From RBI Rate Cuts to Wall Street's Historic Rally: Global Markets Ride a Rollercoaster While Trade Tensions and Commodities Take Center Stage

The Indian stock market closed lower on April 9, 2025, as investors digested the RBI's decision to cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6%. The BSE Sensex fell by 379 points (-0.51%) to close at 73,847.15, while the Nifty 50 dropped by 136.70 points (-0.61%) to settle at 22,399.15. IT, PSU Banks, and Realty sectors led the declines. Broader indices also struggled, with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices losing 0.73% and 1.08%, respectively.

Key losers included SBI, Tech Mahindra, and Tata Steel, while gainers such as Nestlé India (+3.28%), Hindustan Unilever (+2.61%), and Titan (+1.81%) cushioned the fall.

However, Indian Stock Markets closed on April 10, 2025 on account of a Trading Holiday.

 US Stock Markets and Futures (April 10, 2025) 
US markets experienced a historic rally on April 9 following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 90-day pause on tariffs for most nations, excluding China, where tariffs were increased to 125%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged by over 2,900 points (+7.87%) to close at 40,608.45, the S&P 500 jumped by 9.52% to end at 5,456.90, and the Nasdaq Composite soared by 12% to close at 17,124.97.

US stock futures on April 10 showed modest gains; Dow futures rose by 0.6%, S&P futures by 0.5%, and Nasdaq futures by 0.3%, indicating cautious optimism after the sharp rally.

 International Stock Markets (April 10, 2025)

Asia-Pacific: Asian markets rallied sharply on April 10 as they tracked Wall Street’s gains. Japan’s Nikkei rose over 8%, while Chinese stocks rebounded on expectations of domestic stimulus despite escalating US-China trade tensions.

 Europe : European markets surged with equity-index futures rising over 8%, reflecting optimism from Trump’s tariff pause.

 Global Economy 
The global economy remains volatile amid escalating US-China trade tensions. While Trump’s tariff pause provided temporary relief for most nations, China retaliated with an increase in tariffs on US goods to 84%. Economists warn of potential stagflation as supply chains remain disrupted.

 Commodities Market 
 Oil : Brent crude prices recovered slightly to $64.60 per barrel after hitting four-year lows earlier due to oversupply concerns and reduced demand.

 Gold : Gold prices surged by nearly 4% on April 9, reaching $3,095 per ounce as investors sought safe-haven assets amid global uncertainties.

 Other Commodities: Copper rebounded slightly after touching an eight-month low earlier in the week, while coffee prices remained under pressure due to trade war concerns.

Global markets are experiencing heightened volatility driven by geopolitical developments, particularly US-China trade tensions and tariff policies. While temporary relief has boosted equities worldwide, commodities like gold continue to reflect investor caution about long-term economic stability.

Source: CNBCTV18, AngelOne, Reuters, Moneycontrol, Financial Express