Stock market today: Gift Nifty hints positive start; eight day trading stocks to buy on Friday, 3 July

Indian benchmark indices are expected to open higher on Friday, with Gift Nifty trading around 24,410.5, indicating a premium of 146 points over the previous close. The positive cues come from a fourth consecutive rally in the Dow Jones and softer crude oil prices (Brent at $71.58, WTI at $68.45), though geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict continue to warrant caution. On Thursday, the BSE Sensex gained 579.48 points (0.75%) to close at 77,502.12, while the Nifty 50 rose 169.85 points (0.71%) to settle at 24,175.70.