Indian equity markets are likely to open higher on Monday, January 5, tracking firm Asian cues and early gains in Gift Nifty, even as geopolitical tensions rise following a US military operation in Venezuela.
In the previous session, benchmark indices ended in the green. The Sensex climbed 573 points, or 0.67%, to close at 85,762.01, while the Nifty 50 gained 182 points, or 0.70%, to settle at a record closing high of 26,328.55 after touching an all-time intraday peak of 26,340.
Early indicators pointed to continued momentum. Gift Nifty was trading at 26,542, up 76 points or 0.29% from the previous close of Nifty futures, suggesting a positive start for domestic equities.
Asian markets began the first full trading week of 2026 on a strong footing. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 2.26%, the Topix rose 1.42% to a record high, while South Korea’s Kospi gained 2.19% to close at an all-time peak. The gains came despite news that the United States had launched an attack on Venezuela and detained President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend.
US markets ended mixed on Friday, the first trading session of the year. The S&P 500 edged up 0.19% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.66%, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped marginally.
Oil prices moved slightly higher as investors assessed whether political turmoil in OPEC member Venezuela could disrupt supply. Brent crude rose to $60.92 a barrel, while US WTI crude traded at $57.43 a barrel. OPEC+ has decided to maintain current production levels.
Gold prices surged more than 1% in early trade, with spot gold last seen at $4,400 an ounce, extending gains after its strongest annual rise in 46 years. The US dollar strengthened against major currencies, hitting multi-week highs versus the euro and the yen, as markets focused on upcoming US economic data.
