India Stocks Outlook
Seen in range, West Asia war to weigh on sentiment
This story was originally published at 08:19 IST on 24 August 2026
Register to read our real-time news.Informist, Monday, Aug. 24, 2026
Adhithya Aji
MUMBAI – Benchmark indices are expected to kick off the week with a rangebound movement amid intensifying war in West Asia between the US and Iran, and higher crude oil prices. The US has threatened to start economic warfare against Iran, indicating that there is less scope for a peace resolution between the entities. The October Futures of Brent Crude Oil was at $92.6 per barrel.
"We are now entering the endgame," said US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, in a post on X. Bessent wrote President Donald Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroyed nearly 100% of its military factories, and buried its nuclear programme. He said the D-Day has began, terming it as "the single greatest financial offensive ever marshalled against an adversary." Bessent said Trump has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many assumed US would never summon. "Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone," Bessent said in the post.
At 0731 IST, the August Futures of GIFT Nifty traded 0.2% higher at 24351, which was 99 points higher than Friday's close of 24252, indicating a rangebound movement for the index day ahead. "The overall chart structure remains sideways as long as the index trades within the 23600–24700 spot zone," said Vipin Kumar, assistant vice-president of research at Globe Capital Market. Lack of fresh domestic triggers points towards further consolidation in the immediate near term, Kumar added. He said a move above 24300 could lead it towards 24450, and a fall below 24180 could drag it back to 24000.
Foreign institutional investors were net sellers for the second consecutive session on Friday. The overseas participants sold shares worth INR 5.43 billion, while domestic investors bought shares worth INR 21.24 billion. Domestic institutional investors were net buyers of the shares for the ninth consecutive session.
On Monday, the Asian indices were mixed with South Korea's Kospi being the major laggard in the region. The tech-heavy index was down over 2%. China's Hang Seng Index and CSI 300 were down over 2% and nearly 1%, respectively. The Wall Street indices ended higher Friday, with the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 up 0.4% higher each. Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up nearly 1%. End
US$1 = INR 95.70
IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT
Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury
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