Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 2 (ANI): The subdued buying and selling session continued within the Indian stock markets on Friday, with benchmark indices opening with marginal beneficial properties, reflecting a cautious stance amongst traders amid restricted international cues as a number of Western markets remained closed for the New Year vacation.
Lower participation from abroad markets additionally resulted in muted buying and selling volumes through the early hours.
At the opening bell, the Nifty 50 index began the session at 26,155.10, registering a modest achieve of 8.55 factors, or 0.03 per cent.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex opened at 85,259.36, rising by 70.76 factors, or 0.08 per cent, indicating a flat-to-positive begin to the second buying and selling session of 2026.
Market consultants mentioned the cautious tone was largely resulting from restricted worldwide cues, with home elements driving early commerce.
Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, mentioned, ‘Indian fairness markets are set to start the second buying and selling session of 2026 on a cautiously optimistic and secure be aware. As worldwide markets reopen step by step, abroad cues stay restricted, conserving early commerce largely pushed by home elements. With the Q3 earnings season approaching, traders are positioning for resilient ends in consumer-oriented sectors, underpinned by GST rationalisation tailwinds and strong festive-season demand. Steady home institutional inflows proceed to supply broader help, serving to offset aggressive promoting by overseas traders.’
In the broader market, indices traded within the inexperienced throughout early commerce. The Nifty 100 index rose by 0.17 per cent, whereas the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 0.15 per cent. The Nifty Midcap 100 additionally superior by 0.31 per cent, indicating modest shopping for curiosity past the frontline indices.
Sectoral indices on the National Stock Exchange of India confirmed a combined development within the opening session. Nifty FMCG declined by 1.4 per cent, whereas Nifty IT slipped 0.19 per cent.
Other main indices traded within the inexperienced, with the Nifty Auto index rising by 0.83 per cent, Nifty Metal gaining 0.59 per cent, and the PSU Bank index up by 0.55 per cent.
The auto shares surged in opening as India’s car trade wrapped up calendar 12 months 2025 on a powerful footing, with most main producers reporting strong year-on-year progress in December, pushed by wholesome shopper demand, improved rural sentiment, infrastructure spending, and on the again of a beneficial macroeconomics.
Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit Investments, mentioned a lot of the earlier session noticed trades between the excessive and the shut of the prior day, indicating warning however not a transparent reversal. He added that with momentum lacking, it could be higher to play for swings so long as the market stays inside the 26,330-26,100 vary.
In different Asian markets, Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose by 0.44 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained greater than 2 per cent, and South Korea’s KOSPI was up by greater than 1 per cent. Japanese markets remained closed for New Year celebrations. (ANI)