FX.co ★ Indian Stocks Hold at 2-Week High

The BSE Sensex rose by 149 points, or 0.2%, reaching 84,615 in Thursday morning trading. This marks a two-week high and represents the fourth consecutive session of gains. This positive trend was bolstered by the resolution of the US government shutdown and burgeoning optimism regarding US-India trade agreements. Moreover, a record low in domestic inflation for October further buoyed sentiment, increasing expectations of a potential interest rate cut at the Reserve Bank of India's upcoming meeting. However, gains were tempered as traders remained cautious ahead of Friday's election results in Bihar, a politically pivotal state in northern India, which could impact policy consistency. The broader index was largely supported by strength in metals, banking, and real estate stocks, while declines in technology and automotive shares curbed overall progress. In individual stocks, Tata Steel experienced a 2.1% increase after reporting a 27% rise in consolidated profit, while Asian Paints climbed 2.8% following a 43% increase in consolidated net profit. Conversely, Tata Motors saw a slight decline of 0.3% as investors awaited its earnings report.