MUMBAI, India — Indian equity benchmarks posted moderate gains, extending their rally to a third consecutive session as strong third-quarter earnings from select companies lifted investor sentiment.
The Sensex rose 208 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 84,065, while the Nifty added 67 points, or 0.26 percent, to settle at 25,935.
Broader markets outperformed the benchmarks. The Nifty Midcap 100 advanced 0.49 percent, while the NSE Smallcap 100 gained 0.38 percent. Microcap stocks saw stronger buying interest, with the Nifty Microcap 250 climbing 1 percent for the second straight session, supported by solid earnings reported for the December 2025 quarter.
Market sentiment was aided by foreign institutional investor buying, firm global cues, and optimism surrounding an interim trade arrangement between India and the United States.
Most sectoral indices ended in positive territory, with the exception of pharma and PSU banking stocks. Media shares led the gains, with the Nifty Media index jumping 2.40 percent, followed by the auto sector, which rose 1.37 percent.
The Indian rupee also strengthened, ending 0.23 percent higher against the U.S. dollar at 90.52 per dollar.
Technical analysts said immediate support for the Nifty is seen in the 25,550–25,600 range, with a stronger demand zone near 25,450–25,500.
Banking stocks underperformed, with the Nifty Bank index closing at 60,626.40, down 42.95 points, or 0.07 percent. Analysts see immediate support around 60,500, noting that an inability to hold higher levels could result in range-bound movement or mild profit-taking.
On a monthly basis, the Nifty 50 declined 3.10 percent in January but has gained 7.71 percent over the past year. The broader Nifty 500 was flat for the month and ended the year up 6.94 percent. Midcap and smallcap indices, however, posted monthly losses, falling between 3.53 percent and 5.52 percent. (Source: IANS)
