Mumbai, April 1, 2026 — Indian equities opened sharply higher on Wednesday, April 1, amid positive global markets and signs of a potential de-escalation in the US-Iran conflict. Investor sentiment was buoyed by a rally in consumer, auto, and banking sectors.
At 9:20 AM, the S&P BSE Sensex surged 1,831.66 points, or 2.55%, to 73,779.21. The NSE Nifty50 gained 568.5 points, or 2.55%, reaching 22,899.90. Broader indices also saw robust gains, with the Nifty Midcap 100 up 3.19% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 rising 3.57%.
All sectoral indices traded in the green, led by Nifty Consumer Durables which jumped 3.32%, followed by Nifty Media (3.33%), Nifty PSU Bank (3.19%), Nifty Auto (3.13%), and Nifty IT (2.84%).
US President Donald Trump indicated optimism, stating on Tuesday that he expects the US-Iran conflict to conclude within two to three weeks, suggesting that the US has achieved most of its military objectives. Meanwhile, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly expressed Iran’s willingness to end hostilities with Israel and the US, seeking assurances that conflict would not recur.
On the exchange front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹11,163.06 crore on Monday, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought stocks worth ₹14,894.72 crore, resulting in a net positive inflow.
Global markets responded positively, with Asian stocks trading higher: Japan’s Nikkei rose 4.34%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 2.62%, China’s Shanghai Composite increased 1.36%, and South Korea’s KOSPI jumped 7.12%. On Wall Street, major indices closed with significant gains, with the S&P 500 up 2.91%, Nasdaq rising 3.83%, and Dow Jones gaining 2.49%.
Market statistics showed strong participation: 2,863 stocks traded on NSE, with 2,711 advancing, 106 declining, and 46 unchanged — indicating bullish breadth. Fifteen stocks hit one-year highs, while 50 touched 52-week lows. Additionally, 135 stocks hit their upper circuits, and 27 stocks traded at lower circuits.
India VIX, the volatility index, declined 10.04% to 25.09 levels, reflecting reduced market uncertainty.
Top Gainers:
- Trent (+7.08%)
- Bharat Electronics (+6.05%)
- Shriram Finance (+5.25%)
- Bajaj Finance (+4.87%)
- Adani Ports (+4.73%)
The market momentum suggests investor optimism driven by geopolitical easing and global positive cues.
