Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty closed higher for the fifth consecutive session on Thursday, buoyed by easing crude oil prices and optimism surrounding the US-Iran peace deal. The BSE Sensex rose 254.36 points, or 0.33%, to settle at 77,409.98, while the NSE Nifty50 gained 82.30 points, or 0.34%, to close at 24,168.
Top Gainers and Losers in Nifty50
Among the top gainers on the Nifty50 were Max Healthcare (6.27%), InterGlobe Aviation (2.74%), Trent (2.48%), Adani Enterprises (2.09%), BEL (2.09%), NTPC (1.81%), HDFC Life (1.64%), SBI (1.58%), and HDFC Bank (1.52%). On the losing side, Infosys (-2.61%), Tata Consumer (-1.17%), Maruti Suzuki (-1.08%), Tech Mahindra (-1.01%), TCS (-0.89%), Wipro (-0.89%), Coal India (-0.83%), Nestle India (-0.50%), Shriram Finance (-0.48%), and HCL Tech (-0.43%) ended lower.
Top Gainers and Losers in BSE Sensex
On the BSE Sensex, the top gainers included InterGlobe Aviation (2.74%), Trent (2.48%), BEL (2.09%), NTPC (1.81%), SBI (1.58%), HDFC Bank (1.52%), HUL (0.96%), Power Grid (0.83%), Tata Steel (0.76%), and Adani Ports (0.74%). The losers were Infosys (-2.61%), Maruti Suzuki (-1.08%), Tech Mahindra (-1.01%), TCS (-0.89%), HCL Tech (-0.43%), L&T (-0.43%), Kotak Mahindra Bank (-0.39%), Reliance Industries (-0.35%), and Bharti Airtel (-0.05%).
Market Sentiment and Global Cues
Investor sentiment remained buoyant after Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, fell 2.23% to USD 77.78 per barrel amid expectations that easing tensions in West Asia could stabilise energy markets. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran aimed at ending the conflict that has lasted for more than three months.
"The domestic equities traded within a range, maintaining a positive bias as the initial optimism surrounding the US-Iran peace deal was tempered by hawkish remarks from the US Fed. Energy-driven inflationary pressures may prompt central banks to consider rate hikes in the latter half of the year, leading investors to adopt a cautious stance," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Investments Ltd. However, he added that lower crude oil prices and moderating bond yields could help offset inflation concerns in the second half of FY27.
"The combination of easing geopolitical uncertainty and lower energy costs continued to underpin investor confidence, outweighing concerns stemming from the Federal Reserve's cautious policy outlook. The Nifty opened flat and remained largely range-bound through the session before late buying interest lifted the index higher, allowing it to close in positive territory and extend its recent winning streak," said Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money.
Broader Market and Sectoral Performance
The broader market also ended higher, with the BSE SmallCap Select index gaining 0.43% and the MidCap Select index rising 0.33%. Utilities, hospitals, services, power, telecom, and healthcare stocks led sectoral gains, while IT and energy shares faced selling pressure. A total of 2,419 stocks advanced on the BSE, while 1,814 declined and 186 remained unchanged.
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 101.59 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
