Indian equity benchmarks started the Tuesday, April 21, 2026, session on a mildly positive note, led by positive global cues and a broadly positive market breadth. The 30‑share BSE Sensexopened at 78,617.16, up 96.86 points or 0.12 per cent, while the Nifty 50 edged up 9.7 points to 24,374.55. In the previous session, the Sensex had closed at 78,520.30 and the Nifty at 24,364.85, leaving room for a gentle continuation of the uptrend at the open. Broader indices also traded in the green, with the BSE Midcap Select up by 90.58 points and the BSE Smallcap Select advancing 45.94 points (0.58 per cent) to 8,032.70, suggesting broad‑based strength beyond the large‑cap band.
Sensex pack, market breadth
From the Sensex pack, Axis Bank, Adani Ports, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank led the gainers, with Axis Bank topping the list by climbing 0.96 per cent in early trade. On the flip side, Infosys, UltraTech Cement, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Bajaj Finserv and Hindustan Unilever traded in the red, with Infosys the biggest loser, slipping 0.78 per cent. The early‑trade market breadth was positive, with 2,000 stocks advancing versus 709 declining on the NSE, and 86 stocks unchanged, underscoring a constructive risk‑on atmosphere at the open.
What GIFT Nifty indicated
The early‑indicator GIFT Nifty, which tracks the Nifty 50 on the GIFT City bourse, projected a positive start for the domestic market. It opened with a gain of 100 points at 24,443, compared to the previous close of 24,341.50, signalling that the Nifty could open in the green and sustain a mild upward bias once the regular session kicks off. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) had been net sellers on April 20, with outflows of ₹1,059.93 crore, but Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) turned net buyers, pumping in roughly ₹2,966.89 crore, indicating a growing domestic‑demand buffer. The India VIX remained above 18, reflecting a still‑elevated, but contained, volatility environment.
Asian markets and global backdrop
Asian equities also edged higher, helped by reports that Iran may enter talks with the United States, easing some of the geopolitical strain. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 674.11 points (1.15 per cent) to 59,499, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 80.93 points (0.31 per cent), and South Korea’s Kospi traded in the green, up 130.56 points. In contrast, China’s SSE Composite slipped 9.74 points (0.24 per cent), showing a mixed regional picture. The cautiously optimistic tone across Asia supported the positive opening in Indian equities, even as US markets gave up a bit of their recent record‑run gains.
