World equity markets edged higher today as investors awaited key inflation and employment figures from the United States and Europe. The Sensex opened with modest gains, supported by banking and FMCG stocks, while the Nifty traded near its recent resistance levels. In global trade, the Nasdaq futures rose slightly following renewed interest in large-cap technology shares. Analysts expect short-term volatility to persist as traders assess whether upcoming macroeconomic data may influence central bank decisions on interest-rate paths.