Sensex jumps 172 points ahead of monthly F&O expiry; Nifty settles at 19,716
The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex recovered 570 pts from day's low and settled at 66,118, rising 173 points or 0.26%. The broader NSE Nifty surged 52 points or 0.26% to end at 19,716.
From the Sensex pack, L&T, ITC, and Sun Pharma were the top gainers, rising 1.5-2%.
Maruti, Reliance Industries, Axis Bank and IndusInd Bank also closed higher, while Titan, SBI, and ICICI Bank closed lower.
Among individual stocks, Vedanta closed nearly 7% lower after Moody's downgraded Vedanta Resources' ratings from Caa1 to Caa2 due to elevated risk of debt restructuring.
REC share closed 6.3% higher on news of the firm signing an MoU with Punjab National Bank to jointly fund projects in the power sector and infrastructure & logistics sector.
On the sectoral front, Nifty Pharma surged 1.2%, led by Granules India, Aurobindo Pharma, and Laurus Labs. Nifty PSU Bank, Nifty FMCG, and Nifty IT also closed higher.
In the broader market, Nifty Midcap100 gained 0.9%, and Smallcap100 advanced 0.75%.
Meanwhile, the market capitalisation of all listed companies on the BSE surged by Rs 1.53 lakh crore to Rs 319.68 lakh crore. The market breadth was skewed in favour of the bulls.
About 2,007 stocks gained, 1,640 declined, and 152 remained unchanged on the BSE.
Expert Take
«The market inched higher in the second half, driven by positive openings in European markets. The FMCG and Pharma sectors outperformed, with investors adopting a defensive approach to navigate global challenges.
