Indian stock markets opened strong on Monday, hitting new record levels, driven by gains in Asian markets and a steady inflow of foreign funds. Investors' confidence was buoyed as foreign investors poured approximately Rs 33,700 crore into Indian equities this month, largely due to a U.S. interest rate cut and the resilience of the Indian economy. A report by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) further lifted sentiment, showing that net foreign direct investment (FDI) increased to $5.5 billion between April and July of FY25, compared to $3.8 billion during the same period last year. Additionally, India’s forex reserves reached a new all-time high of $689.458 billion, up by $223 million as of September 13.

Globally, most Asian markets were trading higher ahead of key U.S. economic data releases, including GDP figures, inflation, and consumer confidence surveys. Japanese markets were closed due to the Autumnal Equinox holiday.

In India, auto stocks attracted attention after a report by ratings agency ICRA projected a tight competition between hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), with both expected to capture an 8% market share in the passenger vehicle segment by 2027-28. Currently, hybrids and EVs each hold 2% of the market. HFCL stocks saw a boost after securing a deal with General Atomics for supplying UAV subsystems.

The BSE Sensex was trading at 84,799.92, up by 255.61 points (0.30%), while the BSE Mid-cap index and Small-cap index rose by 0.20% and 0.60% respectively. Leading sectors included Telecom (up 2.54%), Oil & Gas (up 1.05%), and Energy (up 0.90%), while IT was the only sector in the red, down 0.09%.

Top gainers on the Sensex were Bharti Airtel (up 1.69%), SBI (up 1.52%), and Mahindra & Mahindra (up 1.35%). On the flip side, ICICI Bank, HCL Technologies, and Infosys were among the top losers.

In a separate development, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to ensure the full utilization of the Rs 28,628 crore capital expenditure (Capex) allocated for FY25. The minister emphasized the importance of timely execution of key urban infrastructure projects, including housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and urban transport initiatives like metro rail and rapid transit systems.

Meanwhile, the CNX Nifty was trading at 25,896.10, up by 105.15 points (0.41%). Divi’s Lab, Bajaj Auto, and Adani Enterprises were the top gainers, while ICICI Bank and Eicher Motors led the list of decliners.

In Asian markets, indices such as the Hang Seng, Taiwan Weighted, and Shanghai Composite showed positive movements, while Jakarta Composite was the only index trading in the red.