Stock market today: Nifty, Sensex may open weak on global cues

Indian equities are likely to open subdued on Monday as elevated crude prices, West Asia tensions and mixed global cues weigh on sentiment ahead of Tuesday’s derivatives expiry.
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Indian stocks are likely to open on a weak note on Monday, due to lacklustre signals emanating from global markets. Persistent tensions in West Asia and elevated crude oil prices continue to keep the market volatile. Crude prices remain firm, with WTI trading near $86 a barrel as markets brace for fresh U.S. sanctions against Iran amid an already prolonged geopolitical standoff.

Crude prices, US-Iran tensions in focus

Pabitro Mukherjee, Deputy Vice President-Research, Bajaj Broking, said, “In the coming week, investors will closely track crude oil price movements and developments in the ongoing US-Iran geopolitical tensions for further direction in the market.”

GIFT Nifty futures trading around 24,350 suggests a largely flatish start for domestic equities. According to analysts, as derivative contracts set to expire on Tuesday, action will be on specific stocks.

Expiry week brings focus on positioning

Kruti Shah, Quant Analyst at Equirus Securities, said Nifty enters the coming expiry week at an important juncture, as FII stock shorts have continued, client participation remains elevated, and the index has corrected over several sessions. It is approaching a zone where leverage, sentiment, and positioning are beginning to normalise. “Put call ratio slipping to multi-week lows and call writers concentrated around 24,500–24,700, downside pessimism appears elevated, but risk-reward favours longs,” he said, adding that the number of stocks trading above 200 DMA moved above 60% v/s 50 a month back.

Sector rotation is likely to remain the dominant theme, he further said. Financials and Metals continue to exhibit improving relative strength, driven by delivery-based buying and short covering, while Realty, Pharma, and select Defence names may remain vulnerable to profit booking. Within IT, positioning remains mixed with mid-caps outperforming larger peers, suggesting alpha opportunities rather than broad sector leadership.

Global cues remain mixed

Globally, a softer DXY, Treasury yields and firm precious metals continue to support risk assets, although elevated crude prices remain a key monitorable. The recent correction appears more positioning-led than fundamentally driven, and any stabilisation in global cues could trigger a tactical rebound.

Asian markets are mixed, with the Nikkei ruling flat while the Kospi is down, even as Taiwan markets eke out marginal gains.

Published on August 24, 2026