Mumbai, Dec. 5 -- Indian equities could start the week on a cautiously hopeful tone. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25%, offering renewed support to growth and credit-sensitive sectors.

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve-induced rally in global markets lifted risk sentiment abroad, further buoying emerging-market demand.

Back home, export-oriented and IT names rallied as the rupee plunged past Rs 90 to a fresh low - though some recovery to nearly Rs 89.90 on reports of RBI intervention offered modest relief. That said, persistent foreign-institutional outflows and currency volatility remain headwinds.

Given this backdrop, domestic cyclicals, rate-sensitive sectors and exporters could outperform, w...