Sensex, Nifty Today 30 Oct: Flat as Brent Tops $116, Trent Jumps 7%
Indian equity benchmarks opened flat on Friday, 30 October 2026, as buying in IT stocks and earnings-led gains in Trent offset pressure from surging crude oil prices and weak global cues. The BSE Sensex opened at 74,199.69, up 48.65 points or 0.07% from Thursday's close of 74,151.04, while the NSE Nifty 50 opened at 22,964.50, up 27.75 points or 0.12% from 22,936.75. By late morning, both indices were still near the flat line, with the Sensex around 74,157 and the Nifty around 22,921.
The cautious start followed a strong previous session, when the Sensex had rallied 905.01 points (1.24%) and the Nifty gained 237.90 points (1.05%) on strong corporate earnings and the US Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged. On Friday, that momentum ran into two headwinds: a sell-off in global technology stocks and Brent crude pushing above $116 a barrel.
Sensex, Nifty today: market snapshot
| Indicator | Previous close (29 Oct) | Open (30 Oct) | Early trade |
|---|---|---|---|
| BSE Sensex | 74,151.04 | 74,199.69 (+0.07%) | ~74,157 (flat) by ~10:23 AM |
| NSE Nifty 50 | 22,936.75 | 22,964.50 (+0.12%) | ~22,921 (-0.07%) by ~10:23 AM |
| Nifty intraday range | — | — | High 22,977; low 22,924 |
| Brent crude | — | — | ~$116 a barrel (+~1%) |
| WTI crude | — | — | ~$103 a barrel (+~1.2%) |
| India VIX | — | — | 15.66 (+3.55%) |
Figures are intraday levels reported during the morning session and will change through the day. Final closing levels will differ.
Why the market opened flat: crude, global tech sell-off, FII selling
1. Brent crude above $116 on Middle East supply fears
Brent crude futures rose about 1% to around $116 a barrel on Friday, with US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) up about 1.2% to around $103. Both benchmarks are heading for a fourth consecutive monthly gain — Brent is on course for a nearly 14% rise in October and WTI for around 15%, which would take it above $100 for the first time since April.
The latest leg up followed claims by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group that it had attacked Saudi energy installations, including the Ras Tanura and Rabigh refineries and an Aramco facility in Abqaiq. A Saudi-led coalition separately said it had intercepted a cruise missile heading towards the kingdom's western region. Reports of possible US military action involving Iran and continued tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have added to supply anxiety. For India, which imports roughly 88% of its crude oil, dearer crude raises the import bill and pressures the rupee and the current account deficit.
2. Weak global cues after Alphabet's earnings miss
Asian markets fell sharply, tracking an overnight sell-off in US stocks after Google-parent Alphabet missed expectations, with net income down 25% and negative free cash flow of $9 billion in the September quarter. The Nasdaq dropped 1.4%, the S&P 500 fell 0.3% and the Dow slipped 0.25%. Japan's Nikkei fell 2.9%, South Korea's Kospi dropped 5.4% and Taiwan's benchmark plunged 3.11%.
3. FIIs sold, DIIs bought on Thursday
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth ₹943.60 crore on Thursday, snapping a two-session buying streak, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth ₹1,924 crore, cushioning the market. The rupee closed around 95.25–95.26 per US dollar on Thursday, with surging oil threatening to offset support from lower US yields and a softer dollar.
Top gainers and losers in early trade
| Stock / index | Early move | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Trent | Up ~6.9% to ₹3,060 intraday | Top Nifty gainer; Q2 FY27 net profit surged 23% YoY to ₹464 crore (from ₹377 crore), revenue from core operations up 20% to ₹5,259 crore |
| Nifty IT | Up ~1.6% | Infosys +1.91%, Tech Mahindra +1.88%, TCS +0.81%, HCLTech +0.94% |
| InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) | Up ~3% to ₹4,824 | Q2 loss narrowed to ₹1,879 crore (from ₹2,582 crore YoY); revenue up 25.9% to ₹23,364 crore |
| Coal India | Down ~2.5% to ₹383 | Top Nifty loser despite Q2 consolidated net profit rising 53% to ₹6,516 crore; revenue up 21% to ₹44,179 crore |
| Nifty Midcap 100 / Smallcap 100 | Down ~0.6% / ~1.0% | Broad-based selling; market breadth negative (2,095 declining vs 933 advancing on NSE) |
| Other losers | Lower | SBI, Reliance Industries, Bharat Electronics, Larsen & Toubro and Titan among the drags |
Sectorally, 12 of 15 major NSE sector gauges traded lower, led by Nifty Consumer Durables (down 1.6%), while pharma, IT and healthcare saw buying interest. Nifty FMCG, Auto, Media, Metal, PSU Bank, Private Bank and Oil & Gas fell between 0.2% and 0.6%.
What to watch today
- Reliance Industries and Jio Platforms Q2 results — due after market hours; investors will track performance across RIL's key businesses and Jio's subscriber and ARPU trends.
- Sun Pharma, Bharat Electronics, GAIL, Bank of Baroda, PB Fintech, Delhivery, Dixon Technologies, Indian Oil and Varun Beverages — also scheduled to report Q2 results today.
- Crude and the rupee — any further escalation in the Middle East or movement in Brent towards $118 would keep pressure on oil marketing companies, airlines and paint makers, and on the rupee.
- US cues — markets will watch US tech earnings fallout and reports of possible US action involving Iran after the US mid-term elections due on 3 November, a factor market experts flagged as keeping the crude headwind strong.
What this means for investors
Friday's flat open is a pause, not a trend change: the market is digesting a 1%+ rally on Thursday, a crude shock and a global tech sell-off at the same time. IT stocks are cushioning the fall, Trent's earnings show consumer discretionary demand holding up, and domestic institutional buying continues to offset foreign selling. Near-term levels to watch, as per morning market commentary, are Nifty support at 22,850–22,800 and resistance at 23,000–23,100. Investors should expect volatility until the heavyweight Q2 results land after market hours and crude finds a direction.
FAQs
Why did Sensex and Nifty open flat on 30 October 2026?
Gains in IT stocks and Trent's strong Q2 results were offset by Brent crude rising above $116 a barrel and a global technology sell-off after Alphabet's earnings miss.
Why is crude oil rising?
Houthi claims of attacks on Saudi energy installations, tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and reports of possible US military planning involving Iran have raised fears of supply disruptions. Brent is up nearly 14% in October.
Which stocks moved the most in early trade on 30 October?
Trent jumped about 7% after its Q2 profit surged 23% to ₹464 crore, IndiGo rose about 3% as its loss narrowed, and Coal India fell about 2.5% despite a 53% profit jump.
Which big results are due today?
Reliance Industries, Jio Platforms, Sun Pharma, Bharat Electronics, GAIL, Bank of Baroda, PB Fintech, Delhivery, Dixon Technologies, Indian Oil and Varun Beverages are scheduled to report Q2 FY27 results on 30 October.
What are the key Nifty levels to watch?
Morning commentary pegged immediate Nifty resistance at 23,000–23,100 and support at 22,850–22,800.
Conclusion
Sensex and Nifty started Friday flat because two forces are pulling in opposite directions: strong domestic earnings and DII buying on one side, and a crude spike plus weak global cues on the other. With Reliance, Jio Platforms and Sun Pharma reporting after market hours, today's close — and Monday's open — will depend heavily on those results and on whether Brent holds above $116. For now, the market is in wait-and-watch mode.
Related reading: Sensex, Nifty Today 28 Oct: IT Sell-Off Sinks Markets, Adani Ports Q2 Profit Jumps 18%, Hero MotoCorp Misses, RBI Cracks Down on Forex Derivatives, Rupee Rebounds, Rupee Falls to Record Low After RBI Hike: Why & What's Next.