GIFT Nifty signals muted start for Dalal Street amid cautious trade

Negative opening seen for Indian stocks

Indian markets are set for a gap-down open of ~70 Nifty points on Tuesday, squeezed by monthly F&O expiry volatility (NSE today, BSE Wednesday) and a holiday-shortened week, with Gift Nifty signaling 24,050 at open. The IT sector's near-40% de-rating to 17.0x forward P/E — versus a FY25 average of 27.4x — reflects sustained AI-led uncertainty and positions it as the most compressed large-cap play, with Pharma the sole sector trading above its FY26 average at 31.5x.