Categories: Business

Indian Stock Market Today: 15 Key Developments Over the Weekend That are Likely to Affect Trade

“Sensex & Nifty Expected to Open Higher; Key Global & Domestic Developments to Watch”

March 3, 2025: The Indian stock market is set for an eventful week, with key global and domestic factors shaping investor sentiment. Sensex and Nifty 50 are expected to open higher on Monday, supported by positive cues from global markets and easing concerns over macroeconomic conditions.

Here are 15 key developments that could impact the stock market this week:

Also Read: Rupee Hits Record Lows, Falls for Fifth Straight Month in February Amid Foreign Outflows & Trade War Fears

📈 Market Performance & Global Cues

1. Gift Nifty Indicates Positive Start

Gift Nifty was trading around 22,365, a premium of nearly 85 points from Nifty futures’ previous close, signaling a positive opening for the Indian market.

Also Read: Bharti Airtel & Tata Group Discuss DTH Merger to Strengthen Market Position

2. US Markets Ended Higher

Wall Street closed higher last Friday, led by technology stocks.

Dow Jones: 🔼 1.39% at 43,840.91
S&P 500: 🔼 1.59% at 5,954.50
Nasdaq: 🔼 1.63% at 18,847.28
Nvidia (+3.87%) and Tesla (+3.94%) gained, while Dell and HP Inc declined.

3. Asian Markets Trade Mixed

Also Read: List of Top World’s 24 Superbillionaires is Here! Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani Among Global Elite

Japan’s Nikkei gained 1.1%
Hong Kong Hang Seng futures suggested a lower opening
South Korea markets remained closed for a public holiday

📊 Key Domestic Market Triggers

4. Indian Stock Market Performance

Sensex fell 1,414 points (-1.90%) last Friday
Nifty 50 ended 420 points lower (-1.86%)
This marked Nifty’s fifth consecutive monthly decline, down 6% in February.

5. India’s GDP Growth

India’s GDP grew by 6.2% in Q3 FY25, slightly below the RBI estimate of 6.8%.
Growth was higher than the previous quarter’s 5.8%, signaling economic stability.

6. India’s Fiscal Deficit

Fiscal deficit for April-Jan FY25 stood at ₹11.70 lakh crore (74.5% of the budget estimate), higher than the previous year’s ₹11.03 lakh crore (63.6%).

7. Core Sector Growth

Growth in India’s eight core industries was 4.6% in January, slightly lower than December’s 4.8% but higher than January 2024’s 4.2%.

8. GST Collection Rises

Gross GST revenue for February: ₹1.84 lakh crore (+9.1% YoY)
Net GST collections: ₹1.62 lakh crore (+8.1% YoY)

🚘 Sector-Specific Updates

9. Auto Sales Performance

Maruti Suzuki: Marginal growth
Hyundai & Tata Motors: Decline in sales
Mahindra & Mahindra: Double-digit growth, driven by SUVs & MPVs

10. Crude Oil Prices Rebound

Brent crude: 🔼 0.99% to $73.53 per barrel
WTI crude: 🔼 0.97% to $70.44 per barrel

11. Gold Prices Rise

Spot gold: 🔼 0.3% at $2,868.29 per ounce
US gold futures: 🔼 1.1% at $2,880.70 per ounce
Weaker US dollar and inflation concerns supported gold prices.

🌎 Key Global Developments

12. US Inflation & Consumer Spending

PCE Index: Increased 0.3% in January, showing stable inflation trends.
Consumer spending: Dropped 0.2%, raising concerns about economic slowdown.

13. Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting Impact

Tensions escalated as Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy traded verbal blows.
No agreement was signed between the US and Ukraine over natural resources.

14. Japan’s Manufacturing Slump Continues

Japan’s PMI improved slightly to 49.0 in February but remains in contraction territory for the eighth consecutive month.

15. Bitcoin Surges Above $94,000

Bitcoin jumped +11% to $94,110 following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP in a new US strategic crypto reserve.

📌 Conclusion: What to Watch This Week

🔹 Stock market trends: Will Sensex & Nifty recover from last week’s sharp decline?
🔹 Auto sales data: How will leading automakers perform in a slow market?
🔹 US inflation impact: Will Fed’s inflation measures affect global interest rate decisions?
🔹 Bitcoin & crypto rally: Can Bitcoin maintain its momentum above $94,000?

With major economic indicators, corporate earnings, and geopolitical factors at play, the Indian stock market is set for a dynamic trading week. Stay tuned for more updates!