Indian equity markets extended gains in afternoon trade on Wednesday, the final trading session of 2025, with the S&P BSE Sensex rising 533.23 points or 0.63 per cent to 85,208.31 and the NSE Nifty adding 183.95 points or 0.71 per cent to 26,122.80 as of 12:45pm. The advance built on modest opening gains as investors pared positions ahead of the new year.
Market breadth on the BSE remained firmly positive, with 2,764 stocks advancing against 1,253 declines out of 4,182 issues traded. A notable 111 stocks touched 52-week highs while 114 hit fresh lows. Circuits were active, with 169 stocks in the upper circuit and 103 in the lower circuit.
Blue chips led the move higher, driven by continued strength in metal stocks. JSW Steel jumped 4.92 per cent to ₹1,166.30 and Tata Steel rose 2.46 per cent to ₹180.12, extending a morning rally. Reliance Industries advanced 1.89 per cent to ₹1,568.90, Titan rose 1.88 per cent to ₹4,048.80 and Trent gained 1.67 per cent to ₹4,278.00, making them among the top Nifty gainers.
Not all large caps participated. Technology names saw mixed performance with TCS down 0.83 per cent to ₹3,219.70, Wipro off 0.63 per cent at ₹261.98 and Infosys easing 0.27 per cent to ₹1,617.30. Bajaj Finance slipped 0.57 per cent to ₹983.70 and Tech Mahindra edged down 0.26 per cent to ₹1,600.40.
Indian markets rally lifts benchmarks and midcaps
Broader indices outperformed the headline benchmarks. The Nifty Midcap 100 climbed 1.23 per cent to 60,651.05, the Nifty Next 50 gained 1.14 per cent to 69,448.20 and the Nifty Smallcap 100 rose 0.98 per cent to 17,691.70. On the sectoral front, Nifty Bank advanced 0.81 per cent to 59,659.15 and Nifty Financial Services increased 0.76 per cent to 27,590.35.
Trading volumes were subdued, a reflection of global markets being on holiday and routine year-end position squaring by institutional investors. Thinner volumes can exaggerate price moves in individual stocks, but the broad participation suggests a genuine risk-on stance among traders.
Market participants pointed to technical levels that mattered for the session. Ponmudi R, chief executive officer of Enrich Money, said the Nifty was holding above the 25,900 support level with resistance in the 26,100 to 26,160 range. He added that Bank Nifty had maintained stability above 59,200 with resistance at 59,400 to 59,500. These levels are likely to guide position-taking in the near term.
Investors will watch for any spillover from global developments when markets reopen fully after the holidays. For now, the year-end rally in India has been led by cyclical sectors such as metals and selected financials, while certain defensive and IT names lagged. The market’s breadth and midcap strength point to continued confidence among domestic investors entering 2026, but traders will remain alert to volume and volatility shifts when global activity resumes.
Photograph: Rising market chart. Source: Publication image.
Key Takeaways:
- Sensex rose 533.23 points to 85,208.31 while Nifty gained 183.95 points to 26,122.80 as markets extended gains in the final trading session of 2025.
- Broader indices outperformed with Nifty Midcap 100, Next 50 and Smallcap 100 posting strong gains amid metal and select large-cap rallies.
- Market breadth was positive despite thin volumes due to global holiday closures and year-end position squaring.
- Analysts noted Nifty support near 25,900 and resistance at 26,100–26,160; Bank Nifty held above 59,200 with resistance at 59,400–59,500.
