Wrapping up the trading day on a high note for the second time in a row, India’s Sensex rose 487.20 points (0.60%) to 82,344.68, and Nifty climbed 167.35 points (0.66%) to 25,342.75. The rally highlighted deepening market breadth and sector rotation.
At the forefront was the defense sector, where Nifty Defence Index exploded 6.95% higher, led by Data Patterns, BEML, Solar Industries, and BEL—stocks that captured investor imagination with their growth prospects.
Winners dominated the scoreboard: Nifty PSE +4.61%, Oil & Gas +3.40%, Metals +2.34%, Commodities +2.26%, Media +2.13%, PSU Bank +1.68%, Realty +1.57%. Small and midcaps mirrored the trend, Nifty Smallcap 100 up 2.26% (371.60 pts) to 16,790.95, Nifty Midcap 100 +1.66% (954.95 pts) to 58,438.60.
Laggards were few: FMCG down 0.71%, Pharma 0.22%, Healthcare 0.20%.
Analysts credit the India-EU Free Trade pact for fueling optimism in metals, financials, and energy plays, though oil & gas and FMCG faced outflows. Global traders eye the US Federal Reserve, expecting steady rates.
The Fed’s rate commentary will be pivotal next. Markets opened bullishly; by 9:28 AM, Sensex traded at 82,340.76 (+483.28 pts, 0.59%), Nifty at 25,328.85 (+153.45 pts, 0.61%).