Market Cues This Week: RBI MPC, Putin's India Visit, Auto Sales, US Economic Data Releases And Other Factors To Watch

Last week’s trade saw the benchmark indices come under pressure in the early sessions. However, the mid-week rebound pushed the indices to new record highs, as sentiment improved gradually towards the end of the week.  

During the week, the Sensex hit a new record at 86,055.86, while Nifty 50 climbed to an all-time high of 26,310.45. Both benchmarks later pared some gains in the latter part of the week, but still managed to close with 0.52 per cent gains each.

Markets gained on hopes of a 25-basis-point rate cut by the US Federal Reserve and optimism over progress in the potential Russia–Ukraine peace deal, which triggered a decline in crude oil prices.

The week of December 1–5 is set to see several important economic data releases and a major policy announcement by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Key Stock Market Cues To Watch This Week

Here are the cues that are likely to set to tone for the week.

1] RBI MPC Meeting in December 2025

The RBI’s rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will begin its meeting on December 3 and is scheduled to announce its decision on key interest rates, and its policy outlook, on December 5.

The RBI has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.50 per cent since August, after cutting rates by 100 basis points earlier in the year. Many analysts now expect the central bank to deliver another 25 basis point (bps) cut, which will bring the rate down to 5.25 per cent.

A Reuters poll conducted from November 18-26 showed that 62 out of 80 economists expect a rate cut at the December policy meeting. The remaining 18 economists believe the RBI will leave rates unchanged.

2] Russia-India Forum

New Delhi will host the Russia-India Forum on December 4–5. The discussions will focus on strengthening trade ties and creating more opportunities for Indian exporters in the Russian market. Key sectors under discussion will include food and pharmaceutical products, engineering goods, digital services, and broader industrial cooperation. 

The Forum, co-organised by Russia's Roscongress Foundation and India's Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), will explore ways to increase bilateral trade and improve market access for Indian suppliers. The Forum will be attended by officials and business representatives from both countries.

According to data from the Indian Embassy in Moscow, India-Russia trade touched $68.7 billion in FY25. India exported goods worth $4.88 billion to Russia, while imports stood much higher at $63.84 billion. In FY24, Russia accounted for roughly 9 per cent of India’s overall imports, but it contributed only about 1 per cent to India’s total exports.

3] Putin’s India Visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India on December 4-5 for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. This will be Putin’s first visit to India since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"The forthcoming State Visit will provide an opportunity for the leadership of India and Russia to review progress in bilateral relations, set the vision for strengthening the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’ and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs wrote in a note on November 28.

The visit comes at a time when India is nearing a trade deal with the US, following pressure from Washington to reduce its oil imports from Russia.

4] November Auto Sales Data

Another key data to watch out for will be the release of November automobile sales on December 1. The numbers will offer an insight into consumer demand, how the festival season played out, and whether the current momentum is strong enough to support earnings in the December quarter.

5] Parliament Winter Session 2025 Dates

Parliament’s winter session will begin on December 1 and conclude on December 19. Market participants will be watching closely for any policy developments during this period.

6] US Economic Data This Week

The US is slated to release a slew of economic data that are likely to shape global market sentiments during the week. These include manufacturing PMI on December 1, services PMI, non-manufacturing PMI, and non-farm payrolls on December 3.