GIFT Nifty suggests red start for equities; Trump to announce Powell's replacement

GIFT Nifty:

GIFT Nifty February 2026 futures were down 93.50 points, suggesting a negative start for the Nifty 50 today.

Institutional Flows:

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 393.97 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 2,638.76 crore in the Indian equity market on 29 January 2026, provisional data showed.

The FIIs had sold shares worth Rs 43,686.59 so far in January. This follows their cash sales of Rs 34,349.62 crore in December and Rs 17,500.31 crore in November.

Global Markets:

Asia market traded mixed on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said that he will announce his choice for the next Federal Reserve chair on Friday.

Speaking at the premiere of Melania, a film about first lady Melania Trump, he said the five-month search to replace current chair Jerome Powell was nearing its conclusion.

The process for selecting Powells replacement began in September with an 11-candidate field that included past and current Fed officials, economists, and Wall Street investment professionals.

Trump also endorsed a Senate deal to fund the vast majority of the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year, easing near-term political uncertainty for investors.

Senators clinched a deal with just over a day until a partial government shutdown. They agreed to remove funding for the Department of Homeland Security from the package and pass the other five bills, while DHS will be funded by a stopgap.

Overnight in the U.S., the S&P 500 index slipped 0.13% to close at 6,969.01, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.72% to end at 23,685.12. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.11%, or 55.96 points, and settled at 49,071.56.

Domestic Market:

Domestic equity benchmarks closed with modest gains on Thursday, rising for the third straight session, as bargain buying and supportive economic signals helped offset expiry-led volatility. Both the Sensex and the Nifty bounced back sharply from intraday lows to finish higher on the Sensex monthly F&O expiry day.

Sentiment was buoyed by the Economic Surveys FY27 growth outlook of 6.8%-7.2% and by foreign institutional investors turning buyers on Wednesday after a 15-session selling streak. With investor attention squarely on the Union Budget 2026 due on February 1, the Nifty ended above the 25,400 level, supported by strength in metal and private banking stocks.

The S&P BSE Sensex jumped 221.69 points or 0.27% to 82,566.37. The Nifty 50 index added 76.15 points or 0.30% to 25,418.90. In three consecutive trading sessions, the Sensex added 1.26% while the Nifty rose 1.48%.

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