Stock market today: After a seven-session losing streak, bulls finally staged a comeback on Dalal Street on Thursday, August 20, with the benchmark indices recording healthy gains and reviving optimism in the market.
Despite the continuing standoff between the US and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, strong buying interest in banking and NBFC stocks, coupled with gains in FMCG and technology shares, supported the market. The Nifty 50 ended the session 0.55% higher at 24,211.
The Sensex gained 0.75% to settle at 77,488. Broader markets also closed in the green, with the Nifty Smallcap 100 rising 0.67% and the Nifty Midcap 100 advancing 0.50%.
“Markets staged a strong rebound on Thursday, snapping their seven-session losing streak amid supportive global cues. After a firm opening, the Nifty maintained a positive bias through most of the session, while the Sensex also advanced strongly. On the weekly expiry day, the Nifty settled at 24,231, while the Sensex closed at 77,537.72.
Stocks to watch today: Investor sentiment improved following stabilisation in global bond markets after the US Treasury announced measures to increase buybacks of long-duration debt, easing concerns over rising global yields. A stronger rupee and short covering following the recent correction further supported the recovery. However, Brent crude remained elevated near $94 per barrel amid continuing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, keeping inflation and external-sector risks on investors’ radar,” said Ajit Mishra – SVP, Research, Religare Broking.
As the market turned positive, some stocks are likely to remain in focus on Friday due to their own positive/negative triggers.
Stocks to Watch
Hindustan Aeronautics
The Bengaluru bench of the NCLT has approved the dissolution of Infotech HAL Ltd, a dormant 50:50 joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Cyient.
RailTel Corp
The Navratna PSU has won a ₹164.79 crore contract from Western Coalfields for setting up an MPLS VPN network on a 60-month rental basis. The project is scheduled to be executed by September 2031.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles
The company has resumed normal operations at its Sanand facilities in Gujarat, as well as at suppliers’ plants in and around the state, after temporary disruptions caused by heavy rainfall and flooding.
Kfin Technologies
Kfin Technologies witnessed a major block deal, with General Atlantic Singapore offloading 1.51 crore shares, representing an 8.8% stake in the company, for around ₹1,400 crore.
Lemon Tree Hotel
The hospitality company has strengthened its presence in Gujarat with the launch of Lemon Tree Hotel in Bharuch, taking its total operational portfolio in the state to 12 properties.
Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences
KIMS has signed an operations and management agreement with Aurevia Hospitals to exclusively run and manage the 250-bed Arete Hospital in Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
Amagi Media Labs
Amagi Media Labs is likely to remain in focus on Friday after the cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) company launched a ₹600 crore block deal on Thursday, equivalent to around 5% of its total equity.
Niva Bupa Health Insurance
Meanwhile, the health insurance company said that the IRDAI has issued a warning for breaching the applicable Expense of Management (EoM) limits for FY25. The regulator has also barred the company from opening new places of business for six months, effective August 19, 2026.
Saatvik Green Energy
The solar solutions provider said its material subsidiary, Saatvik Solar Industries, has secured and accepted a commercial order worth ₹190 crore from a domestic independent power producer/EPC player for the supply of solar PV modules.
Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. Please consult with an investment advisor before making any investment decisions.
