Indian equity benchmark indices, the Sensex and Nifty, opened in the green on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, amid positive global cues. While the 30-share BSE Sensex added 96.86 points or 0.12 per cent to start the session at 78,617.16, the Nifty gained only 9.7 points to open at 24,374.55. In the last trading session, the Sensex closed at 78,520.30 and the Nifty 50 at 24,364.85. Similarly, the broader indices traded in the green in the opening session. While the BSE Midcap Select Index added 90.58 points, the BSE Smallcap Select Index was up by 45.94 points or 0.58 per cent, to trade at 8,032.70.
From the Sensex pack, Axis Bank, Adani Ports, ICICI Bank, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank were among the gainers with Axis Bank leading the pack by gaining 0.96 per cent in the early trade. On the other hand, Infosys, UltraTech Cement, TCS, Bajaj Finserv and Hindustan Unilever were in the red, with Infosys the biggest loser, falling 0.78 per cent.
In early trade, market breadth was positive, with 2,000 stocks advancing against 709 stocks declining on the NSE. 86 stocks remained unchanged.
What did Gift Nifty indicate?
Gift Nifty, an early indicator for the Nifty 50, indicated a positive start as it opened with a gain of 100 points at 24,443, compared to the previous close of 24,341.50. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers with outflows of 1,059.93 crore on April 20, 2026. However, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) turned net buyers with inflows of around Rs 2,966.89 crore. Meanwhile, India VIX remained above 18.
Asian Markets Today
Asian stocks inched up amid reports that Iran may enter talks with the United States. However, US stocks gave back a bit of their record-breaking rally. While Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 674.11 points or 1.15 per cent to trade at 59,499, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up by 80.93 points or 0.31 per cent. Similarly, South Korea's Kospi traded in the green with a gain of 130.56 points at the time of writing the report. However, Shanghai's SSE Composite index shed 9.74 points or 0.24 per cent.
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(This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, or other advice.)
