Stock market today: Gift Nifty hints a flat start; eight day trading stocks to buy on Friday, 17 July

Indian equities are set for a cautious, flat opening on Friday, tracking weak global cues amid escalating US-Iran tensions and a sharp selloff in US semiconductor stocks overnight. FIIs were net sellers worth Rs 4,200 crore in the previous session, while Brent crude climbed 1.27 percent to USD 85.30 per barrel on Middle East supply concerns and US retail sales rose 0.2 percent in June. Technically, the Nifty 50 faces resistance at 24,200 with immediate support at 24,050, with analysts recommending a stock-specific approach amid fragile sentiment.