Indian stocks stare at weak opening as Korea crashes over 7%, Nikkei plunges 4%

On Thursday, Indian stock markets opened on a weak note, mirroring the global decline. Korea's Kospi fell over 7%, while Japan's Nikkei plunged 4%. The surge in U.S. Treasury yields, following a hotter-than-expected September Consumer Price Index (CPI), contributed to this downward trend. Artificial intelligence companies faced increased pressure, alongside memory stocks, due to fears of competition from Chinese firms.

This sentiment deterioration was largely driven by the hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data, which showed a year-on-year increase of 3.7% in September, up from 3.4% in August. The stronger inflation reading raised concerns about the potential for sustained higher U.S. interest rates, putting pressure on richly valued growth and technology stocks.

Globally, markets also reacted negatively, with the Nikkei 225 declining over 3% and the KOSPI dropping more than 6%. Elevated WTI crude oil prices, around $94–95 per barrel, and persistent Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) selling further exacerbated the domestic market challenges. The risk of supply constraints and geopolitical tensions, such as renewed Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia and cargo ship sinkings near the Strait of Hormuz, added to the market instability.

Despite these headwinds, Indian companies reported better-than-expected Q2 results, especially from IT majors. For now, 62% of companies have provided positive guidance, indicating a potential broader earnings recovery. However, the focus remains on whether this strength will extend beyond banks, technology, and AI-linked companies.