MUMBAI, India — Indian equity benchmarks posted moderate gains on Tuesday, extending their rally to a third consecutive session, supported by strong domestic earnings and positive global cues.
The Sensex rose 208 points, or 0.25 percent, to close at 84,065, while the Nifty added 67 points, or 0.26 percent, to settle at 25,935.
Broader markets outperformed the benchmarks, with the Nifty Midcap 100 gaining 0.49 percent and the NSE Smallcap 100 rising 0.38 percent. Microcap stocks saw stronger buying interest, as the Nifty Microcap 250 advanced 1 percent for the second straight session, aided by robust earnings in the December 2025 quarter.
Market sentiment was further supported by foreign institutional investor buying, firm global markets, and optimism surrounding the interim India–U.S. trade agreement.
Most sectoral indices ended higher, with the exception of pharmaceuticals and PSU banks. Media stocks led the gains, with the Nifty Media index jumping 2.40 percent, followed by the auto sector, which climbed 1.37 percent.
The Indian rupee strengthened 0.23 percent against the U.S. dollar to close at 90.52 per dollar.
Analysts said immediate support for the Nifty is seen in the 25,550 to 25,600 range, with a stronger demand zone around 25,450 to 25,500. The Nifty Bank index ended marginally lower, slipping 42.95 points, or 0.07 percent, to close at 60,626.40. Support for the banking index is seen near 60,500, with a failure to hold higher levels potentially leading to range-bound trading or mild profit-taking.
On a monthly basis, the Nifty 50 declined 3.10 percent in January but remains up 7.71 percent over the past year. The Nifty 500 was flat for the month and is up 6.94 percent year over year. Midcap and smallcap indices declined between 3.53 percent and 5.52 percent in January. (Source: IANS)
