MUMBAI:

Indian equity benchmarks staged a positive start on Monday, tracking supportive global cues, fresh foreign capital inflows, and a notable decline in international crude oil prices.

The 30-share BSE Sensex opened on a strong footing, jumping 448.32 points to reach 74,743.28 in early morning trade. Simultaneously, the broader 50-share NSE Nifty advanced 50.3 points, moving past the crucial 23,396.70 threshold.

Market momentum was widely supported by key sectoral gainers. Major winners among the Sensex pack included heavyweight counters such as UltraTech Cement, InterGlobe Aviation, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma, HCL Technologies, and Trent. However, heavy selling pressure in select index heavyweights like Infosys, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, and Power Grid kept aggressive gains in check.

Financial analysts noted that macroeconomic tailwinds played a pivotal role in boosting investor sentiment. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, tanked 2.25 per cent down to USD 101.5 per barrel, offering major relief to India's import-heavy economy. Furthermore, exchange data revealed that Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net buyers in the previous session, pumping in equities worth Rs 599.54 crore.

Broader Asian markets also provided a stable regional backdrop. South Korea’s Kospi, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index all traded comfortably in positive territory, mirroring a mostly higher finish on Wall Street late last week.

Market experts advise investors to keep a close watch on ongoing global developments, currency fluctuations, and domestic corporate announcements as the trading week unfolds.