Indian equity benchmarks Nifty 50 and Sensex ended the special Muhurat trading session on a positive note, marking a quiet yet optimistic start to Samvat 2082. The Nifty 50 closed at 25,868.60, up 25.45 points or 0.10%, while the Sensex settled at 84,426.34, gaining 62.97 points or 0.07%. This session saw the Nifty reach its highest level since September 2024, peaking at 25,934.35 during intraday trading.

Despite the overall positive close, profit-booking was evident, making this the least impressive Muhurat trading session in eight years. Broader market indices outperformed the benchmarks, with the BSE Midcap index rising by 0.92% and the BSE Smallcap index gaining 0.91%. The market breadth was in favour of buyers, with 3,023 stocks advancing against 954 that declined.

Among the top gainers in the Nifty 50 were Cipla, Bajaj Finserv, and Infosys, while Kotak Mahindra Bank and ICICI Bank faced selling pressure. Sector-wise, all indices except BSE Realty and BSE Bankex ended in the green, with Telecom and Industrial sectors leading the gains.

Investor wealth reached a new one-year high of Rs 470.1 lakh crore, with a gain of Rs 115,248 crore during the Muhurat session. Market experts expressed optimism for the upcoming year, with expectations of double-digit earnings growth driven by government stimulus measures. Nilesh Shah, MD of Kotak Mutual Fund, stated, "Next Samvat year earnings will recover to double digit on back of stimulus measures taken by the government."

Looking ahead, analysts predict a gradual recovery in the markets, with expectations of a stronger performance in Samvat 2082 compared to the previous year, which was marked by volatility and modest returns. Ajay Bagga, a market expert, projected that the Nifty could reach 30,000 and the Sensex around 95,000 by next Diwali, driven by domestic fundamentals and improved corporate performance.

Overall, the Muhurat trading session reflected a cautious yet hopeful sentiment among investors as they look forward to the new financial year.