GIFT Nifty:

The GIFT Nifty April 2026 futures currently traded 113.0 points higher, suggesting a positive opening for the benchmark index today.

Institutional Flows:

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 3,254.71 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 941.35 crore in the Indian equity market on 23 April 2026, provisional data showed.

The FIIs had sold shares worth Rs 47,536.09 crore in April (till 23 April 2026). This follows their cash sales of Rs 122,540.41 crore in March, Rs 6,640.78 crore in February and Rs 41,435.22 crore in January 2026.

Global Markets:

Asia markets traded mixed as investors remained cautious despite a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, underscoring lingering geopolitical uncertainty.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks following a meeting in the White House with top U.S. officials, President Donald Trump said Thursday.

The temporary truce, originally set to expire after 10 days, will now provide additional time for diplomatic efforts, with Washington also pledging to work with Lebanon to strengthen its defenses against Hezbollah.

Japan's core inflation in Japan accelerated for the first time in five months, rising to 1.8% in March, with Iran war fueling energy worries. Government data showed the inflation figure, which strips out prices of fresh food, was in line with the 1.8% estimate that was widely reported in the media and was higher than the 1.6% seen in February.

Overnight in the U.S., stocks pulled back on Thursday, led by a drop in software shares and higher oil prices, as investor uncertainty about the trajectory of the Iran war weighed on markets.

The S&P 500 traded down 0.41% to close at 7,108.40, after earlier hitting a new all-time intraday high. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite declined 0.89% to finish at 24,438.50. It had also scored a new all-time high in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 179.71 points, or 0.36%, to finish at 49,310.32.

Domestic Market:

The equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled on Thursday, extending losses for a second straight session. Firm crude oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions rattled sentiment. Brent crude surged for the fourth consecutive day to around $103 per barrel amid uncertainty over US-Iran talks and fresh concerns around the Strait of Hormuz.

Weak Asian cues and persistent foreign fund outflows deepened the sell-off. The Nifty slipped below the 24,200 mark, dragged by auto, PSU banks and consumer durables stocks, while pharma and healthcare shares saw selective buying.

Investors stayed cautious, closely tracking the ongoing Q4 earnings season for further triggers.

The S&P BSE Sensex declined 852.49 points or 1.09% to 77,664. The Nifty 50 index slumped 205.05 points or 0.84% to 24,173.05. In the two consecutive trading sessions, the Sensex and Nifty plunged 2.03% and 1.64%, respectively.