New Delhi, 02 January (H.S.): India's benchmark equity indices concluded Friday's trading session on a triumphant note, with the NSE Nifty 50 achieving a record intraday peak before settling 182 points higher at 26,328.55, up 0.70 per cent, while the BSE Sensex advanced 573.41 points or 0.67 per cent to close at 85,762.01.
Robust purchases in power, banking, metal, and auto stocks, bolstered by sustained domestic institutional investor inflows and buoyant Asian markets, propelled this robust performance amid optimistic Q3 earnings expectations.
Intraday Peaks and Closing Snapshot
The Nifty 50 touched an all-time intraday high of 26,340 during the session, reflecting heightened investor confidence before a minor pullback, while the Sensex peaked at 85,812.27, up 623.67 points or 0.73 per cent from the prior close. Broader market breadth favoured advances, with over 2,200 of more than 3,200 NSE-listed stocks posting gains; market capitalization reached Rs 67.22 lakh crore.
Volatility remained subdued, with the India VIX hovering near historic lows around 9.2.
Sectoral Surge and Key Gainers
Power stocks like Coal India soared 7 per cent, alongside NTPC and JSW Energy, driven by new project investments and power purchase contracts; banking heavyweights including ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, and SBI fueled Nifty Bank's record close at 60,150.95, up 0.74 per cent to 60,203.75 intraday.
Metals shone with Hindalco up 4 per cent, complemented by auto leaders Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra & Mahindra amid strong December sales data. Nifty Midcap 100 rose 0.45 per cent, outpacing Nifty Smallcap 100's marginal 0.05 per cent dip; FMCG lagged with a 3.17 per cent decline led by ITC's 10 per cent plunge on excise duty hikes.
Institutional Flows and Outlook
Domestic institutional investors maintained steady buying, offsetting foreign outflows and cushioning the rally, as noted by market analysts citing improving bank asset quality and December GST growth of 6.1 per cent to Rs 1.75 lakh crore. Technical charts signal bullish momentum for Nifty above 26,000 support, with potential resistance near 26,340; experts anticipate earnings-driven consolidation ahead.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
