NIFTY50, SENSEX: Asian markets, FII activity, crude oil, gold prices, key things to know before market opens on May 29

NSE data showed that the GIFT NIFTY futures were trading 0.08% higher at 23,892 points ahead of the opening bell on Friday, as investors were focused on the positive market cues supporting the overall sentiment.

The NIFTY50 index closed 0.03% lower at 23,907.15 points after Wednesday’s stock market session, compared to 23,913.70 points at the previous market close, as per NSE data. The benchmark indices witnessed significant pressure from outflows, while the domestic buyers supported the index flat at closing levels.

The BSE SENSEX index closed 0.19% lower at 75,867.80 points after the trading session on May 27, compared to 76,009.70 points at the previous market close, according to the exchange data.

The stock markets remained closed for all operations on Thursday, May 28, on account of the scheduled holiday for Bakri Id (Eid al-Adha) in India. Trading operations will resume normally from Friday, May 29, 2026.

The key focus of the stock market investors will remain on the lower oil prices on May 29, while they await any positive cues from the negotiations of a potential peace deal in West Asia.

Latest media reports highlight that Iran and the United States have allegedly agreed on a tentative agreement, while no official statement has been released so far.

Key things to know before market opens today

Asian market cues

Market investors in Asia were trading based on an overall positive market sentiment, while keeping a cautious eye out for the volatile oil prices in the market. This positive momentum from Asia is likely to support the Indian markets on Friday.

MarketWatch data showed that Japan’s Nikkei 225 was trading 1.89% higher at 65,921.11 points, Hong Kong-based Hang Seng index was up 0.30% to 25,076 points, and Singapore’s FTSE was up 0.60% to 5,019.85 points on Friday’s market.

While the China-based Shanghai Composite was down 0.44% at 4,080 points dragged down my top movers like Shanghai SupeZet Engineering, Xi’An Manareco New Materials, Fujian Forecam Optics, among others.

FII activity details

NSE data showed that the foreign investors continued their selling spree in the Indian markets, shedding ₹1,042.70 crore worth of assets across the exchanges, in a single day on Wednesday, while the domestic buyers added support.

The domestic investors purchased ₹3,821 crore worth of assets across the exchanges on Wednesday, supporting the benchmark indices to end flat after the volatile market session on May 27.

NSDL data showed that so far in May 2026, the foreign investors have sold a total of ₹29,986 crore worth of assets across classes from the Indian markets amid the geopolitical uncertainties.

Oil prices today

Crude oil prices were trading lower during Friday’s market, India time, due to several reports of the ongoing United States and Iran negotiations yielding a tentative agreement on Thursday, May 28.

According to a CNN report, the US officials, aware of the development, said that even though a tentative agreement for a peace deal has been reached, US President Donald Trump has yet to sign off on it, and the situation in West Asia remains tense.

At 7:18 am (IST), the Brent crude oil prices were trading 0.05% lower at $92.18 per bbl on Friday, May 29, compared to $92.23 per bbl at the previous market close, according to Investing.com data.

The US-based WTI crude oil prices were also trading 0.83% lower at $88.16 per bbl during Friday’s trading session, India time, while the previous market close was at $88.9 per bbl, according to the exchange data.

In the last five trading sessions, oil prices have dropped over 8%, and were trading 21.9% lower over the past one-month period.

Gold prices today

The New York Mercantile Exchange-based COMEX gold prices were trading 0.10% higher at $4,536 per ounce as of 9:45 pm (ET) in the United States on Thursday evening, compared to $4,532.40 per ounce at the previous commodity market close, as per the official data.

On Friday, May 29, India time, the gold prices were trading higher on the backdrop of a flat US dollar rate, as the traders are expected to fuel the demand for precious metals like gold when the greenback is under pressure or traders lower.

Data collected from the US dollar spot index (DYX) showed that the greenback was trading 0.01% higher at 99.03 as of 9:52 pm (ET), compared to the previous currency market close.

The exchange data also showed that gold prices have risen 4.4% so far in 2026, but were trading 1.6% lower in the last one month period, and 13.6% lower in the past three months.

Stocks to watch today

Asian Paints, InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo), Glenmark Pharma, NMDC, IREDA, Natco Pharma, Aegis Logistics, BEML, and Inox Wind are among other stocks that are set to be in focus of the stock market investors as the companies will release their Q4 earnings today.

On corporate action cues, stocks like Wipro, Ashok Leyland, Wockhardt, Reliance Industries, among others, will also be in focus of the investors on May 29.