Sensex, Nifty at close: The domestic equity markets closed Wednesday’s trade on a higher note, recovering from the day’s lows. The Nifty 50 settled 41 points or 0.17% higher at 23,659, while the BSE Sensex surged 118 points or 0.16% to close at 75,318.
Hindlaco Industries led the gains, rising 3.5%. It was followed by Reliance Industries, Bajaj Auto, Grasim Industries, and Trent.
Sensex, Nifty at 1:45 PM: Indian indices continued to trade subdued with a negative bias. The Nifty 50 was down 19 points or 0.55% to trade at 23,592, while the Sensex was down 106 points or 0.14% at 75,094.
Sensex, Nifty at 12:45 PM: In the afternoon trade, Indian equity markets are largely flat with a slightly negative bias. The Sensex slipped 96.34 points, or 0.13%, to 75,104.51, while the Nifty declined 20.40 points, or 0.09%, to 23,597.60.
Sensex, Nifty at 11 AM: In the intraday trade, Indian equity markets recovered from early losses, with the Nifty reclaiming the 23,500 mark and the Sensex bouncing nearly 300 points from the day’s low. However, weakness in select heavyweights continued, with Bharat Electronics (BEL) declining around 3% in the intraday trading session.
Sensex, Nifty at 10 AM: In the early trade, Indian equity markets remained under pressure. The Sensex declined 385.92 points, or 0.51%, to 74,814.93, while the Nifty slipped 114 points, or 0.48%, to trade at 23,504.
At this hour, Tata Steel was among the top laggards, falling 2.70%, followed by Eternal down 1.66%, UltraTech Cement slipping 1.26%, and SBI declining 1.24% in the intraday trade.
Sensex, Nifty at open: Indian equity markets opened sharply lower on Wednesday amid weak global cues and continued uncertainty around crude oil prices and geopolitical tension. The Sensex fell 598.59 points, or 0.80%, to 74,602.26, while the Nifty declined 196.70 points, or 0.83%, to trade at 23,421.30 in early trade.
Markets before open: Indian markets may begin Wednesday’s session on a cautious note as global uncertainty continues to keep investors on edge. GIFT Nifty was trading 0.4% lower in early trade, indicating a weak start for benchmark indices despite mixed global cues.
The market mood remains sensitive as traders closely track crude oil prices, the rupee’s movement and foreign investor activity. Rising tension in West Asia are also adding to nervousness across global markets, with investors worried that any fresh escalation could trigger another wave of volatility.
Back home, sectors linked to oil, commodities and exports are expected to remain in focus as fluctuations in crude prices and currency markets continue to shape trading sentiment.
Previous session: Markets end lower
In the last trading session, Indian equity markets ended slightly lower. The Nifty slipped 32 points, or 0.14%, to close at 23,618, while the Sensex declined 114 points, or 0.15%, to settle at 75,200.
Key global and domestic cues to watch on May 20, 2026
Asian markets
Asia-Pacific markets traded lower on Wednesday. Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.8%, while the Topix index slipped 0.7%. South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.5%, and the Kosdaq dropped 2%. Australia’s ASX 200 also fell 0.5% during the session.
US Market
Wall Street ended in the red on May 19. The S&P 500 declined 0.67% to close at 7,353.61, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.84% and settled at 25,870.71. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also slipped 322.24 points, or 0.65%, to end at 49,363.88.
Crude oil
Oil prices edged lower in early trad as investors waited for more updates on the ongoing US-Iran talks after Washington indicated progress in negotiations.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slipped 0.3% to $103.8 per barrel, while Brent crude declined 0.44% to $110.79 per barrel in early trade.
US dollar
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the dollar’s value against a basket of six foreign currencies, was trading at 99.32 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.
Rupee
The Indian rupee fell to a fresh record low of 96.61 against the US dollar on Tuesday, May 19.
The domestic currency remained under pressure due to elevated crude oil prices and surging US yields. Rising geopolitical tension in West Asia also weakened market sentiment.
Gold rate today
In the international market, gold edged higher and was trading at $4,499 per ounce after the sharp drop overnight .
Gold prices in India remain in sharp focus. On the MCX, June gold futures were trading at Rs 1,59,136 per 10 grams in the latest update.
Silver rate today
Silver rates are in focus as well. In the international market, silver (XAG/USD) was trading at around $74.50 per ounce. The white metal slumped 4% overnight.
FII, DII data
Foreign institutional investors (FIIs/FPIs) remained net sellers in the Indian equity market on May 19, offloading shares worth Rs 2,457 crore. Meanwhile, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) continued to support the market and purchased equities worth Rs 3,802 crore during the session.
Key sectoral gainers in last trading session
In the last trading session, the Aquaculture sector emerged as one of the top gainers with a rise of 5.74%. The Glass sector also saw strong buying interest and advanced 3.66%, while the Education sector moved higher by 3.45% during the session.
Best and worst performing business group in last trading session
In the last trading session, the Jaipuria Group emerged among the top gaining business groups with a rise of 4.68%, while the Dhanuka Group also moved higher by 4.67%. The Arvind Mafatlal Group gained 4.12% during the session.
On the losing side, the Lakshmi Group Coimbatore declined 1.47%, while the TSF Group slipped 1.98%. The Indiabulls Group also remained under pressure, falling 2.51% in the last trading session.