Business
Market Outlook: Fed Rate Decision, Trade Talks, FII Flows Likely To Drive Sensex, Nifty Next Week
New Delhi: The coming week is expected to be crucial for Indian stock markets as investors look ahead to key global and domestic developments. The US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting, progress on India’s trade deals with the US and the EU, and the trend of foreign institutional investors (FIIs) will likely set the tone for market movements.
Market experts believe that the US Fed may cut interest rates by 25 basis points in its upcoming meeting. A deeper cut of 50 basis points, however, would be a surprise and could boost sentiment in global markets, including India. (Also Read: Mcap Of 8 Most Valued Firms Jumps By Rs 1.69 Lakh Crore Amid Market Rally)
Updates on India’s trade negotiations will also be closely tracked. Last week, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that discussions on an India-US trade deal are ongoing and that the first phase could be finalised by November.
He also noted that talks on the India-EU trade deal are at an advanced stage. FII activity will be another key driver for the markets. Out of the last five trading sessions, FIIs were net buyers in two, with inflows worth Rs 129.58 crore on Friday alone. This indicates that the FII trend is slowly turning positive.
The previous week was strong for Indian equities. The Nifty gained 373 points, or 1.51 per cent, to close at 25,114, while the Sensex climbed 1,193.94 points, or 1.48 per cent, to end at 81,904.70. Looking ahead, experts maintain a positive stance on equities. They suggest focusing on domestic cyclicals such as autos, metals, and consumer discretionary, while keeping a balance with defensives like select FMCG and pharma stocks. (Also Read: ITR Filing 2025: Has ITR Filing Deadline Extended? Here’s The Update)
On the technical front, analysts at Religare Broking said the Nifty has tested its previous swing high near 25,150. “While some consolidation cannot be ruled out, the outlook remains positive with the next upside target seen in the 25,250–25,500 range,” Ajit Mishra said.
“On the downside, immediate support lies at 24,800, with the 100-DEMA around 24,650 acting as a stronger cushion,” Mishra added. For Bank Nifty, the index is hovering near resistance at 55,000, where the 100-DEMA aligns with price hurdles.
“A breakout above this level could trigger short covering and open the way for 56,200, while support exists in the 54,000–54,400 zone and major support at the 200-DEMA near 53,600,” Mishra mentioned.
Business
Chipotle cuts same-store sales forecast for third straight quarter as diner visits drop again
A customer carries a Chipotle bag in San Francisco, California, US, on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Chipotle Mexican Grill on Wednesday reported quarterly revenue that fell short of expectations and cut its same-store sales forecast for the third straight quarter.
Chipotle is expecting its full-year same-store sales to shrink by a low-single digit percentage in fiscal 2025. That’s a big change from February, when the burrito chain was projecting same-store sales would grow by a low- to mid-single digit percentage.
CEO Scott Boatwright said the company is seeing “consistent macroeconomic pressures.” Traffic fell by 0.8%, the third straight quarter of declines.
After the chain outperformed the broader restaurant industry in 2024, the sluggish consumer environment finally hit its restaurants this year. Chipotle’s customer base skews higher income, so it was insulated from the pullback in spending from low-income consumers that fast-food chains were reporting last year.
Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
- Earnings per share: 29 cents adjusted, in line with expectations
- Revenue: $3 billion vs. $3.03 billion expected
Shares of the restaurant chain ticked slightly higher in extended trading.
Chipotle reported third-quarter net income of $382.1 million, or 29 cents per share, down from $387.4 million, or 28 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding slight adjustments for stock-based compensation grants and other items, the burrito chain still earned 29 cents per share.
Net sales rose 7.5% to $3 billion, fueled by new restaurants. The company opened 84 company-operated locations and two licensed international stores.
Chipotle’s same-store sales increased 0.3% in a reversal from last quarter’s decline. But the growth in sales at restaurants open at least a year came from a 1.1% bump in average check, as traffic dipped.
To revive traffic growth, Chipotle is focusing on its in-restaurant execution, marketing, digital experience and menu innovation, according to Boatwright.
Looking to 2026, Chipotle anticipates that it will open 350 to 370 new locations. That target includes 10 to 15 international restaurants operated by partners, as the company aims to expand globally.
Last month, Chipotle announced a joint venture with SPC Group, a Korea-based restaurant operator. It has also signed development deals with operators in the Middle East and Latin America.
Last Updated:
US Fed Meeting Outcome: In a second consecutive rate cut, the US Federal Reserve on October 29 reduced its key interest rates by another 25 basis points (bps) to 3.75%-4.00%.
US Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate decision.
US Fed Rate Cut, US Fed Meeting Latest News: The US Federal Reserve on October 29 reduced its key interest rates by another 25 basis points (bps) to 3.75%-4.00%, in line with market expectations. This is the second consecutive rate cut following the last reduction in September 2025, when the US central bank announced a similar 25 bps reduction after a gap of nine months.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) approved the rate cut with a 10-2 majority. Governor Stephen Miran dissented, arguing for a steeper half-point reduction, while Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid also voted against the move, favouring no rate cut at all.
“In support of its goals and in light of the shift in the balance of risks, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point to 3-3/4 to 4 percent,” the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) said in a statement on October 29.
It added that uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated. The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate and judges that downside risks to employment rose in recent months.
“Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace. Job gains have slowed this year, and the unemployment rate has edged up but remained low through August; more recent indicators are consistent with these developments. Inflation has moved up since earlier in the year and remains somewhat elevated,” the FOMC stated.
US Fed to Halt Quantitative Tightening from December 1
Alongside the rate cut, the Federal Reserve announced that it will end the reduction of its asset holdings, a process known as quantitative tightening, effective December 1.
The post-meeting statement did not provide any direction on what the committee’s plans are for December.
The next US Fed meeting will take place on December 9-10, and the decision will be announced on December 10.
In September, the US central bank’s officials expected two more cuts this year, according to the ‘dot plot’.
The Fed had reduced borrowing costs three times last year till December 2024. But, it then put any further cuts on hold to evaluate the impact of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on the economy. The US central bank kept its key interest rates unchanged at 4.25%-4.50% for five times in a row till the previous July 2025 policy review.
Currently, CPI inflation in the US stands at 3%, which was cooler than expected by most analysts. The US Fed targets to bring in the retail inflation rate at 2%.
US Fed Rate Cut: How Will It Impact Indian Markets?
Currently, the Nifty futures (GIFT Nifty) are trading nearly 90 points lower at 26,166, suggesting a gap-down opening on Thursday.
For Indian markets, the US Fed rate cut is positive for sectors like IT, pharma, and other export-oriented industries.
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More
October 29, 2025, 23:32 IST
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Business
Nvidia Becomes $5 Trillion Powerhouse, Adding $7.6 Billion To Jensen Huang’s Net Worth In A Day
New Delhi: Nvidia CEO and co-founder Jensen Huang has seen his personal fortune soar past USD 180 billion (Rs 15 lakh crore), following a record-breaking rally in Nvidia’s stock that pushed the company’s market valuation to nearly $5 trillion (Rs 415 lakh crore). This milestone makes Nvidia one of the most valuable companies in the world, surpassing even major tech giants like Amazon and Alphabet in market capitalization.
According to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires Index, Huang’s wealth jumped by over USD 7.6 billion in a single day, rising 4.35 percent to around USD 182 billion. The sharp increase came after Nvidia’s shares surged to a new high of USD 212.19 on Nasdaq, driven by booming demand for its AI processors. Nvidia’s chips — including the H100 and Blackwell series — are now at the heart of global artificial intelligence systems used by companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google.
Founded by Huang in 1993, Nvidia began as a small graphics card manufacturer. Today, it dominates the AI chip market, controlling more than 80 percent of the global GPU supply for data centers and machine learning models. The company’s meteoric rise has made Huang one of the fastest-growing billionaires in the world — and a key figure in the global AI race.
Nvidia’s success has also made it the first Nasdaq-listed firm to cross the USD 5 trillion mark, a feat achieved just months after it breached the USD 4 trillion level. Analysts say the company’s growth reflects how AI has reshaped the global technology industry, with investors betting that Nvidia’s dominance will continue as demand for AI hardware skyrockets.
Huang’s rise underscores how artificial intelligence is not only transforming technology but also rewriting the global billionaire rankings — with Nvidia’s visionary CEO now among the world’s richest individuals.
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