Diwali Muhurat session: Experts see brighter Samvat 2082 ahead; domestic shares lead gains

Indian stock markets ended marginally higher in the special Muhurat Trading session on Sunday, marking the beginning of Samvat 2082 on a positive note. The Nifty closed at 25,868.60, up 25.45 points or 0.10 per cent, while the Sensex settled at 84,426.34, gaining 62.97 points or 0.07 per cent.As per news agency ANI, broader markets outperformed, with the BSE Midcap index rising 0.3 per cent and the Smallcap index advancing 1 per cent. Among Nifty stocks, Cipla, Bajaj Finserv, Axis Bank, Infosys, and Mahindra & Mahindra were the top gainers, while Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Max Healthcare, and Asian Paints ended in the red. Barring Nifty PSU Banks and Realty, all sectoral indices finished in positive territory, led by Media, Metal, and Pharma.The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) were open for the symbolic one-hour session from 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm, in keeping with the long-standing Diwali tradition believed to bring prosperity to investors. The Sensex had earlier opened higher at 84,549.44 points, and the Nifty at 25,896.55, supported by buying in IT and bank shares amid firm global cues.Experts cited by ANI said that the market outlook for the new Samvat year appears brighter following a turbulent 12 months marked by volatility, high valuations, and foreign investor outflows of nearly $15 billion.

Market expert Ajay Bagga said, “The new Samvat year is poised for a stronger, more stable performance than the last, with a gradual but sustained upside, driven primarily by domestic fundamentals. We project Nifty at 30,000 by the next Diwali. The BSE Sensex is expected to target levels around 95,000.”Analysts noted that the past year’s muted returns were influenced by global geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainties, though domestic indicators—such as inflation below 3 per cent, a contained fiscal deficit, and steady GDP growth of 7 per cent—remained strong. As per ANI, reforms under the GST 2.0 framework were viewed as a key positive, likely to lift corporate earnings from the second half of FY26.ICICI Direct’s market note, cited by ANI, projected a 12 per cent CAGR in corporate earnings over FY25–27 and set a one-year forward Nifty target of 27,000, supported by robust consumer demand, policy reforms, and enhanced purchasing power through tax and GST reliefs.With the festive season and easing macroeconomic headwinds, experts said Samvat 2082 could mark a phase of sustained, domestically driven growth in the equity markets.