India stock benchmarks set to open higher, supported by robust earnings

India’s equity benchmarks are likely to open higher on Tuesday, supported by strong quarterly earnings from telecom operator Bharti Airtel and jeweller and watchmaker Titan.

However, with analysts expecting some consolidation after a strong October and investors awaiting progress on India-U.S. trade talks, gains in both the Nifty 50 and Sensex are likely to remain capped.

Gift Nifty futures were trading at 25,890 points as of 7:41 a.m. IST, indicating that Nifty 50 will open above Monday’s close of 25,763.35.

“The Nifty’s record peak of 26,277.35 points may remain just out of reach for now, as investors adopt a wait-and-watch approach amidst lack of clarity in the ongoing India-U.S. trade negotiations,” Mehta Equities said.

Stable quarterly earnings and foreign inflows have been supporting market sentiment since October. Earnings will continue to remain in focus, with as many as five Nifty 50 companies scheduled to announce their September-quarter numbers on the day.

These include reports from the State Bank of India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Adani Ports, Adani Enterprises and Indigo.

Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest mobile carrier by number of users, posted its sixth straight quarterly profit rise on Monday, as users upgraded to higher-margin 4G and 5G plans, and on steady subscriber additions.

Titan reported better-than-expected quarterly profit, as a steep rise in gold prices lifted the firm’s bottom line.