Mumbai, Oct. 23 -- Indian stock markets opened with a strong rally on Thursday, driven by positive investor sentiment ahead of a likely US-India trade deal.

The Nifty 50 index crossed the 26,000 mark for the first time after September 2024, opening at 26,057.20, up 188.60 points or 0.73 per cent. Its last 52-week high was 26,277.35.

The BSE Sensex also surged, opening at 85,154.15, a gain of 727.81 points or 0.86 per cent, close to its all-time high of 85,478.25 recorded on September 27, 2024.

Experts attributed the rally to reports of an imminent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with expectations of a US-India trade deal.

Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market Expert, told ANI, "Indian markets...