Wall Street bounce, Gift Nifty surge, and Trump’s jab at Powell light up the pre-market mood
Indian equity markets are on track for a higher open Wednesday as global markets rallied overnight. A pop in Gift Nifty, now hovering around 24,371, signals a strong start. That’s roughly a 200-point premium to Nifty futures’ previous close — not something traders are ignoring this morning.
Add to that a jump in Asian indices and an unexpectedly sharp rebound in US stocks — driven partly by comments from Donald Trump — and you’ve got a morning that’s buzzing with optimism, even if it’s laced with a hint of caution.
Global rally puts bulls back in charge
There’s no denying it — Wall Street’s overnight comeback brought some much-needed cheer to Asian trading desks.
The Dow Jones closed up over 300 points. Nasdaq joined the party too, riding a wave of tech stock recovery. Behind this were two key things: hopes of a trade de-escalation between the US and China, and Trump once again stirring the pot with his remarks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Markets love clarity. They didn’t get that from Trump — but they sure got volatility, and oddly enough, some confidence too.
In Asia, the Nikkei 225 spiked by nearly 2%, leading the charge. Korea’s Kospi added more than 1%. Even Hong Kong’s Hang Seng futures pointed to green at the bell.
Gift Nifty hints at a bullish open
Back home, all eyes are on Gift Nifty — that’s the offshore derivative of Nifty traded on the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City.
It’s been trading around 24,371 early Wednesday, marking a healthy gap up from where it closed yesterday. This points to an upbeat open for both Sensex and Nifty 50.
Tuesday’s session was already solid. Sensex added 187 points. Nifty 50 tacked on 41, closing above the 24,100 mark for the first time in this ongoing rally.
“There’s room for some consolidation near 24,250,” said Ajit Mishra, SVP of Research at Religare Broking. “Momentum stocks tied to earnings will still be the name of the game.”
Trump’s Powell jab: noise or signal?
In his typical off-the-cuff style, Donald Trump stirred fresh drama by lashing out at Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
He accused Powell of being “too slow” and warned that the central bank is “hurting the economy more than helping.” It’s not new territory for Trump, but it did move markets — just a bit.
Powell hasn’t directly responded, and the Fed’s overall policy tone hasn’t shifted. But with inflation still sticky and rate-cut hopes clinging to second-half forecasts, this kind of rhetoric keeps investors on edge.
Whether it actually sways Fed thinking? Probably not. But it’s another factor that traders will keep half an eye on.
Six sessions strong: Nifty keeps rising
The Indian market isn’t just reacting to global signals. Domestic drivers are playing a big role too.
This marks the sixth straight session of gains for Nifty 50. It’s not roaring, but it’s grinding higher, and that’s got traders smiling — even if they’re a bit cautious up here at record levels.
Here’s how the benchmark indices moved on Tuesday:
| Index | Closing Level | Points Gained | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensex | 79,595.59 | +187.09 | +0.24% |
| Nifty 50 | 24,167.25 | +41.70 | +0.17% |
That kind of steady climb makes “buy the dip” more than just a catchphrase this week.
Sector spotlight: What’s moving under the hood?
Not everything is green, of course. There’s been rotation under the surface.
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IT stocks rebounded slightly, tracking US tech momentum.
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Auto shares stayed firm, helped by steady delivery updates.
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FMCG cooled off a bit, as traders locked in profits from last week’s gains.
Earnings season is also heating up, and that’s starting to drive stock-specific moves — a trend expected to pick up speed through the rest of April.
Eyes on US-China trade signals
Markets aren’t reacting only to Powell or Trump. There’s also fresh hope that US-China trade talks might cool off, which gave investors more to smile about overnight.
Rumors — and that’s what they are for now — suggest backchannels are alive again, with both sides inching toward a softer tone.
It’s nowhere near a breakthrough, but even a little optimism goes a long way when markets are hunting for good news.
