MUMBAI — Indian equity markets opened the week on a strong note Monday, with the Sensex and Nifty both closing higher as renewed optimism over a possible U.S.-China trade deal boosted investor sentiment.
The Sensex climbed 566.96 points, or 0.67 percent, to close at 84,778.84, while the Nifty rose 170.9 points, or 0.67 percent, to settle at 25,966.05. The gains came after a brief pause in the previous session.
Analysts said the Nifty began the day on a firm footing and traded largely sideways ahead of the NSE futures and options expiry, maintaining strength above its recent breakout zone. “Support is placed at 25,700, below which weakness might emerge. On the higher end, resistance is seen at 26,000, and a close above this level could trigger a rally toward 26,500 in the short term,” analysts noted.
Investor confidence was lifted after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessen said on Sunday that President Trump’s proposed 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods were “off the table.” He added that Beijing was expected to increase soybean imports and postpone curbs on rare earth exports, easing global trade tensions.
Softer U.S. inflation data also buoyed global markets, with investors now anticipating two more Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2025.
Among Sensex gainers, Bharti Airtel, State Bank of India, and Eternal each rose more than 2 percent. Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bharat Electronics, Infosys, and Bajaj Finance were among the major laggards.
Broader indices mirrored the positive trend, with the Nifty MidCap index up 0.93 percent and the Nifty SmallCap index gaining 0.82 percent. Sectoral performance was mixed — PSU Bank, Realty, Metal, and Oil & Gas indices advanced more than 1 percent each, while Media and Pharma stocks saw mild profit booking. (Source: IANS)
