New Delhi, October 13, 2025

Indian stock markets opened lower on Monday as global uncertainty returned following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on China. The renewed trade tensions have shaken investor confidence across markets, leading to early declines in domestic indices.

At the opening, the Nifty 50 fell by 108.05 points, or 0.43 percent, to 25,177.30, while the BSE Sensex dropped 450.25 points, or 0.55 percent, to start the day at 82,050.57. Analysts said the weakness in global cues, coupled with cautious investor sentiment, led to selling across sectors.

Market expert Ajay Bagga said that India may see some temporary pressure due to liquidity concerns linked to large IPOs. “There’s some risk due to big listings, but only one IPO is planned before Diwali, so the secondary market should remain stable. In the US, the ‘buy the dip’ strategy continues, and we expect Indian investors to follow the same trend at lower levels,” he said.

Broader market indices also reflected the downward trend. On the NSE, all major indices opened in the red. The Nifty 100 dropped 0.28 percent, Nifty Midcap 100 fell 0.20 percent, and Nifty Smallcap 100 slipped 0.33 percent. Sectoral indices mirrored the overall weakness, with only Nifty Media showing gains. Nifty IT declined 0.45 percent, Nifty Auto remained slightly negative, and Nifty Metal lost 0.61 percent.

The weakness stemmed from global markets reacting sharply to the renewed tariff threats. US stock indices had witnessed steep declines last week, wiping out nearly USD 2 trillion in market capitalization. The crypto market also saw a major sell-off, with total market value dropping by about USD 800 billion as USD 19 billion worth of positions were liquidated — the largest single-day liquidation ever.

Safe-haven assets saw a rebound amid the turmoil. Gold prices rose, oil prices fell, and US Treasury yields declined as investors shifted away from risky assets.

Despite the turbulence, there was a hint of relief after President Trump appeared to tone down his earlier stance. Speaking to reporters before his flight to Egypt, he said that the 100 percent tariffs set to take effect on November 1 were “an eternity away,” suggesting that negotiations could still happen before the deadline.

Technical expert Sunil Gurjar noted that the Nifty remains strong overall despite the short-term weakness. “Nifty is near resistance, and a breakout above 25,500 could signal further gains. The market is still trading above key moving averages, showing that the uptrend is intact. Optimism around the upcoming quarterly results is also providing some support,” he said.

Investors are now focusing on the second-quarter earnings announcements from several companies, including HCL Technologies, Anand Rathi Wealth, Just Dial, Indo Thai Securities, and Krishana Phoschem.

Additionally, Tata Capital’s IPO listing today is expected to attract attention after it was subscribed 1.95 times, adding to the eventful start of the trading week.

 Markets Open Lower as Global Trade Fears Hit Stocks

Indian markets opened lower today as global uncertainty returned following new US tariffs on China. The Nifty 50 fell over 100 points to 25,177, while the Sensex dropped 450 points to 82,050. Selling pressure affected most sectors, with IT, metal, and midcap stocks leading declines. Experts said liquidity concerns from upcoming IPOs and weak global cues added to investor caution. Gold and safe assets rose, while oil and cryptocurrencies fell sharply. Analysts believe markets may recover at lower levels, with quarterly earnings and IPO listings like Tata Capital’s likely to guide investor sentiment this week.