Stock Market Highlights Today: Sensex, Nifty extend losses amid expiry volatility – 13th August 2026

Indian equities ended lower for a third straight session on Thursday, with the Nifty 50 closing at 24,353, down about 83 points, and the Sensex slipping around 105 points, as expiry-day volatility and lingering concerns over crude and the rupee weighed on sentiment. The benchmarks traded in a narrow band for much of the day despite broadly supportive Asian cues, reflecting a cautious undertone ahead of key inflation readings in India and the United States. Traders also watched the easing in Brent crude prices for near-term relief, even as geopolitical risks kept energy markets and currency moves in focus.

According to NSE and BSE data, the Sensex settled at 77,861.48, down 0.13 percent from the previous close, while the Nifty 50 finished 0.34 percent lower at 24,353.35 in the closing auction session. The indices opened weak, with the Sensex dropping more than 160 points at the open and the Nifty slipping below 24,350, then oscillated in a tight range through the afternoon as intraday attempts to recover met selling at higher levels. The pattern extended the losing streak from Wednesday, when the Sensex had fallen 187.90 points and the Nifty 35.75 points, and kept both benchmarks below their recent highs.

Broader markets showed a more resilient tone. NSE data indicated that the Nifty Midcap and Nifty Smallcap indices were modestly higher, up about 0.05 percent and 0.26 percent respectively, even as the large-cap benchmarks stayed in the red. Market breadth on the NSE was slightly positive, with 1,467 stocks advancing against 1,089 declining and 113 unchanged, suggesting that selling was concentrated in select heavyweights rather than across the board.

Index Performance

Overall index moves reflected the divergence between frontline benchmarks and broader segments.

Index	Close	Move & % Change	Comments
Sensex	77,861.48	-104.87 pts (-0.13%)	Traded in a tight range, extending losses for a third session amid expiry-day volatility.
Nifty 50	24,353.35	-82.60 pts (-0.34%)	Stayed below 24,500, with selling in metals, cement and IT capping intraday recoveries.
Nifty Midcap	approx. 15,065	up 0.05%	Hit a new high intraday, led by Paytm and Dixon Technologies, showing midcap strength.
Nifty Smallcap	approx. level not stated	up 0.26%	Outperformed large caps, reflecting selective buying in smaller names.

Analysts pointed to a mix of domestic and global drivers behind the subdued mood. Vinod Nair of Geojit Investments said markets remained on edge ahead of inflation data in India and the US, with crude near the 90 dollar mark in recent sessions adding to caution on the policy and earnings outlook. Elevated energy costs, the stronger US dollar and geopolitical developments around the US-Israel-Iran conflict were cited as key overhangs for risk appetite. At the same time, domestic macro indicators such as GST collections, freight trends, auto sales and credit growth were flagged as supportive, underpinning the view that the broader growth and earnings backdrop remains constructive despite near-term volatility.

VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, described the near-term market phase as one of consolidation and sideways movement, driven by the push and pull between strong fundamentals and external headwinds. He said robust earnings momentum and sustained domestic liquidity flows are acting as tailwinds, while uncertainty around crude price trends remains the main headwind. “High frequency indicators like GST collections, freight, auto sales and credit growth are big positives that can surprise growth and earnings on the upside,” Vijayakumar noted, although he cautioned that elevated crude prices continue to cloud the outlook.

Sectorally, action was mixed, with several cyclical and rate-sensitive pockets under pressure. According to NSE data, Nifty Cement fell about 1 percent and emerged as one of the worst performers, while metals and IT also weighed on the benchmarks. In contrast, FMCG and media indices showed relative strength, and select realty, chemicals and cement names managed gains despite the broader sector weakness. Earlier in the day, Nifty Auto and Nifty Financial Services had opened in the green, but selling in private banks and consumer-facing sectors later in the session contributed to the weak close.

Sectoral Performance

Sector moves tracked the rotation between defensives and cyclicals.

Sector/Index	Direction	Key Drivers
Nifty Cement	down 1%	Profit-taking and broader risk-off mood dragged cement stocks despite isolated gainers.
Nifty Metal	down, exact % not stated	Global demand concerns and softer base metal futures weighed on sentiment.
Nifty IT	down, exact % not stated	Continued pressure after recent weakness in large-cap IT and Tata group names.
Nifty FMCG	up, exact % not stated	Defensive buying supported the index amid broader volatility.
Nifty Media	up, exact % not stated	Outperformed as investors rotated into select midcap media names.

Among individual movers, Hindalco Industries, UltraTech Cement and Grasim Industries were the top losers on the Nifty 50, according to exchange data, reflecting the drag from metals and cement. In the broader market, the Nifty Midcap Select index touched a new high of 15,065.20, led by gains in One 97 Communications (Paytm) and Dixon Technologies, underscoring investor interest in select growth names despite the cautious tone in large caps. Defence stocks rallied, with Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI) surging 11 percent, while sugar companies such as Balrampur Chini Mills, Dhampur Sugar, Dalmia Bharat Sugar, Shree Renuka and EID Parry climbed up to 7 percent after domestic sugar prices rose to 4,400 to 4,800 rupees per quintal, a seven-year high.

Corporate earnings drove sharp moves in several stocks. Page Industries fell about 4 percent after its June quarter profit after tax declined 4 percent year on year to 192.8 crore rupees, while Max Healthcare Institute erased intraday losses and traded nearly 0.9 percent higher after reporting a 3 percent rise in PAT to 357 crore rupees and a 15 percent increase in revenue to 2,835 crore rupees. Jubilant FoodWorks gained after its consolidated net profit rose 5.7 percent year on year to 97.2 crore rupees. Ipca Laboratories advanced as consolidated net profit jumped 73 percent year on year to 402 crore rupees, whereas Indraprastha Gas slipped following a 44 percent year-on-year decline in net profit to 240.41 crore rupees.

Flows and volatility indicators pointed to a market that is cautious but not panicked. India VIX, the volatility gauge, fell 1.4 percent to 11.69, according to NSE data, even as traders braced for expiry-related swings, suggesting that expectations of extreme near-term moves remain contained. The rupee stayed under pressure, opening at 95.40 against the US dollar and trading in a 95.24 to 95.43 band, after ending the previous session slightly stronger at 95.33. Elevated crude prices and global uncertainty were cited as key drivers of currency weakness.

Key Market Statistics

Key indicators captured the cautious undertone.

Statistic	Value/Change	Context
India VIX	11.69, down 1.4%	Volatility eased despite expiry, indicating limited fear of sharp near-term swings.
Rupee vs USD (spot)	95.40 open; prior close 95.33	Stayed under pressure from crude and dollar strength, with traders eyeing US CPI.
NSE market breadth	1,467 advances; 1,089 declines	Slightly positive breadth despite benchmark weakness, showing selective buying.

Global cues were mixed but broadly supportive. Data showed South Korea’s Kospi jumping about 3.1 percent and Japan’s Nikkei 225 gaining 1.5 percent, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped around 0.6 percent, leaving the regional tone constructive but not uniformly strong. Brent crude futures eased, with prices around 87.69 to 88 dollars a barrel after major forecasters cut their projections for global oil demand in 2026, citing disruptions from the US-Israeli war on Iran. WTI crude traded near 82 dollars. For India, softer crude offers some relief on import costs and inflation expectations, though analysts cautioned that geopolitical risks and potential supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz remain key variables.

Global Cues

External markets and commodities framed the backdrop for domestic trade.

Market/Asset	Movement	Notes
Kospi (South Korea)	up 3.13%	Strong regional rally, signalling risk-on sentiment in parts of Asia.
Nikkei 225 (Japan)	up 1.5%	Gains supported broader MSCI Asia Pacific index.
S&P/ASX 200 (Australia)	down 0.6%	Diverged from other Asian markets, reflecting local factors.
Brent crude	around $87.69, down about $1.29	Eased after demand forecasts were cut, but geopolitical risks remain.
WTI crude	around $82, down about $1.20	Tracked Brent lower on weaker demand outlook.

On the technical front, analysts saw the benchmarks locked in a choppy, sideways range with defined support and resistance zones. For the Sensex, Sachin Gupta of Choice Equity Broking identified 77,250 to 77,500 as a crucial support band and 78,200 to 78,400 as immediate resistance, noting that the index has been finding support near its 20- and 100-day exponential moving averages. Nagaraj Shetti of HDFC Securities said the Nifty 50’s short-term trend remains choppy with a weak bias, with 24,300 acting as a key support zone and 24,600 as immediate resistance. Osho Krishan of Angel One highlighted 24,350, corresponding to the 20-day exponential moving average, as near-term support, with 24,550 to 24,600 as the resistance area that needs to be decisively cleared to revive bullish momentum.

Looking ahead, traders will focus on upcoming inflation prints in India and the US, central bank commentary and further moves in crude and the rupee to gauge whether the current consolidation phase can resolve higher or risks deepening into a larger correction. The leadership transition overhang in major Tata group companies, after Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran signalled he would not seek another term beyond February 2027, is also likely to remain a talking point for large-cap positioning. For now, the market setup points to range-bound trade with stock-specific action driven by earnings, sector themes and global cues rather than a clear directional trend in the benchmarks.