Sensex, Nifty Set for Weak Opening Amid Global Sell-Off and Trump’s Tariff Shock

Asian stocks drop and Wall Street tumbles as Trump announces 25% auto import tariffs; Gift Nifty signals negative start for Indian markets.

March 27, 2025: Indian stock markets are poised for a weak opening on Thursday, March 27, after global equity markets took a sharp hit overnight. Investor sentiment soured following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25% tariff on imported cars, triggering a sell-off in US and Asian markets.

Also Read: Volkswagen India Opens Pre-Bookings for All-New Tiguan R-Line, Invites Interest for Golf GTI

According to market data, Gift Nifty was trading around 23,498, indicating a 24-point discount from the Nifty futures’ previous close, signaling a soft opening for the domestic indices.

On Wednesday, Indian benchmark indices snapped a 7-day winning streak. Sensex fell 728.69 points (0.93%) to 77,288.50 while Nifty 50 dropped 181.80 points (0.77%) to settle at 23,486.85. Profit booking ahead of further tariff announcements and US-India trade developments added to the nervousness.

Also Read: UPI Glitch Hits Users Across India, Thousands Report Failed Transactions

Global Market Cues

• Wall Street ended deep in the red on Wednesday:
  • Nasdaq plunged 2.04%
  • S&P 500 dropped 1.12%
  • Dow Jones shed 0.31%

Heavyweight tech stocks dragged the US market:

Also Read: 8th Pay Commission: How Much Salary Hike Can Central Government Employees Expect?

• Nvidia fell 5.74%
• Tesla tumbled 5.6%
• Broadcom dropped 4.78%
• General Motors shares crashed 8% in after-hours trade

Asian Markets

Asian stocks mirrored the negative sentiment:

• Nikkei 225 fell 0.80%
• Kospi down 0.65%
• Topix and Kosdaq also declined
• Hong Kong’s Hang Seng futures indicated a weak open

Trump’s Tariff Shock

President Trump’s announcement of a 25% tariff on all foreign-made vehicles is expected to worsen trade tensions. The policy, effective from April 2, is part of his broader “reciprocal trade” push.

The auto sector responded sharply:

• Ford, Stellantis fell around 4.5%
• US-listed auto stocks slumped across the board
• In Asia, Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai saw share prices dip nearly 3%

Other Key Indicators

• Gold prices rose on safe-haven demand:
  • Spot gold at $3,022.69/oz
  • US gold futures at $3,026.70/oz
• Crude oil gained modestly after US inventory draw:
  • Brent at $73.88/barrel
  • WTI at $69.77/barrel
• Currency markets saw:
  • Euro at a 3-week low near $1.0747
  • Dollar index steady at 104.61
  • Yen slightly stronger at 150.445 per USD

Tags:

Indian stock market, Sensex, Nifty 50, Gift Nifty, Trump tariffs, global market cues, auto import tariffs, gold prices, crude oil prices, stock market news today, market opening trends