MUMBAI, India — January 29, 2026
Indian benchmark indices closed in positive territory on Thursday, recovering from early losses, supported by strong performances in blue-chip stocks and optimistic projections from the Economic Survey 2025-26.
The 30-share BSE Sensex advanced 221.69 points, or 0.27 percent, to settle at 82,566.37. The broader NSE Nifty gained 76.15 points, or 0.30 percent, closing at 25,418.90.
The indices opened lower, with the Sensex dropping as much as 636.74 points to 81,707.94 and the Nifty falling 182.95 points to 25,159.80, amid selling pressure from foreign funds and global risk aversion. However, buying in select heavyweights led to a steady recovery.
Gains were led by Tata Steel, which rose 4.41 percent, followed by Axis Bank, NTPC, Adani Ports, and ICICI Bank. Larsen & Toubro climbed 3.66 percent after reporting a 10 percent year-on-year increase in consolidated operating revenue to 71,450 crore rupees for the October-December quarter.
Losers included Asian Paints, InterGlobe Aviation, Maruti Suzuki, and Bharat Electronics.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 projected GDP growth of 6.8-7.2 percent for the upcoming fiscal year, citing the cumulative impact of reforms and a stable economic environment. It also noted ongoing trade talks with the United States, expected to conclude this year, potentially reducing external uncertainties.
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, said domestic markets closed higher supported by the robust outlook from the Economic Survey, which affirmed strong growth prospects for FY27 while maintaining inflation stability amid global uncertainties.
In currency markets, the Indian rupee closed near its all-time low of 91.96 against the US dollar (provisional). Global oil benchmark Brent crude rose 2.50 percent to $70.11 per barrel.
Asian markets, including South Korea’s Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225, Shanghai’s SSE Composite, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng, ended higher. European markets traded in the green, while US markets closed steady on Wednesday.
Foreign institutional investors turned net buyers on Wednesday, purchasing shares worth 480.26 crore rupees, while domestic institutional investors bought 3,360.59 crore rupees worth of equities.
