Stock Market Update: Sensex Up Over 100 Points, Nifty Surpasses 26,200

Stock Market Update: Sensex Up 69 Points, Nifty Trades Above 26,200; Bajaj Finance, NTPC Lead Gains

Indian equity markets traded in a narrow range on Wednesday, supported by positive global cues, though volumes remained subdued ahead of the Christmas holiday. IT stocks stayed in focus after a US federal judge upheld the H-1B visa application fee, affecting sector sentiment.

At 9:20 AM, the NSE Nifty was at 26,194.75, up 19.05 points (0.07%), while the BSE Sensex stood at 85,593.69, higher by 68.85 points (0.08%).

On the BSE, NTPC, Bajaj Finance, Adani Ports, Trent, BEL, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and Axis Bank were among the top gainers, rising up to 0.74%. In contrast, IT heavyweights like Infosys, Tech Mahindra, and HCL Technologies fell by as much as 0.8%.

Broader markets also moved higher, with the Nifty Midcap 100 up 0.24% and the Nifty Smallcap 100 rising 0.38%. Sectorally, Nifty Realty and Nifty Media led the gains, advancing 0.91% and 0.55%, respectively, while the Nifty IT index slipped 0.5%, limiting overall upside.

Global Cues
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed ahead of Christmas Eve. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.36%, South Korea’s KOSPI gained 0.42%, while Australia’s S&P ASX 200 slipped 0.58%.

US markets closed higher for a fourth consecutive session on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 hitting a fresh record after stronger-than-expected third-quarter GDP data, which showed the US economy growing at a 4.3% annual rate. The S&P 500 rose 0.46%, Nasdaq Composite gained 0.57%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.16%.