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Markets remain above neutral lines in late morning deals
Aug-21-2026

Domestic equity indices remained above the neutral lines in late morning deals, tracking positive cues from other Asian markets. Some support came in markets as India’s production growth of nine key infrastructure sectors rose to 5.4 per cent in July. However, gains remain capped amid rising U.S. bond yields and crude oil prices, as the stalemated U.S.-Iran war continued to disrupt supplies from the key Middle Eastern producing region.

Both the Sensex and Nifty traded marginally higher, supported by buying in HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Bharti Airtel, Tata Consultancy Services and Kotak Mahindra Bank. On the BSE sectoral front, traders were seen building positions in Power, Utilities, PSU, Industrials and Capital Goods, while selling was witnessed in FMCG, Auto, Healthcare, Consumer Discretionary and Consumer Durables. On the global front, Asian markets were trading mostly in the green despite weak cues from U.S. markets overnight.

The BSE Sensex is currently trading at 77633.13, up by 95.41 points or 0.12% after trading in a range of 77445.86 and 77725.67. There were 14 stocks advancing against 16 stocks declining on the index.

The top gaining sectoral indices on the BSE were Power up by 1.03%, Utilities up by 1.00%, PSU up by 0.57%, Industrials up by 0.49% and Capital Goods up by 0.43%, while FMCG down by 0.75%, Auto down by 0.61%, Healthcare down by 0.45%, Consumer Disc down by 0.30% and Consumer Durables down by 0.23% were the top losing indices on BSE.

The top gainers on the Sensex were Power Grid up by 3.86%, NTPC up by 1.41%, Bharat Electronics up by 1.16%, Kotak Mahindra Bank up by 1.12% and HDFC Bank up by 0.73%. On the flip side, Hindustan Unilever down by 1.06%, Interglobe Aviation down by 0.95%, Eternal down by 0.89%, Titan Company down by 0.66% and Trent down by 0.62% were the top losers.

Meanwhile, in order to strengthen manufacturing and expand the country’s presence in global trade, the government has nudged the industry to utilise free trade agreements (FTAs), focus on value addition, build resilient supply chains, and actively diversify export markets. Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Yashvir Singh said all trade agreements which India has signed 'is a door, but doors, however magnificently crafted, do not open themselves. It is the industry that must walk through them. 

He stated the industry should use FTAs to widen market access, attract investment and technology, diversify supply chains, and develop manufacturing ecosystems that can withstand global shocks. Moreover, he said India aims not just to join the global manufacturing landscape, but to position itself as a reliable, competitive, and trusted partner across global value chains.

He outlined five strategic imperatives for the industry, stressing that these were obligations rather than mere suggestions. The first was to invest in greater FTA utilisation by understanding rules-of-origin requirements and mapping supply chains to qualify for preferential tariffs. He noted that the resulting duty savings are tangible and can provide an immediate competitive advantage. He also urged businesses to move up the value chain.

Besides, he said the share of capital goods in India's export basket has already risen from 13 per cent in 2014 to 19 per cent currently, but that trajectory must be accelerated. He also called for building supply chain resilience as China's concentration in upstream materials is a risk for the world. He said ‘For India, it is also an opportunity. Invest in critical minerals, in API (Application Programming Interface) manufacturing, in domestic electronic components. Every supply chain we secure is a choke point we neutralise. Fourth, diversify markets actively.’ India's trade agreements with Oman, New Zealand, and Mauritius have opened corridors in the Gulf, Oceania, and East Africa that were earlier inaccessible on preferential terms.

He stated ‘Fifth, engage on standards. The country that rides the technical standards owns the market. India must move from being a standard taker to a standard setter. UPI, ONDC, and BharatNet are early signals of what sovereign standards can achieve’. He added 'now industry must build the scale. Let us not be China plus one. Let us be India, the trusted partner, the resilient manufacturer, and the next great engine of global growth.'

The CNX Nifty is currently trading at 24255.00, up by 23.15 points or 0.10% after trading in a range of 24206.80 and 24284.05. There were 22 stocks advancing against 28 stocks declining on the index.

The top gainers on Nifty were Power Grid up by 3.36%, Kotak Mahindra Bank up by 1.38%, Bharat Electronics up by 1.18%, NTPC up by 1.05% and HDFC Life Insurance up by 0.82%. On the flip side, Interglobe Aviation down by 1.05%, Tata Consumer down by 0.95%, Bajaj Auto down by 0.93%, Maruti Suzuki India down by 0.88% and Cipla down by 0.85% were the top losers.

Asian markets were trading mostly in the green; Taiwan Weighted added 290.55 points or 0.65% to 45,224.29, Jakarta Composite gained 33.99 points or 0.52% to 6,535.58, KOSPI increased 51.54 points or 0.75% to 6,904.12, Hang Seng advanced 220.51 points or 0.86% to 25,919.00 and Straits Times rose 10.19 points or 0.18% to 5,682.10. However, Nikkei 225 slipped 356.79 points or 0.54% to 65,860.00, Shanghai Composite weakened 5.72 points or 0.15% to 3,898.00.
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