Stock Market Today – Budget 2026 Sensex, Nifty swing ahead of Union Budget; Metal stocks tumble 4.16%

Stock Market on Budget Day 2026: Market volatility picked up pace as India VIX surged over 4.5% in early trade. Market experts anticipate continued fluctuations in equities, largely driven by sustained selling pressure from Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs). Indian benchmark indices are trading largely unchanged during the special Sunday session on February 1, 2026, ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget 2026. The volatility gauge, India VIX, climbed more than 4.5% in early dealings, signalling heightened uncertainty. Analysts believe markets may remain choppy due to ongoing FII outflows. At the opening bell, the 30-share BSE Sensex slipped 119.19 points to start at 82,388.97, while the Nifty 50 edged up 13.1 points to open at 25,333.75. In the previous trading session, the Sensex had settled at 82,269.78, and the Nifty closed at 25,320.65. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget, marking a historic first as the Budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year (April 2026 to March 2027) is being tabled on a Sunday—an unprecedented event in independent India’s history. The Union Budget 2026 is expected to outline initiatives aimed at sustaining economic growth, preserving fiscal prudence, and introducing reforms to shield the economy from global trade challenges, including potential tariff pressures from the US. Against this backdrop, experts caution that markets are likely to witness heightened volatility throughout today’s special trading session. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.