Stock Market Today: Dalal Street Awaits Budget 2026
Good morning, traders! The markets on Dalal Street opened with a cautious approach during their first trading day of the week because pre-opening trade showed only small market improvements. The markets declined on Friday because investors prepared for the Union Budget 2026–27. The Sensex dropped 400 points to 82,165 while the Nifty fell below 25,280 because investors showed apprehension about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s upcoming important speech on Sunday.
The metals and oil & gas sectors experienced losses while the pharma and FMCG sectors maintained their strength. Traders are monitoring important stocks and international market signals because they know Budget 2026 will introduce important policy changes, tax reforms, and infrastructure development programs that will decide India’s economic future.
Stock Market Today : Market Snapshot (1st February, 2026)
Pre-Opening Market
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Indian equity indices trading flat in pre-opening session.
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Sensex: Up 73.88 points (0.09%) at 82,343.66.
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Nifty: Up 76.85 points (0.30%) at 25,397.50.
Indian markets opened flat in pre-opening trade, with the Sensex rising 73.88 points to 82,343.66 and the Nifty gaining 76.85 points to 25,397.50, reflecting cautious investor sentiment ahead of key events.
Stock Market Opening Bell
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Sensex: 82,165.90, down 400.47 points (0.49%)
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Nifty 50: 25,276.35, down 142.55 points (0.56%)
Markets closed lower on Friday ahead of the Union Budget 2026, with Sensex down 400 points and Nifty slipping below 25,280 as investors stayed cautious amid pre-Budget uncertainty and global cues.
Stocks To Watch Today
- Defence and Infrastructure: HAL, BEL, and L&T
- Automobile and EV Shift: Bajaj Auto and Tata Motors
Stock Market Today: Global Cues
US Stocks Slip as Trump’s Fed Nominee Sparks Investor Concern Over Inflation and Earnings
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Wall Street’s main indexes closed lower on Friday.
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Investors reacted to President Trump’s nomination of former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh as a hawkish choice to succeed Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
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Earnings reports and a high inflation reading also weighed on investor sentiment.
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Dow Jones Industrial Average: Fell 179.09 points (0.36%) to 48,892.47.
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S&P 500: Dropped 29.98 points (0.43%) to 6,939.03.
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Nasdaq Composite: Declined 223.30 points (0.94%) to 23,461.82.
Stock Market On Friday
Bears took control of Dalal Street on Friday as investors prepared for the upcoming Union Budget scheduled for Sunday. The Nifty index dropped to 25,350 during daytime trading, reflecting cautious sentiment, while the Sensex decreased by 297 points, a 0.36% loss, closing at 82,269.78. The Nifty fell 98 points, a 0.39% decline, ending at 25,320.65.
The metals sector experienced a 5% decrease, while oil & gas, banks, IT, and energy sectors saw declines of 0.5% to 1%. Pharmaceutical, media, consumer durables, and FMCG sectors recorded increases of 0.7% to 1.8%. Hindalco, Tata Steel, Coal India, ONGC, and ICICI Bank lost value, whereas Tata Consumer, Apollo Hospitals, Nestle, M&M, and ITC saw stock price gains.
Despite Friday’s decline, the Sensex and Nifty both rose around 1% for the week, keeping investors vigilant about potential Budget-related market movements.
(With Input)