Indian equity benchmark indices opened higher on Thursday, supported by positive global cues and buying in select heavyweight stocks. The BSE Sensex gained around 150 points to hover near the 75,100 mark, while the NSE Nifty traded above 23,500 during early deals.
Market sentiment improved after strong overnight gains in US technology stocks and positive trends across Asian markets. GIFT Nifty had also indicated a firm start for Dalal Street ahead of the opening bell.
Among the top gainers on the Sensex were Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel, JSW Steel, Mahindra & Mahindra and Larsen & Toubro, driven by buying interest in telecom, metal and infrastructure shares. On the losing side, Infosys, HCLTech, Nestle India and Titan witnessed selling pressure.
Investors also tracked quarterly earnings announcements and company-specific developments. Bharti Airtel remained in focus after reporting strong earnings, while metal stocks benefited from improving global commodity sentiment.
Despite the positive momentum, analysts said concerns over rising crude oil prices and weakness in the Indian rupee continued to limit gains. Brent crude remained above $107 per barrel amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia, while the rupee stayed under pressure against the US dollar due to foreign institutional investor outflows.