Local stock markets are likely to start on a cautious note today. The Gift Nifty April 2026 futures are trading 0.04 points higher, suggesting a mildly positive start for the benchmark index today. The domestic equity market ended slightly lower in last session, with BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 in negative territory.The BSE Sensex has drifted lower 1.46% over the last one month, while the NSE Nifty has slipped 1.24% over the same period.

In Asia today, sentiment was subdued. China’s SSE Composite Index slipped 0.17% while Japan’s Nikkei 225 drifted lower 0.39%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged lower 0.93%.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 7,985 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 4,588 crore in the Indian equity market on 31 August 2026, provisional data showed.

Overnight on Wall Street, stocks posted modest losses across the board. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished lower by 374.09 points, or 0.70%, and closed at 53206.90. The S&P 500 eased 0.35% to end at 7706.01, and the NASDAQ Composite slipped 0.13% to 26389.

Yesterday, the S&P BSE Sensex posted modest losses of 307.24 points or 0.40% to 76957.27. The Nifty 50 index eased 95.25 points or 0.39% to 24080.40. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd was top gainer in Nifty 50 yesterday, rising slightly by 3.37% to Rs 1984.80. The stock has moved higher around 1.43% in last one-week and is lower 10.47% over last one-month.

In sectoral indices, only Nifty Private Bank index inched higher yesterday, rising 0.97% on the day.