Nifty, Sensex Open Higher on FII Inflows and DII Buying; Experts Cautious on Global Risks

Mumbai, February 19: Indian equity markets opened on a strong note on Thursday, supported by sustained buying from Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs).

The Nifty 50 opened 54 points, or 0.21 percent higher, at 25,873.35, while the BSE Sensex gained 235.57 points, or 0.28 percent, to open at 83,969.82.

Market experts attributed the gains to positive global cues and consistent domestic buying interest, though they warned that global risks remain elevated.

Banking and market expert Ajay Bagga told ANI, “Positive FII flows and continued DII buying are helping Indian markets attempt to break key resistance levels once again. However, extremely overbought positioning and the possibility of US-Israel military action against Iran keep us cautious about the near-term outlook. Asian currencies are weaker against a strong US dollar. Oil prices rose on Wednesday following comments by US Vice President Vance, which were interpreted as signaling potential US action in the Middle East.”

Commodities and Broader Market Trends

In the commodities market, gold prices rebounded after a sharp fall on Wednesday and were trading at ₹1,55,687 per 10 grams (24 carat). Silver prices also recovered to ₹2,42,520 per kilogram.

On the broader market front, indices on the National Stock Exchange of India were trading in the green. The Nifty 100 index rose 0.10 percent, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 0.24 percent and the Nifty Midcap 100 was up 0.13 percent.

Among sectoral indices on the NSE:

• Nifty Auto rose 0.27 percent

• Nifty IT gained 1.22 percent

• Nifty Metal climbed 0.65 percent

• Nifty Pharma edged up 0.08 percent

• Nifty PSU Bank advanced 0.35 percent

However, Nifty FMCG, Nifty Media, and Nifty Realty were trading lower.

Meanwhile, due to a clearing holiday on account of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, there will be no settlement-related activity. Transactions executed on February 18 and 19 in both the cash and Futures & Options (F&O) segments on NSE and Bombay Stock Exchange will be settled and reflected in investors’ demat accounts on February 20.

On Wednesday, domestic investors recorded a net investment of ₹440 crore, while foreign investors’ net inflows stood at ₹1,154 crore.

Globally, US markets closed in positive territory on Wednesday, and most Asian markets were trading higher on Thursday morning. However, markets in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan remained closed due to the Lunar New Year holiday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 0.89 percent, Singapore’s Straits Times index gained over 1 percent, and South Korea’s KOSPI surged 2.5 percent in early trade.