Indian equity benchmarks are poised for a cautious start on Friday, March 27, 2026, with the GIFT Nifty trading at a discount of nearly 250 points to the previous close of Nifty futures, pointing to a gap-down opening amid persistent uncertainty over the Iran situation.
According to market coverage, the Nifty has climbed more than 800 points from Monday’s low but continues to encounter resistance at higher levels. The 23,500 mark remains a crucial hurdle to surpass, while 23,000 serves as key support on the downside. Analysts suggest traders maintain light positions, especially following a two-day rally, ahead of the weekend and a shortened trading week.
Global cues remain mixed. Asian shares opened lower on Friday, reflecting ongoing anxiety after a broad equity sell-off. Oil prices eased slightly but stayed elevated despite US President Donald Trump extending the deadline for potential strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure to April 6. US equity futures showed a cautious recovery after Wall Street indices, including the Dow Jones, fell sharply overnight—the Dow dropped nearly 500 points on Thursday amid Iran-related concerns.
The US Dollar index hovered near 100, with Treasury yields also rising. For the Nifty Bank, the index is trading in a broad range of 53,000 to 54,000 after failing to hold the upper end on Wednesday.
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Key stocks to watch include Reliance Industries (RIL), HDFC Bank, Infosys, Fino, and Azad Engineering, along with oil-sensitive names. Saudi Aramco is reportedly set to lower its oil sales to India and China next month due to supply disruptions stemming from the Middle East conflict.
Crude oil prices have surged this month amid the US-Iran tensions impacting West Asia, a vital global oil-producing region. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely restricted energy flows, while attacks on oil infrastructure in Gulf countries have added to supply worries. Oil prices have not declined significantly even after Trump’s announcement pausing strikes on Iran’s energy assets for ten days at Tehran’s request.
Earlier sessions saw the Nifty open higher for the second consecutive day, gaining 152 points at the start and climbing over 400 points in the first half to hit an intraday high of 23,465. Stocks such as IREDA, RIL, Infosys, Ola Electric, and LIC are also in focus for the day’s trading.