Pre-Market 18 June 2026: What To Expect After Sensex Crosses 77,000, Nifty Ends Above 24,000; Fed Decision In Focus

Indian equities head into Thursday on the back of a four-session rally that has lifted both the Sensex and the Nifty 50 to fresh highs for the month. The Sensex rose 347 points to close at 77,155.62 on 17 June, while the Nifty 50 gained 96.55 points to settle at 24,085.70.

The rally added ₹2.92 lakh crore to investor wealth, taking the market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies to ₹475.17 lakh crore.

Investors now await the US Federal Reserve's policy outcome, the first under the newly appointed Chair Kevin Warsh, which is expected to set the tone for global markets.

What Happened In Wednesday's Session?

Domestic equities remained in positive territory despite a more measured pace of gains compared to the previous three sessions.

Market sentiment drew support from softer bond yields, a firmer rupee and expectations that US interest rates could remain stable. Buying was visible in PSU banks, information technology, and metal stocks.

Some profit booking emerged during the session amid concerns over delayed monsoon progress and lower reservoir levels. However, late buying helped benchmark indices finish higher.

How Did Global Markets Perform After Indian Market Hours?

Wall Street traded cautiously on Wednesday.

On 17 June:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 507.12 points, or 0.98%, to 51,492.55

• S&P 500 lost 91.23 points, or 1.21%, to 7,420.12

• Nasdaq Composite fell 354.69 points, or 1.34%, to 26,021.66

Asian markets closed mixed.

• Japan's Nikkei 225 Index stood at 69,902.25, up 497.75 points.

• Singapore's Straits Times Index traded at 5,176.46, higher by 59.60 points.

• Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was at 24,312.16, down 181.79 points.

European markets also showed mixed reactions.

• FTSE traded at 10,508.61, up 14.40 points

• CAC stood at 8,430.79, down 16.48 points

GIFT Nifty Update

By 20:23 IST on 17 June, GIFT Nifty was trading at 24,091, down 9 points, or 0.04%.

The contract remained close to the Nifty 50's closing level of 24,086, indicating a largely flat start for Thursday's session ahead of the Fed outcome.

Key Levels To Watch

Analysts note that Nifty continues to hold above its 50-day exponential moving average, keeping the broader trend positive. Nifty continues to trade above the 24,000 mark, making it the first level traders are likely to monitor on Thursday.

• Support: 24,000 remains the immediate support. If the index slips below that level, the next cushion is seen around 23,800.

• Resistance: On the upside, 24,100 is the first hurdle. A move past this zone could bring 24,300 into focus.

Weekly BSE expiry may lead to sharper moves in select stocks and indices through the session.

Also Read - Market Wrap, 17 June 2026

What Should Investors Expect Today?

Most of the attention will be on the Federal Reserve's policy announcement later in the day. While rates are widely expected to remain unchanged, investors will closely track Kevin Warsh's comments on inflation, growth and the future path of monetary policy.

Back home, traders will assess whether the Nifty can build on its move above 24,000 and attempt a breakout beyond the 24,100 zone.

Developments related to the US-Iran agreement, monsoon progress and sector-specific activity are also likely to remain on the market's radar through the day.

Sources:

Mint

Reuters

Moneycontrol