26 February,2026 11:42 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Indian stock market on Thursday opened with marginal gains. Taking positive cues from global markets and overnight gains on Wall Street, the concerns over AI-led disruption also eased the investor sentiments.
The benchmark Nifty 50 index opened at 25,560.40, gaining 77.90 points, or 0.31 per cent, while the BSE Sensex opened at 82,534.15, rising 258.08 points, or 0.31 per cent.
The Nifty 100 index was up by 0.06 per cent, while the Nifty Midcap 100 gained 0.19 per cent. However, the Nifty Smallcap 100 declined by 0.15 per cent, reported ANI.
On the other hand, sectoral indices also reflected a mixed trend. Nifty IT emerged as the top gainer, rising 0.77 per cent, followed by Nifty PSU Bank, which climbed 0.84 per cent, Nifty Pharma, up by 0.39 per cent, and Nifty Oil and Gas, which surged 0.18 per cent.
On the downside, Nifty Realty declined 0.57 per cent, Nifty FMCG fell 0.25 per cent, Nifty Consumer Durables dropped 0.19 per cent, Nifty Media lost 0.16 per cent, Nifty Private Bank declined 0.13 per cent, and Nifty Metal slipped 0.11 per cent.
Strong institutional buying also supported the markets, with foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) purchasing equities worth Rs 2,991 crore and domestic institutional investors (DIIs) buying shares worth Rs 5,118 crore in the previous session.
Asian markets showed a mixed trend in early Thursday trade. Japan's Nikkei 225 index surged by 0.4 per cent, or 202 points, to 58,786; Taiwan's weighted index gained 0.13 per cent, or 77 points, to 35,490; and South Korea's market jumped more than 2 per cent, by 125 points, to 6,209. However, Hong Kong's market declined by 0.41 per cent to 26,657, and Singapore's Straits Times index fell 0.24 per cent to 4,995.
In the US markets, equities ended higher on Wednesday. The S&P 500 gained 0.81 per cent, or 56 points, to close at 6,946, while the Nasdaq jumped more than 1 per cent, or 284 points, to 23,148. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also rose 307 points, or 0.63 per cent, to close at 49,482.
Market experts noted that positive global trends and sustained domestic institutional investor inflows are supporting investor confidence.
Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said, "The Indian stock market is expected to begin the session on a steady note, reflecting overnight gains on Wall Street led by technology counters and a constructive tone across Asian markets in early trade. Sustained DII inflows continue to act as a structural anchor, supporting selective accumulation in banking, metals, power, FMCG, and auto stocks. In the absence of a strong external trigger or fresh domestic catalyst, the overall market tone is expected to remain measured," as cited by ANI.
