Dalal Street Week Ahead: WPI inflation, crude oil among 10 key factors to watch

Wholesale price inflation data, crude oil prices and developments in West Asia are expected to influence investor sentiment in the domestic markets this week. On the global front, investors will track Nvidia's earnings, minutes of the US Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting and key economic data from major economies for cues on interest rates and global market sentiment. 10 key factors to watch this week 1) FOMC minutes: The US Federal Reserve will release the minutes of its October 27-28 policy meeting on Wednesday (November 18). The next meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is scheduled for December 8-9, 2026.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller recently said the central bank should raise short-term borrowing costs in December even if data shows inflation cooled last month. He also said the Fed should consider a larger, half-percentage-point rate hike if the inflation outlook worsens. "Hawkish signals in the Federal Open Market Committee minutes could reinforce expectations of tighter monetary conditions, keeping Treasury yields above the 5 percent threshold," said Hariselvan Radhakrishnan, Founder and CEO of HST Wealth, a research analyst firm. 2) Crude oil prices: Crude oil prices will remain in focus amid tensions between the US and Iran and continuing developments in West Asia.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf on Sunday (November 15) warned the United States against further military action, saying Tehran was prepared for either negotiations or renewed conflict. He said Iran would consider an agreement only if Washington accepted its seven conditions. Brent crude rose on Friday amid continuing attacks in West Asia after declining around 13 percent in the first week of November to nearly USD 97 per barrel. 3) FII activity: Foreign investors made a strong comeback to Indian equities in the first fortnight of November, investing Rs 84,290 crore after two consecutive months of net outflows.

The return of foreign buying came amid a global sell-off in artificial intelligence-related stocks, declining crude oil prices and attractive valuations of large-cap Indian companies. Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) made net investments of Rs 84,290 crore in Indian equities between November 2 and 13, covering nine trading sessions. With the latest inflows, cumulative FPI outflows from Indian equities have narrowed to around Rs 2.1 lakh crore in 2026 from nearly Rs 3 lakh crore a few weeks ago. "November's foreign buying is a sharp tactical turn, not yet a structural return. Falling crude and money rotating out of the crowded Asian AI trade have pushed FPIs to close an extreme underweight on India, and most of that buying has gone into index heavyweights," said Vedant Gupte, Co-Founder and CEO of investment platform Trackk.

4) Primary market activity: The primary market will remain busy, with three initial public offerings (IPOs) worth more than Rs 10,000 crore scheduled to open for subscription from November 16. The lineup comprises two mainboard IPOs and one small and medium enterprise (SME) issue. International Finance Corporation-backed agrochemicals and seeds company Crystal Crop Protection will be the first to launch its public issue, which will open on November 18. The company has fixed a price band of Rs 259-272 per share. The second mainboard IPO will be that of Mahanadi Coalfields, which is expected to raise around Rs 9,500 crore.

The Coal India subsidiary will open its maiden public issue on November 19, with the subscription window closing on November 23. SME company Watrana Rentals will also launch its public issue on November 19. The company has fixed a price band of Rs 232-245 per share. Check All IPO News 5) Rupee movement: The movement of the Indian rupee against the US dollar will be another factor influencing market sentiment. The rupee depreciated 7 paise to close at 94.19 against the US dollar on Friday, weighed down by a stronger greenback and weakness in domestic equities. 6) US-Iran tensions: Developments in the US-Iran conflict and the wider West Asian region will remain on investors' radar.

Bahrain intercepted several Iranian aerial attacks on Sunday, the kingdom's military said, as Tehran claimed to have struck a US military installation in the Gulf state. The IRGC Navy said late on Saturday that two oil tankers had exploded and caught fire after striking naval mines while attempting to use what it described as an "unauthorised" route south of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said he might halt further attacks against Iran if Washington faced no new provocations from Tehran or the Houthis in Yemen. However, he said the US would continue its naval blockade.

7) Domestic economic data: Investors will track a series of domestic economic indicators this week, including wholesale price inflation and merchandise trade data for October, both scheduled for release on Monday (November 16). Passenger vehicle sales data for October will also be released on November 16. On November 20, investors will monitor foreign exchange reserves for the week ended November 13 and infrastructure output data for October. 8) Global economic cues: A series of key economic releases from major economies will provide further direction to global markets. Investors will track Japan's gross domestic product (GDP) data, US retail sales, inflation figures from the United Kingdom and the European Union, and US jobs data.

9) Global equity market cues and Nvidia earnings: Developments in global markets will remain an important influence on domestic investor sentiment, particularly amid volatility in technology stocks on Wall Street. Concerns over stretched valuations of artificial intelligence companies and the sustainability of semiconductor investments have triggered intermittent selling in global technology stocks. Nvidia's upcoming earnings will be a key indicator of investor sentiment towards the AI sector, with potential implications for copper prices as well. "A deeper correction in this segment could dampen broader risk appetite and weigh on sentiment towards Indian IT companies.

Investors will also monitor US Treasury yields and the dollar, as further strength in either could tighten financial conditions and influence capital flows into emerging markets," said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth technology firm. 10) Corporate actions Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.