Local stock markets may see a muted to weaker start today. The Gift Nifty April 2026 futures are down 0.07 points, indicating a slightly weak opening for the benchmark index today. The domestic equity market ended slightly lower in last session, with BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 modestly lower.The BSE Sensex has posted modest losses of 1.34% over the last one month, while the NSE Nifty has drifted lower 2.24% over the same period.

In Asia today, sentiment was mildly upbeat. China’s SSE Composite Index drifted lower 0.35% while Japan’s Nikkei 225 posted modest gains of 1.17%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged lower 0.28%.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,148 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 3,201 crore in the Indian equity market on 20 October 2026, provisional data showed.

Overnight on Wall Street, stocks inched up across the board. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up by 529.85 points, or 1.02%, and closed at 52516.88. The S&P 500 inched higher 0.26% to end at 7732.06, and the NASDAQ Composite eased 0.06% to 26436.33.

In last session, the S&P BSE Sensex posted modest losses of 876.37 points or 1.17% to 73852.90. The Nifty 50 index slipped 257.20 points or 1.11% to 22888.95. JSW Steel Ltd was top gainer in Nifty 50 yesterday, posting modest gains of 2.06% to Rs 1241.30. The stock has risen slightly around 1.43% in last one-week and stands lower 10.47% over last one-month.

In sectoral indices, only Nifty PSU Bank index inched higher yesterday, rising 2.46% on the day.