Opening Bell - Morning Commentary

Major US stock indexes were mixed on Tuesday. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closed lower, while the Dow edged up to its third record close in a row, as investors digested disappointing retail sales figures and waited for a key labour market report.

U.S. retail sales were unexpectedly unchanged in December as households scaled back spending on motor vehicles and other big-ticket items, potentially setting consumer spending and the economy on a slower growth path heading into the new year.

Treasury yields fell after U.S. data suggested the economy may be softening.

The yen was up again in the wake of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's decisive weekend election victory.

Lyft forecast first-quarter adjusted core profit below expectations on Tuesday, hit by severe U.S. winter weather, seasonal cost pressures, and posted a surprise operating loss for 2025, sending its shares down 16% in after-hours trading.

Robinhood Markets fell 6.2% in late trading after reporting fourth-quarter revenue growth that trailed Wall Street estimates. The disappointing results overshadowed other metrics as investors reassessed growth expectations for the online brokerage platform.

Shares of LPL Financial fell 8.3%, Charles Schwab declined 7.4%, and Morgan Stanley dropped 2.5% after tech platform Altruist introduced a new AI-powered tax planning tool.

Back home, Nifty rose for the third straight session, fueled by robust global cues, gaining 67 points to close at 25,935. Despite the weekly expiry yesterday, the index remained largely range-bound, oscillating within a tight 100-point consolidation zone.

Nifty continues to hold its uptrend with its level above all key moving averages. Short-term resistance for the Nifty is seen near 26000, above which the index could extend the rally towards a fresh all-time high above 26373. On the downside, the 25600-25670 band could provide strong support for the index.

Our markets are gradually inching higher as foreign investors cover their short in derivatives and become selective buyers in the cash markets.

Indian markets are poised to open higher today on conducive global cues.