Markets

Mumbai, January 30 – Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX) will conduct a special live trading session on Sunday, February 1, 2026, coinciding with the presentation of the Union Budget, allowing participants to trade commodity derivatives on a non-working day. Special Trading Schedule for February 1 MCX has outlined a modified trading framework for the day, with an early start and extended post-market window to facilitate smooth operations.SessionTimingsSpecial Pre-Open Session08:45 a.m. to 08:59 a.m.Regular Trading Session09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m.Client Code Modification Window09:00 a.m. to 05:15 p.m.The exchange has advised market participants to align their trading and operational plans accordingly and ensure...

Mumbai, January 30, 2026 Indian financial markets will remain operational on Sunday, February 1, 2026, with a special live trading session scheduled across key segments to coincide with the presentation of the Union Budget. The exchange will follow normal trading-day timelines, allowing participants to trade, modify positions, and complete post-market processes as per standard practice.Equity Markets to Follow Normal Weekend Budget-Day Schedule In the Capital Market segment, trading will begin with a pre-open session from 9:00 am to 9:08 am, followed by the normal market from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm. Block deal windows, call auction sessions for illiquid securities, special pre-open sessions for IPO and relisted securities, and...

Heavy Profit Booking Triggers Steep Decline in Precious Metals Gold and silver prices witnessed one of their sharpest single-day declines in recent months in futures trade on Friday, as investors rushed to monetise gains following a rapid surge to record highs.Silver futures plunged nearly 17 percent, while gold futures fell about 9 percent on domestic exchanges, mirroring weak global cues and a strengthening US dollar.Silver Futures See Record Single-Day Crash On the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver futures for March delivery tumbled by Rs 67,891, or 16.97 percent, to settle at Rs 3,32,002 per kilogram. This marked the steepest single-day fall for the metal in recent months.The sharp correction followed a strong rally in the...

Benchmark indices retreat after three-day rally Indian equity benchmarks opened sharply lower on Friday, snapping a three-session winning streak as selling pressure in information technology stocks combined with caution ahead of the Union Budget presentation scheduled for February 1.Fresh foreign fund outflows and weak cues from global equity markets further weighed on investor sentiment during early trade.Sensex and Nifty open deep in the red The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 619.06 points to 81,947.31 in opening deals, while the NSE Nifty declined 171.35 points to 25,247.55.IT stocks led the decline, with Tata Steel, HCL Technologies, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, NTPC, and Tech Mahindra among the major laggards on the Sensex...

Mumbai, January 30, 2026: Gold and silver futures witnessed a sharp sell-off in early trade on Friday, with both precious metals trading deep in the red during the morning session. The decline was visible across intraday charts, with prices slipping below key reference levels amid sustained selling pressure. Gold Futures Extend Losses Gold futures for the February 5, 2026 expiry were trading at ₹1,61,791 per 10 grams around 09:10 IST, down ₹7,612 or 4.49 percent from the previous close of ₹1,69,403. The intraday chart showed a steep drop soon after the session began, followed by a brief attempt at stabilization before prices continued to trade at lower levels. The day’s trading range stood between ₹1,59,250 and ₹1,67,999, while the...

Debt-laden Vodafone Idea is preparing a large-scale investment push as it looks to return to a growth trajectory, with plans to deploy ₹45,000 crore over the next three years, according to senior management.Aggressive Network Rollout Across Priority Markets Speaking during the company’s earnings call for the third quarter of the current fiscal year on Wednesday, Vodafone Idea Chief Executive Officer Abhijit Kishore said the fresh investment would significantly expand network coverage and improve service quality across key regions.The planned capital expenditure is in addition to the ₹18,000 crore already invested by the company over the past six quarters. Kishore said the funds would be directed toward an aggressive network rollout...

Mumbai, January 27, 2026: Vedanta Limited (NSE: VEDL | BSE: 500295) on Tuesday announced that its authorised Committee of Directors has approved the sale of up to 6.70 crore equity shares of Hindustan Zinc Limited, representing 1.59 percent of the issued and paid-up equity share capital of the subsidiary. The proposed transaction will be carried out through an offer for sale (OFS) via the stock exchange mechanism. The decision was approved by the committee at its meeting held on January 27, 2026, at around 4:15 pm IST. Transaction DetailsParticularsDetailsSellerVedanta LimitedInvestee CompanyHindustan Zinc LimitedMode of SaleOffer for Sale (OFS)Equity Shares ProposedUp to 6,70,00,000Stake Size1.59 percent of equity...

Record Budget Streak Under Modi Government Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget on February 1, marking her ninth consecutive Budget, a record for the most budgets presented continuously by any finance minister in India. The upcoming Budget is expected to focus on reform measures aimed at supporting economic growth at a time of heightened geopolitical volatility.With this presentation, Sitharaman will move closer to the all-time record of 10 budgets presented by Morarji Desai, though his budgets were delivered across different periods and governments.Sitharaman’s Tenure and Budget Milestones Sitharaman was appointed as India’s first full-time woman finance minister in 2019 after Narendra Modi secured...

Local Manufacturing Shields Mercedes-Benz from Immediate Pricing Impact The India European Union Free Trade Agreement is expected to significantly accelerate technological innovation and sustainable growth in India’s automotive sector, according to Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Santosh Iyer. However, the company does not anticipate any reduction in vehicle prices in the foreseeable future following the agreement.Calling the India EU FTA a historic milestone, Iyer said the pact reinforces India’s growing relevance on the global economic stage. He noted that while the agreement is likely to support future mobility initiatives and innovation across the automotive ecosystem, its exact implications can only be assessed once...

Silver Futures Jump to Record Levels on MCX Silver prices surged sharply in the futures market on Tuesday, scaling a fresh lifetime high amid heightened demand for safe haven assets. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver contracts for March delivery rallied by Rs 25,101, marking a gain of 7.5 per cent, to touch an all-time peak of Rs 3,59,800 per kilogram.The white metal has seen an exceptionally strong run in recent sessions. Over the past week, silver prices climbed by Rs 46,937, or 16.3 per cent, crossing the Rs 3 lakh per kilogram milestone for the first time in the domestic futures market.Gold Futures Extend Record-Breaking Rally Gold prices also continued their upward momentum, registering fresh lifetime highs in futures...

Deal Unlocks Duty Free Access for Indian Exports and Wider Market Entry for EU Goods India and the European Union on Tuesday announced the conclusion of negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement, marking the end of discussions that stretched over more than two decades. The agreement is expected to reshape bilateral trade by offering significant tariff relief to Indian exporters while granting the EU phased and selective access to the Indian market.The agreement has been described as a landmark pact, creating a combined market of nearly two billion people and laying the foundation for a major expansion in goods and services trade between the two sides.Market Access and Tariff Commitments by the European Union Under the...

India and the European Union on Tuesday announced the conclusion and finalisation of negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement. The development marks a significant milestone in India’s trade diplomacy and represents the country’s 19th trade pact.The agreement is expected to strengthen India’s export presence across the 27 member European bloc and deepen economic ties between the two sides.India’s Expanding Trade Agreement Network Since 2014, India has finalised seven trade pacts. These include agreements with Mauritius, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the United Kingdom, the European Free Trade Association comprising Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and New Zealand. Several of these agreements have...

Mumbai, January 27, 2026 – A Blackstone-backed investment vehicle has initiated a major open offer to acquire a significant stake in Aadhar Housing Finance Limited, marking a key step in a promoter transition at the listed affordable housing lender. Open Offer Details The open offer is being made to acquire up to 11.35 crore equity shares, representing 25.82 percent of Aadhar Housing Finance’s expanded voting share capital. The offer price has been fixed at ₹469.97 per share, along with an additional ₹2.71 per share as interest due to a revised transaction timeline, taking the total consideration to ₹472.68 per share. If fully subscribed, the transaction will entail a total outlay of approximately ₹5,366 crore, including interest...

Reliance Industries Suffers Biggest Erosion in Market Capitalisation The combined market valuation of nine of the top-10 most valued companies in India declined sharply by Rs 2.51 lakh crore over the past week, reflecting sustained weakness in domestic equities. The broader market remained under pressure throughout the week, tracking negative global cues and persistent selling.During the week, the BSE Sensex witnessed a steep fall of 2,032.65 points, marking a decline of 2.43 per cent and setting the tone for heavy erosion in large-cap stocks.Reliance Industries Leads the Losses Among the top firms, Reliance Industries recorded the steepest fall in market capitalisation. The company’s valuation dropped by Rs 96,960.17 crore, taking...

Indian Markets Open Lower Amid Weak Global Sentiment Benchmark equity indices opened on a weak note on Wednesday as cautious investor sentiment prevailed amid heightened geopolitical tensions, subdued global markets and continued foreign fund outflows.In early trade, the 30 share BSE Sensex declined 385.82 points to 81,794.65, while the NSE Nifty fell 91.5 points to 25,141, reflecting broad based selling pressure across sectors.Heavyweights Drag Indices; Select Stocks Offer Support Among Sensex constituents, Bharat Electronics, ICICI Bank, Trent, Larsen & Toubro, HCL Technologies and Infosys were among the major laggards, adding to the early weakness in the benchmarks.On the other hand, Eternal, Sun Pharma, InterGlobe Aviation and...

Persistent Dollar Demand Pressures Indian Currency The Indian rupee weakened sharply in early trade on Wednesday, slipping 31 paise to an all time low of 91.28 against the US dollar. The decline was driven by sustained dollar demand and a cautious global environment that continued to weigh on emerging market currencies.Risk Aversion and Weak Domestic Cues Weigh on Sentiment Forex markets saw the rupee open at 91.05 against the dollar before extending losses through the session. The move marked a clear deterioration from the previous close of 90.97, which itself had been a record low. Rising geopolitical uncertainty and a fragile global risk outlook kept investor sentiment under pressure.Domestic factors also contributed to the...

Mumbai, January 21, 2026 Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX) announced that it will conduct a special live trading session on Sunday, February 1, 2026, to facilitate market activity on the day of the Union Budget presentation. The exchange said the decision is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted price discovery and allowing participants to manage positions amid heightened volatility typically associated with Budget announcements. Trading Schedule for February 1 As per the exchange communication, the trading day will be structured as follows:SessionTimingsSpecial Session08:45 am to 08:59 amTrading Session09:00 am to 05:00 pmClient Code Modification Session09:00 am to 05:15 pmMarket participants have been advised to...

Markets Look for Direction After Sharp Sell-Off Indian equity markets are set to open with caution today as investors assess a mix of global signals following a sharp decline in the previous session. Early trends from GIFT Nifty indicate a flat to mildly positive start, even as concerns around global trade tensions, currency movements, and commodity prices continue to influence sentiment.Foreign Investors Remain Sellers, Domestic Flows Offer Support Foreign institutional investors continued to pare their equity exposure, offloading shares worth around Rs 2,938 crore in the latest session. In contrast, domestic institutional investors provided stability by buying equities worth approximately Rs 3,665 crore, highlighting continued local...

Indian IT Majors Continue Strong Presence in Global IT Services Landscape India’s leading information technology companies continue to assert their dominance globally, with Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys retaining their positions as the world’s second and third most valuable IT services brands, respectively, as per the latest IT Services 25 2026 rankings released by Brand Finance.India matched the United States in overall representation, with both countries featuring eight companies each among the world’s top 25 IT services brands.Accenture Holds Top Position; TCS Remains Second The report showed that Accenture retained its position as the world’s most valuable IT services brand for the eighth consecutive year, with a brand...

Heavy Selloff Erodes Market Capitalisation Amid Global Uncertainty New Delhi, January 20: Indian equity markets witnessed a sharp selloff on Tuesday, wiping out ₹9.86 lakh crore in investor wealth as benchmark indices faced intense pressure through the session.The 30 share BSE Sensex extended its previous day’s decline, plunging 1,065.71 points or 1.28 percent to close at 82,180.47. During intraday trade, the index slipped as much as 1,235.6 points or 1.48 percent to touch a low of 82,010.58.As a result of the broad-based decline, the total market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies dropped by ₹9,86,093.96 crore to ₹4,55,82,683.29 crore, equivalent to USD 5.01 trillion.Sensex Stocks Under Pressure, HDFC Bank Lone Gainer Selling...