Sensex and Nifty Close Higher for Fourth Straight Day Amid Crude Relief

Indian benchmark indices extended their winning streak on Wednesday, marking the fourth consecutive session of gains. Driven by easing geopolitical tensions and softer global crude oil prices, investors showed resilience despite persistent selling by foreign institutional investors.

Market Performance: Sensex and Nifty Hit New Highs

The BSE Sensex recorded a significant uptick, rising 347.14 points, or 0.45%, to finish at 77,155.62. During intraday trading, the index displayed strength, climbing as high as 77,218.99. Similarly, the NSE Nifty50 gained 96.55 points, or 0.40%, to settle at 24,085.70, having touched an intraday peak of 24,108.20.

This upward momentum follows a strong performance on Tuesday, where the Sensex had rallied 544.15 points. The current rally is largely attributed to the US-Iran peace deal, which has reduced geopolitical risks in the Middle East, specifically around the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a drop in Brent crude prices to approximately USD 79.10 per barrel.

Sectoral Winners: Trent and BEL Lead the Charge

Retail and defense sectors saw substantial interest during the session. Trent emerged as the standout performer in both the Sensex and Nifty50 lists, surging by an impressive 7.08%. Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) also showed strong momentum, climbing 3.02%.

Other notable gainers included:

Market Losers: Tata Motors PV Faces Heavy Selling

While the broader indices were in the green, certain stocks faced sharp corrections. Tata Motors PV was the most significant laggard, plummeting by 8.30%. The pharmaceutical sector also saw some pressure, with Cipla dropping 1.64% and Dr. Reddy's declining 0.62%.

In the banking and auto space, Bajaj Finserv (-1.28%), Axis Bank (-1.09%), and Kotak Bank (-0.83%) were among the top losers. Other stocks seeing a decline included ONGC (-1.29%) and Maruti Suzuki (-0.45%).

Global Context and FII Activity

The domestic rally occurred against a mixed global backdrop. While Asian markets like Japan's Nikkei 225 and China's Shanghai Composite ended higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng settled in the red.

A critical factor for domestic investors remains the activity of Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs). Despite the market rally, FIIs remained net sellers, offloading equities worth Rs 749.18 crore on Tuesday. However, the stabilization of crude oil prices is currently acting as a significant cushion for Indian equities.

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