Indian equity markets opened on a mixed note on Thursday, with the BSE Sensex adding 77 points to trade at 75,432, while the NSE Nifty remained flat at 22,945. Positive global cues from Asian and US markets provided support, though profit booking in select heavyweights capped gains.
Key Movers and Laggards
Among the top gainers in early trade, Maruti Suzuki surged over 1% after the company reported strong sales numbers for May 2026. Other gainers included HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, and Infosys, which were up 0.3-0.5%. On the losing side, ITC fell nearly 1% after the government announced a marginal increase in cigarette taxes. Coal India, NTPC, and SBI also traded in the red, down 0.2-0.4%.
Sectoral Performance
Most sectoral indices traded mixed. The BSE Auto index gained 0.6% led by Maruti and Bajaj Auto. The BSE IT index advanced 0.4% as TCS and Wipro saw buying interest. However, the BSE FMCG index declined 0.3% due to weakness in ITC and HUL. The BSE Oil & Gas index also slipped 0.2% as BPCL and ONGC fell.
Global Cues
Asian markets traded higher, with Japan's Nikkei up 0.8% and China's Shanghai Composite gaining 0.5%. US markets ended in positive territory overnight, with the Dow Jones rising 0.6% and the S&P 500 adding 0.4%. Investor sentiment improved amid hopes of a pause in interest rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve.
Meanwhile, the Indian rupee opened flat at 83.12 against the US dollar. The 10-year government bond yield stood at 7.02%.
Market breadth was slightly positive, with 1,450 stocks advancing and 1,320 declining on the BSE. Traders are advised to remain cautious and watch for further global cues and domestic economic data releases.
