Stock market opens in green despite Trump’s reciprocal tariffs announcement from April 2

MUMBAI: Indian stock markets opened in the green on Wednesday, despite US President Donald Trump announcing on Tuesday (Local Time) reciprocal tariffs from April 2.

Companies across Japan to Mexico braced for higher prices, lower demand, and supply chain disruptions, as business and consumer confidence weakened due to the new US trade policies.

The BSE Sensex started the session 162.63 points higher at 73,152.56, while the Nifty 50 gained 52.85 points, opening at 22,135.50. Market breadth showed 30 Nifty companies advancing, while 20 declined, reflecting cautious optimism among investors.

Among the top Nifty performers, M&M, Power Grid, HCL Tech, BPCL, and Adani Ports led the gains. On the other hand, Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv, SBI Life, HDFC Bank, and Sun Pharma were the biggest laggards in early trade.

Ajay Bagga, banking and market expert, said, “Trump Tariffs impacted global markets on Tuesday with companies from Japan to Mexico bracing for disruptions, higher prices and lower demand as business and consumer confidence is hurt by the unpredictable Trump policy regime”.

“This morning, China has announced a fiscal stimulus, proposing a 4 per cent fiscal deficit for 2025 to achieve a 5 per cent GDP growth under challenges to its exports. The tariff actions on friends and foes alike is something not seen since the 1930s protectionism at the height of the Great Depression”, he added.

Despite strong domestic economic momentum, Bagga warned that global pessimism could weigh on investor sentiment, leading to a cautious market outlook. He said, “For India, there is hope for some kind of an agreement to avoid mutual tariffs with Union Minister Piyush Goyal in the US for discussions. Indian markets will be impacted by the global risk off and despite domestic economic momentum picking up, the global pessimism will translate into a cautious market outlook .”

Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research at Axis Securities, said, “The nifty recovered from its initial weakness to finish slightly lower and in doing so ended down for the 10th straight day for the first time in history. There are signs that the broader benchmarks are attempting a recovery, but a trigger is awaited”.

While the market opened higher, analysts expect global uncertainties to dictate the near-term trend, particularly with U.S.-India trade talks underway. Investors will also monitor policy responses from major economies as they navigate trade disruptions and economic slowdowns triggered by rising protectionism. (ANI)