Sensex Climbs 202 Points, Nifty Up 55 Points in Early Trade

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty opened higher on Monday, supported by buying in major blue-chip companies and positive global market cues. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 202.42 points to 77,744.15 in early trade, while the 50-share NSE Nifty advanced 55.35 points to 24,309. The gains reflected renewed buying interest in several large-cap stocks, although concerns over geopolitical tensions and elevated crude oil prices continued to influence investor sentiment.

Among the companies supporting the Sensex's early gains were Infosys, HCL Technologies, Tata Steel, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services and HDFC Bank. Buying in major technology and banking stocks provided support to the benchmark indices after a largely subdued session on Friday. Investors appeared to take some comfort from positive cues from US markets, although weakness across several Asian markets indicated that broader global sentiment remained cautious.

Asian Paints, Titan, Power Grid Corporation and Bharat Electronics were among the stocks trading lower in the Sensex pack. The mixed movement reflected selective buying rather than a broad-based rally across sectors. Investors continued to monitor international developments, particularly tensions in the Middle East, as any escalation could affect energy supplies and keep crude oil prices elevated, creating additional pressure on economies such as India that rely heavily on oil imports.

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Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, was trading 1.32 per cent lower at USD 93.14 per barrel. Market analysts continued to view developments involving Iran and the wider Middle East as an important factor for Indian equities. Prolonged tensions could lead to higher energy costs and increase uncertainty for businesses and investors. Higher crude prices can also affect India's import bill, inflation outlook and corporate profitability, making movements in the oil market particularly important for domestic financial markets.

Indian investors were also keeping an eye on foreign fund flows. Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 542.71 crore on Friday, according to exchange data, highlighting continued caution among overseas investors. In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225, Shanghai's SSE Composite and Hong Kong's Hang Seng were trading lower. US markets, however, had closed higher on Friday, providing some support to Indian benchmarks at the start of Monday's session.

On Friday, the Sensex ended almost unchanged at 77,540.83, gaining just 3.11 points, while the Nifty rose 20.15 points, or 0.08 per cent, to finish at 24,252. Monday's early gains therefore marked a stronger opening for domestic equities, though investors remained watchful of global developments, crude oil movements and foreign investment trends. Market participants are expected to continue favouring fundamentally strong large-cap companies while assessing the impact of geopolitical risks on the broader economic and market outlook.

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