India’s benchmark indexes are poised to open higher on Thursday, as the US Federal Reserve maintained its rate-cut projections for rest of the year despite the ongoing tariff threats.
The GIFT Nifty futures were trading at 23,081, as of 07:57 a.m. IST, indicating that the blue-chip Nifty 50 will likely open above Wednesday’s close of 22,907.60.
Policymakers at the US central bank kept interest rates unchanged, in a widely expected move, and anticipate two quarter-percentage-point rate cuts by the end of this year, matching their projections from last December.
The Fed’s rate outlook is expected to boost India’s benchmarks, which have gained more than 2% in the last three sessions amid bargain-hunting.
The blue-chip Nifty has dropped about 13% from its record high in September, while the mid- and small-cap indexes are down 17% and 20%, respectively, from their all-time highs on September 24 and December 12.
On Wednesday, the Fed lowered its economic outlook for the year and raised inflation expectations due to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. With most tariffs expected to be imposed in early April, Fed officials are waiting to gauge their impact on inflation and the economy.
Indian shares may open higher; metals in focus
Except for China and Hong Kong, most Asian markets were up in early trades on Thursday, reflecting overnight gains on Wall Street.
Lower US interest rates make emerging markets such as India more attractive to foreign investors by easing the dollar and Treasury yields.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) have sold Indian equities worth nearly $17 billion in 2025 so far, with 10.97 billion rupees ($127 million) on Wednesday, as per provisional data.
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