Market Close: Indian Benchmarks Surge as Midcaps Outshine SmallCaps on August 20

Sensex and Nifty 50 Close Higher; SBI Life and Bajaj Finserve Shine Amid Broad Market Strength

On August 20, Indian benchmark indices closed with gains. All sectoral indices saw positive movements except for FMCG, with sectors such as banking, healthcare, IT, metals, and power rising between 0.5% and 1%. The broader market showed a contrast, as midcap stocks outperformed their smaller counterparts, which moved in line with the benchmark indices.

The BSE Sensex ended at 0.47 per cent reaching a level of 80,802. The Nifty 50 index climbed 0.51 per cent to the 24,698 level. 

Within the Nifty 50, SBI Life, Bajaj Finserve and HDFC Life were among the leading gainers, whereas ONGC, Bharti Airtel and Adani Enterprise were among the market draggers.

Broader markets maintained their strength throughout the trading session. With 1,527 shares rising on the NSE and 786 shares declining, the advance-decline ratio strongly remained in favour of advances.

In terms of sectoral performance, indices which traded higher, are Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty Financial Services, and Nifty Mid Select leading the gains.

Market Update at 2:10 PM:

Nifty Surges Past 24,700; Sensex Climbs Close to 400 Points. At 2:10 pm, the BSE Sensex rose by 0.55 per cent reaching a level of 80,870. The Nifty 50 index climbed 0.62 per cent to the 24,722 level. 

Within the Nifty 50, SBI Life, Bajaj Finserve and HDFC Life were among the leading gainers, whereas ONGC, Bharti Airtel and Adani Enterprises were among the market draggers.

Broader indices further reinforced the market's resilience with robust uptrends. The BSE Mid-Cap Index surged 0.75 per cent, while the BSE Small-Cap Index experienced a more significant rise, gaining by around 0.47 per cent.

With 1,664 shares rising on the NSE and 939 shares declining, the advance-decline ratio strongly remained in favour of advances.

In terms of sectoral performance, all indices were trading higher, with Nifty PU Bank, Nifty Financial Services, and Nifty Private Bank showing the most significant gains.

Market Update at 12:30 PM: 

The benchmark domestic indices began the day on a positive note, but they are encountering strong resistance levels that may hinder further progress. Sector-wise, banking and IT stocks are up by 1 percent each, while selling pressure is evident in media, metal, FMCG, and capital goods sectors. Meanwhile, the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices are trading in positive territory.

At 12:30 pm, the BSE Sensex gained 0.57 per cent reaching a level of 80,889. The Nifty 50 index added 0.60 per cent to the 24,718 level. 

Within the Nifty 50, SBI Life, Indusind Bank and Shriram Finance were among the leading gainers, whereas ONGC, Bharti Airtel and Tata Consumer Product were among the market draggers.

With 1,557 shares rising on the NSE and 1,024 shares declining, the advance-decline ratio remained in favour of advances.

Market Update at 11:15 AM:

The Nifty and Sensex retreated from their intraday peaks, impacted by Airtel's performance, while RIL and banks drove the gains. The Nifty IT index climbed for the seventh session in a row, marking its strongest winning streak since the seven-session run that ended on January 19, 2023. At 11:15 am, the BSE Sensex surged 0.54 per cent reaching a level of 80,857. The Nifty 50 index climbed 0.55 per cent to the 24,705 level. 

On the other hand, broader markets managed to maintain today’s strong uptrend. Considering sectoral developments, Nifty PSU Banks, Nifty Financial services and Nifty Bank were among the Top Gainers, while Nifty Media was the only loser.

Within the Nifty 50, SBI Life, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Finserv and IndusInd Bank were among the leading gainers, whereas ONGC, Bharti Airtel, Cipla, and Tata Steel were among the market draggers.

With 1,551 shares rising on the NSE and 923 shares declining, the advance-decline ratio strongly remained in favour of advances.

Market Update at 9:35 AM:

On the back of supportive global cues,The indian indices Sensex and Nifty opened positive on Aug 20, following GIFT Nifty trends indicating a gain.

At 9:30 am, the BSE Sensex soared 0.20 per cent reaching a level of 80,592. The Nifty 50 index climbed 0.23 per cent to the 24,629 level. Within the Nifty 50, BPCL, Hero MotoCorp, TCS, IndusInd Bank and UltraTech Cement were among major gainers on the Nifty, while losers were ONGC, Bharti Airtel, Cipla, and Tata Steel

Broader indices also posted gains in line with the main indices, reflecting a widespread upward trend across the market. With 1,642 shares rising on the NSE and 609 shares declining, the advance-decline ratio strongly remained in favour of advances.

In terms of sectoral performance, all indices were trading higher, with Nifty IT, Nifty Oil & Gas, and Nifty PSU Banks showing the most significant gains.

Pre Market - 8:00 A.M

U.S. stocks continued their upward momentum on Monday, extending the year's largest weekly percentage gain, as investors kept a close eye on the Democratic National Convention and the forthcoming Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.58% to close at 40,896.53. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 advanced by 0.97% to 5,608.25, and the Nasdaq Composite surged by 1.39% to end at 17,876.77.

In Asia, markets rallied on Tuesday, following Wall Street's positive performance, with additional support from the release of crucial economic data from China. The GIFT Nifty is also trading higher, signaling a promising start to the day's session.

Oil prices dipped slightly on Tuesday after Israel agreed to a proposal aimed at resolving disputes hindering a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which eased concerns about potential disruptions to Middle Eastern oil supplies.

The U.S. dollar remained near a seven-month low on Tuesday as traders anticipated potential interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve starting next month. Market participants are now focusing on the upcoming remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, scheduled for Friday.

On August 19, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded shares worth Rs 2,667 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) injected Rs 1,802 crore into the market.