Indian stock markets opened cautiously on Tuesday, supported by positive global trends. Traders are keenly awaiting the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy announcement scheduled for September 18, which is expected to influence domestic market sentiment. On the home front, investors are focusing on the release of Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation figures, August's manufacturing data, and the import-export numbers. Early trading saw Sensex and Nifty showing minimal movement. Investor sentiment remained subdued due to foreign fund withdrawals and increasing crude oil prices. According to data from NSE, Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) sold Indian equities worth Rs 1,634.98 crore. Oil prices continued to rise as the disruption caused by Hurricane Francine in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico impacted production, offsetting concerns about lower demand from China. Meanwhile, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das hinted that future interest rate decisions would depend on inflation trends.

Globally, most Asian markets traded higher ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting, where a half-point rate cut is expected. Both the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan are also set to discuss their monetary policies this week, with rates likely to remain unchanged. Markets in China and South Korea were closed due to local holidays. Back in India, Reliance Infrastructure shares rose on reports that the company is exploring options to raise long-term capital.

The BSE Sensex was trading at 82,986.12, down by 2.66 points, with 15 stocks advancing and 15 declining. The broader markets showed mixed results, with the BSE Mid Cap index rising 0.04% while the Small Cap index fell by 0.08%. Among sectoral indices, FMCG led the gains, followed by Bankex, Oil & Gas, Healthcare, and Energy, while Realty, Auto, Consumer Discretionary, Metal, and Industrials were the biggest losers.

On the Sensex, the top gainers included Hindustan Unilever, ICICI Bank, NTPC, Nestle, and Kotak Mahindra Bank. The biggest losers were Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Steel, Adani Ports, and TCS.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das reiterated that decisions on interest rates will be guided by long-term inflation trends rather than monthly figures. The next Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting is scheduled for October, where the RBI will review interest rates, which currently stand at 6.5%. Das stressed that inflation outlook for the coming months would be closely monitored before making any rate decisions.

Meanwhile, the CNX Nifty was trading at 25,392.15, up by 8.40 points, with 28 stocks advancing and 22 declining. Among Nifty's top gainers were Britannia Industries, Apollo Hospital, LTIMindtree, Divi's Lab, and Shriram Finance. Tata Motors, Eicher Motors, HDFC Life Insurance, Adani Ports, and Maruti Suzuki were among the top losers.

In the broader Asian market, the Hang Seng index rose 1.42%, the Straits Times added 0.56%, and the Jakarta Composite gained 0.12%. However, Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined by 1.68%.