Bank of Japan interest rate decision: Most economists expect the BOJ to keep the policy rate steady at 0.75% at the end of its two-day meeting today, even as the yen hovers near levels that have prompted past interventions.(Photo: Pixabay)Stock market today, 28 April 2026: Investor sentiment toward the Indian stock market improved during Monday’s session on April 27, as the key benchmark indices rose around 1%, breaking a three-day losing streak. The gains were primarily led by a rebound in IT stocks, with strong support from pharma and consumer goods shares.
Both the Nifty 50 and the BSE Sensex ended 0.80% higher. The broader market also followed suit, as the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices surged more than 1.5%.
The Gift Nifty index is signalling a muted opening on Dalal Street, as investors await the Bank of Japan's interest rate decision. Investors are also keeping their fingers crossed as the US Fed meeting outcome is also expected tomorrow.
The Gift Nifty index opened lower at 24,090 and touched an intraday low of 24,002 within an hour. By 7:45 AM, the index was trading around 24,015, nearly 80 points lower than yesterday's close of 24,093.
Expecting a muted opening for the Indian stock market today, Hariprasad K, SEBI-registered Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said, “Indian markets are likely to open on a muted note, with Gift Nifty indicating a largely flat start around the 24,070 zone. While the index remains near key support levels, the broader setup suggests a balance between supportive global cues and lingering macro uncertainties.”
The Bank of Japan's (BOJ) policy meeting took place today, 28 April. The monetary policy announcement comes amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, which has persisted for two months, and amid fears of higher inflation due to the oil price spike.
The Bank of Japan has maintained a short-term interest rate target at 0.75%.
Most economists had also expected the BOJ to keep the policy rate steady at 0.75% at the end of its two-day meeting today, even as the yen hovers near levels that have prompted past interventions.
According to the news agency AFP, the US central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting next week, as energy prices stay high and supply chains are snarled due to the war in the Middle East.
The Federal Reserve's two-day meeting, starting Tuesday, could be Chairman Jerome Powell's last at the helm of the independent institution.
But it takes place against a tricky backdrop. Powell's likely successor -- Trump's nominee, Kevin Warsh -- has faced a bumpy road to confirmation, while policymakers battle competing pressures as steeper fuel prices drive inflation and job-market worries linger.
The US Fed officials are set to keep rates steady in a range of 3.50% to 3.75%, extending their pause since the start of the year.
"We still have a very high level of uncertainty on what's happening in the Middle East," KPMG senior economist Kenneth Kim told AFP.
Amid uncertainty around the US-Iran ceasefire talks and the Strait of Hormuz deadlock, the WTI crude oil prices scaled further upside and came close to $100/bbl. This put the precious metals under selling pressure.
The COMEX gold rate today slipped below $4,700/oz, and by 7:55 AM, the precious yellow metal was oscillating around $4,690/oz. Similarly, the COMEX silver rate today is around $74.828/oz.
Global markets present a mixed but cautiously constructive picture. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite have scaled fresh record highs, reflecting underlying resilience in U.S. equities. However, the upside momentum remains constrained by unresolved geopolitical tensions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, where fresh developments continue to influence crude oil prices and global risk sentiment.
Asian markets are mirroring this indecision. Japan’s Nikkei 225 has seen mild profit booking after recent highs, while South Korea’s KOSPI is trading with a positive bias. The divergence highlights a market environment that is highly reactive to evolving geopolitical headlines, particularly surrounding U.S.–Iran negotiations.
Volatility indicators, however, offer a slightly more stable backdrop. India VIX has eased to around 18.3 levels, reflecting a moderation in near-term fear compared to last week. This cooling has led to relatively softer option premiums. If the VIX continues to trend lower through the session, accelerated theta decay is likely, making options strategies highly sensitive to time erosion, especially in the absence of large directional moves.
Stock-specific action is expected to remain robust, with a heavy earnings calendar driving participation. Key companies in focus include Maruti Suzuki India, where margin trends and dividend announcements will be closely tracked, and Bandhan Bank, with attention on asset quality and loan growth.
Other notable names include REC Limited for its dividend appeal, Dalmia Bharat for volume and pricing outlook, and insurance players like Star Health and Allied Insurance and Go Digit General Insurance. Additionally, Eternal Ltd will remain in focus amid expectations of continued growth in food delivery and quick commerce segments.
Speaking on the outlook for the Nifty 50 and Sensex today, Shrikant Chouhan, Head of Equity Research at Kotak Securities, said that 24,000/77000 and 23,900/76700 would act as crucial support zones. As long as the market trades above these levels, bullish sentiment is likely to continue. On the higher side, the index could move up to 24,215/77700. Further upside may also persist, potentially lifting the index up to 24,300/78000.
“On the flip side, below 23,900/76700, the uptrend would become vulnerable. Under such circumstances, traders may prefer to exit their long positions,” the Kotak Securities expert said.
On the outlook of the Bank Nifty today, Vatsal Bhuva, Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, said the index ended the session forming a spinning top candlestick on the daily chart, reflecting indecision after a recent pullback. The index is holding above a crucial support zone near 55,800, which coincides with recent demand levels. Momentum indicators remain flat with visible contraction over the past few sessions, indicating a consolidation phase.
“Unless a decisive breakout occurs, the index is likely to trade in a range, with immediate support at 55,800 and resistance placed around 56,800 levels,” said Vatsal Bhuva of LKP Securities.
Regarding stocks to buy today, market experts — Sumeet Bagadia of Choice Broking, Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager — Technical Research at Anand Rathi, and Shiju Koothupalakkal, Senior Manager — Technical Research at Prabhudas Lilladher, recommended these eight buy-or-sell stocks for intraday trading: Aarti Industries, Aditya Infotech, Bajaj Finance, HDFC Bank, Jupiter Wagons, Thermax, TVS Motor Company, and Sarda Energy & Minerals.
1] Aarti Industries: Buy at ₹489, Target ₹523, Stop Loss ₹472; and
2] Aditya Infotech: Buy at ₹2345, Target ₹2511, Stop Loss ₹2262.
3] Bajaj Finance: Buy at ₹921, Target ₹970, Stop Loss ₹900;
4] HDFC Bank: Buy at ₹790, Target ₹825, Stop Loss ₹770; and
5] Jupiter Wagons: Buy at ₹291, Target ₹310, Stop Loss ₹282.
6] Thermax: Buy at ₹4156, Target ₹4340, Stop Loss ₹4070;
7] TVS Motor Company: Buy at ₹3552, Target ₹3700, Stop Loss ₹3480; and
8] Sarda Energy & Minerals: Buy at ₹612.50, Target ₹645, Stop Loss ₹598.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
Asit Manohar has nearly two decades of experience in the mainstream media. In this period, he has served esteemed media organisations like NDTV Profit, The Economic Times, and Zee Business. He has been working at LiveMint Digital since April 2021. During these two decades of journey in mainstream media, Asit has mainly covered external affairs, markets and personal finance. However, his earliest beats include railways, SME, MSME, and politics (Congress beat). Some of his features on political, economic, and foreign policy are documented in the parliamentary records.
While pursuing his MA (Mass Communication, Session 2004-06), Asit began his media career as a stringer at All India Radio in Varanasi. At AIR Varanasi, Asit worked with the Gyanvani, Yuvvani and Vividh Bharti teams. After working for nearly one year at AIR Varanasi, he shifted to print journalism and started working as a stringer for the HT Media Ltd, Varanasi. At HT Media Ltd in Varanasi, he covered the BHU beat.
Asit has also worked with some brokerage houses. He has worked with Religare Broking and India Infoline, where he assisted the research team in developing and executing trade strategies for intraday cash, F&O, and commodities.
Asit is a Gold Medalist in MA (Mass Communication) from BHU, Varanasi. He did his BSc. (Hons) in Mathematics from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya. Asit was a National Talent Scholarship holder during his senior secondary studies (1988-91).