Nifty Expected to Open Lower on GIFT Nifty Cues as Crude Pressures OMCs

Indian equity markets are expected to open on a cautious note on Thursday, August 13, 2026, influenced by mixed global cues and persistent concerns over elevated crude oil prices. The GIFT Nifty indicated a negative start for Indian markets, trading down by approximately 50 points or 0.20% from the Nifty futures' previous close around the 24,420 level. In the previous session, the Nifty 50 closed at ₹24,435.95, marking a decline of 35.75 points or 0.15%, while the India VIX stood at ₹11.67, down 1.98% to reflect a slight easing of broader market apprehension.

Asian markets largely traded higher in early Thursday trade, with Japan's Nikkei 225 advancing by approximately 1.5% and South Korea's Kospi surging by around 4%, aided by a tame U.S. inflation print for July. However, Brent crude oil prices fell approximately 1.5% to trade around $87.69 a barrel after major forecasters lowered demand projections for 2026. This cross-asset dynamic creates a divergent backdrop where a Nasdaq rally overnight favours IT stocks at open, while rising crude pressures oil marketing companies and broader sentiment.

The Reserve Bank of India is set to conduct an overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo auction of ₹1 lakh crore under the LAF to absorb short-term surplus liquidity from the banking system. Investors will closely watch institutional flows following Wednesday's provisional data, which showed FIIs as net sellers of shares worth approximately ₹1,002.50 crore against domestic buying of ₹5,841.66 crore. Market participants will monitor corporate earnings releases and macroeconomic updates as the session unfolds.