India's benchmark equity indices, the Sensex and Nifty, staged a remarkable recovery on Thursday, closing in positive territory after experiencing significant early-morning declines. The rebound was primarily driven by strategic buying in heavyweight stocks, particularly Larsen & Toubro, and bolstered by the optimistic growth projections outlined in the Economic Survey for the upcoming financial year.
Market Performance and Key Figures
The 30-share BSE Sensex concluded the trading session with a gain of 221.69 points, or 0.27 per cent, settling at 82,566.37. This positive close followed a volatile start, where the index had plunged as much as 636.74 points, or 0.77 per cent, to an intraday low of 81,707.94 during morning trade before mounting a steady recovery.
Similarly, the NSE Nifty managed to pare its losses and finish higher, adding 76.15 points, or 0.30 per cent, to close at 25,418.90. Earlier in the day, the benchmark had dropped 182.95 points, or 0.72 per cent, reaching a session low of 25,159.80 before reversing course.
Economic Survey Fuels Investor Sentiment
Market sentiment received a significant boost from the Economic Survey 2025–26, which projected a robust GDP growth rate of 6.8 to 7.2 per cent for the next fiscal year. The survey attributed this optimistic outlook to the cumulative impact of structural reforms and a stable macroeconomic environment. Additionally, it highlighted that ongoing negotiations for a trade agreement with the United States are expected to conclude within the year, a development anticipated to reduce external uncertainties and further bolster investor confidence.
Top Performers and Decliners
The session witnessed notable movements among individual stocks, with several key players driving the market's upward trajectory.
Nifty50 Gainers and Losers
Top Nifty50 Gainers:
- Tata Steel (4.37%)
- Larsen & Toubro (3.67%)
- Eternal (3.40%)
- Tata Motors PV (3.34%)
- Axis Bank (3.33%)
- NTPC (2.91%)
- Coal India Ltd (2.64%)
- Adani Ports SEZ (2.60%)
- Hindalco (2.59%)
- ONGC (2.54%)
Top Nifty50 Losers:
- Asian Paints (-3.82%)
- SBI Life (-2.78%)
- InterGlobe (-2.70%)
- Maruti Suzuki (-2.53%)
- Tata Consumer (-2.18%)
- M&M (-1.88%)
- BEL (-1.88%)
- TCS (-1.75%)
- Sun Pharma (-1.33%)
- Apollo Hospital (-1.12%)
- Dr Reddy’s (-1.12%)
Sensex Top Gainers and Losers
Sensex Top Gainers:
- Tata Steel (4.37%)
- Larsen & Toubro (3.67%)
- Eternal (3.40%)
- Axis Bank (3.33%)
- NTPC (2.91%)
- Adani Ports SEZ (2.60%)
- ICICI Bank (1.17%)
- Bharti Airtel (0.53%)
- Bajaj Finserv (0.41%)
- Tech Mahindra (0.32%)
Sensex Top Losers:
- Asian Paints (-3.82%)
- InterGlobe (-2.70%)
- Maruti Suzuki (-2.53%)
- M&M (-1.88%)
- TCS (-1.75%)
- Sun Pharma (-1.33%)
- HUL (-1.09%)
- Titan Company (-0.90%)
- ITC (-0.80%)
- HCL Tech (-0.47%)
- Infosys (-0.43%)
- RIL (-0.41%)
Expert Insights and Institutional Activity
Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments Limited, commented on the market dynamics, stating, "Domestic markets ended higher after staging a strong rebound, supported by an upbeat economic survey that reaffirmed a robust FY27 growth outlook and a well-anchored inflation environment amidst persistent global uncertainties."
Institutional activity also played a crucial role in the day's trading. Foreign institutional investors turned net buyers on Wednesday after a period of sustained selling, purchasing stocks worth Rs 480.26 crore, according to exchange data. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) also contributed to the positive momentum, buying equities worth Rs 3,360.59 crore.
Global Market Context
The recovery in Indian markets was mirrored by positive trends in several Asian indices. South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225, China's Shanghai SSE Composite, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng all closed higher. European markets were also trading in the green during the session. In contrast, US markets ended flat on Wednesday. On the commodities front, Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, surged by 2.50 per cent to USD 70.11 per barrel, adding another layer to the day's economic narrative.
