New Delhi: Indian markets bounced back on Wednesday, reversing the decline seen in the previous session as strong buying in IT and financial stocks lifted the benchmark indices. By the close, the Nifty had firmly crossed the 26,000 mark, while the Sensex also ended with healthy gains, reflecting renewed investor confidence despite subdued global cues earlier in the day.
The Sensex settled 513.45 points higher, or 0.61 per cent, at 85,186.47. The Nifty also advanced, gaining 142.60 points, or 0.55 per cent, to close at 26,052.65. Both indices strengthened through the day after a muted opening, with buying interest picking up particularly in large-cap IT and banking stocks.
Broader market performance was mixed. The BSE Midcap index edged up 0.3 per cent, supported by selective gains, while the BSE Smallcap index slipped 0.4 per cent, reflecting selling pressure in several smaller counters. Sectorally, the Nifty IT index was the day’s strongest performer, jumping 2.9 per cent as major technology stocks saw robust upward movement. The Nifty PSU Bank index followed with a gain of 1.16 per cent.
Banking stocks continued to draw significant investor attention. The Nifty Bank index notched a fresh record for the third straight session, touching an intraday high of 59,264.25 before closing with a 0.54 per cent gain at 59,216.05. Other financial-sector indices also advanced, including Nifty Financial Services (up 0.27 per cent) and Nifty Private Bank (up 0.28 per cent).
Among additional gainers, Nifty Healthcare rose 0.46 per cent, Nifty Consumer Durables added 0.36 per cent, while marginal upticks were also seen in Nifty FMCG, Nifty Pharma and Nifty Auto. The Nifty Metal index ended the session flat after a largely range-bound performance.
In contrast, realty and energy counters were under pressure. The Nifty Realty and Nifty Oil & Gas indices emerged as the day’s top losers, dragging on overall sectoral breadth. On the Nifty 50, the top performers included HCL Technologies, Max Healthcare, Infosys, Wipro and TCS. On the losing side, TMPV, Coal India, Maruti Suzuki, Adani Ports and Bajaj Finance weighed on the index.
The trading session also saw a wide divergence in stock-specific movements on the BSE. More than 120 stocks registered new 52-week highs, including names such as Bharat Forge, M&M Financial, MCX India, Hero MotoCorp, Federal Bank, Titan Company, State Bank of India and BHEL. At the same time, over 200 stocks fell to 52-week lows, among them Cohance Lifesciences, Godrej Agrovet, United Breweries, Thermax, Sheela Foam, Vedant Fashions, SKF India, Deepak Nitrite and Westlife Foodworld.
A number of individual stocks recorded notable activity. G R Infraprojects declined 2 per cent despite announcing an order win from Western Railways. Infosys gained around 4 per cent ahead of its scheduled share buyback offer, while Hindustan Unilever added nearly 2 per cent as investors reacted to developments related to its demerger record date.
While global sentiment remained weak at the start of the session, domestic markets picked up momentum as the day progressed. Analysts noted that steady institutional interest in IT and banking stocks helped the Nifty regain and sustain the psychologically important 26,000 level. The rebound suggested that investors were selectively positioning themselves for stability in key sectors even amid offshore uncertainties.
Market participants will now watch for further global triggers and domestic macroeconomic cues that could influence sentiment in the coming sessions. For the moment, Wednesday’s recovery has helped restore some optimism after recent volatility, with key indices displaying resilience backed by heavyweight sectors.
