Global markets weakened as geopolitical tensions and rising crude oil prices pressured sentiment. U.S. stocks declined while Asian markets opened mixed. Indian indices extended losses amid FII outflows.
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Global markets ended the week on a weak note as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and surging crude oil prices weighed on investor sentiment. U.S. equities closed lower on Friday, extending their recent losing streak as markets reacted to the ongoing Iran conflict and concerns about energy-driven inflation.
The S&P 500 declined 0.6% to close at 6,632.53, while the tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite slipped 0.9% to 22,105.36. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3% to settle at 46,559.83. The S&P 500 has now recorded a three-week losing streak and is down more than 3% for the year.
Despite inflation readings largely coming in line with expectations, markets remained cautious as the data did not reflect the recent spike in oil prices following the escalation of tensions involving Iran.
Economic data released during the week showed that the U.S. economy grew at an annualized pace of 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Meanwhile, the core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, widely regarded as the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge—rose 0.4% month-on-month in January, broadly matching market expectations.
Investors are now closely watching the upcoming policy meeting of the Federal Reserve scheduled for March 17–18, where policymakers are widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged while assessing the impact of higher energy prices and persistent inflation pressures.
In other asset classes, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield edged higher to around 4.28%. Gold prices slipped for a second consecutive week, with spot gold falling about 0.5% to near $5,052 per ounce and declining further in early trade.
Crude oil prices remained elevated, with Brent crude closing above $103 per barrel for the second straight session as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained disrupted due to the Iran conflict.
The U.S. dollar index strengthened to around 100.35, gaining nearly 1.5% for the week. Meanwhile, the Indian rupee weakened to a fresh record low near 92.45 against the U.S. dollar.
Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed on Monday as investors assessed the impact of elevated oil prices and geopolitical developments.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 and TOPIX traded slightly lower, while South Korea’s KOSPI posted modest gains.
Gift Nifty indicated a mildly positive start for Indian markets, with the benchmark index expected to consolidate within the 23,000–23,500 range in today’s session.
Indian benchmark indices extended their decline for the third consecutive session as weak global cues and persistent foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows weighed on investor sentiment.
The BSE Sensex fell 1,470 points to close at 74,563.92, while the Nifty 50 declined 488 points to settle at 23,151.10.
Sectorally, weakness was broad-based with all sectoral indices ending in the red. Auto, PSU banks, metals and media stocks led the decline, each falling around 3–4%.
Broader markets also remained under pressure, with both midcap and smallcap indices declining nearly 2.5%. The Indian rupee weakened for the second consecutive week, settling at a fresh record low amid geopolitical concerns.
From a technical perspective, the Nifty index remains in a corrective phase. The index recently formed a sizable bearish candle with a lower high and lower low, indicating continued selling pressure. It also closed the week near its lowest level and slipped to an 11-month low.
Volatility is expected to remain elevated due to uncertain global cues, rising crude oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Technically, the trend remains weak as the index continues to form lower highs and lower lows across both short- and medium-term timeframes. Key support levels are placed in the 22,700–22,400 zone, which coincides with the previous gap area and the 78.6% retracement of the earlier major uptrend.
Momentum indicators suggest the market is currently in oversold territory, with the stochastic oscillator around 8. However, a reversal would require the index to start forming sustained higher highs and higher lows on the daily chart.
Nifty Levels
Resistance: 23,360 | 23,500
Support: 23,000 | 22,880
Bank Nifty Levels
Resistance: 54,270 | 54,500
Support: 53,500 | 53,210
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