Stock markets trade higher tracking rally in global peers on US Fed rate cut hopes

Market Overview - Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced gains in early trade, driven by a global market rally and increasing expectations of a US Federal Reserve interest rate cut next week [1][3] - The BSE Sensex rose by 287.93 points to reach 81,836.66, while the NSE Nifty increased by 84.25 points to 25,089.75 [1] Company Performance - Infosys saw a 1.50% increase after announcing its largest-ever share buyback program valued at ₹18,000 crore [1] - Other gainers included Tata Motors, Maruti, Mahindra & Mahindra, Axis Bank, and Larsen & Toubro, while Hindustan Unilever, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, and Titan were among the laggards [2] Investment Sentiment - The global stock markets are showing resilience, bolstered by new records in the US market, with bullish sentiments driven by anticipated rate cuts from the Fed [3] - A significant rise in demand for consumer durables, particularly automobiles, is expected to dominate economic news post-September 22nd, providing positive sentiment to the market [3][4] Institutional Activity - Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold equities worth ₹3,472.37 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased stocks worth ₹4,045.54 crore [4] Oil Market - The global oil benchmark Brent crude decreased by 0.87% to $65.79 per barrel [4]