Markets Open Higher As Sensex, Nifty Edge Up In Early Trade

Indian benchmark equity indices opened on a positive note on Friday, supported by strong macroeconomic indicators and stable domestic fundamentals.

In early trade, both the Sensex and Nifty traded in the green, with buying interest seen in auto and metal stocks.

At around 9:30 AM, the Sensex rose 185 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 85,374, while the Nifty gained 61 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 26,208.

Broader market indices largely mirrored the benchmark performance.

The Nifty Midcap 100 advanced 0.42 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 0.30 per cent, indicating broader participation in the early rally.

Among the Nifty constituents, Maruti Suzuki, ONGC and Tata Steel emerged as major gainers.

On the other hand, stocks such as Titan Company, Tata Consumer, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Apollo Hospitals and Bajaj Finance traded in the red.

On the sectoral front, most indices traded in positive territory, except FMCG, IT and Pharma.

The auto sector led the gains, rising 0.89 per cent, followed closely by the metal sector, which climbed 0.79 per cent.

Market analysts noted that immediate support for the Nifty lies in the 26,000–26,050 range, while resistance is seen near the 26,250–26,300 zone.

Indian equities began 2026 on a subdued note on Thursday, with benchmark indices ending largely flat amid thin trading volumes.

However, analysts remain optimistic about the medium-term outlook.

They noted that passenger vehicle sales rose 25.8 per cent year-on-year in December. The growth augurs well for the auto industry. It also reflects continued momentum in economic growth.

Even if this growth moderates, it supports the case for sustained earnings expansion, they said.

Analysts also believe the consumer durables sector, which underperformed last year, could see improvement in the short term.

The positive impact of interest rate cuts and GST reductions is yet to fully reflect in demand, creating favourable prospects for the sector.

In Asian markets, China’s Shanghai Composite edged up 0.09 per cent, while Shenzhen slipped 0.58 per cent.

Japan’s Nikkei declined 0.37 per cent, whereas Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index surged 2.29 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi advanced 1.37 per cent.

Overnight, US markets closed lower across the board. The Nasdaq fell 0.76 per cent, while the S&P 500 eased 0.74 per cent. The Dow Jones declined 0.63 per cent.

On January 1, foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 439 crore. Domestic institutional investors, however, remained net buyers, purchasing shares worth Rs 4,189 crore. DII buying provided support to the market.

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