Local stock markets are likely to start on a cautious note today. The Gift Nifty April 2026 futures are up 0.06 points, indicating a slightly firm opening for the benchmark index today. The domestic equity market finished marginally lower in last session, with BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 marginally lower.The BSE Sensex has posted modest gains of 0.45% over the last one month, while the NSE Nifty has risen slightly 0.93% over the same period. In Asia today, sentiment was steady. China’s SSE Composite Index edged up 0.47% while Japan’s Nikkei 225 moved higher 1.61%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index inched higher 0.03%. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,002 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers to the tune of Rs 5,841 crore in the Indian equity market on 12 August 2026, provisional data showed. Overnight on Wall Street, stocks posted modest gains across the board. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was slightly lower by 21.58 points, or 0.04%, and closed at 53791.27. The S&P 500 ticked up 0.26% to end at 7769.71, and the NASDAQ Composite posted modest gains of 0.55% to 26611.59. Yesterday, the S&P BSE Sensex ended slightly lower by 187.90 points or 0.24% to 77966.35. The Nifty 50 index slipped 35.75 points or 0.15% to 24435.95. Hindalco Industries Ltd was top gainer in Nifty 50 yesterday, edging up 2.80% to Rs 1078.50. The stock has moved higher around 1.43% in last one-week and stands lower 10.47% over last one-month. In sectoral indices, only Nifty PSU Bank index moved higher yesterday, gaining 2.05% on the day.