Derivatives positions indicate 4% swing in mkts today

Retail investors, high net worth individuals (HNIs) and proprietary traders have created derivatives positions that indicate that the stock markets could move within a 4% range today, when finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the 2025-26 budget.

- Ram Sahgal

The positions were created on a day the markets rose for the fourth straight session. On Friday, the Nifty 50 settled 1.11% higher at 23,508.4 points while the Sensex ended 0.97% higher at 77,500.57.

Broader markets like the Nifty Midcap 150 and the Nifty Smallcap 250 also outperformed, rising 1.7% each amid optimism that Sitharaman would announce some form of stimulus or tax breaks for low and middle-income taxpayers who are singed by poor wage growth and high inflation.