Indian shares set to gain as soft US jobs data offsets oil worries

Indian equities are poised for a bullish opening on Monday, mirroring gains in Asian counterparts, following a softer-than-anticipated US job report that quelled concerns of an imminent Fed rate hike, while a surge in oil prices tempered market enthusiasm. At 7:43 a.m. IST, GIFT Nifty futures were trading at 24,670.5 points, suggesting a favorable opening for the Nifty 50, which had closed at 24,570.65 on Friday.

Although a rise in crude prices, market volatility due to a new derivative-linked stock auction mechanism, and the Reserve Bank of India's draft proposal to rein in flexible loans from non-bank lenders may cap gains, analysts assert. Asian equities mirrored Wall Street's uptick on Monday, as the likelihood of a near-term interest rate rise waned, bolstering foreign investments in emerging markets.

Brent crude climbed 1.1% to approximately $84.50 a barrel due to lingering uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz's reopening, fueling inflation worries and growth risks for oil-import-dependent India. Iran reported progress in an accord with Oman on new shipping lanes but reiterated that the U.S. must fulfill additional conditions before the waterway's resumption.

Tehran refused to engage in talks with Washington as long as the U.S. violated the June interim deal, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. The supply chain was further disrupted after a Saudi oil facility was targeted over the weekend. Domestic stock indices Nifty 50 and Sensex climbed 0.8% and 0.5%, respectively, last week, as the central bank maintained interest rates, crude prices fell, foreign inflows remained robust, and corporate earnings remained robust.

Foreign portfolio investors invested $1.36 billion in domestic stocks last week, following purchases of $2.12 billion in July.