Stock Market Today: All You Need To Know Before Going Into Trade On March 19 The GIFT Nifty, an early indicator for the benchmark Nifty 50, rose 0.12% to 23,233 as of 6:40 a.m. Equity-index futures for the U.S. (S&P 500) and Europe (Euro Stoxx 50) fell 1.36% and 0.54%, respectively. Indian equity benchmarks extended their rally for the third consecutive trading session, marking the longest winning streak in a month. The BSE Sensex closed over 600 points higher, ending above 76,700, while the NSE Nifty 50 rose 0.8% to 23,777. Intraday gains reached 1.2% for both indices. The rupee hit a record low of 92.63 against the U.S. dollar. Wall Street remained cautious as oil prices surged, pressuring equities and bonds. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the war’s potential impact on inflation has complicated interest-rate forecasts. Despite the Fed’s projection of one rate cut in 2026 and another in 2027, traders reduced expectations for easing this year. Treasury yields climbed after Powell emphasized that monetary policy must remain “slightly restrictive.” The S&P 500 dropped 1.4%, its steepest decline on a Fed decision day since 2024. Asian markets retreated in early trading as Middle East tensions and attacks on energy assets drove oil prices higher, prompting investors to reduce risk exposure. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.4% ahead of the Bank of Japan’s policy announcement, while a broader Asian equities index dropped over 1.3%. Oil prices surged after strikes on Middle East energy installations intensified fears of supply disruptions. Brent crude rose 4.3% to near $112 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate approached $99. U.S. natural gas futures gained 5.6%. The gains followed Iran’s attack on a key LNG facility in Qatar, part of a series of strikes targeting energy infrastructure.#s_p_500 #gift_nifty #bse_sensex #nse_nifty_50 #euro_stoxx_50
