Indian equities open higher as Sensex gains over 200 points, Nifty hovers around 24,300

Sensex and Nifty started Monday's session on a positive note as global cues and softer oil prices lifted investor sentiment in early trade

PGurus Newsdesk

August 24, 2026

Indian markets opened higher with the Sensex gaining over 200 points and the Nifty near 24,300, helped by positive global cues and easing oil prices

Sensex gains over 200 points as softer crude prices lift early sentiment

Indian equity markets opened higher on Monday, tracking positive global cues, with the benchmark Sensex gaining more than 200 points and the Nifty hovering around the 24,300 mark. The gains came amid easing crude oil prices.

The Sensex opened at 77,629.56 against Friday’s close of 77,540.83 and was trading around 77,774.29, up 233.46 points or 0.30 per cent at the time of reporting. The Nifty opened at 24,285.05, compared with its previous close of 24,252, and was trading around 24,300.

IT stocks lead early gains

Most broad-market indices traded in positive territory, although auto, pharma, FMCG, PSU banks, healthcare, consumer durables and cement stocks remained under pressure.

On the BSE, Infosys, HCL Tech, Tata Steel, HDFC Bank, Tech Mahindra, IndiGo, TCS, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, Hindustan Unilever and NTPC were among the major gainers. Asian Paints, Titan, Bharti Airtel, Trent and Power Grid were among the prominent laggards.

On the NSE, Infosys, Hindalco, HCL Tech, Wipro, SBI Life, IndiGo, ONGC and M&M were among the top gainers, while Cipla, Trent, Titan, BEL and Bajaj Finance featured among the early losers.

Oil prices in focus

Crude oil prices declined on Monday amid profit booking ahead of an expected US announcement on additional sanctions against Iran. Brent crude was trading at around USD 93.07 per barrel, while US crude was around USD 85.69 per barrel at the time of reporting.

Market analysts, however, remained cautious about the sustainability of the recovery. Analyst Vipin Dixena said buyers had yet to establish strong control and described the early move as a cautious recovery rather than a confirmed reversal.

Dixena identified 24,300 as an immediate level to watch for the Nifty. A sustained move above it could take the index towards 24,400-24,500, while 24,200 remains an immediate support level.

The Indian market has already recorded two consecutive weeks of losses, while elevated crude prices and geopolitical uncertainty remain key risks. At the same time, improving domestic buying is providing some support to equities.

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