Stock Market Today LIVE UPDATES: Market Volatility Pushes Nifty Below Key 24,600 Level, Sensex Drops Over 400 Points Again

India is considering easing restrictions on Chinese investments, signaling a potential shift in its FDI policy amid improving diplomatic ties.

A senior official recently stated that the government is open to revisiting Press Note 3, which currently mandates prior approval for FDI from neighboring countries, including China.

NITI Aayog has proposed allowing Chinese investors to hold up to 24% in Indian firms without security clearance. The move aims to attract more foreign capital, particularly in sectors like solar energy and manufacturing, while maintaining tight controls over strategic areas such as telecom, IT, and data security. Discussions remain ongoing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, his first visit since 2018. The summit, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, will bring together over 20 global leaders — including Russian President Vladimir Putin — signalling a show of Global South solidarity. Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with Xi Jinping and other leaders, marking a significant diplomatic engagement amid shifting geopolitical alignments. The visit underscores renewed regional cooperation as tensions with Western powers, especially the U.S., continue to shape global dynamics.

The Nifty index fell below the 24,600 mark again amid ongoing market volatility. Investors are cautious due to global economic uncertainties and mixed domestic cues. The markets showed fluctuating trends, reflecting concerns over inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical tensions, impacting overall investor sentiment and trading activity.

TCS announced a strategic partnership with Unilab, a leading pharmaceutical and healthcare company in the Philippines, to modernize its core business systems through cloud migration. This collaboration aims to enhance Unilab’s digital infrastructure and drive operational efficiency.

Global markets present a mixed picture on Thursday. The S&P 500 closed at a record high, boosted by strong corporate earnings, while Nvidia beat estimates on profit and revenue. Despite the beat, Nvidia shares dipped in after-hours trading, though the company forecasted over 50% sales growth this quarter.

In Asia, markets traded mostly lower with the Bank of Korea’s policy decision in focus. US futures edged down following Nvidia’s results, and the GIFT Nifty signaled a weak start for Indian markets, adjusted for Wednesday’s holiday.

On the macro front, the US 10-year Treasury yield dipped over 2 bps to 4.23%, while the dollar rebounded, with attention shifting back to Fed policy expectations. Meanwhile, gold edged lower as the dollar and yields firmed. Oil prices rose slightly, supported by a decline in US crude inventories and concerns around new US tariffs on India impacting supply chains.

As of 8:44 AM, GIFT Nifty was trading at 24,669.50, down 28 points or 0.11%, indicating a flat to slightly negative opening for Indian markets. Earlier at 7:40 AM, Nifty futures hovered near 24,675, suggesting cautious sentiment ahead of market open.

Market Recap – August 26:
Indian equity markets took a beating on Tuesday, with the Sensex plummeting 849 points to 80,786.54 and the Nifty losing 255.70 points to end at 24,712.05. The sharp decline came amid jitters over US President Trump’s draft order to impose a 25% tariff on Indian imports starting August 27.

Did you feel the heat from largecap sell-offs dragging the Nifty below 24,700?

Now think, how diversified is your portfolio? 

The midcap and smallcap indices dropped 1.3% and 1.7% respectively, signaling widespread weakness. Sectorally, were you overweight on PSU banks, metals, or pharma? These sectors, along with oil & gas, realty, telecom, and consumer durables, were deep in the red, down 1–2%. Interestingly, FMCG was the only sector that held its ground. If watching closely, you might have catched gains in ITC, HUL, or Nestle. 

With markets closed on August 27 for Ganesh Chaturthi, are you prepared for what’s next today as trading resumes?