Stock Market Today: Sensex Climbs 200 Points, Nifty Hits 25,050 - Major Highlights
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Extending gains for the fifth straight session, Indian equity benchmarks ended higher on Wednesday, August 20. Optimism was driven by proposed GST reforms, S&P Global’s credit rating upgrade for India, and hopes that the Russia-Ukraine conflict may be nearing resolution. However, caution over the looming August 27 deadline for Trump’s secondary tariffs limited the upside.
The Sensex closed 213 points higher at 81,857.84, up 0.26%, while the Nifty 50 added 70 points to finish at 25,050.55, a gain of 0.28%. Broader markets also edged up, with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices climbing 0.39% and 0.30%, respectively.
Investor wealth saw a sharp boost as the combined market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies rose to ₹456 lakh crore, up from ₹454 lakh crore in the previous session-adding nearly ₹2 lakh crore in a day.
1. What fueled today’s market rally?
Optimism over India’s growth prospects lifted investor sentiment, further boosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on GST reforms. Supportive growth-inflation dynamics also keep the medium- to long-term outlook strong.
"The Indian market sustained its positive momentum, supported by strong domestic inflows and favourable macro tailwinds. However, rich valuations and external risks, particularly the U.S. tariffs and sanctions on the purchase of Russian crude, continue to pose challenges," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.
"Greater visibility on US trade policy and the path of earnings recovery will be critical. Meanwhile, global sentiment is cautious ahead of the release of the FOMC minutes later today, with investor attention gradually shifting to the US Fed Chair’s speech at Jackson Hole this weekend, which is expected to provide clearer guidance on future policy direction," Nair added.
2. Nifty 50 Gainers
The Nifty 50 saw 28 stocks close higher. Infosys topped the chart with a 3.83% surge, followed by TCS up 2.61% and Nestle India gaining 2.55%.
3. Nifty 50 Losers
Among the laggards, BEL slipped 2.17%, while Shriram Finance fell 1.64% and Bajaj Finance declined 1.62%.
4. Sectoral Performance
The Nifty IT index led the pack with a 2.69% jump, while FMCG gained 1.39% and Realty added 1.06%. In contrast, Nifty Media slumped 1.98%. Pharma (-0.44%), Financial Services (-0.39%), Bank (-0.30%), Private Bank (-0.36%), PSU Bank (-0.27%), and Healthcare (-0.26%) also closed in the red.
5. Most Active Stocks
In terms of trading volume, Ola Electric Mobility topped the list with 110.82 crore shares changing hands, followed by Vodafone Idea at 54.61 crore shares and Easy Trip Planners at 7.91 crore shares on the NSE.
6. 11 BSE Stocks Surge Over 15%
As many as 11 stocks on the BSE rallied more than 15%, including IKIO Technologies, Zuari Industries, Kaushalya Infrastructure Development Corporation, Dynamic Cables, and Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility.
7. Advance-Decline Ratio
Of the 4,235 stocks traded on the BSE, 2,343 advanced, 1,725 declined, and 167 ended unchanged, reflecting a positive market breadth.
8. Over 140 Stocks Hit 52-Week Highs
A total of 142 stocks scaled fresh 52-week highs during intraday trade, including marquee names like Maruti Suzuki India, JSW Steel, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, Marico, TVS Motor Company, and UltraTech Cement.
9. 53 Stocks Sink to 52-Week Lows
A total of 53 stocks touched their 52-week lows on the BSE, including Vantage Knowledge Academy, Agarwal Industrial Corporation, Hindusthan National Glass, and LS Industries.
10. Nifty: Technical View
Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, noted that market sentiment remains in favour of the bulls as the index has held above the 21 EMA for three straight sessions. "Put writers have outnumbered Call writers for the first time in several days. The Nifty is expected to remain a 'buy-on-dips' as long as it holds above 24,800. On the higher side, resistance is at 25,250, above which the index may extend its gains towards 25,500," he said.
Ajit Mishra, SVP of Research at Religare Broking, added that while the index is inching towards 25,250, call writers at the 25,100 strike may attempt to limit the upside on expiry day. On the downside, the 24,800–24,900 band remains a strong support zone, he observed.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The opinions and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or brokerage firms and do not reflect the views of NewsPoint. Investors are advised to consult certified financial advisors before making any investment decisions.
The Sensex closed 213 points higher at 81,857.84, up 0.26%, while the Nifty 50 added 70 points to finish at 25,050.55, a gain of 0.28%. Broader markets also edged up, with the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices climbing 0.39% and 0.30%, respectively.
Investor wealth saw a sharp boost as the combined market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies rose to ₹456 lakh crore, up from ₹454 lakh crore in the previous session-adding nearly ₹2 lakh crore in a day.
Indian Stock Market Wrap: Top 10 Takeaways of the Day
1. What fueled today’s market rally?
Optimism over India’s growth prospects lifted investor sentiment, further boosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on GST reforms. Supportive growth-inflation dynamics also keep the medium- to long-term outlook strong."The Indian market sustained its positive momentum, supported by strong domestic inflows and favourable macro tailwinds. However, rich valuations and external risks, particularly the U.S. tariffs and sanctions on the purchase of Russian crude, continue to pose challenges," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.
"Greater visibility on US trade policy and the path of earnings recovery will be critical. Meanwhile, global sentiment is cautious ahead of the release of the FOMC minutes later today, with investor attention gradually shifting to the US Fed Chair’s speech at Jackson Hole this weekend, which is expected to provide clearer guidance on future policy direction," Nair added.
2. Nifty 50 Gainers
The Nifty 50 saw 28 stocks close higher. Infosys topped the chart with a 3.83% surge, followed by TCS up 2.61% and Nestle India gaining 2.55%. 3. Nifty 50 Losers
Among the laggards, BEL slipped 2.17%, while Shriram Finance fell 1.64% and Bajaj Finance declined 1.62%.4. Sectoral Performance
The Nifty IT index led the pack with a 2.69% jump, while FMCG gained 1.39% and Realty added 1.06%. In contrast, Nifty Media slumped 1.98%. Pharma (-0.44%), Financial Services (-0.39%), Bank (-0.30%), Private Bank (-0.36%), PSU Bank (-0.27%), and Healthcare (-0.26%) also closed in the red. 5. Most Active Stocks
In terms of trading volume, Ola Electric Mobility topped the list with 110.82 crore shares changing hands, followed by Vodafone Idea at 54.61 crore shares and Easy Trip Planners at 7.91 crore shares on the NSE. 6. 11 BSE Stocks Surge Over 15%
As many as 11 stocks on the BSE rallied more than 15%, including IKIO Technologies, Zuari Industries, Kaushalya Infrastructure Development Corporation, Dynamic Cables, and Wardwizard Innovations & Mobility. 7. Advance-Decline Ratio
Of the 4,235 stocks traded on the BSE, 2,343 advanced, 1,725 declined, and 167 ended unchanged, reflecting a positive market breadth. 8. Over 140 Stocks Hit 52-Week Highs
A total of 142 stocks scaled fresh 52-week highs during intraday trade, including marquee names like Maruti Suzuki India, JSW Steel, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, Marico, TVS Motor Company, and UltraTech Cement.9. 53 Stocks Sink to 52-Week Lows
A total of 53 stocks touched their 52-week lows on the BSE, including Vantage Knowledge Academy, Agarwal Industrial Corporation, Hindusthan National Glass, and LS Industries. 10. Nifty: Technical View
Rupak De, Senior Technical Analyst at LKP Securities, noted that market sentiment remains in favour of the bulls as the index has held above the 21 EMA for three straight sessions. "Put writers have outnumbered Call writers for the first time in several days. The Nifty is expected to remain a 'buy-on-dips' as long as it holds above 24,800. On the higher side, resistance is at 25,250, above which the index may extend its gains towards 25,500," he said. Ajit Mishra, SVP of Research at Religare Broking, added that while the index is inching towards 25,250, call writers at the 25,100 strike may attempt to limit the upside on expiry day. On the downside, the 24,800–24,900 band remains a strong support zone, he observed.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The opinions and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or brokerage firms and do not reflect the views of NewsPoint. Investors are advised to consult certified financial advisors before making any investment decisions.
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