Indian equity benchmarks ended higher on Wednesday, extending their positive momentum on the back of optimism surrounding the India-US trade deal and expectations of GST rationalisation.
The Sensex closed at 81,425.15, up 323 points or 0.43%, after opening strong at 81,504.36 against its previous close of 81,101.32. The index touched an intra-day high of 81,643.88. The Nifty settled at 24,973.10, gaining 104.50 points or 0.42%.
Analysts attributed the gains to renewed optimism around ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US. Anticipation of stronger earnings in H2 FY26, supported by GST rationalisation and monetary easing, also lifted investor sentiment.
The IT sector outperformed, buoyed by hopes of a potential Fed rate cut and a revival in technology spending. Market participants are closely tracking the progress of trade talks for cues on tariff-related issues.
Among the top gainers on the Sensex were BEL, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, Axis Bank, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, SBI, L&T, Adani Ports, ITC, Bajaj Finserv, and Kotak Bank. On the downside, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Ultratech Cement, PowerGrid, and Eternal ended lower.
Most sectoral indices closed in the green, with Nifty IT rising 927 points or 2.63%, Nifty FMCG up 359 points or 0.64%, Nifty Bank climbing 319 points or 0.59%, and Nifty Financial Services gaining 161.80 points or 0.62%. Nifty Auto was the only major laggard, falling 348.55 points or 1.28% due to profit booking.
The broader market mirrored the upbeat mood, with Nifty Smallcap 100 advancing 130 points or 0.73%, Nifty Midcap 100 jumping 535 points or 0.93%, and Nifty 100 climbing 319 points or 0.59%.
