Sensex Muted in Early Deals

The BSE Sensex was nearly flat, hovering at 81,882 in morning trade on Monday, following gains in the previous five sessions. Strength in auto, realty, and banking sectors helped offset declines in healthcare, tech, and pharmaceuticals. Traders remained cautious ahead of the Fed’s monetary policy decision later this week, as well as possible trade talks between US President Trump and Indian PM Modi. Markets also await the release of domestic trade and employment data for August, expected later today. Meanwhile, data released last week showed domestic inflation accelerated to 2.07% in August, remaining within the RBI’s tolerance band, which raised hopes for potential rate cuts by the central bank. Investors also digested weaker-than-expected Chinese economic data, with retail sales and industrial production all rising less than anticipated. Bajaj Finance rose 1.4%, Adani Ports gained 0.5%, while Infosys and Sun Pharmaceuticals fell by 1.2% and 0.8%, respectively