Indian benchmark indices — Sensex and Nifty 50 — are likely to experience a subdued opening on October 18. This cautious outlook stems from the escalating Israel-Palestine conflict and concerns about an extended period of high-interest rates following the release of better-than-expected US retail sales data.

Simultaneously, oil prices are surging, with Brent exceeding $90 per barrel in anticipation of US President Joe Biden's visit to Israel later in the day. In addition, a recent hospital attack in Gaza has captured attention, and market participants will closely monitor this event for potential broader implications.

In the US, markets concluded on a quiet note. Notably, US retail sales demonstrated a 0.7% increase, surpassing initial estimates. The focus also remained on the earnings reports of Bank of America and Goldman Sachs.

During morning trade, Asian markets exhibited predominantly lower trends, and the Gift NIFTY hinted at a possible start in the negative territory.

Key stocks to keep an eye on include Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Auto, Wipro, Zensar Technologies, LTI, and Mindtree.

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