Stock Market Open Report Today, October 6, 2026: Sensex, Nifty Edge Higher as Investors Await RBI Rate Decision

Mumbai, Oct 6: The Sensex and Nifty edged higher on Tuesday, extending Monday’s rebound, as a strong Wall Street close and mixed Asian trade met caution ahead of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) rate decision on Wednesday. Gift Nifty, which pointed to a flat start, was 0.08 per cent lower at 22,640 at 8:01 am. Oil near $100 and unresolved Middle East tension capped gains. 

Global cues were uneven. Asian stocks traded mixed in the morning, with Hong Kong up 0.81 per cent and Australia up 0.65 per cent, while South Korea fell 0.56 per cent and Singapore 0.31 per cent. US markets ended Monday mostly higher, led by a 0.87 per cent gain in the Nasdaq 100, while Brent crude held above $100 a barrel. 

At 9:27 am, the Sensex was at 72,517.65, up 135.18 points or 0.19 per cent from Monday’s close of 72,382.47 while the Nifty traded at 22,595.40, up 39.65 points or 0.18 per cent from 22,555.75, after opening at 22,603.25 and ranging between 22,561.60 and 22,628.10. It held above the 22,500 level reclaimed on Monday, while India VIX fell 2.45 per cent to 14.41, signalling easing volatility expectations. 

The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) announces its decision at 10 am on Wednesday, with Governor Sanjay Malhotra’s press conference at noon. The repo rate has stayed at 5.25 per cent for four straight reviews, and economists expect a 25 basis point hike to 5.50 per cent. A Reuters poll found nearly 60 per cent expecting the same, with most also seeing another hike in December. It would be the first increase since February 2023. 

Rupee, Foreign Flows Add to Caution

Retail inflation rose to 4.82 per cent in August, above the 4 per cent target for a third month, and wholesale inflation reached 9.92 per cent.

The rupee has weakened about 6 per cent this year, and a narrower rate gap with the US has led foreign investors to pull money from Indian equities and debt. The US Federal Reserve raised rates in September.

Trent Surges 10%; Apollo Hospitals, Max Healthcare Slip 

Trent (TRENT) led the Nifty gainers, jumping 10 per cent to Rs 2,838 from the previous close of Rs 2,580, a gain of Rs 258 at its day’s high, after a second-quarter business update showing 23 per cent revenue growth. Kotak Mahindra Bank (KOTAKBANK) rose 3.55 per cent to Rs 430.75 from Rs 416, up Rs 14.75. BSE Ltd (BSE) gained 1.89 per cent to Rs 3,239.80 from Rs 3,179.60, a rise of Rs 60.20. Hindustan Unilever (HINDUNILVR) added 1.67 per cent to Rs 1,869.10 from Rs 1,838.40, up Rs 30.70, while Axis Bank (AXISBANK) rose 0.97 per cent to Rs 1,234 from Rs 1,222.20, up Rs 11.80.  

Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (APOLLOHOSP) was the top loser, falling 1.93 per cent to Rs 7,831 from Rs 7,985, a loss of Rs 154. Max Healthcare Institute (MAXHEALTH) declined 1.80 per cent to Rs 900.45 from Rs 917, down Rs 16.55, extending Monday’s losses in both hospital stocks. Cipla (CIPLA) fell 0.71 per cent to Rs 1,326 from Rs 1,335.50, down Rs 9.50, Tech Mahindra (TECHM) lost 0.68 per cent to Rs 1,525.50 from Rs 1,535.90, down Rs 10.40, and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRREDDY) slipped 0.62 per cent to Rs 1,195.60 from Rs 1,203, down Rs 7.40. 

Smallcaps Outperform; Healthcare, IT, Pharma Drag 

The broader market outperformed the benchmark, with every broad index in the green. The Nifty Microcap 250 rose 0.63 per cent to 26,075.90 from 25,912.85, the Nifty Smallcap 500 gained 0.58 per cent to 20,412.70 from 20,295.95, and the Nifty Smallcap 250 added 0.56 per cent to 17,754.05 from 17,655.35, while the Nifty Midcap 100 rose 0.25 per cent to 59,270.80 from 59,123.65. None of the broad indices fell, and the smallest gains came in the Nifty 50, Nifty 100 and Nifty India FPI 150, up 0.18 per cent, 0.19 per cent and 0.19 per cent. 

Among sectoral indices, the Nifty Private Bank led, rising 0.75 per cent to 26,917.80 from 26,718.15, followed by the Nifty Metal, up 0.61 per cent to 12,574.50 from 12,498, and the Nifty Chemicals, up 0.54 per cent to 28,137.30 from 27,987.05, with the Nifty FMCG also gaining 0.51 per cent to 44,807.15 from 44,579.65. The Nifty Healthcare Index fell 0.50 per cent to 15,855.35 from 15,934.65, the Nifty IT lost 0.32 per cent to 28,210.70 from 28,301.65 and the Nifty Pharma declined 0.21 per cent to 26,062.90 from 26,117.10. 

Asian Markets Trade Mixed 

Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday morning, with gains in Hong Kong, Australia and mainland China offset by losses in South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.81 per cent to 24,234.06, Australia’s ASX 200 gained 0.65 per cent to 8,742.6, Shanghai added 0.31 per cent to 3,842.195 and Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.19 per cent to 70,081.53. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.56 per cent to 6,964.69, Singapore’s Straits Times lost 0.31 per cent to 5,646.51 and Taiwan’s benchmark slipped 0.18 per cent to 49,622.67. 

Wall Street Ends Higher 

US markets ended Monday mostly higher, with the Nasdaq 100 leading as it gained 0.87 per cent to 31,076.441. The NYSE index rose 0.57 per cent to 23,788.62, the Russell 2000 added 0.50 per cent to 2,847.136 and utilities gained 0.27 per cent to 1,020.78. Transports were the lone decliner, falling 1.09 per cent to 19,791.56. 

Oil Edges Higher 

Oil prices edged higher in early trade. Brent crude rose 51 cents or 0.51 per cent to $100.83 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 32 cents or 0.36 per cent to $89.75. Murban crude, the Abu Dhabi benchmark, fell $1.73 or 1.56 per cent to $109.09, while natural gas rose 0.33 per cent to $3.076 per mmBtu, gasoline eased 0.07 per cent to $3.244 a gallon and heating oil fell 0.50 per cent to $4.522 a gallon. Brent above $100 adds to the imported inflation risk the Finance Ministry flagged in its September monthly review. 

Middle East Tension Simmers 

Tension in the Middle East was quieter on the surface but remained unresolved. President Donald Trump said a threat linked to Iran prompted the removal of US B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied a direct link and Iran called the accusations baseless. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said any plot was likely backed by Iran, a NATO military source said Iran still poses an acute threat to US assets in the UK, and analysts say the redeployment trims US capacity to surge sorties against Iran in the short term. Qatar’s LNG traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has risen recently, with four cargoes reappearing outside the strait around October 2 and 3, though security risks tied to the war on Iran persist. 

Monday’s Close: Nifty Reclaimed 22,500 

The Sensex ended Monday 0.66 per cent higher at 72,382.47, while the Nifty 50 gained 0.60 per cent, or 133.80 points, to close at 22,555.75, reclaiming the 22,500 level. The rebound came after eight straight weekly declines, the longest losing streak in 25 years, as crude prices eased and fears of another US Fed rate hike faded. Banks led, with Punjab National Bank (PNB) up 2.5 per cent, Bajaj Finance (BAJFINANCE) up 2.3 per cent and Bank of Baroda (BANKBARODA) up 0.9 per cent after quarterly updates, while HCL Technologies (HCLTECH), Max Healthcare Institute (MAXHEALTH), Asian Paints (ASIANPAINT) and Apollo Hospitals Enterprise (APOLLOHOSP) were among the biggest Nifty losers. Breadth was weak despite the gains, with 2,297 stocks declining against 1,991 advancing. 

Source

• NSE
• BSE
• Reuters
• CNBC
• oilprice.com