Local stock markets are likely to start on a cautious note today. The Gift Nifty April 2026 futures are modestly lower by 0.05 points, pointing to a subdued start for the benchmark index today. The domestic equity market ended slightly lower in last session, with BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 marginally lower.The BSE Sensex has risen slightly 0.83% over the last one month, while the NSE Nifty has posted modest gains of 0.88% over the same period.
In Asia today, sentiment was soft. China’s SSE Composite Index inched higher 0.25% while Japan’s Nikkei 225 posted modest losses of 0.15%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged lower 0.59%.
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 502 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 6,425 crore in the Indian equity market on 26 August 2026, provisional data showed.
Overnight on Wall Street, stocks drifted lower across the board. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was modestly lower by 113.52 points, or 0.21%, and closed at 53484.88. The S&P 500 slipped 0.04% to end at 7695.55, and the NASDAQ Composite edged lower 0.06% to 26156.63.
Yesterday, the S&P BSE Sensex ended slightly lower by 183.15 points or 0.24% to 77472.94. The Nifty 50 index eased 126.80 points or 0.52% to 24207.75. Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd was top gainer in Nifty 50 yesterday, posting modest gains of 3.76% to Rs 416.70. The stock has edged up around 1.43% in last one-week and remains down 10.47% over last one-month.
In sectoral indices, only Nifty Metal index ticked up yesterday, advancing 1.27% on the day.