Stock Market Today: Gift Nifty Hints at Positive Start; Top 8 Stocks to Buy for Day Trading on July 3

Indian markets look set for a positive start on July 3, 2026. Gift Nifty trades at 24,355, up 92.5 points or 0.80% in early trade. This places Nifty futures near 24,270, above Nifty 50’s previous close of 24,257.50. Market cues indicate the domestic market is likely to open with a gap up.  Day traders are watching banking, IT, FMCG, and energy stocks for early momentum. Today’s top 8 stocks for day trading span sectors, including Reliance Industries, TCS, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank. Here’s a full breakdown of prices, volumes, and sector trends shaping today’s session.

Gift Nifty Signals a Gap-Up Open

Gift Nifty stood at 24,355.00, up 193 points or 0.80%, as of 2:30 AM IST on July 3. The index touched an intraday high of 24,377.50 and a low of 23,835.00. Nifty futures traded near 24,270.1, implying a gap of roughly 13 points over Nifty 50’s previous close. Gift Nifty trades nearly 21 hours a day across two sessions on NSE International Exchange in GIFT City. This extended window lets the index absorb overnight global cues before Indian markets open at 9:15 AM IST. A sustained premium over the Nifty 50 generally points toward a firm opening bell today.

Top 8 Stocks to Buy for Day Trading Today

These eight stocks showed the strongest price action and volume heading into Friday, based on National Stock Exchange data. Day traders often track this combination of momentum, liquidity and sector leadership before placing intraday bets.

Reliance Industries 

Reliance Industries (RELIANCE.NS) traded at ₹1,306.10, down 0.15% or ₹1.90 in early trade. Trading volume stood at 1.2 million shares on the NSE. The energy major carries a market capitalization of ₹17.6 trillion. Reliance remains a bellwether for the broader index given its heavy Nifty weight. Its BSE listing (RELIANCE.BO) showed a similar dip of 0.20%, or ₹2.60, at ₹1,305.40 on volume of 129.4K shares.

HDFC Bank 

HDFC Bank (HDFCBANK.NS) rose 0.88%, or ₹7.00, to ₹804.95 on the NSE. Volume hit 5.4 million shares, among the highest in the banking pack today. Market capitalization stands at ₹12.3 trillion, making it India’s largest private lender by size. The BSE counter (HDFCBANK.BO) gained 0.73% to ₹804.25. Banking stocks are drawing fresh buying ahead of quarterly credit growth data due later this week.

Bharti Airtel 

Bharti Airtel (BHARTIARTL.NS) gained 1.18%, or ₹22.10, to trade at ₹1,893.10. Volume touched 945,000 shares on NSE, reflecting steady telecom sector interest. Market capitalization is ₹11.4 trillion. The BSE listing (BHARTIARTL.BO) rose more sharply, up 1.48% to ₹1,898.10. Telecom names continue drawing flows on tariff hike expectations and subscriber growth trends.

ICICI Bank 

ICICI Bank (ICICIBANK.NS) jumped 2.70%, or ₹37.10, to ₹1,412.30, leading gains among private banks. Volume reached 2.8 million shares on the NSE. Market capitalization stands at ₹9.9 trillion. The BSE counter mirrored the move, up 2.65% to ₹1,412.85. Strong deposit growth numbers are lifting sentiment across private banking stocks today.

TCS 

TCS (TCS.NS) surged 5.52%, or ₹109.40, to ₹2,092.00, the day’s biggest gainer among large caps. Volume stood at 1.5 million shares on the NSE. Market capitalization is ₹7.5 trillion. The rally follows stronger-than-expected deal wins reported this week. TCS’s BSE listing climbed 5.41% to ₹2,089.50, keeping IT stocks in sharp focus for day traders.

Bajaj Finance 

Bajaj Finance (BAJFINANCE.NS) gained 1.31%, rising ₹13.30 to ₹1,028.20 on the NSE, while trading volume stood at 3.5 million shares. Market capitalization stands at ₹6.3 trillion. Its BSE listing gained 1.67% to ₹1,031.50. The NBFC continues to attract traders tracking consumer lending growth and asset quality trends.

Hindustan Unilever 

Hindustan Unilever (HINDUNILVR.NS) gained 4.31%, or ₹91.30, to ₹2,209.50, extending its recent rally. Volume was 222,200 shares on the NSE. Market capitalization is ₹5.1 trillion. The BSE counter rose 4.65% to ₹2,217.50. FMCG stocks are gaining as rural demand data points to a pickup in consumption.

Sun Pharmaceutical 

Sun Pharma (SUNPHARMA.NS) advanced 2.48%, or ₹46.30, to ₹1,912.50 on the NSE. Volume touched 583,800 shares. Market capitalization stands at ₹4.5 trillion. The BSE listing gained 2.04% to ₹1,904.00. Pharma stocks are seeing renewed interest on export demand and steady US generics pricing.

Related Stocks to Watch

Beyond the top 8, a few other names are worth tracking today.

• State Bank of India (SBIN.NS): ₹1,045.00, down 0.23%, volume 2 million shares
• Larsen & Toubro (LT.NS): ₹4,059.50, down 0.81%, volume 255.3K shares
• Adani Ports (ADANIPORTS.NS): ₹1,876.00, up 1.50%, volume 469.7K shares
• Maruti Suzuki (MARUTI.NS): ₹14,431.00, up 0.25%, volume 66.8K shares

These stocks show mixed sentiment today. Financials and industrials lag slightly while autos and infrastructure hold steady near flat levels.

Final Thoughts

Gift Nifty’s 0.80% premium points to a firm start for Indian markets on July 3. TCS, ICICI Bank, and Hindustan Unilever lead today’s momentum with gains above 2.5%. Reliance and SBI trade lower, showing sector rotation rather than broad selling pressure. Day traders should watch volume spikes and intraday support levels before entering positions. Markets remain data-dependent, with global cues and sector-specific news likely to drive volatility through the session.

Disclaimer:

The content shared by Meyka AI PTY LTD is solely for research and informational purposes. Meyka is not a financial advisory service, and the information provided should not be considered investment or trading advice