In a rare occurrence, the Indian bourses NSE and BSE open for trading on a Sunday. On February 1, 2026, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to table the Union Budget 2026, India’s stock markets announced they would conduct a live trading session at standard market timings, i.e., from 9.15 am to 3.30 pm.
Indian stock markets ended a choppy trading week on a weak note ahead of tomorrow’s Union Budget, with the Sensex and Nifty closing lower on Friday amid profit‑booking in metals and caution over global uncertainties.
The BSE Sensex slipped 296.59 points or 0.36 per cent to settle at 82,269.78, while the NSE Nifty dropped 98.25 points or 0.39 per cent to end at 25,320.65 on January 30, 2026.
Metals slump ahead of Budget
The BSE metal index tanked 5.12 per cent to 38,845.17, led by Hindustan Zinc (down 12.12 per cent), Vedanta (down 10.89 per cent), National Aluminium (down 10.32 per cent) and Hindalco (down 6.12 per cent).
Market observers attributed the metal sell‑off to profit‑taking after a sharp rally in the preceding sessions, with market watchers noting it as the Nifty Metal’s biggest intraday drop in nine months. Analysts also stated that the sector saw “sharp profit‑booking after the recent surge”, pulling the broader market lower.
Muted trade amid Budget caution
For the trading week of January 27–30, the Sensex and Nifty posted marginal losses of around 0.3–0.4 per cent, reflecting investor caution before the Budget and mixed global cues.
The Economic Survey, tabled on Thursday, projected FY2026 real GDP growth at 7.4 per cent and FY27 at 6.8–7.2 per cent, but had little immediate impact on sentiment as traders focused on Budget expectations and corporate earnings.
On Wednesday, the Sensex had closed up 487.20 points or 0.60 per cent at 82,344.68, and Nifty gained 167.35 points or 0.66 per cent at 25,342.75, buoyed by optimism over the announcement of the India–EU trade deal negotiation conclusion.
Global headwinds
Global markets were uneasy after US President Donald Trump nominated former Federal Reserve official Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chair, seen as a hawkish pick who may favour higher rates, sending S&P 500 futures down 0.5 per cent and Nasdaq futures 0.6 per cent before the open.
The US dollar stabilised after an initial slide, while gold fell 3.9 per cent to $5,144/oz and silver dropped 13 per cent below $100/oz, adding pressure on metal stocks worldwide.
Broader markets saw Nifty Midcap 100 down 0.38 per cent and Nifty Smallcap 100 down 0.14 per cent on Friday, while banking and oil & gas held up relatively better.
January as a whole was rough, with Nifty down 2.5–3.1 per cent—its worst monthly showing since early 2025—amid year‑end jitters and FPI selling.
