Geopolitics, Crude Prices to Drive Market Sentiment This Week

The upcoming week in trading will be influenced by geopolitical developments and crude prices. With the quarterly earnings season now over, investors are focusing on global monetary policy expectations and foreign institutional flows.

Ajit Mishra, SVP at Religare Broking Ltd, noted that 'developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the trajectory of Brent crude will remain critical market drivers in the near term.'

The Federal Open Market Committee's minutes will be closely watched for signals on the Federal Reserve's policy outlook. A more hawkish stance could weigh on emerging-market flows and increase volatility in Indian equities.

Investor attention remains focused on the Strait of Hormuz, US-Iran standoff, and crude oil prices. FOMC minutes and Chinese economic data will provide further cues on global growth and the Fed's policy outlook.