D-St set for a negative opening as GIFT Nifty signals weak start

Domestic equities ended lower, with the Nifty declining 0.8% as broad-based selling persisted across sectors, while India VIX surged 5.6%, reflecting heightened market volatility. Analysts say Indian equities are expected to trade sideways with a marginal negative bias in the near term amid continued geopolitical tensions in West Asia, Brent crude prices rising to near their five-week high of around $95 per bbl and continued Foreign Institutional Investor selling. Stock-specific action is likely to dominate as the earnings season progresses.