From Gift Nifty to Oil Prices: What Investors are Tracking Before Today's Market Open

Indian markets are expected to open mixed for the year's final trading week, influenced by global trends. Investors are monitoring mixed Asian markets and a flat Wall Street following recent record highs.

Indian stock market benchmarks Sensex and Nifty 50 are likely to open on a mixed note on Monday (December 29), as investors enter the final trading week of the year with a close eye on global trends, geopolitical signals and volatile commodity prices.

Early indications from Gift Nifty suggested a mildly positive start for Dalal Street. The index was trading around the 26,094 mark, up about 20.5 points from the previous close of Nifty futures.

On Friday, the markets ended in the red as investors stayed on the sidelines in the absence of fresh domestic triggers. The Sensex slipped 367 points, or 0.43 per cent, to close at 85,041.45, while the Nifty 50 declined 100 points, or 0.38 per cent, to finish at 26,042.30. However, on a weekly basis, both benchmarks managed to break their losing streaks, with the Sensex gaining 112 points and the Nifty rising 0.30 per cent.

Asian Markets Mixed as Year-End Trade Begins

Asian equities opened the last full trading week of 2025 on a cautious note. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.55 per cent and the broader Topix dropped 0.26 per cent. In contrast, South Korea's Kospi climbed 0.62 per cent, while the Kosdaq added 0.19 per cent.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures were seen marginally lower than the previous close, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 remained flat in early trade.

Wall Street Pauses After Record Highs

US markets ended Friday’s session largely flat after touching fresh record levels. The S&P 500 dipped 0.03 per cent to close at 6,929.94 after hitting an intraday high of 6,945.77. The Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.09 per cent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 20 points lower.

Despite the muted close, Wall Street logged solid weekly gains. The S&P 500 rose 1.4 per cent last week, marking its fourth weekly gain in five weeks, with both the Dow and Nasdaq also ending more than one per cent higher.

Geopolitical Signals Back in Focus

Geopolitics is once again in the spotlight after former US President Donald Trump said he had made "significant progress" in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, raising hopes of a possible breakthrough toward ending the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

China Flags Higher Fiscal Spending, But Worries Linger

China said it would expand fiscal spending in 2026, signalling continued government support to shore up growth amid a challenging global environment. However, concerns persist after official data showed that China's industrial profits fell for the second straight month in November, underlining weak domestic demand and deflationary pressures.

Precious Metals Swing Wildly

Silver saw extreme volatility, briefly crossing the $80-per-ounce mark before plunging sharply, driven by speculative trading and supply constraints. Gold slipped nearly one per cent but remains near record highs this year, supported by a weaker dollar and safe-haven buying. Platinum and palladium also retreated steeply after hitting lifetime highs.

Oil Edges Higher on Middle East Concerns

Crude oil prices inched up in early Asian trade as investors weighed Middle East tensions that could disrupt supply. Brent crude rose 57 cents to $61.21 a barrel, while WTI gained 54 cents to $57.28.