Indian equities started Tuesday’s session on a muted note as benchmark indices Nifty 50 and Sensex opened with modest gains, cooling off after Monday’s sharp rally.
At 9:15 AM on August 19, the Sensex rose 120 points (0.15%) to 81,394.01, while the Nifty 50 gained 30 points (0.12%) to 24,907.80. Market breadth showed 166 stocks advancing, 104 declining, and 26 unchanged.
Sectoral Trends
- Top gainers: Nifty Media (+0.73%), Infra (+0.69%), and Energy (+0.36%).
- Weak sectors: Auto (-0.28%) and Pharma (-0.15%).
- Flat but positive: FMCG, PSU Bank, and Metal indices.
Previous Session Recap
On Monday, bulls pushed the benchmarks nearly 1% higher, with strong buying in auto, consumption, metal, and realty counters. The rally was supported by optimism around a simplified GST structure, expected to boost consumption and spending.
Global Cue to Watch
VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, said White House discussions hinting at a “reasonable chance of ending the war” could ease US tariffs on Indian oil imports from Russia. “This may turn out to be a positive from the market perspective,” he noted.
Outlook
With volatility cooling, investors appear to be consolidating after recent highs, keeping the Nifty above the 24,900 mark while awaiting fresh triggers.
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