Sensex rises 515 points, Nifty at 23,925 as IT stocks lead early gains
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Indian equity benchmarks opened sharply higher on Friday, 4 September, with the BSE Sensex climbing 515 points, or 0.68 per cent, to 76,668 and the Nifty50 adding 51 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 23,925 in early trade. The rally was driven by strong gains in IT stocks and upbeat domestic economic data, even as elevated global bond yields cast a shadow over sentiment.
Sectoral Snapshot
Nifty IT was the top sectoral gainer, rising 0.65 per cent, followed by Nifty Realty, which added 0.50 per cent. On the losing side, Nifty Consumer Durables posted the steepest decline, down 0.50 per cent. Broader market indices tracked the benchmarks closely — the Nifty Midcap 100 edged up 0.03 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 0.49 per cent.
Bond Yields and the Balancing Act
Analysts flagged rising global bond yields as a persistent headwind. The US 10-year yield continues to hover around 4.8 per cent, while Japan's 10-year yield has touched a 30-year high of 3 per cent. The UK's 30-year yield stands at 6 per cent, and India's own 10-year yield is close to 7 per cent. 'Rising bond yields are negative for equity markets,' a market analyst said, noting that these pressures are being offset by robust domestic indicators.
Notably, the domestic tailwinds appear strong enough to keep bulls in the driver's seat for now. 'Particularly impressive are the ongoing high-frequency data regarding GST collections, automobile sales, and credit growth,' the analyst added. This is a pattern seen through much of 2024 — domestic macro resilience cushioning India from global rate-driven sell-offs.
Global Cues and Commodity Watch
Overnight, Wall Street closed higher, with the Nasdaq gaining 1.4 per cent, the S&P 500 advancing 1.06 per cent, and the Dow Jones rising 1.18 per cent. Asian markets followed suit — Japan's Nikkei added 1.14 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 2.09 per cent, South Korea's Kospi gained 1.31 per cent, and China's Shanghai index rose 0.35 per cent. 'Global sentiment has improved as Wall Street closed higher and Asian markets are largely positive, while US Treasury yields have eased,' an analyst said.
Brent crude remains elevated near $96–97 per barrel, keeping geopolitical risks tied to the US–Iran conflict a key factor for market sentiment going forward.
Institutional Flows
On 3 September, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) net sold equities worth ₹2,346 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) stepped in as buyers, purchasing equities worth ₹4,977 crore — underscoring continued domestic confidence even as foreign money remains cautious.
Key Technical Levels to Watch
For the Nifty50, immediate support is placed in the 23,800–23,850 zone, with resistance seen at 24,050–24,100. For Bank Nifty, support lies at 57,000–57,200, while resistance is pegged at 57,800–58,000, according to market participants. A sustained move above resistance levels could signal the next leg of the rally, while a breach of support may invite fresh selling pressure.