Indian markets began the new month with cautious tone as investors assessed the previous weeks profit booking phase and awaited new directional triggers ahead of macro prints and Q3 guidance trends. Sensex settled near 83,938 and Nifty near 25,722 after a volatile October end, signaling trader preference for controlled risk exposure rather than front running momentum. The market positioning indicates consolidation bias rather than broad decline, with dealers expecting rotational setup across select pockets including BFSI, defense linked plays and capital goods depending on data flow direction through the following sessions.