The Indian equity benchmark indices opened higher for the second session in a row on Tuesday following positive cues from the global markets. The indices had closed over 1.5 percent higher in the previous session.

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The Sensex opened 0.25 percent or 155 points higher at 59,347. Nifty50 index opened higher at 17,670 -- up 45 points or 0.25 percent. The broader market indices were trading higher. Among the sectoral gauges, IT, metals, pharma, and healthcare indices were under selling pressure while banks, financials, auto, media, realty indices were in the green.

Bluechips leading the gains on the Nifty50 index were NTCP, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Steel, and ONGC. Leading the losses were Tata Motors, HDFC Bank, Eicher Motors, HCL Tech, UltraTech Cement.

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Globally, Asian shares were firmer Wall Street's record highs on its first trading day of 2022, despite worries the Omicron variant of coronavirus could derail the global economic recovery. MSCI's gauge of Asia Pacific stocks outside Japan was up over half a percent in the morning sessions. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 and Japan's Nikkei 225 both climbed over 1 percent each.

Major Wall Street indexes closed at record highs Monday, even as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus pushed COVID-19 cases to fresh peaks in the world's largest economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 gained climbed over half a percent. And the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added over 1 percent.

The commodity markets were also quickly back in the swing of things after their nearly two-year resurgence to close out 2021. Brent oil rose half a percent to nearly $79.43 a barrel Tuesday, building on Monday's gains. Oil prices are supported by tight supply and hopes of a further demand recovery in 2022, despite OPEC+ expected to further increase output.

Gold prices rebounded after falling more than 1 percent Monday as a risk-on rally in equities pressured bullion. Spot gold gained 0.14 percent to $1803.3 an ounce Tuesday morning.

(With inputs from Reuters)