Stock Market Opening Bell: Markets open firm amid earnings rush; Axis Bank jumps, HDFC Life slip

Stock Market Opening Bell: Indian equity markets opened on a positive note on Thursday, supported by stock-specific action during the ongoing September-quarter earnings season.

The BSE Sensex climbed 284 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 82,890 in early trade, while the NSE Nifty50 gained 83 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 25,406. Broader markets were mixed, with the Nifty MidCap index up 0.11 per cent and the Nifty SmallCap index rising 0.33 per cent.

Among key movers, Axis Bank shares jumped 3 per cent after the lender reported its Q2FY26 results. Despite a 26.4 per cent year-on-year drop in net profit to Rs 5,089.6 crore, its net interest income (NII) grew 1.9 per cent to Rs 13,744.6 crore, reflecting stable core performance.

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In contrast, HDFC Life stock slipped 4 per cent as the insurer’s net profit rose a modest 3 per cent year-on-year to Rs 448.3 crore, supported by a 13.6 per cent increase in net premium income to Rs 18,871.2 crore.