even as tensions simmer over potential tariffs.

Source : Freepik

The Indian stock markets began Wednesday’s trading session on a volatile note. The BSE Sensex crossed 81,350 by climbing merely 15 points, while the NSE Nifty50 inched up 13 points to trade at 24,834, as of 9:15 AM.

The GIFT Nifty indicated a muted day ahead for the domestic markets. As of 8:59 AM, the index slid close to 30 points and stood under 24,800.

In the pre-open market, around 9:05 AM, the Nifty showed signs of a positive trading session ahead for investors by climbing close to 100 points and crossing 24,900. However, the Sensex stood nearly flat by inching up 2 points to touch 81,340.

On the Sensex, L&T, BEL, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, and Bajaj Finance emerged among the gainers. Meanwhile, Tata Motors, HUL, Asian Paints, ICICI Bank, and Eternal stood among the laggards in the market opening hour.

In the broader markets, the Nifty Microcap250 again led with gains of 0.68 per cent. Sectorally, the Media index stood out in green and jumped 0.74 per cent, while the Auto index slipped 0.48 per cent.

Trump Signals Optimism on US–India Trade Talks

US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that trade negotiations between the United States and India are “working very well,” even as tensions simmer over potential tariffs. His comments come just days before the self-imposed August 1 deadline for possible trade measures.

Addressing reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump reacted to reports that India was preparing retaliatory tariffs of 20 to 25 per cent on American goods. He strongly criticised India’s long-standing tariff regime, calling it among the highest in the world.

Earlier this year, in April, the US President had announced a 26 per cent tariff on certain Indian goods, but later put those “reciprocal” measures on hold. That move was seen as part of his wider effort to address what he considers unfair trade practices targeting American businesses.

As the August 1 deadline approaches, the combination of Trump’s rhetoric and the absence of a clear policy direction has created a climate of uncertainty for both nations, with businesses and policymakers closely watching the next steps from Washington and New Delhi.

How Did Markets Fare On Tuesday?

The Indian stock market experienced a choppy session on Tuesday, swinging between losses and gains before finishing firmly in positive territory. The day began on a weak note with both benchmark indices opening in the red, but sentiment quickly improved as the morning progressed, leading to a sharp recovery.

By mid-afternoon, the rebound gathered momentum and held till the closing bell. The Sensex ended the day with an impressive gain of nearly 450 points, finishing at 81,338. The Nifty also advanced close to 150 points to settle at 24,829.

Market watchers noted that despite Tuesday’s rebound, investors remained cautious ahead of the August 1, 2025, tariff deadline, with uncertainty lingering over the unresolved trade negotiations between India and the US.