Dalal Street remained heavily volatile as investors looked out for the upcoming Union Budget 2026 reveal, scheduled for Sunday. This is the last trading session before the Budget day.
The BSE Sensex rang the opening bell near 82,200, nosediving almost 400 points, while the NSE Nifty50 started trading today a little below 25,250, taking a hit of more than 150 points, as of 9:15 AM. In the pre-open hour, the Sensex crashed close to 500 points and tested 82K, and the Nifty slipped below 25,300, around 9:05 AM.
On the 30-share Sensex, Asian Paints, HUL, ITC, Adani Ports, and Sun Pharma stood among the gainers. Meanwhile, the laggards included, Tata Steel, HCL Tech, Infosys, NTPC, and TCS.
Notably, Indian equity markets extended their winning streak for a third straight session on Thursday, with benchmarks Sensex and Nifty ending higher after recovering sharply from early losses. A rally in Larsen & Toubro, supportive global cues and optimism stemming from the Economic Survey’s growth projections helped markets close in the green.
Economic Survey Boosts Sentiment
Market sentiment was further supported by the Economic Survey 2025-26, which projected India’s GDP growth at 6.8-7.2 per cent for the next financial year, citing the cumulative impact of structural reforms and a stable macroeconomic environment.
The Survey said inflation remains well anchored despite persistent global uncertainties, providing comfort to investors. It also noted that ongoing negotiations for a trade agreement with the US are expected to conclude during the year, a development that could help reduce external uncertainty.
