Market Closing Today 18 December 2025: Nifty, Sensex, Bank Nifty End Flat to Negative

Should the Indian Stock Market Timing be Extended to 5 PM?

The Indian stock market timing is currently set at 3:30 pm, but there is talk of extending it to 5 pm. The move is being considered for a variety of reasons. One of the primary reasons is to align India's market timings with that of other major global markets, which will enable traders to calculate all their losses at once. Another reason is to increase liquidity and trading volumes. Longer trading hours provide more opportunities to transact, which can lead to more trading volumes. Additionally, the longer time frame can also help traders manage overnight market risk more effectively, which can attract more market participants eventually.

However, it is important to note that the volume in the market is concentrated towards the first and last hour. Despite the extension of trading hours by an hour in 2010, there has been a negligible effect on volume growth in the markets. Furthermore, India has lost a chunk of its trading volume to Singapore and Dubai due to taxes and risk hedging, and not due to trading hours.

The extension of trading hours can also help in hedging the risk in domestic markets, but it may not be beneficial for active retail F&O traders in the long term. Tracking P&L for long hours can be stressful and may affect their mental health. Additionally, active traders do not make money primarily due to over-trading, and longer hours may accentuate this problem.

While the move could boost revenues for the capital markets business in the short term, it may lead to lower participation and liquidity in the long run, which will affect everyone. Therefore, it is important to consider all the factors before extending the trading hours.

Below are the Stock Market Timings All over the World

• United States: The two major US stock exchanges (NYSE and NASDAQ) are open. From Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
• Canada: the Toronto Stock Exchange is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., similar to Eastern Time.
• China's Shanghai Stock Exchange is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time. For lunch, it closes between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
• The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is located in Hong Kong and is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. It is closed from 12:00 am to 1:00 pm for lunch.
• Japan: The Tokyo Stock Exchange is open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm local time, however, it is closed from 11:30 pm to 12:30 pm for lunch.
• India: The Bombay Stock Exchange opens from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. local time.
• Europe: The London Stock Exchange opens in the United Kingdom from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time (GMT).
• Germany: The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• France: The hours of operation for Euronext Paris are  9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
• Switzerland: Local time for the Swiss Exchange is 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Australia: Local time for the Australian Securities Exchange is 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

कीमती धातुओं के भाव  में पिछले सप्ताह गिरावट तेज़ हो गई हालांकि अमेरिकी बेरोज़गारी के दावों और बेरोज़गारी दर बढ़ोतरी के साथ क्रिप्टो करेंसी बिटकॉइन में 8 प्रतिशत की गिरावट होने से कीमती धातुओं की कीमतों में कुछ सुधार देखने को मिला। अमेरिका की एस वी बैंक के दिवालिया होने की खबरों से शेयर बाजार में बिकवाली का दबाव रहा जिससे कीमती धातुओं के भाव को निचले स्तरों पर सपोर्ट मिला। फेड चेयर जेरोम पॉवेल के हॉकिश संकेतों से कीमती धातुओं में दबाव बना, पॉवेल ने सचेत किया है कि बढ़ती मुद्रास्फीति और रोज़गार बाजार में लचीलेपन से उम्मीद से ज्यादा ब्याज दरे बढ़ाने की सम्भवना है। हालांकि मार्च महीने में होने वाली फेड की बैठक को लेकर पॉवेल ने किसी योजना से इंकार किया है, और आगे ब्याज दर बढ़ोतरी और ब्याज दर बढ़ोतरी की गति को आर्थिक आकड़ो के प्रदर्शन पर निर्भर होना बताया है। पिछले सप्ताह अमेरिका के साप्ताहिक बेरोज़गारी के दावों में बढ़ोतरी दर्ज की गई है, लेकिन जोल्ट्स जॉब ओपनिंग और एडीपी नॉन फार्म एम्प्लॉयमेंट चेंज के आंकड़े अनुमान से बेहतर दर्ज किये गए है। डॉलर, जो सोने के विपरीत दिशा में चलता है, इस सप्ताह तीन महीने के उच्च स्तर पर पहुंच गया, जबकि बेंचमार्क अमेरिकी ट्रेजरी यील्ड भी तेजी से बढ़ी क्योंकि निवेशकों ने निकट अवधि में फेड द्वारा अधिक आक्रामक ब्याज दर बढ़ोतरी की उम्मीद में डॉलर की और रुख किया है। हालांकि, पिछले सप्ताह अमेरिका से जारी नॉन फार्म एम्प्लॉयमेंट चेंज के आंकड़े अनुमान से बेहतर रहे, लेकिन बेरोज़गारी दर में बढ़ोतरी और प्रति घंटे की औसत आय में कमी, फेड को मौद्रिक नीति पर नरमी के लिए बाध्य कर सकता है।

इस सप्ताह अमेरिका के मुद्रास्फीति, रिटेल सेल्स, पीपीआई, कंस्यूमर सेंटीमेंट और यूरोपियन सेंट्रल बैंक की मौद्रिक नीति कीमती धातुओं के लिए महत्वपूर्ण रहेगी।

तकनिकी विश्लेषण:

इस सप्ताह कीमती धातुओं में दबाव रहने की सम्भावना है। सोने में सपोर्ट 55000 रुपये पर है और रेजिस्टेंस 56400 रुपये पर है। चांदी में सपोर्ट 61500 रुपये पर है और रेजिस्टेंस 65000 रुपये पर है।

With its high salary and stable jobs, the technology sector is frequently regarded as one of the most profitable and secure industries in the world. This illusion has been dispelled for many employees, however, by the current trend of tech layoffs. Numerous IT firms announced significant layoffs in 2023, leaving thousands of employees scrambling to find their next position. This article will describe how tech layoffs are now happening in 2023 and offer advice on how employees may deal with layoffs and look for new opportunities.

The global recession is one of the main causes of the present trend of IT layoffs. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly slowed down the world economy, which has resulted in a decline in the demand for technological products and services. In an effort to reduce costs, several businesses that are struggling to preserve their profitability have turned to layoffs. In addition, the rapid rate of technological advancement has led to the automation of many jobs, which has rendered them redundant and left employees without work.

The impact of tech layoffs is far-reaching, affecting not just the employees who lose their jobs, but also their families and the local communities in which they live. While the employees may receive some financial support in the form of severance packages or unemployment benefits, they still face the stress of finding a new job in an uncertain job market.

What can employees do to deal with layoffs in the IT industry and discover new opportunities? Here are some suggestions:

1. Stay Positive: Losing a job can be a traumatic experience, and it is important to stay positive and maintain a healthy outlook. Focus on the skills and experience you have gained and look for new opportunities to utilize them.
2. Network: Your network is your biggest asset when looking for a new job. Reach out to your friends, family, and former colleagues for support and let them know that you are looking for work. Attend industry events and join professional organizations to expand your network and make new connections.
3. Update your resume: Your resume is your personal marketing tool, and it is important to keep it up-to-date. Highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments, and tailor your resume to the job you are applying for.
4. Explore new opportunities: The current job market may not be as favorable as it once was, but there are still many opportunities available. Consider exploring new industries or roles that you may not have considered before. You may be surprised at what you find.
5. Stay current: The technology industry is constantly evolving, and it is important to stay current with the latest developments. Attend training and educational programs, read industry publications, and stay updated on the latest technologies.

Conclusion

IT layoffs are a reality in today's market, and they can be challenging to manage. You may improve your chances of landing a new job by staying positive, networking, updating your resume, exploring new opportunities, and staying current. Just keep in mind that your talents and experience will help you thrive in your future position and that your layoff is not an indication of your ability level.

Any organization must prioritize recruitment since it affects both the talent pool and the business's ability to develop. But finding the proper candidates is frequently difficult for the HR department. Let's examine some of these difficulties and how to get beyond them.

Finding Candidates with the Right Skills -

The search for people with the necessary skills and qualifications is one of HR's biggest challenges. To find the best applicants, HR might use pre-employment evaluations and competency testing. Additionally, they can work with educational institutions to find suitable applicants and offer training courses to help current employees improve their abilities.

Ghosting-

which occurs when an applicant abruptly ceases responding to communications from a potential employer, is a regular problem that HR must deal with. This delays the hiring process because HR must locate a substitute. Finding and hiring a new employee can be expensive, especially if the hiring process is starting from scratch. Ghosting can lead to the loss of potentially excellent applicants who might have been a good fit for the business.

Time and Cost -

The recruitment process can be time-consuming and expensive.

Solution: Automation of the recruitment process can reduce the time and cost involved. By using online job portals, resume databases, and applicant tracking systems, HR can streamline the recruitment process.

Retaining Top Talent -

Once the right candidates are recruited, retaining them is another challenge faced by HR. To retain top talent, HR can offer competitive salary packages, flexible work arrangements, and opportunities for professional growth.

Diversity and Inclusion -

Another challenge faced by HR is ensuring diversity and inclusion in the recruitment process. HR can implement diversity and inclusion policies and conduct bias training for all employees involved in the recruitment process. They can also use blind resume screening to eliminate unconscious bias. In conclusion, recruitment is a challenging process for HR departments, but with the right solutions, it can be made smoother and more effective. Automation, collaboration with educational institutions, implementing diversity and inclusion policies, and offering attractive employment packages can help HR overcome the challenges of recruitment and bring in top talent.

Economists deal with ups and downs in graphs for a living, but when the Yield Curve gets toppled on its head, it causes all the mayhem. Its inversion is the stuff of nightmares for economists and this aversion towards its inversion isn’t without a reason. If we turn our clocks and look back to the past, we can see the flip of the curve has preceded every single recession, notably in the US, for the past half-century or so.

But before we dive deeper into why it is such a big deal for policymakers and investors alike, and how it helps them predict the state of the economy, first let's wrap our heads around what a yield curve is.

First and foremost, the yields in the discussion here are yields from Bonds, more specifically the highest rated  Bonds of any country, like the treasury bills in the US or Government bonds in India.

All these bonds offer a fixed coupon payment (Interest) to the holder. However, Yield and Coupon rates are entirely different. While Coupon Rate is applied on the face value of the bonds, Yield is the rate of return an investor gets on the price he paid for such bonds.

For Instance,

Face Value of a Bond- Rs. 1000/ -

Interest Rate- 6% p.a.

Current Market Price- Rs 1200/ -

Yield=Interest/Current Market Price

Yield= 60 /1200=5%

Thus, if the market price decreases, the yield increases, and vice versa, establishing an inverse relationship between the market price of a bond and its yield. For those who stick with the bond till its maturity, this yield won't matter much, but for people who buy and sell bonds at market prices, Yield is a quintessential parameter in deciding whether the bond is worth investing in or not.

Now that we have gone over what Yield means, let’s figure out what yield curve is. When the maturity period of different bonds (say from 3 months to 10 years) are plotted on X- Axis and their corresponding yields are plotted on the Y-axis, we get a ‘yield curve’.

Here is the yield curve of Indian Government bonds, from Overnight Bonds to Bonds with 40- Year Bonds.

The rationale behind this is called 'Liquidity Premium Theory'. Investors who are investing their money for longer periods will obviously demand higher coupon payments and at the same time, are willing to pay a lower price.

These two factors result in a higher yield for long-term bonds, thus giving the yield curve is rising slope.

But when this curve gets inverted, it can get all tipsy-turvy. The inversion is caused when Long Term Yield is lower than the Short term Yield.

This happens when Investors start investing in long-term Bonds resulting in an increase in their prices, which consequents in a decrease in the long-term yield.

This isn’t a good situation for an Economy to be in, because a preference toward long-term bonds indicates that investors don’t have strong confidence in the economy’s short-term prospects and want to secure their long-term payments, at the cost of earning better returns.

And, this preference toward bonds over equity results in a decline in equity investments. As a consequence, economic activities plummet, which ultimately worsens the blow to the economy, as it spirals down toward a gloomy spell of recession.

Make no mistake, the inversion of the yield curve is not the cause of a recession, but it's merely a predictor of it and a very good one at that. Economists all over the globe have long ago recognized it as one of the crucial indicators of economic health, and now that you have apprehended why it is so highly regarded, keep an eye out for the next inversion. It might be closer than you think…Until next time.

प्रमुख केंद्रीय बैंको द्वारा कठोर मौद्रिक नीति को लगातार बनाये रखने की सम्भावना के चलते कीमती धातुओं में पिछले सप्ताह बिकवाली का दबाव रहा। पिछले तीन सप्ताह में सोना अपने उच्चतम स्तर से 3000 रुपए प्रति दस ग्राम और चांदी हाल के उच्च स्तरों से 8000 रुपए प्रति किलो तक सस्ती हो चुकी है। अमेरिका से जारी मुद्रास्फीति के आंकड़ों में कीमती धातुओं के भाव के लिए मिश्रित रुझान रहा जिसने अर्थव्यवस्था और मौद्रिक नीति के मार्ग पर कुछ अनिश्चितता पैदा कर दी है, साथ ही अमेरिकी डॉलर इंडेक्स में भी बढ़त देखने को मिली है। जनवरी माह के लिए अमेरिका के वार्षिक मुद्रास्फीति के आंकड़े पिछले माह की तुलना में कम रहे जबकि मासिक मुद्रास्फीति में बढ़ोतरी दर्ज की गई है। भारत के थोक और खुदरा मुद्रास्फीति के आकड़ो में भी साल-दर-साल बढ़ोतरी दर्ज की गई है। मुद्रास्फीति के आकड़ो के बाद निवेशक प्रतीक्षा में है कि फेडरल रिजर्व डेटा पर कैसे प्रतिक्रिया करेगा, यह ध्यान रखते हुए कि फेड ने मुद्रास्फीति के खिलाफ बड़े पैमाने पर बयानबाजी की है। मुद्रास्फीति एक स्तर पर स्थिर बनी हुई है जिससे फेड के निकट भविष्य के लिए ब्याज दरों में वृद्धि जारी रहने की संभावना है। लेकिन, ब्याज दरों में आगे भी बढ़ोतरी इनवर्टेड यील्ड कर्व के अंतर को बढ़ा सकता है जो आर्थिक मंदी की और संकेत पहले से दे रहा है, जिससे कीमती धातुओं में गिरावट सीमित रह सकती है। पिछले सप्ताह अमेरिकी पीपीआई और बेरोजगारी दावों के आंकड़े उम्मीद से बेहतर आने से कीमती धातुओं पर बिकवाली का दबाव बढ़ता दिखा। हालांकि, फिली फेड मैन्युफैक्चरिंग इंडेक्स कमजोर बना रहा, जो अमेरिका में धीमी विनिर्माण गतिविधि का संकेत देता है, जिसने बुलियन की कीमतों को निचले स्तर पर समर्थन दिया। निकट भविष्य में कीमती धातुओं में गिरावट का रुझान रह सकता है क्योंकि निवेशक आगे कठोर मौद्रिक नीति की उम्मीद कर रहे हैं।इस सप्ताह फेड बैठक के मिनट्स और अमेरिका की जीडीपी के आंकड़े कीमती धातुओं के लिए महत्वपूर्ण रहेंगे।

तकनिकी विश्लेषण:

इस सप्ताह कीमती धातुओं में बिकवाली का दबाव बने रहने की सम्भावना है। सोने में सपोर्ट 55400 रुपये पर है और रेजिस्टेंस 56700 रुपये पर है। चांदी में सपोर्ट 63000 रुपये पर है और रेजिस्टेंस 66500 रुपये पर है।