Market Snapshot, 25 August 2026

Global markets are mixed this morning (25 August 2026): Asian equities slipped after a Wall Street tech sell-off, gold surged past $4,680/oz, and oil remains weak around $92/bbl. Trade tensions are escalating as the U.S. announced steep tariffs on Canadian autos and steel, while sanctions on Iran continue to weigh on sentiment.

📊 Equity Markets

• Asia-Pacific:
  • MSCI Asia ex-Japan down 0.1%.
  • Nikkei +0.3%, Kospi -0.2%, CSI300 -0.2%, Hang Seng -0.3%.
• India:
  • Sensex -73.62 pts (77,295.49).
  • Nifty -43.3 pts (24,175.75).
  • Gainers: TCS (+0.8%), Tata Steel, Adani Ports.
  • Losers: Bajaj Finance (-0.64%), Hindustan Unilever, SBI.
• U.S. Futures:
  • Nasdaq futures +0.36%, S&P 500 +0.1%.
  • Investors await Nvidia earnings (expected revenue ~$92B).

🛢 Commodities

• Oil:
  • Brent crude $92.13/bbl, U.S. crude $85.08/bbl.
  • Both fell >2% yesterday on tariff and sanctions concerns.
• Gold:
  • Spot gold hit $4,680.70/oz, highest since May.
  • Supported by weaker USD and lower yields.
  • In Delhi: ₹1,64,120 per 10g (24K); Silver ₹2,59,900/kg.

💱 Currencies & Bonds

• Dollar: Firming after recent weakness.
• Yields: U.S. Treasury yields eased as buyback speculation grows; Treasury may use $1 trillion cash reserves to repurchase debt.

🌍 Geopolitical & Policy Drivers

• U.S.–Canada Trade: Tariffs on autos, parts, and steel to rise to 50% from Jan 2027. Ottawa vows retaliation.
• U.S.–China: Plans for 7.5% tariff on Chinese goods ahead of Trump–Xi summit.
• Iran Sanctions: U.S. Treasury sanctioned ~60 Iran-linked entities across oil, tech, and shipping.
• China Liquidity: PBOC injected 500B yuan MLF and announced overnight repos to stabilise liquidity.
• Japan: Ex-BOJ official signals likely rate hike next month.

📌 Key Takeaways for Traders

• Volatility remains elevated: Tech earnings (Nvidia, Zoom, Salesforce) will be pivotal this week.
• Safe-haven flows: Gold and USD are benefiting from risk-off sentiment.
• Tariff escalation: Watch for ripple effects in auto, steel, and supply chain sectors.
• Oil weakness: Energy equities may face pressure if crude stays below $90–95/bbl.