Indian Markets Set for Sharp Drop: 10 Key Triggers From Trump Tariffs to Asian Sell-Off

Global volatility looms large as Trump’s sweeping import tariffs shake markets; Gift Nifty hints at a gap-down open, crude dips, and gold hits record highs.

Mumbai, April 3:
The Indian stock market is bracing for a volatile start on Thursday as a wave of global uncertainty sweeps through financial markets. With US President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping reciprocal tariffs, the sentiment across Asian markets, Wall Street futures, and commodities has turned sharply bearish.

Also Read: “Ready To Fight”: World Leaders Respond to Trump’s Global Tariff Shock

Here are 10 key overnight developments impacting the Indian stock market today:

1. Gift Nifty Signals Gap-Down Start

Gift Nifty was trading around 23,140, nearly 299 points below the Nifty futures’ previous close — indicating a sharp gap-down open for benchmark indices.

Also Read: Nifty 50, Sensex Set for Gap-Down Open After Trump’s Tariff Shock; Analysts Advise ‘Buy on Dips’

2. Trump Tariffs Roil Global Trade

Trump slapped a 10% baseline tariff on all imports and higher reciprocal tariffs on countries like India (26%), China (34%), Japan (24%), and the EU (20%). This shock move has sparked fears of a global trade war.

Also Read: Oil Prices Tumble Into Red as Trump’s “Liberation Day” Tariffs Fuel Trade War Fears

3. Asian Markets Slump

Asian indices responded immediately:

Nikkei 225: -3.02%
Topix: -3.19%
Kospi: -1.57%
Kosdaq: -0.55%
Hang Seng Futures: Indicating further weakness

4. US Stock Futures Crash

Despite a green close on Wall Street:

Dow Futures: -2.5% (1,069 points)
S&P 500 Futures: -3.6%
Nasdaq Futures: -4.5%

Tech-heavy Nasdaq may suffer the most as China is a major manufacturing hub.

5. Wall Street Closed Higher Before Speech

Before Trump spoke:

Dow Jones: +235 pts (0.56%)
S&P 500: +37.9 pts (0.67%)
Nasdaq: +151 pts (0.87%)

Post-speech, Apple fell 7.14% and Nvidia dropped 5.68% in after-hours trade.

6. Gold Hits All-Time High

Gold surged to a record high of $3,167.57/oz, as investors rushed to safe-haven assets amid global uncertainty. Spot gold settled at $3,145.93/oz.

7. Crude Oil Drops

Fears of a global economic slowdown led to:

Brent crude: -2.63% to $72.98
WTI crude: -2.76% to $69.73

Trump’s tariffs and demand concerns are weighing heavily on oil.

8. US Economic Data Strong but Overshadowed

Private Payrolls: +155,000 in March
Factory Orders: +0.6% in Feb
Despite this, market focus remains on trade fallout.

9. Currency Movements

INR NDF Market: Implying 10-15 paisa weakness
Yen: Strongest at 147.99/USD
Euro: +0.43%
Sterling: +0.28%
US Dollar Index: Sliding amid tariff chaos

10. Domestic Focus: RBI Policy & Earnings Season

Back home, investor focus will shift to:

RBI interest rate decision next week
Q4 earnings season But short-term direction will be dictated by global cues and tariff responses.

📉 Market Outlook:
Traders should brace for a volatile, bearish open. With technical support on Nifty at 23,100–23,000 and resistance around 23,400, the day may be driven by global headlines. Analysts suggest a buy-on-dips strategy selectively but advise caution until more clarity emerges.

🏷️ Tags:
Indian stock market, Trump tariffs, Gift Nifty, Nifty 50 prediction, Sensex today, Asian markets crash, gold prices record, crude oil fall, US stock futures, global trade war, market outlook April 3

Misha Bhatia