Indices add more points in late morning deals

Domestic equity indices added more points in late morning deals on account of buying by funds and retail investors. Buying in Tata Steel, HCL Technologies, Larsen & Toubro, Eternal and Reliance Industries companies’ stocks helped the markets to trade above their crucial 82,000 (Sensex) and 25,100 (Nifty) levels. Traders were getting encouragement as Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said no power on earth can stop India from becoming a developed nation by 2047, with the government taking a series of initiatives to promote the domestic economy, build infrastructure and expand international trade. On the BSE sectoral front, traders were seen piling up positions in Metal, Basic Materials, Healthcare, Energy and Oil & Gas, while selling was witnessed in Consumer Durables, Auto and FMCG. 

On the global front Asian markets were trading mostly in green after Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a U.S.-brokered peace plan to pause fighting in Gaza and release hostages. Back home, in the stock specific development, Lupin jumped after it unveiled plans to establish a new $250 million manufacturing facility in Coral Springs, Florida.

The BSE Sensex is currently trading at 82051.47, up by 277.81 points or 0.34% after trading in a range of 81667.68 and 82085.88. There were 24 stocks advancing against 6 stocks declining on the index.

The broader indices were trading mixed; the BSE Mid cap index was up by 0.43%, while Small cap index down by 0.10%.

The top gaining sectoral indices on the BSE were Metal up by 2.12%, Basic Materials up by 1.04%, Healthcare up by 0.79%, Energy up by 0.63% and Oil & Gas up by 0.58%, while Consumer Durables down by 0.05%, Auto down by 0.04% and FMCG down by 0.01% were the top losing indices on BSE.

The top gainers on the Sensex were Tata Steel up by 2.97%, HCL Technologies up by 1.87%, Larsen & Toubro up by 1.35%, Eternal up by 1.16% and Reliance Industries up by 0.78%. On the flip side, Tata Motors down by 1.45%, Axis Bank down by 0.77%, Titan down by 0.67%, Maruti Suzuki down by 0.34% and HDFC Bank down by 0.18% were the top losers. 

Meanwhile, with an aim to make Artificial Intelligence (AI) accessible, affordable, and impactful for every worker, NITI Aayog has called for 'Mission Digital ShramSetu', a proposed national mission to create the roadmap and ecosystem. It highlighted that the mission will harness AI, blockchain, immersive learning, and other frontier technologies to dismantle structural constraints - ranging from financial insecurity and limited market access to lack of skilling and social protection. Further, the mission will empower informal workers with tools and platforms that will amplify their skills, increase productivity, and ensure dignity in work.

Moreover, it suggested that AI can serve as a true equaliser - lifting the millions at the margins into the mainstream of India's growth story and turning the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 into reality. This can be achieved only through coordinated and collaboration across government, industry, academia, and civil society. It noted that most discussions and reports on AI focus on white-collar professionals and predict an almost certain loss of jobs in the segment in the absence of urgent interventions. It emphasized the need to pay attention toward how AI can serve India's 490 million informal workers, the very people who form the backbone of the economy. 

NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said ‘If we are serious about transforming the lives of India's 490 million informal workers, collaboration is not optional - it is non-negotiable.’  He noted that this goal demands cross-functional actions from focused R&D that reduce the cost of frontier technologies, to building a sustainable ecosystem of innovation tailored to the informal sector, to skilling and reskilling at scale. Niti Aayog also highlighted five core challenges, namely financial insecurity, limited market access, lack of skilling, inadequate social protection and low productivity, continue to hold back India's informal segment from realising its full potential. Further, these challenges are rooted in four deeper systemic barriers: lack of trust, poor access and usability of services, low awareness and skills and outdated tools and processes.

The CNX Nifty is currently trading at 25147.55, up by 101.40 points or 0.40% after trading in a range of 25024.30 and 25157.70. There were 41 stocks advancing against 9 stocks declining on the index.

The top gainers on Nifty were Tata Steel up by 2.99%, Dr. Reddy's Lab up by 2.20%, JSW Steel up by 2.11%, HCL T Technologies up by 1.82% and Interglobe Aviation up by 1.40%. On the flip side, Tata Motors down by 1.52%, Axis Bank down by 0.80%, Titan down by 0.63%, Maruti Suzuki down by 0.32% and HDFC Bank down by 0.16% were the top losers. 

Asian markets were trading mostly in green; Nikkei 225 surged 758.01 points or 1.59% to 48,493.00, Taiwan Weighted added 240.52 points or 0.88% to 27,304.20, Jakarta Composite gained 33.93 points or 0.41% to 8,199.96, Shanghai Composite strengthened 47.21 points or 1.22% to 3,929.99, Hang Seng advanced 52.54 points or 0.2% to 26,882.00. However, Straits Times fell 6.91 points or 0.16% to 4,449.39.