held firm through Monday’s mid-session trade, with the at 77,244.65, up 580.44 points or 0.76 per cent, and the at 24,076.65, up 178.70 points or 0.75 per cent, as of 12.45 pm — building on a positive opening that had seen the Sensex start at 76,856.05 and the Nifty at 23,945.45 against their Friday closes of 76,664.21 and 23,897.95 respectively.
Market breadth on BSE was decisively positive, with 3,181 stocks advancing against 711 declines and 188 unchanged out of 3,181 traded. Eighty-one stocks hit 52-week highs while 21 touched 52-week lows. Ninety-five stocks were locked in upper circuits and 86 in lower circuits.
Sun Pharma was the standout performer of the session, surging 6.96 per cent to ₹1,733.10 from its previous close of ₹1,620.40, touching a high of ₹1,766.90 on volumes of over 1.91 crore shares worth ₹3,30,195 lakh.
The pharmaceutical sector has emerged as a key defensive anchor through a week of broad-based selling, and Monday’s move amplified that trend decisively.
Adani Ports rose 2.50 per cent to ₹1,624.80 from ₹1,585.10, while JSW Steel gained 2.36 per cent to ₹1,285.30 from ₹1,255.70 — with metals sector buying picking up as the session progressed. TCS, which has been under pressure alongside the broader IT pack following weak guidance from peers last week, recovered 2.21 per cent to ₹2,449.80 from its previous close of ₹2,396.90, with over 31 lakh shares traded worth ₹75,442 lakh. ILIFE added 2.14 per cent to ₹1,806.70 from ₹1,768.90.
Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, noted that buying was visible across IT, pharma, metals and real estate, though he flagged the recovery as tentative. …”Elevated oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty continue to keep investors watchful,” he said, adding that Iran’s recent overtures around the Strait of Hormuz had offered “some relief” without resolving the underlying standoff with the US.
On the losing side, Shriram Finance was the steepest decliner among Nifty 50 constituents, falling 4.08 per cent to ₹970.00 from ₹1,011.30 on volumes of over 96.51 lakh shares worth ₹94,285 lakh. Axis Bank slid 3.51 per cent to ₹1,318.00 from ₹1,365.90 on heavy turnover of ₹99,224 lakh — the stock had opened flat but selling accelerated through the morning. BEL dropped 1.81 per cent to ₹436.40 from ₹444.45, Coal India fell 0.79 per cent to ₹452.40 from ₹456.00, and Tata Consumer Products dipped 0.66 per cent to ₹1,166.20 from ₹1,174.00.
In commodities, MCX Crude Oil was trading near ₹8,990, staging a sharp recovery above its ascending trendline with immediate resistance at ₹9,185. US WTI was consolidating near $95.25, with resistance at $97.50. Brent crude remained in the $105–108 per barrel range, continuing to act as an inflation concern and a drag on India’s import bill.
In precious metals, MCX Gold was trading near ₹1,52,500, with a sustained move above ₹1,54,000 seen as necessary to revive momentum. MCX Silver broke above the key ₹2,44,400 resistance level to trade near ₹2,45,200, with immediate resistance at ₹2,46,000. COMEX Gold held above the $4,680–$4,700 support zone, while COMEX Silver traded above $76.
The rupee continued to weaken, with USD/INR near ₹94.22 and climbing, sustaining above its long-term ascending trendline. Immediate resistance is at ₹94.50, beyond which the pair could push toward ₹94.80–₹95 — adding to cost pressures for import-heavy sectors.
With roughly three hours of trade remaining, the Nifty continues to face resistance in the 24,300–24,400 band. Bank Nifty, which opened around 56,222, faces a key hurdle at 56,800–57,000. Whether the afternoon session sustains the morning’s buying momentum or fades into resistance will determine the day’s final tone.