Stock market today: Global markets are trading with a positive bias, led by firm gains in US equities after lower-than-expected November consumer price inflation data reinforced expectations of further interest-rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve, triggering a shift toward a risk-on environment. Sentiment was further boosted by better-than-expected earnings from chipmaker Micron Technology and a strong quarterly revenue outlook, which reignited optimism around the AI and technology space. As a result, the Nasdaq surged 1.38%, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones advanced 0.79% and 0.14%, respectively. Stability in US bond yields following the softer inflation print, along with a sharp decline in the US VIX, points to easing risk aversion and improving investor confidence.
Asian markets are also trading higher, with the Nikkei 225 and Kospi inching up in early trade, albeit with cautious optimism ahead of the Bank of Japan’s monetary policy decision. With volatility contained and global liquidity conditions supportive, the overall backdrop remains constructive, likely lending a mildly positive undertone to Indian markets at the open. However, persistent weakness in the rupee near record lows, along with delays in finalising the India–US trade negotiations, remains a key near-term concern for domestic markets, keeping investor sentiment guarded and capping meaningful upside in Indian equities.
Stock market today
Speaking on the outlook of the Nifty 50 index, Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said, “The Nifty 50 index is likely to open with a mildly positive to cautious bias, tracking supportive global cues while consolidating near the critical 25,800 base. The long-legged Doji formed in the previous session highlights indecision at this demand zone, making early price action around 25,800–25,750 crucial. This area also coincides with the 50-EMA near 25,767, reinforcing its significance as a key support level. As long as this band holds, recovery attempts toward 25,900–25,950 remain possible, with the 20-day EMA around 25,930 acting as an immediate resistance and reaction zone. Heavy Call OI near 25,950 continues to cap upside, and only a sustained breakout above 26,000 would confirm a meaningful momentum shift toward 26,200. A decisive break below 25,800 could expose the index to a quick move toward 25,650. Overall momentum remains subdued, pointing to a range-bound session with a mild bearish bias.”
On the outlook of the Bank Nifty today, the Enrich Money expert said, “The Bank Nifty index is expected to open steady to mildly positive, supported by continued dip-buying interest near the 58,900–58,800 zone. The inverted hammer formation indicates demand emerging on declines, while the index’s ability to hold above key short-term supports preserves the broader bullish structure. As long as Bank Nifty trades above 58,700, the bias remains positive, with upside attempts toward the 59,500–59,800 resistance zone, which would signal a possible resumption of the broader uptrend on a decisive breakout. Momentum indicators remain neutral, with the RSI hovering near 50, suggesting a pause in momentum with scope for a bounce. Meanwhile, a flat MACD reflects consolidation rather than a trend reversal. Overall, the Bank Nifty continues to show relative strength compared to the Nifty, with dips likely to attract buyers in the early trade.
ICICI Prudential AMC IPO listing
According to market observers, the GMP of the ICICI Prudential AMC IPO today is ₹520, which suggests that the listing price of the ICICI Prudential AMC IPO would be around ₹2,685, 24% above the upper price band of the ICICI Prudential AMC IPO.
India VIX at record low
The India VIX is at record-low levels. The volatility index settled at a record low of 9.71 on Thursday, 18 December, falling 15% in December and marking its second consecutive monthly decline. A significant decrease in the fear gauge indicates a sharp drop in perceived market risk and expected volatility.
Market participants are pricing in stability rather than sharp directional moves in the near term. Such low readings typically occur when markets are trading within a controlled range, and uncertainty surrounding macroeconomic, earnings, or global triggers is limited.
The 9–12 range, as experts say, is the lower band, while the normal range for India VIX is around 12 to 15. In a typical scenario, when the market has sufficient triggers to move either upward or downward, although not necessarily with extreme volatility, the VIX tends to hover within this range of 12 to 15.
USD vs INR
Speaking on the weakness of the Indian National Rupee (INR) against the US Dollar (USD), the Enrich Money expert said, “Liquidity is often misunderstood as speculation. In reality, Liquidity is a stabilising force. Following the regulatory shift, onshore currency derivatives volumes declined sharply. USD/INR futures turnover on Indian exchanges fell by nearly 80–90%, significantly weakening price discovery. With fewer participants, the market became shallow,” adding, “In such an environment, when dollar demand rises—whether due to global risk aversion, capital outflows, or trade-related requirements—there are limited natural sellers to counterbalance the move. As a result, USD/INR tends to move in a single direction, with only brief and shallow corrections. Thin markets do not reduce volatility; they amplify it.”
Stock market today
Regarding stocks to buy today, stock market experts — Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking; Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Anand Rathi; and Shiju Kuthupalakkal, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Prabhudas Lilladher, recommended these eight intraday stocks for today: GMDC, Hindustan Copper, Sudeep Pharma, Bank of Baroda, Divi’s Lab, HBL Engineering, BSE, and Firstcry.
Sumeet Bagadia’s stock recommendations today
1] GMDC: Buy at ₹515, Target ₹551, Stop Loss ₹497.
GMDC share price is currently trading at ₹515. The stock is undergoing a healthy consolidation within a broader uptrend, with price action forming a Symmetrical triangle pattern after a strong rally, which often acts as a continuation structure. The overall trend remains positive as the stock continues to hold above its key long-term support zone, indicating sustained buying interest. Demand is clearly visible near the lower boundary of the pattern, while the overhead trend line marks the immediate resistance area. The stock is stabilising around its short- and medium-term EMAs. At the same time, the long-term EMA remains upward sloping, reinforcing the strength of the broader trend and indicating that the recent correction has not weakened the overall structure. If GMDCLTD manages to close above its resistance levels of ₹533, it could gain further traction toward a short-term target of ₹551. Traders should monitor price action around this resistance zone to confirm a breakout.
On the downside, immediate support is located at 505. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently at 46.96 and trending upward, reflecting growing buying momentum. To manage risk effectively, a stop-loss at 497 is suggested to guard against any unexpected market reversals.
In conclusion, based on technical analysis and current market conditions, GMDCLTD presents a promising buying opportunity for those aiming for a target of ₹551, provided that appropriate risk management strategies are in place.
2] Hindustan Copper: Buy at ₹387, Target ₹415, Stop Loss ₹373.
Hindustan Copper share is currently trading at ₹387, maintaining a strong upward trajectory. The stock has consistently formed higher highs and higher lows, reflecting sustained bullish momentum. It recently reached a 52-week high of 389.7. A breakout above this level could further accelerate buying interest. The Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs) for the 20-, 50-, 100-, and 200-day periods are all trending upward, reinforcing the bullish outlook. The price is trading above all major EMAs, indicating strong positive sentiment and continued strength in the stock. If HINDCOPPER manages to close above its higher level, it could gain further traction toward a short-term target of 415. Traders should monitor price action around this resistance zone to confirm a breakout.
On the downside, immediate support is located at ₹378. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently at 66.39 and trending upward, reflecting growing buying momentum. To manage risk effectively, a stop-loss at ₹373 is suggested to guard against any unexpected market reversals.
In conclusion, based on technical analysis and current market conditions, HINDCOPPER presents a promising buying opportunity for those aiming for a target of ₹415, provided that appropriate risk management strategies are in place.
Ganesh Dongre’s shares to buy today
3] Sudeep Pharma: Buy at ₹672, Target ₹695, Stop Loss ₹650.
Stock has been exhibiting a strong and consistent bullish pattern, indicating sustained investor interest and positive price momentum. The stock is currently trading at ₹672 and has established a solid support base at ₹650. This level has historically acted as a cushion, and the recent price action suggests a reversal from this support, reinforcing bullish sentiment. The technical setup suggests a potential price retracement toward the ₹695 level in the near term. Given the renewed strength and favourable risk-reward ratio, entering at the current market price with a stop-loss placed at ₹650 presents a strategic opportunity to capture the expected upside move. The outlook remains positive as long as the stock holds above its key support zone.
4] Bank of Baroda: Buy at ₹288, Target ₹298, Stop Loss ₹283.
The stock has exhibited a notable, strong bullish pattern, offering another promising opportunity for short-term traders. The stock is currently priced at ₹288 and maintaining a strong support at ₹283. The technical setup suggests a potential price retracement towards the ₹298 level. With the stock reversing from a support base and showing signs of renewed strength, entering at the current market price with a stop-loss at ₹283 offers a prudent approach to capturing the anticipated upside.
5] Divi’s Lab: Buy at ₹6390, Target ₹6600, Stop Loss ₹6280.
The stock has exhibited a notable, strong bullish pattern, offering another promising opportunity for short-term traders. The stock is currently priced at ₹6,390 and is maintaining a strong support level at ₹6,280. The technical setup suggests a potential price retracement towards the ₹6600 level. With the stock reversing from a support base and showing signs of renewed strength, entering at the current market price with a stop-loss at ₹6280 offers a prudent approach to capturing the anticipated upside.
Shiju Kuthupalakkal’s intraday stocks for today
6] HBL Engineering: Buy at ₹818, Target ₹870, Stop Loss ₹800.
The stock has indicated a strong pullback with a bullish candle formation on the daily chart, following a significant correction from the ₹1100 zone. It has arrived near the long-term trendline support at the ₹760 level. The RSI has reached near the highly oversold zone. It has indicated a buy signal with significant upside potential visible, and with the chart technically looking attractive, we suggest buying the stock for an upside target of ₹870, while keeping the stop-loss at the ₹800 level.
7] BSE: Buy at ₹2682, Target ₹2840, Stop Loss ₹2620.
The stock, after a short period of correction, has shown consolidation near the critical 50-DEMA level at the ₹2,640 zone, with support maintained near the ₹2,600 level. It has currently shown signs of improvement, anticipating a further rise in the coming sessions. The RSI has corrected well from the overbought zone and is presently well-positioned, indicating a buy signal, with potential for further upward movement visible. With the chart technically looking good and attractive, we suggest buying the stock for an upside target of ₹2,840, keeping the stop-loss at the ₹2,620 level.
8] Firstcry: Buy at ₹297.75, Target ₹318, Stop Loss ₹290.
The stock has witnessed a decent correction from the ₹435 zone and has shown signs of bottoming out near the ₹280 level, indicating a significant pullback. Currently, it has a positive candle formation on the daily chart, improving the bias and anticipating a further rise in the coming sessions. The RSI has indicated a positive trend reversal from the highly oversold zone, signalling a buy, and is on the rise, with much upside potential visible. With the chart technically looking good and attractive, we suggest buying the stock with an upside target of ₹318, while maintaining a strict stop-loss at the ₹290 level.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.