Indian equity indices are likely to open on a negative note due to the escalation in West Asia. The Asian indices were trading lower. The GIFT Nifty is trading 0.15% lower at 24,829.50. Here are key global cues to watch before the market opens that include crude oil prices, FII and DII data, business groups that most, sectoral performance, etc.
Earlier on Tuesday, the benchmark indices ended on a red note. The Sensex fell by 212 points to close at 81,583, while the Nifty slipped 93 points to end at 24,853.
Key global and domestic cues to know on June 18, 2025
Iran – Israel conflict
The military conflict between Iran and Israel has now entered the sixth day, with both countries launching missiles at each other despite calls for peace from other nations. U.S. President Donald Trump has told Iran to surrender without any conditions and warned that the U.S. knows where Iran’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is hiding, but they do not plan to harm him for now. Trump also said the U.S. does not want any missiles to hit civilians or American soldiers and warned that their patience is running out. Meanwhile, Israel’s military said its air force is striking targets in Tehran, Iran’s capital, and has stopped two drones that tried to enter Israeli airspace from the east. In response, sirens went off in several parts of Israel after missiles were detected coming from Iran.
Crude Oil
Oil prices edged higher in early trade on Wednesday, building on strong gains from the previous session amid concerns that the ongoing Iran-Israel tensions could disrupt global supply chains. Brent crude rose by 0.25% to $76.64 a barrel, while U.S. WTI crude climbed 0.31% to $75.07 per barrel.
Asian markets
Asia-Pacific markets opened on a weak note Wednesday as geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran dampened investor sentiment. U.S. President Donald Trump’s fiery post demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” added to the cautious mood. Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.15% at the open, while the broader Topix index dipped 0.18%. South Korea’s Kospi started the day down 0.44%, and the small-cap Kosdaq edged 0.15% lower. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.1% in early trade.
US futures
Wall Street futures extended their losses early Wednesday after U.S. markets wiped out all of Monday’s gains in the previous session. Dow futures were down by 100 points, while S&P 500 futures slipped 15 points and Nasdaq futures dropped 75 points.
US Market
On Wall Street, all three major indices closed in the red on Tuesday, extending the recent pullback. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 299 points, or 0.70%, to finish at 42,215.80. The S&P 500 slipped 0.84% to close at 5,982.72, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 0.91%, ending the day at 19,521.09.
US dollar
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the dollar’s value against a basket of six foreign currencies, was trading flat at 98.75 on Wednesday morning. The index evaluates the strength or weakness of the US dollar in comparison to major currencies. The basket contains currencies such as the British Pound, Euro, Swedish Krona, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc, etc. The rupee appreciated 0.21% to close at 86.24 to the dollar on June 17.
FII, DII data
Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) emerged as strong buyers on June 17, with net purchases worth Rs 8,207.19 crore. Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) also remained net buyers with an inflow of Rs 1,482.77 crore.
Gold rate today
Gold prices in India are trading higher today. As per Goodreturns, today, 10 grams of 24-carat gold rate today is Rs 1,00,360, while 22-carat gold costs Rs 91,990. For those preferring 18-carat gold, the price is Rs 75,270 for the same weight.
Best and worst performing business groups
Among business groups, the Rane Group stood out with a sharp market cap gain of 6.6%, backed by strong performances from stocks like Rane (Madras), which surged nearly 11%, and Rane Holdings, which rose over 3.5%. The Ruchi Group also saw a healthy rise of 1.7%, followed closely by the Future Group, which posted a 1.4% uptick.
On the losing side, the ADA Enterprises Group saw the sharpest drop, with its market cap down 4.2%. The Essar Group followed with a 3.5% fall, while the Oswal Group slipped over 3.2%.
Sectors that surged most in Tuesday’s trade
Some sectoral pockets saw healthy buying on June 17. The shipping sector led the gains with a rise of over 2%, driven by performances from Mazagon Dock and Cochin Shipyard. This was followed by the electric equipment segment, which climbed 1.4% for the day. The plastics sector also posted gains of nearly 0.9%, while electronics edged up around 0.7%. The information technology space registered a modest uptick of 0.6%, with notable spikes in stocks like Happiest Minds Technologies, Inventurus Knowledge Solutions, and Axiscases Technologies.