Thursday brought cheers to Dalal Street as the Indian stock market ended on a high note, driven by defence and metal sectors. The Sensex closed at 80,015.90, up 899.71 points or 1.14%, with Nifty at 24,765.90, gaining 285.40 points or 1.17%. The session’s momentum showcased investor appetite for growth-oriented themes.
Defence stocks were the undisputed stars, with Nifty India Defence index rising 2.55%. Strong showings from Nifty Metal (2.29%), Nifty PSE (2.22%), Nifty Infra (2.21%), Nifty Consumer Durables (2.10%), Nifty Commodities (2.05%), and Nifty Energy (1.92%) amplified the bullish vibe. IT remained the outlier, down 0.59%.
The rally permeated smaller segments too: Nifty Midcap 100 up 1.52% at 57,792.55 and Nifty Smallcap 100 higher by 1.58% at 16,538.80.
Gainers in the Sensex pack included Adani Ports, L&T, NTPC, BEL, IndiGo, M&M, Power Grid, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Steel, Bajaj Finance, Sun Pharma, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finserv, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, Titan, Trent, Asian Paints, and Bharti Airtel. Decliners were Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, HUL, ICICI Bank, SBI, Infosys, Eternal, TCS, ITC, and Axis Bank.
According to market veterans, the uptick stems from value-based investments at attractive valuations in metals, government-owned firms, and infrastructure. Global rallies provided tailwinds, while India VIX’s 15.56% plunge to 17.85 eased volatility fears, fostering a stable trading environment.
Looking forward, analysts anticipate sustained interest in capex-heavy sectors, bolstered by fiscal policies. This session’s performance reinforces the market’s resilience amid global uncertainties.