Market Opening Bell: Sensex surges 414 points, Nifty above 23,800 amid firm global cues, BEL top gainer
Sensex, Nifty Today: Asian markets edged higher after US markets climbed amid optimism that tensions involving Iran could ease.
Indian equity benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty, started today's trading session on May 21, 2026, on a strong bullish note, supported by firm global cues, easing geopolitical anxiety, and improving risk sentiment across global equities. While the 30-share BSE Sensex surged 414.03 points or 0.54 per cent to start the session at 75,732.42, the Nifty added 171.05 points to open at 23,830.05. In the last trading session, the Sensex closed at 75,318.39 and the Nifty 50 at 23,659. Similarly, the broader indices traded in the green in the opening session. While the BSE Midcap Select Index gained 151.95 points, the BSE Smallcap Select Index jumped 85.07 points or 1.02 per cent, to trade at 8,462.45.
From the Sensex pack, BEL, Indigo, Eternal, Asian Paints, and L&T were in green with BEL leading the pack by gaining 2.20 per cent in the early trade. On the other hand, Infosys was the only stock in the red, falling over 0.09 per cent.
What did Gift Nifty indicate?
Gift Nifty, an early indicator for the Nifty 50, hinted at a positive start as it opened with a gain of 136 points at 23,801, compared to the previous close of 23,565. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net sellers and offloaded equities worth Rs 1,597.35 crore on May 20. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) remained buyers, purchasing equities worth Rs 1,968.35 crore.
"Today’s market setup strongly favours a relief rally driven by easing global fears and improving risk sentiment. However, currency volatility and macroeconomic fragility continue to remain key variables that investors are unlikely to ignore despite the near-term optimism," said Hariprasad K, SEBI-registered Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth.
Asian Markets Today
Asian markets edged higher after US markets climbed amid optimism that tensions involving Iran could ease. Japan's Nikkei 225 was up by 2,105.59 points or 3.52 per cent at 61,910 at the time of writing the report. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up by 2.88 points or 0.02 per cent. South Korea's Kospi traded in the green with a gain of 559.45 per cent at the time of writing the report. Similarly, Shanghai's SSE Composite index was down by 18.56 points or 0.45 per cent.