NIFTY50, SENSEX today: Wall Street cues, FII activity, key things to know before markets open on September 18

The Indian equity benchmarks are set to open higher on Friday, September 18, as indicated by NIFTY futures traded at Gift City in Gandhinagar. GIFT NIFTY futures advanced 10 points to 23,343 amid positive cues from global markets.

The Indian equity benchmarks came off intraday highs to close on a flat note on Thursday, September 17. The SENSEX rose as much as 341 points and NIFTY50 index touched an intraday high of 23,364 as investor sentiment got a boost tracking a drop in crude prices in international markets. The benchmarks, however, erased intraday gains to end on a flat note owing to weakness in banking shares.

The SENSEX ended 22 points lower at 74,315 and NIFTY50 index advanced 0.23% or 53 points to close at 23,271.

Asian markets

Asian shares were trading higher taking cues from positive closing of US markets and a drop in crude prices.

Japan's Nikkei advanced 0.84%, China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.76%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.67% and South Korea's KOSPI surged 2%.

Wall Street update

United States benchmark indices surged on Thursday as falling crude oil prices and easing bond yields provided relief to investor sentiment which was shaken by a selloff in the previous session after US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates for the first time in three years.

Tech heavy Nasdaq surged 1.69% powered by a buying interest in chip makers. Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.61% and S&P 500 index rose 1.14%.

Crude oil update

Report suggests that Saudi Arabia has found alternative ways to deliver some crude shipments to Asian buyers via Oman which have helped ease fears of a more severe supply disruption from the closure of a key pipeline after Houthi attacks on it.

FII/DII activity

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth ₹3,208.76 crore on Thursday while domestic institutional investors bought stocks worth ₹3,617.75 crore, as per NSE data.

FIIs have so far this month sold shares worth ₹17,810 crore taking the total quantum of selling to ₹2,42,251 crore for 2026, data from NSDL showed.

Stocks to watch

The nearly three-hour meeting produced rival claims over the validity of the vote, a legal opinion from former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and a fresh confrontation over whether Tata Sons should remain private or pursue a stock-market listing.

There was no comment from IndiGo on the revision in the charges.

The sources said charges have been revised higher for travel of infants, unaccompanied minors and excess baggage, among other services.

For infant travel in domestic flights, the charge has been increased to ₹3,000 from ₹2,200, as per the sources. The amount varies on international routes.

The revision is being undertaken to offset the rise in commodity and other input costs, the company said in a statement.

The price increase will differ depending on the vehicle models and variants, it said.

The buyback size represents up to 1.36% of the company's total paid-up equity share capital, the Kolkata-headquartered FMCG firm said in a regulatory filing.

"The Board approved the buyback of the company's fully paid-up equity shares having a face value of ₹1 each... for an aggregate amount not exceeding ₹282 crore... and at a price not exceeding ₹475 per equity share," the filing said.

The offer price is 26.3% higher than the closing price of ₹376.10 per share on the BSE on Thursday.