Market outlook: Quarterly results, inflation data, Trump tariffs likely to drive markets next week

Mumbai, Oct 12 (IANS) The coming week is expected to be crucial for Indian stock markets as investors will react to a mix of key triggers including quarterly earnings, inflation data, and the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement.

Several major companies are scheduled to announce their financial results for the second quarter (July–September) of FY26.

These include top IT firms such as Infosys, HCL Technologies, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and LTIMindtree, along with leading banking giants like Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank.

The government will release retail inflation data on October 13 and wholesale inflation figures on October 14.

Inflation indicators reflect the overall health of the economy and have a direct impact on market sentiment.

In August, retail inflation stood at 2.07 per cent while wholesale inflation was at 0.52 per cent.

Meanwhile, US President Trump has announced a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, raising the existing tariff from 30 per cent to 130 per cent, effective from November 1.

Investors worldwide will closely monitor the potential market impact of this move as it could influence global trade and equity markets.

The previous week was positive for Indian equities. The Nifty gained 1.57 per cent or 391.10 points to close at 25,285.35, while the Sensex advanced 1.59 per cent or 1,293.65 points to end at 82,500.82.

On the sectoral front, Nifty IT emerged as the top performer between October 6 and 10, with a gain of 4.89 per cent.

Nifty PSU Bank rose 1.48 per cent, Nifty Financial Services added 1.57 per cent, Nifty Pharma climbed 2.12 per cent, Nifty Realty advanced 2.35 per cent, Nifty Private Bank gained 2.22 per cent, Nifty Services was up 2.27 per cent, and Nifty Healthcare increased 3.19 per cent.

On the other hand, Nifty Media declined by 2.69 per cent, Nifty India Defence dropped 0.46 per cent, and Nifty FMCG slipped 0.37 per cent.

Midcap and smallcap indices also performed strongly. The Nifty Midcap 100 index rose 2.08 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 index gained 1.43 per cent during the week.

--IANS

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