September 24, 2026: Indian equity markets are set for a weak opening on Thursday, September 24, with GIFT Nifty trading around 23,260–23,263, indicating a fall of nearly 190 points from the previous Nifty close. Rising crude oil prices, higher US Treasury yields and weak global market cues are weighing on investor sentiment.
The BSE Sensex closed 299.17 points, or 0.40%, higher at 74,828.25 on Wednesday, while the Nifty50 gained 117.80 points, or 0.50%, to 23,446.80.
Crude Oil Crosses $100
Crude oil remains a major market trigger. Brent crude was around $102.5 per barrel on Thursday, after gaining about 4% in the previous session.
The rise in oil prices comes amid continued uncertainty surrounding the conflict between Iran and the United States. Higher crude prices could remain a concern for oil-importing economies such as India.
The energy market data supplied for September 22 showed Brent at $101.059 per barrel, up 0.72%, while WTI crude stood at $92.848, up 0.52%.
US Markets End Lower
Wall Street closed sharply lower on Wednesday as US Treasury yields jumped.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.70%, the S&P 500 fell 0.75%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.13%.
The US 10-year Treasury yield rose to around 5.11%, with reports pointing to stronger economic data and weak demand at Treasury auctions.
Asian Markets Mixed
Asian markets were mixed in early trade on Thursday. Japan's Nikkei 225 gained around 1.63%, while South Korea's KOSPI rose 0.90%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.27%, while China's Shanghai Composite was nearly flat.
Rupee Opens Lower
The Indian rupee opened at ₹95.83 against the US dollar, compared with the previous close of ₹95.74.
The currency movement, crude oil prices and foreign fund flows are likely to remain important factors for the domestic market during Thursday's session.
FII-DII Activity
Foreign institutional investors bought shares worth ₹1,617.45 crore on Wednesday, according to NSE data. Domestic institutional investors were net buyers of ₹2,341.46 crore.
However, foreign investors have remained net sellers for the broader month, with FII selling reported at around ₹19,829 crore so far in September.
NSE Listing in Focus
The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is scheduled to make its stock market debut at 10:00 AM on the BSE on September 24.
The IPO involved an offer for sale of up to 12.64 crore shares, with the issue size reported at ₹22,561.57 crore. Existing shareholders including SBI, SBI Capital Markets, New India Assurance, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and other institutional shareholders participated in the OFS.
Stocks to Watch Today
Kalpataru Projects International: The company has secured new orders and notifications of awards worth approximately ₹2,025 crore across its Power Transmission & Distribution, Buildings & Factories and Oil & Gas businesses.
PB Fintech, SBI Life, LIC: Insurance stocks could remain in focus after the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India proposed measures aimed at preventing dark patterns on insurance websites and improving transparency in insurance distribution.
Allied Blenders and Distillers: Promoter Bina Kishore Chhabria sold 55 lakh shares, or 1.96% stake, through an open-market transaction for around ₹357 crore, according to the supplied BSE bulk-deal data.
Sedemac Mechatronics: Institutional investors including A91 Emerging Fund, Xponentia Opportunities Fund and HDFC Life Insurance are reportedly looking to sell up to 44.3 lakh shares, representing a 10% stake, at a floor price of ₹3,000 per share, potentially raising around ₹1,329 crore.
Market Setup for September 24
The combination of Brent crude above $100, elevated US bond yields, weak US equities and a sharp fall indicated by GIFT Nifty points to a cautious start for Indian equities on September 24.
Investors will track crude oil, the rupee, FII flows, global bond yields and the NSE listing for direction during the session.
