Why Are Stock Markets Opening Lower Ahead of the RBI Policy Rate Decision?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Mumbai, Feb 6 (NationPress) The Indian equity markets experienced moderate declines during the early trading session on Friday, as traders remained cautious ahead of the RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) announcement regarding the key repo rate.
At 9:25 AM, the Sensex dropped by 134 points, equivalent to 0.16 percent, settling at 83,179, while the Nifty fell by 56 points, or 0.22 percent, reaching 25,586.
Broad-cap indices saw significant losses, with the Nifty Midcap 100 declining by 0.48 percent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 decreasing by 0.97 percent.
Most major sectoral indices were in the negative territory, excluding PSU banks, private banks, and the oil and gas sector. The most prominent losers included IT, which fell by 1.76 percent, and pharma, down by 1.03 percent.
Market analysts noted that immediate support for the Nifty is positioned at the 25,450-25,500 range, while resistance is at the 25,750-25,800 zone.
The MPC is anticipated to announce its decision shortly, with expectations leaning towards keeping the repo rate steady at 5.25 percent. The focus will likely remain on liquidity management and transmission.
Since February 2025, the RBI has implemented a cumulative 125 basis points (bps) cut in the repo rate.
In the broader Asian-Pacific markets, trading was mixed, influenced by a tech-led decline in Wall Street.
Among Asian markets, China's Shanghai index rose by 0.11 percent, with Shenzhen gaining 0.65 percent. Japan's Nikkei increased by 0.51 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell by 1.19 percent. South Korea's Kospi dropped by 1.79 percent.
Overnight, the US markets closed lower, with Nasdaq decreasing by 1.59 percent, S&P 500 declining by 1.23 percent, and Dow Jones losing 1.2 percent.
On February 5, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) net sold equities amounting to Rs 2,151 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of Rs 1,130 crore.
aar/na