Indian Equity Markets Brace for Flat Opening Amid US Trade Talks and Visa Concerns

India's benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, are poised for a muted start as conflicting forces of US trade Optimism and H-1B visa fee concerns create equilibrium. Gift Nifty futures hovered at 25,256.5 points, signaling minimal deviation from Monday's Nifty 50 close of 25,202.35.

Technology stocks bled $10 billion in market capitalization after Washington imposed $100,000 fees on new H-1B applications. The sector's downturn offset diplomatic progress evidenced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's emphasis on Indo-American relations during UN General Assembly talks.

Market participants await Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's US trade negotiations while GST reductions effective this week may soften policy-related anxieties. Foreign investors reversed course with $330 million in equity sell-offs after two buying sessions, though domestic buyers maintained appetite.