Market Close Report Today, September 18, 2026: Nifty, Sensex End Mixed Amid IPO Rush

Mumbai, September 18: Indian equity benchmarks ended mixed on Friday after the Closing Auction Session (CAS), with the Nifty holding on to gains while the Sensex pared almost all of its intraday advance. The Nifty gained 76 points, or 0.33 percent, to close at 23,346, while the Sensex slipped 20 points, or 0.03 percent, to 74,295. The Sensex had been up 245 points at the 3:15 pm pre-CAS close. 

Friday’s session saw bargain buying after recent losses, aided by a pullback in crude oil prices, although gains were capped by weakness in IT and select Tata Group stocks and continued liquidity absorption by the primary market. Brent crude fell 1.6 percent to around $103.1 a barrel as expectations that alternative export routes could keep Middle Eastern oil flowing outweighed concerns over renewed Saudi-Houthi strikes. 

The broader market significantly outperformed the headline indices. The small-cap index jumped 1.7 percent, while the mid-cap index rose 1.2 percent. Market breadth remained firmly positive, with 2,531 stocks advancing against 1,452 declines on the NSE. The India VIX, meanwhile, tumbled 7.2 percent, signalling a sharp easing in market volatility during the session. 

Metals, Realty, Energy Lead Gains 

Metals, media, realty, infrastructure and energy stocks were among the strongest performers, with their respective sectoral indices gaining more than 1 percent. The gains reflected broad-based buying across domestic-facing segments and helped the wider market outperform the benchmarks. 

IT stocks, however, remained under pressure. The Nifty IT index fell 1.03 percent, with concerns around US monetary conditions and investor preference for AI-focused companies weighing on the sector. 

Tata Group stocks were another drag, with several counters falling after the previous day’s gains. TCS, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Tata Investment and Tata Chemicals were among the stocks under pressure. Most Tata Group counters came under pressure as market participants assessed the implications of the ongoing tussle surrounding Tata Sons, including questions around the holding company’s future listing and leadership. 

NSE IPO Fully Subscribed On Second Day 

The strong primary-market activity remained another factor influencing secondary-market liquidity. Five Indian IPOs were open for subscription, including the Rs 22,561-crore NSE issue, which was fully subscribed on its second day of bidding. 

The issue is entirely an offer for sale, meaning NSE itself will not receive proceeds from the offering. 

The IPO rush comes as Indian equities complete a difficult week. The Nifty and Sensex fell 0.22 percent and 0.65 percent, respectively, over the week, marking the markets’ sixth consecutive weekly decline. Elevated crude prices, Middle East tensions, high US interest rates and foreign investor selling have remained key pressures on domestic equities. 

Despite the subdued performance of the headline indices, Friday’s strong breadth and sharp gains in mid- and small-cap stocks pointed to renewed selective buying. Softer oil prices also offered some relief, although crude remained above $100 a barrel, keeping inflation and foreign-flow concerns in focus. With the Nifty ending higher but the Sensex slipping after the CAS, the session underscored the divergence between benchmark and broader-market performance. 

Source

•  NSE
• BSE