Indian equity indices kicked off the last trading session of the year on a higher note. The NSE Nifty 50 opened 68 points, or 0.26%, higher at 26,007. The BSE Sensex opened 206 points, or 24%, higher at 84,881.
The Bank Nifty opened 102 points or 0.17% higher at 59,273. Similarly, the small and mid-cap stocks opened in the green. The Nifty Midcap opened 228 points or 0.38% higher at 60,142.
“The market has the potential for a directional move upwards, but is being weighed down by sustained FII selling and the absence of fresh triggers like positive news on the US-India trade front. The coming days are going to be eventful, starting with the auto sales data for December, Q3 corporate results, expectations from the budget and other news relating to the global economy, like the possible Fed action in 2026,” said VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments.
The Q3 results have to be watched carefully for indications of an uptick in earnings. This is significant since there is a lot of hope that there will be a rebound in earnings, going forward, added Vijayakumar.
“Nifty index is still trading in the same congestion zone (25,700-26,300 levels), having immediate supports around 25,900-25,840 zone and resistances around 26,050-26,120 levels. All this shows indecisiveness among traders in the absence of fresh global or domestic triggers. Hence, we suggest traders continue with stocks stock-specific trading approach,” said Vipin Kumar, Assistant Vice President of Technical Research at Globe Capital.
Prashanth Tapse, Senior Vice President of Research at Mehta Equities, said that after starting 2025 on a weak note, Nifty staged a strong comeback to end December at a fresh all-time high of 26,325.80, closing the year with a solid gain of 9.7%. Santa-rally optimism remains intact on Dalal Street, aided by hopes of a US Fed rate cut and year-end window dressing, setting a constructive tone for 2026.
Let’s take a look at the key factors to watch out for today’s trading session
Early gainers and laggards
In early trade, among the Nifty 50, top gainers at this hour were JSW Steel, Tata Steel, Bharat Electronics, Jio Financial Services, and Max Healthcare Institute. On the flip side, the key laggards in the Nifty 50 pack included Eichre Motors, Bharti Airtel, Tata Consultancy Services, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Tata Consumer Products.
Major movers on Wednesday
The stocks that were the major movers in the opening trade included HDFC Bank, Infosys, Tata Steel, Hindalco Industries, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, which were the major movers in the morning trade.
