The Indian stock market continued its winning streak for the third straight session on Thursday, with both the Sensex and Nifty closing in the green. Investors are now eagerly watching the upcoming Union Budget 2025-26, which is expected to influence market trends.
Sensex and Nifty End Higher
At the end of the trading session, the BSE Sensex rose by 226.85 points (0.3%) to settle at 76,759.81. During the day, it touched a high of 76,898.63 and a low of 76,401.13. Meanwhile, the Nifty 50 gained 86.40 points (0.37%) to close at 23,249.50, fluctuating between 23,311.15 and 23,139.20.
Among Nifty stocks, 35 ended in the green, with top gainers including Bharat Electronics, Power Grid Corporation, Cipla, Hero MotoCorp, and Bharti Airtel, which surged up to 4.87%. On the downside, Tata Motors, ITC Hotels, Shriram Finance, and Bajaj Finserv were among the 17 stocks that recorded losses.
Sectoral Performance and Market Trends
The performance across different sectors was mixed. Gains were seen in Nifty FMCG, Healthcare, Financial Services, Pharma, and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), with increases of up to 1.55%. However, the Nifty IT index dropped 1.14%, closing at 42,426.65, mainly due to declines in Coforge and Mphasis.
The Nifty Smallcap 100 index edged up by 0.12%, while the Nifty Midcap 100 remained almost flat with a minor dip of 0.01%.
Market Volatility and Institutional Activity
The India VIX, a key indicator of market volatility, surged by 6.70% to 17.39 points, signaling increased market fluctuations.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net sellers for the 19th consecutive session, offloading equities worth Rs 2,586 crore. On the other hand, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased stocks worth Rs 1,792.71 crore, supporting the market’s recovery in the final trading hours.
With Budget 2025 around the corner, investors are keeping a close watch on policy announcements that may impact the stock market’s future direction.