The Indian stock market opened nearly unchanged on Monday, with investors treading cautiously ahead of the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for August 15 in Alaska.
The Nifty 50 began the day at 24,371.50, up 8.20 points or 0.03 per cent, while the BSE Sensex opened at 79,885.36, gaining 27.57 points or 0.03 per cent. Market participants are closely monitoring potential developments from the summit, especially any announcements on US tariffs affecting India.
Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market Expert, highlighted three key factors shaping the week—“Truce, Tariffs and Truncated week.” He predicted volatile trading until the weekend, noting the absence of government relief measures for exporters impacted by US tariffs. He also suggested that a Ukraine-Russia truce during the Independence Day long weekend could influence sentiment.
In sectoral performance, Nifty Auto rose 0.22 per cent, Nifty Metal edged up 0.07 per cent, and Nifty Realty gained 0.13 per cent. On the downside, Nifty IT and Nifty FMCG fell around 0.09 per cent each, Nifty Pharma slipped marginally, and Nifty Consumer Durables dropped 0.81 per cent.
Top early gainers on the Nifty 50 included Grasim, State Bank of India, Trent, NTPC, and Adani Enterprises, while ICICI Bank, BEL, Tata Motors, Asian Paints, Adani Ports, and Tata Consumer Products were among the biggest losers.
Corporate earnings reports from Astral Limited, SJVN, Ipca Laboratories, BEML, Bata India, JM Financial, and several others are due today.
Analyst Sunil Gurjar cautioned that the Nifty 50’s sixth straight weekly decline signals persistent bearishness, with 24,650 as a key downside trigger. A drop below 23,750 could deepen negative sentiment, though holding this level may allow for a rebound.
Across Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.82 per cent, Taiwan’s Weighted Index rose 0.30 per cent, and South Korea’s KOSPI was up 0.18 per cent, while Singapore’s Straits Times and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng traded lower.