MARKETS OPEN STEADY AMID GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY; GOLD NEAR RECORD HIGHS
New Delhi, Oct 15, 2025 : Indian markets opened cautiously on Wednesday, following mixed global signals and renewed concerns over U.S.-China trade tensions. At 9:40 a.m., the BSE Sensex was at 82,287.67, up 257.69 points (0.31%), while the NSE Nifty 50 stood at 25,230.10, up 84.60 points (0.34%).
According to SBI Securities, benchmark indices had ended 0.4% lower on Tuesday, with foreign institutional investors (FIIs) net selling shares worth ?1,509 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) net bought shares worth ?3,661 crore.
SBI Securities noted that the early rebound in trade on Wednesday was supported by positive cues from Asian markets, which opened in the green, and a largely steady performance from U.S. indices overnight.
Precious metals also saw gains amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty. Gold prices rose above USD 4,100, hovering near record highs, while silver inched higher initially but showed volatility, hovering around USD 50, said Manav Modi, Analyst – Precious Metals, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd. He attributed the demand for safe-haven assets to the deepening U.S.-China trade dispute and expectations of possible U.S. interest rate cuts.
Modi also cited U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s comments at the NABE conference, noting that while the American labor market remains subdued, the economy “may be on a somewhat firmer trajectory than expected.” Powell emphasized that interest rate decisions would be taken on a “meeting-to-meeting” basis, considering tariff impacts on inflation and employment.
“Global growth forecasts for 2025 have been revised upwards by the IMF, reflecting better-than-expected tariff and financial conditions, though caution remains amid the U.S.-China trade war,” Modi added. He also highlighted that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to release a list of “Democrat programs” that could be affected by the federal government shutdown, which may delay key data releases such as CPI, retail sales, and jobs reports.
Echoing this, banking and market expert Ajay Bagga said, “U.S. markets saw volatility after a dovish Fed Chair speech, with gains tempered by Trump’s social media remarks. The U.S.-China trade talks remain a key catalyst, even as earnings season starts strong. Volatility is high, and markets are reacting to political rhetoric.”
Bagga said that Indian markets remained flat to positive, boosted by a blockbuster mega IPO that improved primary market sentiment. “October is expected to see over USD 5 billion in primary fundraising in India, a record high. The IMF has reaffirmed India’s GDP growth forecast for 2025 while slightly lowering the 2026 projection due to tariff impacts,” he added.