Mumbai: The Indian stock market commenced the week on a mixed note on Monday.
The opening bell saw the Sensex making a subdued entry, initially tipping into the green but shifted to the red. The Nifty, too, witnessed a similar trend. This cautious start was attributed to global factors and geopolitical uncertainties.
At the start of the trading session, the Sensex, India's benchmark index, opened 63.98 points lower at 63,645.82. Meanwhile, the Nifty, reflecting the broader market sentiment, opened 44.85 points lower at 19,002.40.
These early figures set the tone for a somewhat tepid market opening on Monday.
Among the Nifty-listed companies, market watchers observed a mixed bag of performances. Sixteen companies managed to gain ground, while thirty-three registered declines. Notably, one stock remained unchanged.
In terms of top gainers on the Nifty, prominent companies included Cipla, BPCL, Hindalco, SBI Life, and Reliance. These firms started the trading week on a positive note.
However, there were companies on the flip side of the equation. Dr. Reddy, Infosys, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, and Britannia faced headwinds, opening as the top losers on the Nifty.
Varun Aggarwal, founder and managing director, Profit Idea, said, "Nifty opened slight negative today on weak closing by Dow on friday. Market will closely watch the Israel war news.
Any news on Invasion will be bad for market.OI data has shifted to 18500 & strong resistances can be witnessed at 19300 levels. Massive call writing at 19300-19500 Nifty levels".
This mixed market opening can be attributed to the cautious global sentiment, influenced by the weak closing witnessed by Dow Jones on Friday.
Market analysts have also been closely monitoring the news about the ongoing Israel conflict, as any escalations in the situation are seen as detrimental to the market.
"Expect Nifty to trade cautiously and any bounce will see selling due to ongoing concerns.
Focus remains on picking good quality stocks on this panic fall. We remain positively biased on Indian economy and investors should utilise this panic fall to accumulate good businesses available at dirt cheap prices. On sectoral front, we remain overweight on IT, Banking, Pharma, Petrochemicals, FMCG, Metals", said Aggarwal.
Option Interest (OI) data indicated a shift to 18,500 levels, while strong resistance levels were anticipated around 19,300. Moreover, significant call writing was detected at the 19,300-19,500 Nifty levels.
Market experts are anticipating cautious trading in the near term, and any bounce might be met with selling pressure due to prevailing concerns.
The focus of investors appears to remain on selecting quality stocks during this market turbulence.
Analysts maintain a positive bias toward the Indian economy, advising investors to seize opportunities during market downturns to accumulate high-quality businesses trading at attractive prices.
On the sectoral front, a preference for IT, Banking, Pharma, Petrochemicals, FMCG, and Metals remains.
The market's response to geopolitical developments and economic trends will likely shape the coming days of trading in the Indian stock market.
As the trading session progresses, market participants will closely watch how these early trends evolve and if investors' sentiment becomes more positive as the week unfolds. (ANI)
