STOCK MARKETS TODAY: The Indian stock market opened on a positive note on Friday as investors looked ahead to the Economic Survey and the Union Budget 2025-26. Optimism was evident despite some selling pressure from foreign investors.

By 10:42 a.m., the Sensex had climbed 434 points (0.57 percent) to reach 77,194, while the Nifty gained 157 points (0.68 percent) to trade at 23,407. This marked the third consecutive session of gains for both indices.

Among the top performers on the Nifty 50 were Larsen & Toubro, Infosys, Titan, Tata Consumer Products, and Maruti Suzuki India. On the other hand, stocks like Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, NTPC, and Coal India saw declines.

On the NSE, six sectors were in the green while six were in the red. The IT sector saw the biggest gains, while the metal sector experienced the sharpest drop. Meanwhile, the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices edged up by 0.31 percent and 0.30 percent, respectively.

With the Union Budget around the corner, market experts anticipate increased volatility. Key sectors such as railways, infrastructure, fertilizers, textiles, and electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to be in focus.

Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) remained net sellers on January 30, offloading equities worth Rs.4,582.95 crore. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth Rs.2,165.89 crore.

The Economic Survey, led by Chief Economic Advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran, will offer crucial insights into the nation’s economy ahead of the Union Budget, which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present on February 1.

BUDGET SESSION: President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint session of Parliament today, January 31, marking the start of the Budget Session. Her speech is scheduled for 11 am. Following this, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey 2024-25 in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

After the address, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey in the Lok Sabha at noon. The survey will then be tabled in the Rajya Sabha at 2 pm. This report, prepared by the Department of Economic Affairs, provides a detailed analysis of India's economy in the 2024-25 fiscal year, along with projections for the upcoming year.