MUMBAI — Indian benchmark indices traded in the green early Friday, supported by strong macroeconomic indicators and stable domestic fundamentals. As of 9:30 a.m., the Sensex advanced 185 points to 85,374, while the Nifty gained 61 points to reach 26,208.
Broad-cap indices performed in line with the benchmarks, as the Nifty Midcap 100 added 0.42 percent and the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 0.30 percent. Maruti Suzuki, ONGC, and Tata Steel led the Nifty pack. On the losing side, Titan Company, Tata Consumer, Dr. Reddy’s Labs, Apollo Hospitals, and Bajaj Finance saw early declines.
The auto and metal sectors emerged as top gainers, adding 0.89 percent and 0.79 percent, respectively. All sectoral indices traded in the green with the exception of FMCG, IT, and Pharma. Immediate support for the market is placed at the 26,000–26,050 zone, while resistance remains near 26,250–26,300.
While Indian equities started 2026 on a subdued note Thursday with flat volumes, a 25.8 percent year-over-year increase in passenger vehicle sales for December has signaled strong momentum. This “bodes well for the auto industry and confirms the growth momentum in the economy.” Analysts noted that “if this growth continues even at a slower pace, economic growth is confirmed, proving potential for earnings growth.”
Prospects for the consumer durables industry also look strong for the short term. The sector lagged last year, but the “beneficial impact of the interest rate cuts and GST cuts are yet to reflect in the demand for consumer durables creating good prospects for this sector.”
Global markets showed a mixed picture. In Asia, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 2.29 percent and South Korea’s Kospi advanced 1.37 percent, while Japan’s Nikkei declined 0.37 percent. U.S. markets ended their last session in the red, with the Nasdaq losing 0.76 percent. On the domestic front, institutional activity on January 1 saw foreign institutional investors sell equities worth Rs 439 crore, while domestic institutional investors were net buyers of Rs 4,189 crore. (Source: IANS)
