• GIFT Nifty futures GIFc1 were trading at 24,297.5 Published July 20, 2026 Updated 31 minutes ago Indian shares are expected to open slightly lower on Monday as rising oil prices, driven by escalating conflict in the Middle East, offset better-than-expected earnings from heavyweights Reliance Industries and ICICI Bank. GIFT Nifty futures GIFc1 were trading at 24,297.5 as of 7:59 a.m. IST, indicating the Nifty 50 could open slightly below Friday’s close of 24,334.3. US forces struck Iran for a ninth consecutive day as the number of confirmed American military deaths in the renewed ⁠fighting rose to three and concerns grew over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures jumped 2.5% to top $90 per barrel for the first time in over a month, adding to concerns for import-dependent economies such as India. At home, the focus will be on earnings after India’s top four private banks and oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries reported their quarterly results after market hours on Friday and over the weekend. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance…