Nifty, Sensex Open Lower Amid Global Trade Tensions; IT & Pharma Stocks Slide

Indian stock markets opened lower on Wednesday, April 9th, as global trade tensions spiked following the U.S. decision to impose fresh tariffs on Chinese imports.

As of 9:18 AM IST, the Nifty 50 had dropped to 22,452.10, down -83.90 points or -0.37%, while the BSE Sensex slipped to 74,010.03, reflecting a -0.30% loss in early trading.

The downside was led by heavy losses in IT and Pharma sectors, with both indices declining over 2.3%, pressured by the U.S. administration’s new import tariffs, which directly impact companies with high overseas exposure.

Market sentiment was further weighed down by weakness across other Asian markets:

• Japan’s Nikkei 225: down -3.1%

• MSCI Asia ex-Japan Index: down -1.9%

The broader global risk-off sentiment was clearly reflected in investor behavior, as participants chose to book profits ahead of the RBI’s Monetary Policy decision set to be announced at 10:00 AM IST. Investors are watching closely for cues on interest rates, inflation, and economic growth outlook.

The spike in volatility indices and a sharp drop in market breadth suggest traders are bracing for heightened short-term uncertainty.

“Tech stocks are feeling the heat from U.S. policy decisions, and today’s fall is a reaction to both global pressure and anticipation around RBI’s stance,” said a senior market analyst.

Despite the early drop, analysts believe any dovish signal from the RBI could help support the market later in the day.