Indian stock markets opened marginally higher on Thursday, a day after being closed for the Christmas holiday. However, the chances of a sustained year-end rally appear dim amid persistent market pressures.

The Indian stock market showed stability last week, with benchmark indices like Nifty 50 and Sensex closing higher by about 1%, while the Nifty Bank index rose by 1.09%. The market remains range-bound,

Indian stock markets opened flat but with an upward movement trend on the hopes of a year-end rally. The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,801.40 with a gain of 51.20 points or 0.22 per cent, while the BSE Sensex index gained 135 points or 0.