Wed Mar 26 09:39:10 UTC 2025: ## Indian Markets Open Flat Amidst Anticipation of April 2 Tariff Announcement

**Mumbai, India** – Indian stock markets opened with minimal movement on Wednesday, consolidating gains from the previous week despite continued foreign portfolio investment (FPI) inflows. The Nifty 50 index edged up 0.14 percent to 23,700.95, while the BSE Sensex remained virtually unchanged at 78,021.45.

The cautious optimism stems from the belief that markets have already priced in potential disruptions related to a major tariff announcement expected on April 2nd. Experts suggest that the actual impact may be less severe than currently anticipated. However, uncertainty surrounding the announcement is contributing to volatility.

Ajay Bagga, a banking and market expert, noted strong FPI buying in recent days but emphasized the upcoming tariff announcement as a source of potential disruption, describing the situation as “organized chaos.” He advised investors to focus on actual market movements rather than speculative predictions.

Sectoral indices showed mixed performance. Nifty Auto and Nifty FMCG saw gains, while Nifty PSU Bank and Nifty Media opened lower. Nifty IT remained largely flat. Individual stock performance varied, with Power Grid, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Grasim among the top gainers, while Ultratech Cement, Maruti, and Infosys were among the losers.

Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research at Axis Securities, highlighted that while the Nifty 50 closed higher for a seventh consecutive day, it surrendered most of its intraday gains, with small and mid-cap benchmarks showing more significant declines. He pointed to a key support level at 23,402 for the Nifty 50.

Meanwhile, major Asian markets traded positively, with Japan’s Nikkei 225, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, Taiwan Weighted, and South Korea’s KOSPI all showing gains. The anticipation surrounding the April 2nd tariff announcement remains a key factor influencing investor sentiment in India.

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