Indian equities faced mixed early trade on Wednesday. GIFT Nifty at 24,553 had signaled a marginally higher open after the Nifty 50 closed at 24,471.7 and both the Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex fell 0.5% on Tuesday, but the Sensex later slipped about 0.3% to 77,957. Rising crude prices, with oil moving closer to $90 a barrel amid Middle East tensions and uncertainty over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, along with caution before India’s July inflation data and upcoming U.S. consumer and producer inflation readings, weighed on risk appetite. India’s July annual inflation rate was due later in the day and was forecast at 4.5%, up from 4.38%, the highest reading since December 2024. Support came from continued foreign buying and company earnings, with foreign investors purchasing a provisional 2.59 billion rupees ($27.14 million) of Indian shares on Tuesday, which would mark their ninth net-buying session in the last 10 trading days. Among stocks in focus, Godrej Consumer Products fell about 9.4% to its lowest level in more than three years after CEO Sudhir Sitapati resigned; the company said finance chief Aasif Malbari would become CEO and managing director for five years. Tata Group stocks were also pressured after the Economic Times reported Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran may step down before an August 18 shareholder meeting. Bain Capital-backed Manappuram Finance reported a stronger-than-expected first-quarter profit, though its shares were down 1.7%. Dr. Agarwal’s fell 5.7% and Tenneco Clean Air lost 2.2%.