Stock Market Open Report, August 20, 2026: Sensex Jumps 500 pts, Nifty Above 24,150 in Early Morning Session, Tracking Global Cues 

Mumbai, August 20: Indian equity benchmarks opened higher on Thursday, tracking a rebound on Wall Street and a firmer Asian session, as easing US bond yields lifted risk appetite after several sessions of losses. The Sensex and the Nifty 50 carried forward Wednesday’s stabilisation in US markets into the domestic session, with financials and IT stocks leading the early advance. A move by the US Treasury to more than double its long-bond buyback programme cooled overnight yields, a relief that flowed through Asian bourses and, in turn, to Dalal Street. 

The BSE Sensex was trading 499.69 points, or 0.65 per cent, higher at 77,409.37 in early deals. The Nifty 50 advanced 112.60 points, or 0.47 per cent, to 24,190.90 by 9:30 a.m. Gains were broad-based, with financials, IT and realty stocks driving the rally on both benchmarks. 

The upbeat mood held even as the nearly six-month Iran-US standoff stayed unresolved, with Washington and Tehran trading conflicting claims over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said no talks were under way with Iran, while Tehran insisted the waterway remained shut to shipping. Brent crude has climbed for four straight sessions on the uncertainty, though markets have so far absorbed the overhang without denting the broader risk-on tone. 

The UAE suspended all trade, financial and economic transactions with Iran after accusing Tehran of firing missiles towards its territory, sharpening regional tensions even as Gulf producers kept crude flowing through alternative routes. For Indian investors, the overnight Wall Street bounce and steadier yields offered more reason for optimism than the Gulf headlines offered for caution, setting up a constructive start to trade. 

Gainers & Losers 

Shriram Finance (SHRIRAMFIN) led Nifty gainers, rising 2.31 per cent to an LTP of Rs 1,131.5 from a previous close of Rs 1,106. Infosys (INFY) climbed 1.49 per cent to Rs 1,136.5 against Rs 1,119.8, while Eternal (ETERNAL) gained 1.41 per cent to Rs 324.5 from Rs 320. Kotak Mahindra Bank (KOTAKBANK) rose 1.35 per cent to Rs 395.5 versus Rs 390.25, and Bajaj Finance (BAJFINANCE) added 1.30 per cent to Rs 1,094.2 from Rs 1,080.2.  

Among losers, Hindalco Industries (HINDALCO) slipped 1.49 per cent to Rs 1,023.45 from Rs 1,038.95, ONGC (ONGC) fell 0.95 per cent to Rs 235.73 against Rs 238, Max Healthcare (MAXHEALTH) declined 0.80 per cent to Rs 989 from Rs 997, Coal India (COALINDIA) eased 0.51 per cent to Rs 397.95 versus Rs 400, and NTPC (NTPC) shed 0.36 per cent to Rs 335.35 from Rs 336.55. 

Broad Market & Sectoral Indices 

Among broad market indices, the Nifty Smallcap 100 outperformed with a 0.68 per cent gain, the Nifty 500 rose 0.47 per cent and the Nifty Midcap 100 added 0.44 per cent, while the Nifty50 Value 20 slipped 1.77 per cent, the Nifty200 Value 30 eased 0.11 per cent and the Nifty500 Value 50 dipped 0.05 per cent.  

Sectorally, the Nifty IT index led with a 0.83 per cent rise, followed by the Nifty Private Bank index, up 0.73 per cent, and the Nifty Realty index, up 0.49 per cent, even as the Nifty Energy index fell 0.15 per cent, the Nifty Oil & Gas index dropped 0.35 per cent and the Nifty Auto index eased 0.04 per cent. 

Iran War 

The Iran-US conflict, now in its seventh month, showed no sign of a breakthrough after a temporary ceasefire lapsed this week and Tehran signalled a shift to a more offensive military posture. The UAE reported intercepting two ballistic missiles launched from Iran, both of which fell into the sea, while a vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile near the strait. Iran’s top negotiator said the waterway would stay closed until Washington lifted its naval blockade, eased oil sanctions and released frozen Iranian assets. Despite the rhetoric, shipping data showed crossings through the strait remained thin but continuous, easing fears of a complete supply shutdown. 

Asian Markets on Thursday Morning 

Asian equities extended their rebound on Thursday, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gaining over 1 per cent to lead the region as it tracked Wall Street’s advance. Mainland Chinese shares also firmed, though Japan’s Nikkei stayed under pressure after Wednesday’s sharp fall on bond-yield jitters. 

Wall Street 

Wall Street snapped a three-day losing streak on Wednesday after the US Treasury said it would more than double its buyback of long-dated debt, pulling yields sharply lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.22 per cent to 53,463.05, the S&P 500 added 0.21 per cent to 7,707.98 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.16 per cent to 26,331.09. 

Oil Prices 

Brent crude extended its winning run to a fourth straight session, settling near $91.86 a barrel on Wednesday as the Hormuz standoff kept supply risks elevated. WTI crude rose in tandem to around $86.15 a barrel, even as US refinery activity hit its highest level since September 2019. Despite the rally, Gulf producers continued to route significant volumes of crude through alternative channels, capping the extent of the spike. 

Highlights of the Minutes of Fed Reserve’s July 28-29 Meeting 

Minutes of the Federal Reserve’s July 28-29 meeting, released Wednesday, showed a rare three-way dissent from regional presidents Lorie Logan, Beth Hammack and Neel Kashkari, all of whom favoured a 25 basis point hike. Several participants flagged that financial conditions might not yet be restrictive enough to bring inflation back to target, while others cautioned that price pressures remained broad-based. The Fed held its benchmark rate steady at 3.50-3.75 per cent, with Chair Kevin Warsh continuing to avoid explicit forward guidance. The minutes also revealed discussions on trimming the number of annual policy meetings, though no decision was taken and the 2026 calendar stays unchanged. 

Indian Markets on Wednesday 

Indian benchmarks had extended their losing streak on Tuesday, with the Sensex down 0.63 per cent and the Nifty 50 slipping 0.55 per cent as crude prices, US-Iran tensions and elevated US bond yields weighed on sentiment. IT stocks led the decline, with the Nifty IT index falling 1.9 per cent as Infosys, HCL Technologies and Wipro dragged the index lower. Realty, FMCG and metal stocks also ended weaker, even as auto, media and oil & gas counters bucked the trend to close in the green. 

Sources

•  BSE
• NSE