On the equity market front, BSE index Sensex was trading 11.80 points higher at 40,157.30, and the broader NSE Nifty advanced 20.55 points to 11,788.30.
On the domestic equity market front, the BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 160.58 points higher at 39,888.99, and the broader NSE Nifty rose 45.75 points to 11,726.10.
"Rising number of COVID-19 cases is prompting worries about a new wave of lockdowns in Europe and hopes from US stimulus spending are fading", Reliance Securities said in a research note.