Weekly Outlook

• Indian equities enter a holiday-shortened week with the Nifty index at a critical support zone following five consecutive weekly declines. • Market sentiment will be driven by the US Federal Reserve's policy decision, FOMC projections, crude oil prices, and global bond yields. • A rate hike paired with hawkish economic projections could strengthen the dollar and put downward pressure on the rupee and emerging-market equities.

• Crude oil prices surged above $86 and gasoline exceeded $5 following Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, creating significant market volatility. • Investors are closely monitoring upcoming earnings reports from Alphabet, Tesla, and Intel to determine the continued viability of the AI trade. • The AI sector is seeing a massive infrastructure buildout, with projected capital expenditures of $571 billion this year and $3 trillion by 2028.

• Abbott Laboratories stock declined by 1.38% over the past week, closing at $94.12. • The price action indicates that sellers currently dominate the market, keeping the stock value below major moving averages. • This downward trend suggests a bearish sentiment among investors, as the stock struggles to find support above key technical levels.