Indian stock markets staged a robust rally on Friday, with the BSE Sensex skyrocketing 1,310.11 points, a 1.77% gain, to close at 75,157.26. The NSE Nifty followed suit, climbing 429.40 points or 1.92% to settle at 22,828.55, breaching the 22,900 mark during intra-day trading. The surge came on the heels of a White House announcement suspending additional tariffs on India for 90 days until July 9, offering a reprieve amid global trade tensions.

The US decision, detailed in recent executive orders, pauses levies that President Donald Trump had imposed on April 2, targeting India and roughly 60 other nations. Those duties threatened Indian exports ranging from steel to shrimp, raising concerns about competitiveness in the US, the world’s largest economy. The temporary suspension sparked optimism among Indian investors, propelling gains across major sectors.

Leading the charge among Sensex constituents were heavyweights like Tata Steel, Reliance Industries, Power Grid, NTPC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Adani Ports. However, not all stocks joined the rally—Asian Paints and Tata Consultancy Services lagged behind, unable to capitalize on the upbeat mood.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments Limited, attributed the market’s buoyancy to the tariff relief. “The unexpected pause on US tariffs provided a much-needed breather amid global uncertainties,” Nair noted. He added that while a major IT firm’s recent results fell short of expectations, its robust order book signaled potential growth in the latter half of FY26.

The Indian markets’ performance stood in stark contrast to global trends, where fears of a US-China tariff war cast a shadow. On Friday, China escalated its trade spat with the US, hiking tariffs on American imports to 125% in response to Washington’s 145% levies on Chinese goods.

Asian markets reflected the unease, with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 plunging nearly 3% and South Korea’s Kospi slipping, though Shanghai’s SSE Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng bucked the trend with gains. European markets traded lower, while US indices had closed sharply down on Thursday, with the Nasdaq tumbling 4.31%, the S&P 500 falling 3.46%, and the Dow Jones shedding 2.50%.

Back home, the rally followed a lackluster Wednesday, when the Sensex dipped 379.93 points to 73,847.15 and the Nifty fell 136.70 points to 22,399.15. Thursday’s market holiday for Shri Mahavir Jayanti gave investors a pause before Friday’s surge. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) had sold equities worth ₹4,358.02 crore on Wednesday, signaling caution, but Friday’s momentum suggested a shift in sentiment.

Elsewhere, global oil prices edged up, with Brent crude rising 0.32% to $63.53 a barrel, reflecting ongoing volatility in commodity markets.

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta fulfilled a long-cherished wish by visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. Sharing her experience on social media, the actress described the visit as deeply moving and spiritually uplifting.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, Preity Zinta revealed that she had attempted to visit the Golden Temple several times in the past, but her plans always fell through due to various circumstances. This time, however, she believed divine intervention guided her path.

Baba ji summoned me and all roads opened up,” she wrote. “It was on the auspicious day of Ram Navami that I had the good fortune of seeking his blessings at the Golden Temple.”

Dressed in a radiant yellow ethnic outfit, Veer Zara actor was seen offering prayers and soaking in the peaceful ambience of the Sikh shrine, considered one of the holiest sites in India.

A moment of spiritual surrender

Despite dealing with travel exhaustion and jet lag, the moment she stepped inside the sacred premises, Preity said she was filled with gratitude and felt a strong sense of peace. The collective energy and faith of everyone present was magical. My heart opened up as I knelt down in surrender and the world faded away, she shared.

She also expressed appreciation for the temple’s cleanliness and management, along with the traditional Kada Prasad served to devotees.

Preity also extended her gratitude to the visitors at the temple, who patiently waited in line and greeted her with smiles and kind wishes.

Dil Se thank you to all those people patiently waiting in line for greeting me with wonderful smiles and good wishes,” she added in her post.

Her visit has since gone viral, with fans appreciating her humility and spiritual reverence.

Delhi Capitals continue to impress in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2025, maintaining their unbeaten streak after securing a commanding six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, despite their flawless 4-0 record, DC sit in second place on the points table, trailing Gujarat Titans on net run rate.

Delhi Capitals are the only team yet to lose a match this season, having won all four of their opening fixtures. Their latest victory came over RCB, marking the Bengaluru-based team’s second consecutive home loss. However, Delhi’s net run rate of 1.278 places them just behind Gujarat Titans, who sit at the top with a marginally superior rate of 1.413.

Net run rate (NRR) often plays a critical role in determining table rankings when teams are level on points — as is the case currently between DC and GT.

KL Rahul breaks into Orange Cap top 10

Delhi’s skipper KL Rahul, who played a pivotal role in the win against RCB with an unbeaten 93-run knock, has climbed to the 8th position on the IPL 2025 Orange Cap leaderboard. His composed innings was instrumental in helping DC chase down the target with 13 balls to spare, further bolstering their run rate and team morale.

The Orange Cap is awarded to the season’s highest run-scorer, and with this performance, Rahul is steadily positioning himself among the tournament’s leading batters.