Sensex Today: Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty opened in the red on Friday, mirroring weak global signals, as investors stayed cautious ahead of the Union Budget 2026 to be presented on February
1. Stock exchanges will remain open on Sunday for the Budget session.
The BSE Sensex began trade at 81,947.31, down 619.06 points or 0.75 per cent from its previous close, while the Nifty50 fell 171.35 points, or 0.67 per cent, to open at 25,247.55.
On the BSE, IndiGo, BEL, and ITC emerged as early gainers, whereas Tata Steel, Eternal and M&M weighed on the index. Broader markets also traded lower, with the Nifty Smallcap 100 declining 1.31 per cent and the Nifty Midcap 100 slipping 1.01 per cent.
On Thursday, the Economic Survey 2026 pegged GDP growth at 7.4 per cent for FY26 and 6.8–7.2 per cent for FY27, supported by easing inflation, resilient domestic demand, and sustained fiscal discipline.
Global Cues
Asian markets traded higher on Friday after US President Donald Trump said he would announce his pick for the next Federal Reserve chair later in the day. The five-month search to replace Jerome Powell, which began in September with 11 shortlisted candidates, is nearing completion. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up 0.25 per cent, South Korea’s KOSPI rose 1.05 per cent, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.20 per cent.
US markets ended mixed after a volatile session on Thursday, weighed down by losses in Microsoft and other software stocks as investors digested a series of corporate earnings. The S&P 500 slipped 0.13 per cent, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.72 per cent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.11 per cent.
