Benchmark Indices Retain Gains, Sensex Adds 115 Points, Nifty 50 Closes Above 23,200

The Sensex rose by 0.15 per cent to close at 76,520.38 and the Nifty 50 edged higher by 0.22 per cent to settle at 23,205.35.

Market Update at 3:30 PM: Indian equity markets extended their upward momentum on Thursday, with the Sensex rising by 0.15 per cent to close at 76,520.38 and the Nifty 50 edging higher by 0.22 per cent to settle at 23,205.35. Broader indices also performed robustly, reflecting widespread market optimism.

The Nifty Midcap 150 climbed 1.78 per cent to close at 20,047.95, while the Nifty Smallcap 250 gained 0.81 per cent, ending at 16,352.80. The volatility index, India VIX, eased by 0.46 per cent to 16.70, indicating reduced market uncertainty.

Among sectoral performers, Nifty IT surged 1.79 per cent, followed by Nifty Consumer Durables, which gained 1.97 per cent, and Nifty Media, advancing 1.44 per cent. However, Nifty Oil & Gas (down 0.51 per cent), Nifty Bank (down 0.28 per cent), and Nifty Private Bank (down 0.40 per cent) were the notable underperformers of the session.

In the Nifty 50 pack, Ultratech Cement led the gainers with a 6.67 per cent rise to Rs 11,406.95. Grasim followed with a 2.96 per cent increase to Rs 2,458.95, while Wipro advanced 2.78 per cent to Rs 317.70. On the downside, BPCL fell 2.14 per cent to Rs 271.65, Kotak Mahindra Bank slipped 1.28 per cent to Rs 1,893, and HCL Technologies declined 1.14 per cent to Rs 1,806.95.

The market breadth remained positive, with 1,575 stocks advancing against 1,236 declining, suggesting broad-based buying across segments.

Market Update at 12:30 PM: Indian equity markets continued to build on the morning's positive sentiment, with the Sensex advancing by 0.42 per cent to 76,727.34 and the Nifty 50 climbing 0.46 per cent to 23,263.00. Broader indices exhibited robust gains, driven by improved market confidence and sectoral performance.

The Nifty Midcap 150 surged 1.84 per cent to 20,060.20, while the Nifty Smallcap 250 added 1.08 per cent to reach 16,396.45. The volatility index, India VIX, eased slightly by 0.16 per cent to 16.75, reflecting marginally reduced uncertainty in the markets.

Among sectoral indices, Nifty IT (up 2.47 per cent), Nifty Consumer Durables (up 2.34 per cent), and Nifty Media (up 1.55 per cent) emerged as the top performers. Conversely, Nifty Oil & Gas (down 0.43 per cent), Nifty PSU Bank (up just 0.05 per cent), and Nifty Private Bank (up only 0.02 per cent) were the key underperformers.

Within the Nifty 50, Wipro (up 3.51 per cent), Ultratech Cement (up 2.89 per cent), and Tech Mahindra (up 2.41 per cent) led the gainers, while BPCL (down 1.84 per cent), Hindustan Unilever (down 0.71 per cent), and Reliance (down 0.62 per cent) topped the laggards' list.

Market breadth remained positive, with 1,754 stocks advancing against 919 stocks declining, underscoring a broad-based uptrend.

Market Update at 9:40 AM: Indian equity markets began the day on a positive note, with the Sensex advancing 0.15 per cent to reach 76,520.25 and the Nifty 50 inching up by 0.13 per cent to trade at 23,185.50. The broader indices witnessed notable gains, reflecting improved market sentiment.

The Nifty Midcap 150 rose by 0.90 per cent to 19,873.55, and the Nifty Smallcap 250 added 0.51 per cent to reach 16,303.45. Meanwhile, the volatility index, India VIX, edged higher by 0.81 per cent to 16.91, signaling moderate market uncertainty.

Among sectoral indices, Nifty IT, Nifty Consumer Durables, and Nifty Media emerged as the Top Gainers. Conversely, Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Oil & Gas, and Nifty Financial Services were the leading underperformers, dragging down the overall market momentum.

Within the Nifty 50, Wipro, Ultratech Cement, and Trent led the gainers, while Hindustan Unilever, Axis Bank, and Nestle India topped the list of laggards.

Market breadth was skewed towards advances, with 1,483 stocks rising compared to 851 stocks declining, indicating a broadly positive trend across segments.

Market Update 8:15 AM: U.S. equities extended their gains on Wednesday, buoyed by President Trump’s push for private-sector investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The S&P 500 approached record levels, closing just below its all-time high, while the Nasdaq surged past 20,000, marking a significant milestone. The Dow also rose modestly, reflecting broad market strength.

Asian markets presented a mixed start on Thursday, as investors evaluated a range of economic data from the region.

The GIFT Nifty hints at a subdued opening for the Indian market, with Nifty futures trading marginally lower at 23,142.50 as of 7:20 am IST.

India’s key indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed in the green on January 22 after a choppy session. A rebound from seven-month lows was led by robust performance in technology stocks. However, the broader markets underperformed, with midcap and smallcap indices both shedding over 1 per cent. At the close, the Sensex climbed 566 points, or 0.75 per cent, to end at 76,404, while the Nifty rose by 130 points, or 0.57 per cent, to settle at 23,155.

U.S. Treasury yields edged lower early Thursday, with the 10-Year yield dropping 13 basis points to 4.60 per cent, and the 2-Year yield slipping 15 basis points to 4.29 per cent.

The dollar remained steady at 108.25 maintaining its rangebound movement over the past two days as markets awaited further clarity on President Trump’s tariff announcements.

WTI crude oil futures continued their downward trajectory, nearing USD 75 per barrel on Thursday. This marks the fifth consecutive session of losses, following a report indicating a fresh build in U.S. crude inventories.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) extended their selling spree for the 14th consecutive session, offloading equities worth Rs 4,026 crore on January 22. Conversely, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased equities valued at Rs 3,500 crore on the same day.

Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, Angel One, Bandhan Bank, Kalyan Jewellers, Can Fin Homes, Dixon Technologies, Manappuram Finance, L&T Finance, Mahanagar Gas, and RBL Bank are under F&O ban today.

Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.