Market Overview - The BSE Sensex rose over 400 points, trading above 85,600, while the NSE Nifty50 added 100 points, trading above 26,250, nearing its previous all-time high of 26,325 [12] - Broader market sentiment was mildly positive, with small-cap stocks up 0.2% and mid-cap shares advancing 0.4% [3][12] Auto Industry - The auto sector index rose 0.8%, driven by gains of about 2% in Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor, following a 25.8% year-on-year increase in passenger vehicle sales in December [4][12] - Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, emphasized the importance of sustaining growth momentum in the economy for earnings growth [4] Consumer Goods - ITC shares slid 5%, extending a selloff after a 10% drop in the previous session due to brokerage downgrades and pressure from the government's cigarette tax increase, impacting the fast-moving consumer goods index, which fell 1.4% [12] Institutional Investment - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold equities worth nearly Rs 3,269 crore on January 1, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) were net buyers of Rs 1,526 crore [5][12] Global Market Trends - Stocks opened 2026 on a firmer footing, with MSCI's Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan rising 0.66% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbing 1.24% [8] - Precious metals continued their strong performance, with spot gold rising 0.9% to $4,351.70 an ounce and silver jumping 2% to $72.63 [7][8] Oil Market - Oil prices inched higher, with Brent crude futures rising 14 cents to $60.99 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gaining 14 cents to $57.56 a barrel, following geopolitical risks resurfacing [9][12] Currency Movements - The Indian rupee edged up 6 paise to 89.92 against the U.S. dollar, reflecting a cautious investor stance at the start of the New Year [10][12]