Will the Stock Market Maintain Its Positive Momentum Ahead of the Fed Rate Cut?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Indian equities closed positively on September 17.
- Strong buying in heavyweight stocks boosted market sentiment.
- Sensex gained 313 points, while Nifty rose by 91 points.
- Sectoral performance was mixed, with IT and banking leading.
- Investors should be cautious, especially with upcoming U.S. Fed decisions.
Mumbai, Sep 17 (NationPress) Building on the gains from the previous trading day, Indian equities wrapped up the session positively on Wednesday, spurred by purchases in major stocks such as SBI, BEL, and Maruti Suzuki.
The market maintained its stability as investors exhibited a cautious optimism following extensive dialogues between India and the United States regarding tariff-related matters.
The Sensex concluded the day at 82,693.71, gaining 313 points, or 0.38 percent. The 30-share index commenced with a solid gap-up at 82,506.40, compared to the previous closing of 82,380.69. The index further extended its early gains, reaching an intraday peak of 82,741.95 due to robust buying in heavyweight stocks.
The Nifty settled at 25,330.25, up by 91.15 points or 0.36 percent.
"Markets advanced during a subdued trading session on Wednesday, displaying a cautiously positive sentiment. After a strong start, the Nifty index fluctuated within a narrow range before concluding at the 25,330.25 mark," stated Ajit Mishra of Religare Broking.
Sectoral performance varied, with IT, banking, and auto sectors emerging as the primary gainers, while metals, FMCG, and pharma faced profit-taking.
Despite the range-bound trading, the underlying sentiment remains buoyed by optimism surrounding policy reforms and strong domestic inflows. Nevertheless, persistent selling by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) and caution ahead of the U.S. Fed's policy decisions limited the market's momentum, he added.
Top gainers from the Sensex included SBI, BEL, Kotak Bank, Maruti, Trent, Tech Mahindra, TCS, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Motors, Infosys, Asian Paints, Sun Pharma, and L&T. Meanwhile, Bajaj FinServ, Titan, ITC, Tata Steel, and Hindustan Unilever closed lower.
The majority of sectoral indices rose amid a mixed trading approach. The Nifty Fin Services climbed 68 points or 0.26 percent, Nifty Bank advanced by 345 points or 0.63 percent, Nifty Auto surged 148 points or 0.55 percent, and Nifty IT finished the session up 235 points or 0.65 percent. In contrast, Nifty FMCG declined.
Broader indices remained buoyant due to value buying in small-cap stocks. Nifty Small Cap 100 increased by 124 points or 0.68 percent, Nifty 100 jumped 86.90 points or 0.34 percent, and Nifty Midcap 100 closed 49 points higher.