Markets extended their morning gains sharply through the midday session, with the Sensex trading at 77,948.90, up 1,061.99 points or 1.38 per cent as of 12.52 pm. The Nifty 50 stood at 24,323, gaining 327.30 points or 1.36 per cent over Tuesday’s close of 23,995.70. Breadth on the BSE was firmly positive, with 2,486 stocks advancing against 1,575 declines and 169 unchanged, out of 4,230 stocks traded. A total of 144 stocks hit 52-week highs against 21 at 52-week lows, while 167 stocks were locked in upper circuits compared to 122 in lower circuits.

Maruti Suzuki remained the standout performer on the Nifty, extending its morning gains to trade up 4.68 per cent at ₹13,495, against a previous close of ₹12,892. Volumes surged to 5,24,817 shares, with the counter clocking trades worth ₹70,523.12 lakh. Tech Mahindra emerged as a strong midday mover, rising 3.69 per cent to ₹1,460 from ₹1,408.10 on volumes of 15,73,945 shares valued at ₹22,806.46 lakh. Coal India climbed 3.50 per cent to ₹483.35 from ₹467 on exceptionally heavy volumes of 1,38,95,069 shares worth ₹66,537.93 lakh. ITC advanced 3.32 per cent to ₹314.55 from ₹304.45 on volumes of 1,82,48,311 shares worth ₹56,998.60 lakh, while Eicher Motors gained 3.06 per cent to ₹7,288 from ₹7,071.50 on volumes of 2,78,773 shares worth ₹20,185.01 lakh.

The rally was notably broad-based, spanning automobiles, information technology, energy, FMCG, and two-wheeler sectors — a shift from the morning session when gains were led primarily by auto and consumer stocks.

On the losing side, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories was the top Nifty laggard, falling 0.96 per cent to ₹1,341.60 from ₹1,354.60 on volumes of 25,47,400 shares worth ₹34,432.19 lakh. IndiGo slipped 0.30 per cent to ₹4,429.20, staying under pressure likely from elevated crude oil prices, which remain in the $110–113 per barrel range amid continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. NTPC edged down 0.06 per cent to ₹406.60, Tata Steel was marginally lower by 0.03 per cent at ₹214.99, and JSW Steel dipped 0.02 per cent to ₹1,281.40.

The metal pack’s resilience — with both Tata Steel and JSW Steel holding near flat despite morning weakness — suggests the broader market rally is providing a floor even for sectors facing global headwinds. The IT sector’s participation through Tech Mahindra is a notable development, given that morning cues from the US pointed to weakness in technology stocks following concerns over AI revenue growth linked to OpenAI’s performance.

Analyst caution from the morning session remains in play. Key resistance for the Nifty was identified at 24,200–24,300, a zone the index has now breached, which could attract momentum buyers through the second half of the session. However, the Federal Reserve’s policy decision and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s final press conference in his current term, both due later today, are likely to keep traders from making aggressive directional bets ahead of the close. State election exit polls, expected this evening, add another layer of domestic uncertainty.

Market direction will hinge on whether the Nifty can sustain above the 24,300 mark — a level that earlier in the session was flagged as a critical resistance zone.

Published on April 29, 2026