Indian Stock Market Edges Higher Amid Diplomatic Hopes

The Indian stock market remained steady on Thursday, with the benchmark BSE Sensex climbing 0.35% to reach 78,854.28.

This gain came as investors weighed optimism over a potential diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East against caution ahead of the weekly F&O expiry.

Despite geopolitical risks remaining elevated, lower oil prices proved to be a significant tailwind for the Indian economy, which imports approximately 85% of its crude oil requirements.

The Reserve Bank of India's policy decision on Wednesday, keeping the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.25%, also contributed to the positive sentiment in Thursday's session.