Markets at close: The domestic benchmarks extended gains for the third consecutive session. The Nifty 50 rose 197 points or 0.83% to close at 23,777.80, while the BSE Sensex surged 633 points or 0.83% to settle at 76,704.13.
The broader markets outperformed the benchmarks. The Nifty Midcap 100 jumped 1,115.45 points or 2.02% to end at 56,289.85.
Markets at 1.30 PM: Indian benchmarks have further surged in the afternoon hours, trading at 1% higher. The Nifty 50 was up 254 points or 1.08% to trade at 25,835. The 30-stock basket trade
Markets at 11.30 AM: The domestic equity benchmarks extended their rally in late morning hours. The Nifty 50 was up 212 points or 0.90% to trade at 23,793, while the BSE Sensex surged 722 points or 0.95% to trade at 76,793.
Markets at 10:30 am: Markets continued their upward move, with the Sensex rising 522.77 points (0.69%) to 76,593.61, while the Nifty gained 151.25 points (0.64%) to trade at 23,732.40 in the intraday trading session.
Markets at open: The market opened on a positive note, with the Sensex rising 0.56%, to 76,500, while the Nifty gained 86.05 points, also up 0.6%, to 23,700.
“Despite the uncertainty regarding the war, markets have staged a bounce back. One factor that enabled this bounce back is crude remaining around the $ 102 level and fears of spiking above $120 not materialising.
The near-term scenario will be one of markets responding mildly positively to some good news and negatively to bad news,” said VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments.
“Despite being sustained sellers in the market, FIIs have been selectively buying in some sectors like telecom. This partly explains the resilience in telecom stocks. Also, there is a portfolio churn happening away from IT and highly valued FMCG stocks towards telecom, pharmaceuticals, defence, and select financials. Market leaders and fancied stocks in these segments will continue to be resilient even in a choppy market,” he added.
Markets at pre-open: Global developments are likely to steer Dalal Street, with investors keeping a close watch on the situation in West Asia.
Along with geopolitical cues, traders will also track global market trends, currency movements, and commodity prices for direction.
Early signals indicate a positive start, with GIFT Nifty hovering near 23,650, up about 68 points or 0.29%.
Previous session: Markets end higher
Indian benchmark indices ended higher for the second straight session on March 17.
The Sensex gained 567.99 points, or 0.75%, to settle at 76,070.84. The Nifty rose 172.35 points, or 0.74%, to close at 23,581.15.
Key global and domestic cues to watch on March 18, 2026
Asian markets
Asian markets were trading higher in early trade, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 rising 1.38% and the Topix gaining 0.95%. South Korea’s Kospi surged 2.8%, while the smaller Kosdaq index was up 1.66%. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 remained largely flat.
Rising tension in West Asia
The US-Iran conflict has now entered its third week, with the situation becoming more intense after recent airstrikes and counterattacks from both sides. Iran has carried out missile and drone strikes targeting US bases, Israel, and Gulf allies, including a recent drone attack near the US Embassy zone in Baghdad. This back-and-forth has increased uncertainty, and investors are watching closely, as any further escalation could impact crude oil prices and influence overall market sentiment.
US Markets
On March 17, US markets ended on a positive note, with the broader market index rising 0.25% to close at 6,716.09. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.47% to settle at 22,479.53, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 46.85 points, or 0.1%, to settle at 46,993.26.
US Fed meeting in focus
The US Federal Reserve has started its two-day policy meeting on March 17, where officials will review the economic situation and interest rates. The outcome of this Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is expected on March 18, and it comes at a time when global markets are closely watching developments following the recent US-Iran conflict.
US dollar
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the dollar’s value against a basket of six foreign currencies, was trading 0.03% up at 99.60 on Wednesday morning. The index evaluates the strength or weakness of the US dollar in comparison to major currencies. The basket contains currencies such as the British Pound, Euro, Swedish Krona, Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc, etc. The rupee depreciated 0.06% to close at 92.37 to the dollar on March 17.
Crude Oil
Crude oil prices edged lower in early trade on Wednesday, with US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude falling about 1.4% to around $94.86 per barrel. At the same time, Brent crude, the global benchmark, slipped nearly 0.90% and was trading close to $102.42 per barrel.
FII, DII data
On March 17, foreign investors were net sellers in the market, offloading equities worth Rs 4,741.22 crore, according to provisional data. In contrast, domestic institutional investors provided support by buying shares worth Rs 5,225.32 crore.
Gold rate today
In the international market, gold was trading at $5,009 per ounce.
Gold prices in India remain in sharp focus. On the MCX, April 2, 2026, gold futures were trading at Rs 1,55,797 per 10 grams in the latest update.
Top sectors in last trading session
In the last trading session, the E-Commerce sector saw a 3.77% change in its market capitalisation. The Iron and Steel sector’s market cap rose 3.14%. Meanwhile, the Electronics sector recorded a 2.76% increase.
Best and worst performing business group in last trading session
In the last trading session, the Arvind Mafatlal Group saw a 5.16% rise in market capitalization, while the MP Birla Group and Essar Group gained 3.89% and 3.86%, respectively, followed by the BK Birla Group with a 3.76% increase. On the other hand, the Ruchi Group declined by 2.67%, the Anil Ambani Group fell 2.85%, and the Jaipuria Group slipped 3.06%.