Sensex rallies 638 pts, Nifty settles above 26,000

Market Performance - Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty surged nearly 1 per cent on Monday, driven by positive investor sentiment amid foreign fund inflows and a rally in global markets due to expectations of further monetary policy easing by the US Federal Reserve [1] - The 30-share BSE Sensex increased by 638.12 points or 0.75 per cent, closing at 85,567.48, while the 50-share NSE Nifty rose by 206 points or 0.79 per cent, closing above 26,000 at 26,172.40 [2] Sector Performance - Among the 30-Sensex firms, notable gainers included Trent, Infosys, Bharti Airtel, Tech Mahindra, Bharat Electronics, and Maruti, while laggards included State Bank of India, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Larsen & Toubro, and Titan [3] Foreign Investment - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) turned net buyers, purchasing equities worth Rs 1,830.89 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) bought equities worth Rs 5,722.89 crore in the previous trade, reinforcing a positive market tone [7] - A stabilizing USD-INR exchange rate and data showing foreign portfolio investors as net buyers of domestic equities triggered broad-based buying and short covering across derivative segments [8] Global Market Influence - Global risk appetite remained firm, supported by expectations of further monetary policy easing by the US Federal Reserve, which helped sustain risk-on momentum across global markets [9] - Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, increased by 0.86 per cent to $60.99 per barrel, reflecting broader market trends [9]