US stock market to Nikkei: Here’s global equity heatmap you should know before opening of the Indian stock market today

The Indian stock market is expected to trade with a cautious bias on Friday, following weakness in global markets, amid escalating US-Iran war and elevated crude oil prices. The trends on Gift Nifty also signal a flat start for the frontline indices, Nifty 50 and Sensex today.

The Gift Nifty was trading around 24,097 level, a premium of nearly 1 point from the Nifty futures’ previous close.

“Investor concerns have intensified after the US launched a sixth wave of airstrikes on Iran, further escalating the conflict and keeping global financial markets on edge. Any fresh deterioration in the situation could trigger renewed risk aversion and increase volatility across asset classes,” said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.

Moreover, persistent tensions in the Middle East region continue to fuel concerns over disruptions to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, while sustained strength in crude oil prices and continued weakness in the rupee remain key headwinds for domestic market sentiment.

Global market cues remain weak amid continued pressure on technology stocks, elevated crude oil prices, and persistent geopolitical tensions, which is likely to keep investor sentiment cautious.

Here’s global equity heatmap to know before the opening of Indian stock market today:

Asian markets traded lower, dragged down by a selloff in chipmakers. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.06%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 crashed 4.23% while the Topix declined 2.56%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped 1.56%, while mainland China’s CSI 300 plunged 2.58%. South Korea markets are closed for a holiday.

“The fall in Asian markets came after the global semiconductor stocks sell-off extended into the region, with investors increasingly questioning whether aggressive AI-related capital expenditure will translate into near-term earnings growth,” said Ponmudi R.

US stock market ended lower on Thursday, weighed down by renewed sell-off in semiconductor stocks overshadowed despite an encouraging start to the earnings season.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 105.32 points, or 0.20%, to 52,553.32, while the S&P 500 declined 38.63 points, or 0.51%, to 7,533.77. The Nasdaq Composite ended 387.28 points, or 1.47%, lower at 25,881.95.

Investor sentiment was dented after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) declined despite reporting better-than-expected second-quarter results.

“Markets instead focused on the company’s significantly higher 2026 capital expenditure guidance of $60–64 billion, up from the earlier $52–56 billion range, raising concerns over near-term margins despite continued optimism surrounding AI-driven infrastructure spending,” said Ponmudi R.

Adding to the cautious tone, US Treasury yields moved higher, crude oil prices remained elevated as the US continued military strikes on Iran, and weaker-than-expected retail sales data reinforced concerns over the strength of consumer spending, he added.

European equities ended mixed on Thursday, with the pan-European STOXX 600 gaining 0.16% as gains in luxury stocks offset weakness in semiconductor and telecom shares. London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.53%, while Germany’s DAX fell 0.34% and France’s CAC 40 eased 0.05%.

Nifty 50 continues to trade with a cautious bias, as the index continues to face selling pressure near higher levels despite consistent buying interest emerging around key support zones. From a technical perspective, the 24,000 level remains the key support to watch for the Nifty 50 index.