Indian shares to open lower as crude tops $100

Indian shares are expected to decline on Friday as an escalating Middle East crisis has pushed Brent crude above $100 ​per barrel for the first time in two months, ‌while weaker-than-expected earnings from Infosys and IndiGo will also hurt shares. GIFT Nifty futures were at 23, 710 as of 7: 12 a. m. IST, indicating the benchmark ​Nifty 50 could open below Thursday’s close of 23, 869. 6. US ​President Donald Trump promised a “major military punishment” for Iran ⁠and its Houthi allies on Thursday after the Yemeni fighters ​struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, extending ​the Middle East war to a second major shipping chokepoint. Higher oil prices pose a key risk for India, the world’s third-largest crude importer and consumer, ​by stoking inflation, widening the trade gap, and squeezing growth ​and corporate margins. The Trump administration will impose new tariffs of 10% and 12. 5% ‌on ⁠goods from 60 trading partners, including the European Union and India, on Friday over allegations of lax enforcement of forced labour bans, just as a temporary 10% global tariff expires. India’s benchmarks have ​fallen about 2% ​this week, ⁠setting the stage for their biggest weekly loss in over two months. Shares of information technology major ​Infosys will be in focus after it named ​company ⁠veteran Ashiss Kumar Dash as its next CEO, while narrowing its fiscal year 2027 revenue growth guidance. Meanwhile, India’s largest airline IndiGo forecast largely flat ⁠capacity ​growth for the current quarter after posting ​a loss on Thursday, driven by soaring fuel prices and uncertainty from the ​Middle East conflict.

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