Pre-Market 31 July 2026: Sensex Gains 273 Points; GIFT Nifty Holds Above 24,400; What To Watch Today

Indian markets head into Friday's session after the Sensex and Nifty ended Thursday with modest gains, even as weakness in midcap and banking stocks capped the broader market.

The Sensex rose 273 points, or 0.35%, to finish at 77,928, while the Nifty 50 gained 67 points, or 0.28%, to close at 24,317.

What Happened On Dalal Street On Thursday?

Indian benchmark indices ended Thursday's session in positive territory, although gains were confined to the frontline indices. Broader markets remained under pressure, with both the midcap and banking indices closing lower.

The Nifty Midcap 100 index slipped 220 points, or 0.35%, to 62,642, while the Nifty Bank index ended 100 points, or 0.17%, lower at 57,105.90.

Global Market Cues

US stocks moved higher as Microsoft's strong outlook helped ease concerns over rising spending on artificial intelligence. Investors also assessed fresh US economic data released a day after the Federal Reserve's policy decision.

Data showed the US economy expanded at an annualised rate of 1.5% in the second quarter, below market estimates of 2.1%. A separate report showed US inflation slowed in June.

On 30 July, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up by 613.92 points, to close at 52,208.06. The S&P 500 jumped to 7,437.63, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced to 25,122.18.

European shares traded mixed on Thursday. The FTSE 100 finished at 10,897.27, down by 11.14 points, while the CAC 40 closed at 8,485.64, up 77.37 points.

In Asia, the Nikkei 225 ended at 61,867.43, and the Hang Seng Index finished at 25,858.88.

Opening Cue From GIFT Nifty

On 31 July at 7:13 am, GIFT Nifty was trading at 24,449, higher by 86 points. The numbers are above Thursday's Nifty close of 24,317, suggesting buyers could have the upper hand at the opening bell.

Chart Watch: Key Nifty Levels

The Nifty closed above the 24,300 mark on Thursday, keeping the focus on the next resistance zone.

• Analysts expect 24,400 to be the first hurdle. A move above that level could bring the 24,530-24,600 range into view.

• On the lower side, support is placed in the 24,200-24,100 zone. A break below it could bring 24,000 into focus.

What Will Traders Track On Friday?

Market participants are expected to keep an eye on overnight global cues after gains across Wall Street, Europe and Asia.

Corporate earnings, foreign institutional investor activity and movements in crude oil prices are also likely to remain in focus through the session.

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