The Sensex began the day at 81,314.62, down from its previous close of 81,583.30.The Nifty 50 opened lower at 24,788.35, compared to the prior session’s close of 24,853.40, marking a drop of 65.05 points or 0.26%. Similarly, the Bank Nifty started at 55,544.95, slipping from its previous closing level of 55,714.15.
Global Markets Decline Amid Investor Caution | 18 June 2025
Global equity markets witnessed a largely bearish sentiment on June 18, 2025, with major indices across the U.S. and Europe closing in the red, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 points emerged as the lone gainer.
In the U.S., all three major indices saw declines. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped by 299.29 points, or 0.7%, to close at 42,215.80, reflecting a cautious investor outlook amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
The S&P 500 dropped 50.39 points (-0.84%) to end at 5,982.72, while the NASDAQ Composite led the losses with a fall of 180.12 points, or 0.91%, closing at 19,521.10.
European markets also mirrored this downtrend. The FTSE 100 in the UK ended the session lower by 41.19 points (-0.46%) at 8,834.03, while Germany’s DAX saw a steeper fall, shedding 264.47 points (-1.12%) to close at 23,434.70.
Contrasting the global weakness, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index bucked the trend and recorded a notable gain. The index surged by 225.41 points, or 0.59%, to end the day at 38,536.70, buoyed by strong corporate earnings and a weaker yen that boosted export-driven stocks.
Overall, global markets seem to be grappling with concerns over inflation, central bank policies, and geopolitical tensions, with investors remaining cautious and risk-averse. Market participants will be closely watching upcoming economic data and central bank commentary for further direction.
Stocks to Watch:
- Hindustan Zinc: Vedanta is expected to offload approximately Rs. 6.67 crore shares of Hindustan Zinc representing a 1.6% equity stake through block deals, setting a floor price of ₹452.5 per share.
- Delhivery: Delhivery has received the green light from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for its proposed acquisition of a minimum 99.4% stake in Ecom Express, valued at up to ₹1,407 crore.
- DLF: DLF reported sales exceeding ₹11,000 crore in its luxury residential project, DLF Privana North, a premium township development.
- Polycab India: Polycab India has entered into an agreement with BSNL, the Project Implementation Agency, for a contract valued at ₹6,447.54 crore.
- RailTel Corporation of India: Its secured a Letter of Intent (LOI) from Zoram Electronics Development Corporation (Zenics) for executing the Mizo Fibre Grid Network (MFGN) project. The total value of the project stands at Rs 43.99 crore.
Global updates:
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA
- US May Export Prices At -0.9% (MoM) Vs Estimate 0.1%
- US May Import Prices At 0% (MoM) Vs Estimate Of 0.1%
- US May Retail Sales At -0.9% (MoM) Vs Estimate Of -0.4%
- US May Export Prices At 1.7% (YoY) Vs Estimate 1.7%
- US May Import Prices At 0.2% (YoY) Vs Estimate Of 0.2%
- US May Retail Sales At 3.3% (YoY) Vs Estimate Of 4.9%
Israel-Iran Conflict Intensifies on Day 6
Tensions escalated further as the Israel-Iran war entered its sixth day. The Israeli military reported that Iran launched two waves of missile attacks targeting Israel early Wednesday morning, with explosions heard over Tel Aviv.
Meanwhile, former U.S. President Donald Trump issued strong warnings on social media, stating that American patience was “running out.” Although he clarified there was no current plan to target Iran’s leadership, his remarks hinted at a more aggressive U.S. posture toward the conflict. Just minutes later, Trump followed up with a post declaring “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”, fueling speculation about possible deeper U.S. involvement.
Trump also stated:
We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. Iran had good sky trackers, defensive equipment, but it doesn’t compare to American made.
Commodities Update:
- Gold: Currently trading at ₹10,036 per gram.
- Silver: Up by ₹0.10, now at ₹110.10 per gram.
- Crude Oil: Opened at Rs. 76.85 from yesterday’s close at Rs. 77.01
Top gainer/Top loser:
| Top gainers | Top losers |
| Polycab India Ltd. | BSE Ltd. |
| Vishal Mega Mart Ltd. | Hindustan Zinc Ltd. |
| Bharat Forge Ltd. | Reliance Power Ltd. |
| DLF Ltd. | Voltas Ltd. |
| ACME Solar Holdings .. | Manappuram Finance Ltd. |
-Written by Manideep Appana
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