Global markets opened the week cautiously as tariff tensions between the US and Europe weighed on sentiment, while earnings season continues to drive stock-specific moves. In India, IT and banking remain in focus, with HCL Technologies standing out after resuming its rally post a brief consolidation, suggesting further upside potential. My strategy this week is to stay nimble, favoring selective long positions in resilient IT names like HCL Tech, while keeping a defensive hedge in safe-haven assets such as gold given heightened volatility. Short-term opportunities lie in exploiting earnings-driven momentum trades, but discipline is key—tight stop-losses and sector rotation awareness will help manage risk as global cues remain mixed and rate outlook uncertainty lingers.