The BSE Sensex rose 247.81 points or 0.37 per cent to 77,748.38. Nifty added 74 points, or 0.32 per cent, to 23,582.85.

Indian markets opened flat ahead of the Union Budget 2025, with Sensex and Nifty struggling for direction while mid- and small-cap stocks outshone

The stock exchanges are open today, February 1, for a special trade session as the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Union Budget 2025 in Parliament today. Indian benchmark indices Nifty 50 and Sensex ended the previous trade session higher.

Major gainers on the Sensex included Sun Pharma, UltraTech Cement, IndusInd Bank, Zomato and Adani Ports. On the other hand, the top losers were Titan, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Bank, Nestle & Asian Paint

The trends on Gift Nifty also indicate a mildly positive start for the Indian benchmark index. The Gift Nifty was trading around 23,438 level, a premium of nearly 20 points from the Nifty futures’ previous close.

Apurva Sheth of SAMCO Securities said the modest increase in capex outlay from Rs 11.11 lakh crore in the last fiscal to Rs 11.2 lakh crore this time is much lower than expectations.

Sectorally, the Realty and FMCG indices dominated in the session and ended 3.38 per cent and 3.01 per cent higher. Meanwhile, the PSU Bank index stood among the laggards and tanked 1.59 per cent.