After a bruising selloff in March, Indian equities staged a powerful comeback in April 2026, with the total market capitalisation (m-cap) of all listed domestic companies soaring by nearly Rs 51 lakh crore to Rs 463.3 lakh crore. This marks the highest absolute monthly gain, eclipsing the previous record of Rs 28.9 lakh crore set in March 2025.

The sharp rebound comes on the heels of a steep Rs 51.1 lakh crore erosion in March, when escalating tensions in West Asia rattled investor sentiment, pushed oil prices higher, and weighed heavily on domestic markets.

Benchmark indices reflected the recovery momentum. The 30-share BSE Sensex pack climbed 5.17 per cent during April, while the NSE Nifty50 index advanced 5.81 per cent.

With this surge, domestic m-cap has recouped the losses triggered by the turmoil in March, bringing overall valuations back to levels seen before the geopolitical flare-up.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Investments, said, "Despite the volatility, early Q4 FY26 corporate earnings provided encouragement, prompting investors to adopt a constructive stance to avoid missing the momentum."

That said, markets are yet to fully regain earlier peaks.

From the record m-cap of Rs 481 lakh crore touched on January 2, the current valuation is still lower by about Rs 18 lakh crore.

Similarly, Sensex remains roughly 11 per cent below its all-time high of 86,159, while Nifty is down around 9 per cent from its peak of 26,373.

The broader market, too, has some ground to cover. Mid-cap and small-cap indices continue to trail their respective highs, with declines of 2.7 per cent and 6.3 per cent.