The key equity indices traded between small gains and losses in the mid-morning trade as investors weighed robust corporate updates against rising geopolitical risks. Early optimism over improving quarterly earnings was tempered by caution surrounding the implications of U.S. military action in Venezuela.
The Nifty traded below 26,300 level. Realty shares extended gains for the three consecutive trading sessions.
At 11:30 ST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, declined 49.34 points or 0.06% to 85,712.67. The Nifty 50 index shed 2.65 points or 0.01% to 26,325.90.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.06% and the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.01%.
The market breadth was negative. On the BSE, 1,761 shares rose and 2,249 shares fell. A total of 208 shares were unchanged.
Economy:
India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by $3.29 billion to $696.61 billion in the week ended December 26, 2025, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s Weekly Statistical Supplement released on January 2.
Foreign currency assets (FCAs), the largest component of the reserves, stood at $559.61 billion, registering a marginal weekly increase of $184 million, the data showed.
Gold reserves increased sharply by $2.96 billion during the week to $113.32 billion, contributing the most to the overall rise in reserves.
India’s Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund rose by $60 million to $18.80 billion. The country’s reserve position in the IMF increased by $93 million to $4.88 billion as of December 26.
Buzzing Index:
The Nifty Realty index rose 1.55% to 912.75. The index added 4.93% in the four consecutive trading session.
Sobha (up 4.81%), Lodha Developers (up 3.76%), DLF (up 1.46%), Oberoi Realty (up 1.33%), Anant Raj (up 1.24%), Godrej Properties (up 1.18%), Prestige Estates Projects (up 0.99%), Phoenix Mills (up 0.22%) added.
On the other hand, Brigade Enterprises (down 0.33%), SignatureGlobal India (down 0.06%), edged lower.
Stocks in Spotlight:
Bank of Maharashtra rose 1.31% after the bank reported a 15.30% year-on-year (YoY) increase in total deposits to Rs 3,21,695 crore as of 31st December 2025, compared with Rs 2,79,007 crore as of 31st December 2024.
V-Mart Retail jumped 4.88% after the company’s revenue from operations for the quarter ended 31st December 2025 stood at Rs 1,126 crore, recording the growth of 10%, compared with Rs 1,027 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.
CSB Bank jumped 7.08% after the bank’s total deposits climbed 21% to Rs 40,460 crore as on 31st December 2025, compared with Rs 33,407 crore as on 31st December 2024.
Global Markets:
Asia market began the first full trading week of 2026 on a stronger note after the U.S. said it had attacked Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend.
Oil prices edged lower as markets weighed the potential impact of geopolitical tensions.
U.S. authorities reportedly said that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were flown to New York following the operation and charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy and other crimes.
Oil prices fell after the escalation involving the oil-rich nation. Brent crude prices slipped more than 1% earlier before paring losses, and were last trading 0.25% lower, while the West Texas Intermediate crude prices fell 0.4%.
On Friday stateside, the first trading day of 2026, the S&P 500 closed slightly higher as gains in semiconductor names kept the index afloat.
The benchmark closed up 0.19% at 6,858.47, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.03% to finish at 23,235.63. The two had been solidly positive earlier in the day, with the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq trading higher by 0.7% and 1.5% at their peaks, respectively.